This is the average rent of a room in Barcelona, according to the OCU

BarcelonaRoom rentals are one of the loopholes that landlords in Catalonia have found to bypass rent caps. Consequently, in December, Parliament passed a law to regulate seasonal and room rentals, a pioneering initiative in Spain.

Despite the legislative progress, the average price of a room in Barcelona in August 2026 stood at 735 euros, according to a study that the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) published this Friday. The entity analyzed 6,580 offers in Barcelona and Madrid that were listed on Idealista on August 31. In the Spanish capital, the average price is 689 euros per month.

The OCU points out that "the differences between neighborhoods are very wide and can mean savings of up to 3,600 euros per year." In Barcelona, the most expensive areas are the right side of the Eixample, where, according to the OCU, the average price of a room is 832 euros, and Sant Gervasi, where 804 euros per month are requested. It is surprising that the third place in the ranking is occupied by El Raval, where the current rent for a room is 800 euros, compared to the 625 that the OCU claims were paid in 2023. In contrast, the most affordable areas in Barcelona are Camp de l'Arpa (577 euros) and El Guinardó (583 euros).

It is cheaper to rent an entire apartment as a group

In parallel, the consumer organization states that renting an entire apartment between three people and then splitting the cost involves an expense of between 347 and 938 euros per person per month, a very wide range depending on the type of housing. "Sharing an 80-square-meter apartment between three people usually works out much cheaper than doing it each on your own," points out the OCU. However, "in this case, it is advisable to make clear the responsibility of those who sign the contract" and "how to do it" to replace a flatmate who leaves.

This conclusion aligns with the profile of apartments most sought after on Fotocasa and Housfy. According to data provided by both portals to ARA, three-bedroom properties are the ones with the highest demand: 40% of tenants prefer them, while 22.5% want four-bedroom ones. The Director of Studies at Fotocasa, María Matos, highlights that three-bedroom apartments "represent a better balance between price and functionality." In the buying market, they are still the preferred option, but for different reasons: "They respond to a need for stability and family growth."

What does the law say in Catalonia?

The Parliament established last December that, in the event of renting an apartment by rooms, the sum of monthly payments "cannot exceed the maximum rent applicable to the unit lease of the dwelling". It added the regulation on room rentals to the housing law, which punishes violating the cap with fines of up to 90,000 euros.

The Catalan chamber also incorporated into the housing law the figure of inspectors, in charge of "investigating the commission of alleged infractions" of the rule.