RENTING a home in Malaga province now eats up 58% of a family’s income, new data shows – the highest figure on record in Spain.
The figure, from property portal Idealista, is nearly double the 30% that households should ideally spend on rent, according to financial experts.
It comes as families across Spain continue to struggle amid a spiralling housing crisis, with a shortage of homes and soaring demand sending property costs skyrocketing nationwide.
Idealista said it calculated the figure by cross-referencing the average rent for a two-bedroom property with annual household income data from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE).
In June 2026, rents in Malaga province hit a record high of €17.20 per square metre, meaning a 100-square-metre home would cost €1,720 a month, according to Idealista.
Meanwhile, INE data put the average household income in Malaga province at €33,868 per year, or around €2,822 a month.
Malaga province is home to some of Spain’s biggest tourism hotspots, including Marbella, Estepona and Mijas – and rents are soaring in many of them too.
Idealista data shows rental prices in Marbella have risen 9% over the past year to a record €24 per square metre, while Estepona has seen a 6.5% increase to €21.
Rents in Mijas are up 5%, while Benalmadena and Fuengirola have recorded rises of 7% and 10.5% respectively since 2025.
Meanwhile, renting a home in Malaga city costs families around 20% less than in the rest of the province.
According to the latest Idealista study, the average two-bedroom property in Malaga city accounts for around 40% of a household’s annual income.
The figure still hovers 10% above the limit recommended by financial experts.
Rents in the rest of Andalucia are less burdensome on families, though still on the rise.
At provincial level, Cadiz has the highest rental burden after Malaga, at 35% of household income, followed by Huelva at 33% and Sevilla at 31%.
Among Andalucian capitals, Sevilla is the most expensive after Malaga, with a typical two-bedroom rental consuming 30% of household income.
Cadiz is also at 30%, putting both cities on the threshold considered affordable by experts.
Nationwide, the figure stands at 39% overall – still higher than the limit recommended by experts.
Madrid and Barcelona are also among Spain’s most expensive rental markets, with renting a typical two-bedroom home consuming 38% of household income in Madrid and 34% in Barcelona.
At provincial level, the figures stand at 37% and 32% respectively.
In Valencia, renters need to devote 39% of household income to a typical two-bedroom property, while the province stands at 38%.
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The Balearic Islands are even more stretched, with rental costs equivalent to 48% of household income at provincial level, while Palma stands at 45%.
Buying a home requires a smaller share of household income than renting across Spain, but remains unaffordable for many families.
The average mortgage consumes 29% of household income nationwide, compared with 39% for rent, although Idealista’s calculation does not include the savings needed to secure a mortgage.
At provincial level, the Balearic Islands have the highest purchase burden at 48%, followed by Malaga at 45%.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife comes next at 36%, followed by Madrid at 35% and Barcelona at 24%.
Among Spain’s major cities, Palma is the most expensive place to buy, with mortgage payments eating up 48% of household income.
It is followed by Madrid at 39%, San Sebastian at 36%, Malaga at 35% and Barcelona at 32%. Valencia stands at 28%.
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