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RENTING

The cheapest neighbourhoods to rent in Málaga

Rental costs have risen by eye-watering amounts in Málaga in recent years, but there are still some more cost-effective neighbourhoods to rent in the Costa del Sol city.

Published: 3 June 2024 16:54 CEST
Updated: 8 June 2024 09:20 CEST
The cheapest neighbourhoods to rent in Málaga
Rents have spiked in Málaga in recent years, so where can you still get a good deal? Photo: Carlos Sedano/Pexels

Rents are rising around the country in Spain. According to Spain’s premier property website Idealista, average rents for around the country in May stood at €13.2m/2 – a 13.4 percent rise on this time last year.

Some cities feel this more than others. Málaga, down in the Costa del Sol, is certainly one of the places taking the brunt of price rises in recent years. Málaga has always been a popular tourist destination, but it has also become a bit of a hub for tech companies and attracted remote workers and digital nomads looking to take advantage of the Spanish climate, pace of life and (for them) relatively affordable pace of life.

READ ALSO: Why Spain’s Málaga is becoming a victim of its own success

Sadly the price rises are having an impact on locals and pricing them out of their own neighbourhoods, and many are planning to protest at the end of the month. 

Idealista data shows that average rents there are well above the national average – as of May, the average price to rent in Màlaga was €14.2/m2. For some idea of just how quickly rents are increasing, average rent in the provincial capital has risen by 3.6 percent since February alone and an eye-watering 14.4 percent in a single year.

As such, for those considering a move to Málaga, you’ll be looking for the cheaper neighbourhoods to rent in.

According to the latest Idealista figures, they are as follows:

Cheapest areas to rent in Málaga

Campanillas – €10.7/m2

As you might’ve expected, to access the cheaper areas you’ll need to leave the city centre. Campanillas, in the far west of the city, came out as the cheapest average rent at €10.7/m2.

Judging by Idealista’s listings, the cheapest property for rent is around €550 per month, for a 48m/2 studio/1 bedroom flat. Flats tend to start at around €700 and €800 per month, with one bedroom or more.

Ciudad Jardín – €11/m2

Cuidad Jardín, a quiet residential district stretching from the city’s northern suburbs to Montes de Málaga park, was the second cheapest at €11/m2. Ciudad Jardín has, as you might’ve guessed from the name, various hiking and cycling trails with views of the Mediterranean.

Judging by the adverts on Idealista, properties in Ciudad Jardín range from €750 for an unfurnished 40m/2 property to rent all the way up to €2,500 for a 320m/2 four-bedroom villa.

Most adverts currently available seem to be between €900 and €1,000 per month for one and two bedroom apartments.

Puerto de la Torre – €12/m2

Puerto de la Torre is around 5km from the city centre, but you can find (admittedly tiny) studios there for as little as €750 and 1 or 2 beds starting from €850/900.

The area was for many years apparently known as the “lungs of Málaga” owning to its altitude and clean air, and people were even sent there by doctors to recuperate until the 1950s!

Teatinos-Universidad – €12.6/m2

The next cheapest area of the city was the Teatinos-Universidad neighbourhood, where rents average €12.6m/2.

As you might’ve guessed, this is one of the primary student areas in the city, so keep that in mind when thinking about space, size, ambience and quality of property.

Cruz de Humilladero – €13.3/m2

Finally, Cruz de Humilladero was the fifth cheapest area to rent in Málaga, according to Idealista’s figures. Average rents there cost €13.3/m2.

Cruz de Humilladero is both residential and industrial, and slightly out of the city centre but very well connected by public transport. The area is well known for its large events venues, such as concerts at the Cortijo de Torres auditorium and symphonies at the Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra.

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RENTING

When’s the best time of the year to start renting in Spain?

Certain times of the year are better than others to find a rental property, and what can be considered the 'best' time depends on whether you're a prospective tenant or landlord and whether you're looking for affordability or options.

Published: 1 July 2024 12:31 CEST
When's the best time of the year to start renting in Spain?

