Housing demand in Spain is rapidly spilling into smaller towns and semi-rural areas, new data has revealed, pushing prices up at a pace that now outstrips many provincial capitals.
According to fresh figures from idealista, the sharpest rises are being recorded not in Madrid, Barcelona or Valencia, but in lesser-known municipalities within commuting distance of major cities.
The trend reflects a growing exodus from unaffordable capitals, where lack of supply has made renting or buying impossible for many households.
At the top of the table is Malpica de Bergantiños, a coastal town around 50km from A Coruña, where house prices jumped by 57% year-on-year in October.
According to the data, not a single provincial capital appears among the 10 fastest-rising locations.
Demand moves to the edges
As prices in city centres and even outer neighbourhoods soar, buyers and tenants are being pushed further out, often to towns less than an hour’s drive from where most jobs are still located.
Idealista’s data shows that among the 15 municipalities with the fastest-rising prices, all lie relatively close to a major city, with an average distance of around 40km.
The appeal is twofold: significantly lower starting prices than in the capital, combined with access to urban employment and services, without giving up coastal or rural quality of life.
Big jumps in Valencia and Murcia
Seven of the 10 fastest-growing municipalities are in the Valencian Community and the Region of Murcia, with annual increases ranging from 44% to 57%.
These figures are far above the national average rise of 15.7%, and well ahead of the increases seen in the cities of Valencia (16.8%) and Murcia (11.7%).
In Alicante province, expat havens like Cox and Rafal recorded rises of 54% and 53% respectively. In the Madrid region, Villarejo de Salvanes saw prices climb by 48%.
Murcia also features heavily, with Torre-Pacheco up 46% and Fuente-Alamo up 44%. San Pedro de Pinatar, also popular with British expats, saw climbs of 37%.
| Rank | Town | Province | Autonomous community | Annual price rise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malpica de Bergantiños | A Coruña | Galicia | +57% |
| 2 | Cox | Alicante | Valencian Community | +54% |
| 3 | Rafal | Alicante | Valencian Community | +53% |
| 4 | Villarejo de Salvanés | Madrid | Community of Madrid | +48% |
| 5 | Torre-Pacheco | Murcia | Region of Murcia | +46% |
| 6 | Fuente-Álamo | Murcia | Region of Murcia | +44% |
| 7 | Marina de Cudeyo | Cantabria | Cantabria | +39% |
| 8 | La Pobla de Vallbona | Valencia | Valencian Community | +37% |
| 9 | San Pedro del Pinatar | Murcia | Region of Murcia | +37% |
| 10 | Gilet | Valencia | Valencian Community | +37% |
Still cheaper than the capitals
Despite these dramatic rises, many of these towns remain far cheaper than their nearby cities. Buying an 80m² flat in Villarejo de Salvanes, for example, costs almost €250,000 less than a comparable property in Madrid city, a difference of over €3,100 per square metre.
In Sineu, around 33km from Palma, the saving on an 80m2 home is still around €170,000.
There are exceptions. In parts of Murcia such as Torre-Pacheco, San Pedro del Pinatar and Fuente-Alamo, prices are already higher than in Murcia city itself, reflecting the region’s unique geography and coastal demand.
Prices at record highs
The shift towards smaller towns comes as Spain’s housing market hits historic highs. The average price of a second-hand home now stands at €2,555 per square metre, meaning an average 80m2 property costs around €204,400, before taxes and fees. Transaction costs, including transfer tax, remain among the highest in the EU.
Experts point to a widening gap between supply and demand. Population growth driven by foreign arrivals, smaller household sizes and a lack of new construction are all pushing demand higher, while supply struggles to keep up. The Bank of Spain estimates the country is short by at least 700,000 homes.
