Sharing a flat has become the go-to solution for many struggling to afford rent alone, but where you live still makes a huge difference.
One Andalucian city is now the cheapest place in Spain to rent a room, with an average monthly cost of just €245, a fraction of what tenants are paying in major tourism hubs like Malaga.
The city in question is Jaen, whose average rent puts it far below cities like Barcelona, where rooms average €600, and Madrid, where prices hover around €587.
Still cheap, but no longer untouched
Despite its status as Spain’s most affordable city for shared living, Jaen is no longer immune to the pressures gripping the wider housing market.
According to new data from Idealista for the first quarter of 2026, room prices in the city have jumped by 7% over the past year, well above the national average increase of just 2%.
Across Spain, the average cost of renting a room now stands at €430 per month.
Demand surges as more turn to flat-sharing
The rise in prices is being driven by a clear shift in behaviour.
More people than ever are looking to rent rooms rather than entire properties, as affordability continues to bite.
In Jaen, demand for rooms has surged by 28% in the past year – a sharp increase that highlights how quickly the market is changing.
At the same time, supply is also growing. The number of rooms available to rent has risen by 31%, as more landlords look to capitalise on the trend.
A market under pressure
Jaen still offers unmatched value compared to the rest of the country, but the gap is beginning to narrow as prices climb and competition intensifies.
Nationally, the shared rental market is expanding at pace, with supply up 22% and demand rising by 6% in early 2026. But Jaen is outpacing those trends across the board, in price growth, demand and availability.
For now, Jaen remains the most accessible city in Spain for renters looking to share, but it’s no longer protected from price rises.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
