In Spanish cities, rent is highest where people live alone
7 November 2026
In all 7 Spanish cities with enough districts to compare, the quarter of districts with the most one-person households has clearly higher rents than the quarter with the fewest. The typical gap is 31%. In Madrid it is 46%: 39.7% of households in the first group are one person and rent averages €17.32/m², against 25.0% and €11.84/m² in the second. Centro has the most people living alone in Madrid (47.7% of households).
City by city
| City | Districts with most one-person households | Districts with fewest | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madrid | €17.32 | €11.84 | +46% |
| Seville | €10.40 | €7.46 | +39% |
| Valencia | €9.50 | €6.86 | +38% |
| Málaga | €12.26 | €9.38 | +31% |
| Valladolid | €8.25 | €6.69 | +23% |
| Zaragoza | €8.21 | €7.06 | +16% |
| Bilbao | €12.52 | €11.18 | +12% |
The districts with the most one-person households
| District | One-person households | Rent €/m² |
|---|---|---|
| Centro Histórico · Málaga | 50.9% | €12.48 |
| Centro · Madrid | 47.7% | €17.70 |
| Ensanche Centro – Soho · Málaga | 46.0% | €12.04 |
| Plaza España · Valladolid | 44.7% | €7.93 |
| La Merced – San Felipe Neri · Málaga | 43.6% | €12.62 |
| Plaza Mayor · Valladolid | 41.6% | €8.57 |
| Casco Antiguo · Seville | 40.7% | €10.71 |
| Casco Histórico · Zaragoza | 40.6% | €8.33 |
| Chamberí · Madrid | 40.4% | €18.55 |
| Ciutat Vella · Valencia | 40.0% | €10.90 |
| Caño Argales · Valladolid | 40.0% | €7.26 |
| San Pablo – San Nicolás · Valladolid | 39.2% | €7.42 |
The districts with the biggest households
| District | People per household | Rent €/m² |
|---|---|---|
| Villaverde · Madrid | 2.9 | €10.26 |
| Llevant · Palma | 2.9 | €8.72 |
| Usera · Madrid | 2.8 | €11.18 |
| Nord · Palma | 2.8 | €9.09 |
| Tamaraceite-San Lorenzo-Tenoya · Las Palmas de Gran Canaria | 2.8 | €6.57 |
| Churriana · Málaga | 2.8 | €9.44 |
| Teatinos – Cruz de Humilladero – Campanillas · Málaga | 2.8 | €9.32 |
| Fuencarral-El Pardo · Madrid | 2.7 | €13.77 |
| Hortaleza · Madrid | 2.7 | €13.66 |
| Carabanchel · Madrid | 2.7 | €11.76 |
| Puente de Vallecas · Madrid | 2.7 | €11.48 |
| Vicálvaro · Madrid | 2.7 | €11.01 |
How we did it
Rent: median rent per m² of leases declared to the Spanish tax agency (Ministry of Housing, SERPAVI). Households: share of one-person households and average household size by census district (INE, Household Income Distribution Atlas). For each city with at least 8 districts we compare the average rent of the quarter of districts with the most one-person households against the quarter with the fewest. Districts with very few leases are left out. This is a pattern, not a cause: one-person households cluster in central districts with small flats, and that location is what the rent pays for.
The same pattern shows up in Germany's 14 largest cities. → · Where rent eats most of local income →
Source: SERPAVI (MIVAU) · INE – ADRH.