With rents in Spain soaring in recent years and affordable rental properties in high demand, finding a place to live can seem like a struggle.

This is especially true if you live in one of Spain’s major cities like Madrid, Barcelona or Valencia, where demand is high, supply low, and prices rising.

Knowing when in the year is the best time to rent could help you find a place. But is there a ‘best’ time of year? And what about landlords wanting to rent out their properties?

READ ALSO: The best websites to find student housing in Spain

Although it’s difficult to say there’s a definite ‘best’ time of year to rent, when in the year you should start renting does depend on a few factors. Where in Spain you’re looking, of course, matters because in big cities there will be a surge in availability at certain times of year, whereas in smaller towns there will be less on offer but likely apartments sitting empty year round.

You also need to consider what ‘best’ really means. Does it mean best in terms of availability and opportunity, or in terms of finding the cheapest rents?

September renting season

In Spain as around the world, September seems to be considered ‘best’ time of the year to start renting in terms of availability. It’s the end of summer, and the beginning of a new academic and work year. In terms of the rental market, September in Spain is, like in many countries, the beginning of a new cycle. 

Students tend to try to find a flat in time for the new academic year, which is usually sometime towards the end of September. As such, many begin their search in August or early-September in order to avoid last minute panics and rushes as everyone tries to do the same thing.

Experts say this demand grows even more during the second fortnight of the month as people begin to panic a bit and step up their search.

Generally speaking, rental price data shows that the demand for rental accommodation grows annually during the fourth quarter of the year – that is, in October, November and December. For this reason, it is advisable to try and secure your contract by September and not to do so in that final stretch of the year, when higher demand leads to paying up to €35 more per month on average, according to data cited by El Español.

For example, in Catalonia, the average rental price in 2022 was €779.84 per month, but price records show there was a significant upturn in the fourth quarter of the year, to an average of €815, according to data from the Institut Català del Sòl (Incasòl). Of course, in July 2024 prices will be significantly more than that, but this end of year price squeeze trend is clear.

READ ALSO: ‘The Hunger Games’: Two million university students in Spain fight to find a room

While busiest of course means more competition, it can also mean more opportunity. Due to the fact many people are house hunting in September, it also means it’s the time of year when swathes of one-year leases are up. This is especially true in student areas, as well as properties that cater to seasonal or yearly contracted English teachers and language assistants, and areas close to hospitals and health centres.

So, in terms of renters, getting your apartment by early September seems a smart thing to do in order to avoid the mad rush of students searching for a place to live. You’ll need to be dedicated in your search, but it’s also when there’s likely to be the most apartments freeing up, and doing anything before September seems less likely anyway.

Keep in mind that this is Spain we’re talking about, and during the summer months (in August especially) nobody is really doing much of anything and you may struggle to get potential landlords to even answer the phone, even if their property is advertised online.

Early in the year

However, in terms of finding the most affordable rents, there’s an argument that it’s from January onwards.

Many landlords who didn’t manage to rent their properties during the year tend to adjust prices downwards in January. Some also take advantage of this period to renovate their properties, making them more attractive.

This means that from January until the arrival of spring, say March/April, if you’re lucky you can find cheaper offers, but keep in mind there will probably be less properties on the market overall.

What about renting your property?

If you’re a landlord, however, waiting for the September (or better, January) rush seems a sensible thing to do if you’re trying to earn a little more income. Data from the Google Trends tool cited by rental website Rentuos, for example, shows the highest level of traffic for the keyword “rent flat Barcelona” is concentrated between the end of August and the end of September.

If you’re a landlord, capitalising on this period, or perhaps even waiting a little longer until demand is even higher and supply significantly lower, could be the way to go.

It’s also true that many landlords will try to take advantage of this and renew their contracts every year during the rush periods. In that sense, the ‘best’ time of year to rent seems to be September for both renters and landlords. 

READ ALSO: Has Spain’s Housing Law completely failed to control rents?

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