In the current housing crisis in the capital, with prices rising by 21% annually, according to INE data, the search for affordable rents is a challenge for most Madrid residents.
The latest research published by the OCU reveals that there are still seven neighborhoods in Madrid where it is possible to find apartments for rent below 900 euros per month, although almost all of them are located in peripheral areas of the city and require assessing factors such as distance to the center, construction quality and the supply of services.
Where are the cheapest rents in Madrid
The study, based on typical 90 m² homes in good condition and with elevator, shows that Pavones in the district of Moratalaz is the cheapest neighborhood in the capital, with an average rent of 810 € per month. Followed closely by other areas such as San Andrés and Los Rosales (Villaverde), Orcasitas and San Fermín (Usera), Zofio (Usera) and the historic center of Vallecas, where prices can range between 815 and 947 € per month, according to the latest data collected by the OCU.
These neighborhoods share certain characteristics that explain their position in the ranking: they have low tourist pressure, high density of social housing and a lower presence of rehabilitated housing, along with somewhat more limited transport and services.
The location in the south and southeast of the city, traditionally less demanded, allows the rental price to be significantly more accessible than in other areas of Madrid, such as the Center and the West, where it is almost impossible to find a home below 1,000 €.
The OCU warns that the economic effort involved in renting for a young couple – up to 43% of their income – makes these seven neighborhoods the only real alternatives for those seeking not to spend half of their monthly salary to pay for housing.
While the annual rise in rent in Madrid remains unstoppable and the supply is reduced to increasingly expensive apartments and smaller surface, the option of accessing neighborhoods like Pavones, Villaverde, Usera and Vallecas becomes the salvation for thousands of families and workers who aspire, simply, to be able to live in the capital without assuming luxury prices.
The OCU study supports the evidence that the periphery remains the last stronghold of reasonable rent in Madrid, pending future policies to balance the market and expand the supply of housing at fair prices.