Buying a home in Spain has reached a historic breaking point. According to a joint study by Fotocasa and InfoJobs, the average worker now requires 8.4 years of full gross salary to purchase an 80-square-meter second-hand property in 2025. This represents a sharp 16-month deterioration from the 7.1 years required in 2024.
The crisis is driven by a widening chasm between stagnant wages and soaring real estate costs. While advertised salaries rose by a mere 1%, the price of second-hand housing jumped 20.5%, averaging €2,879 per square meter. María Matos, Head of Research at Fotocasa, described this as the worst housing affordability crisis in Spanish history.
Regional disparities are stark. The Balearic Islands present the most hostile market, requiring 15.1 years of salary for an average purchase. Madrid follows closely at 15 years, having seen the most significant annual deterioration with a 34-month increase in required effort. Other regions like Málaga (12.9 years) and Barcelona (10.2 years) also exceed national averages significantly.
Conversely, provinces such as Jaén remain relatively accessible, requiring only three years of gross pay. However, nationwide, only 17 provinces allow home purchases under five years of salary. Mónica Pérez of InfoJobs warns that current wage growth is insufficient to offset property inflation, effectively eroding household purchasing power across the country.