Spanish home prices rose 12.9% in the year to Q1 2026 — a record. The official average is €2,315/m², purchase taxes run 4–13% depending on region, and no, the "100% tax on foreign buyers" is not law. Here are the numbers.
Last verified: 8 July 2026| Measure (official) | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| House price growth (INE index) | +12.9% year-on-year (new build +9.1%, second-hand +13.5%) | Q1 2026 |
| Average appraised value (MIVAU) | €2,315/m² — record high, +13.9% YoY | Q1 2026 |
| Average registered sale price (Registradores) | €2,429/m² (+8.9% YoY) · Madrid region €4,407 · Balearics €4,173 · Cataluña €2,852 · Málaga province €3,339 | Q1 2026 |
| Sales volume (Registradores) | 178,096 homes sold in the quarter | Q1 2026 |
City-level asking prices (portal data, so treat as indicative, not official): Madrid €6,694/m², Barcelona €5,399, Palma €5,169, Valencia €3,694, Málaga ~€4,250, Alicante €2,811, A Coruña €3,157 (idealista, May–Jun 2026). See Where to Live for the full comparison.
| Purchase type | Tax | 2026 rate |
|---|---|---|
| New build (anywhere) | IVA + stamp duty (AJD) | 10% IVA nationally + AJD ~0.5–1.5% by region (Madrid 0.75%; C. Valenciana 1.4% from 1 Jun 2026) |
| Resale — Madrid | ITP | 6% — the lowest mainland rate |
| Resale — Andalucía | ITP | 7% |
| Resale — Comunitat Valenciana | ITP | 9% from 1 June 2026 (cut from 10%; 11% on the tranche above €1M) |
| Resale — Cataluña | ITP | Tiered 10–13% since mid-2025, plus a 20% deterrent rate for large holders (10+ dwellings) |
| National range | ITP | Roughly 4–13% — the widely repeated "4–11%" is out of date |
On top: notary, land registry and gestoría fees typically total around 1–2.5% of the price (typical range, not an official statistic). All-in, budget roughly 8–15% above the purchase price depending on region.
Typical market practice (no official Banco de España statistic distinguishes non-resident lending): loan-to-value of 60–70% for non-residents (non-EU buyers often 60%) versus up to 80% for residents; rates roughly 0.5–1 point above resident offers; and terms usually required to end by age 70–75 — which shortens the loan for buyers in their 60s. Budget the deposit gap accordingly.
Minimum secure tenure on a standard housing lease: 5 years with an individual landlord, 7 with a company (LAU, as amended 2019/2023).
Legal deposit (fianza) is 1 month; additional guarantees are capped at 2 more months.
Contracts signed after 26 May 2023 update by the IRAV index — 2.48% at May 2026.
INE's tax-data rent index; new contracts +8.8%. Fastest-rising capitals: Valencia +5.9%, Málaga +5.2%, Alicante +5.1%.
Market asking rents (portal data — INE publishes only an index, never €/m² levels): national average 15.1 €/m²/month, Madrid 23.7, Barcelona 23.0, Palma 19.1, Valencia 16.7 (idealista, May 2026). An 85 m² two-bed therefore runs roughly €1,300–2,000/month in the big cities.
NIE, the arras contract, notary day — and the real all-in costs by region.
What landlords can and can't do, deposits, and the IRAV update rules.
Where the bill stands in Congress, what it would actually do, and who's exempt.