There is a municipality in Alcarria Baja, in Guadalajara, one of the most beautiful in Castilla-La Mancha, which is a few kilometers from the border with the Community of Madrid and has one of the great attractions of the moment: affordable housing.
With just over 600 inhabitants, it has joined the Vente a vivir a un pueblo (Come and live in a village) platform to attract new residents with a package that is hard to beat: a peaceful life, comprehensive services, and good connections to both Madrid and Guadalajara.
Albares is in the south of the province, about 75 kilometers from Madrid and about 60 from the capital of La Alcarria, making it a very viable option for those who work in the city but want to live in a rural setting. The drive takes about an hour to an hour and a half to Madrid and slightly less to Guadalajara, and the village also has a daily bus service to both cities.
Affordable housing: rent for €400 and houses for €100,000
Albares’s big draw is its housing market. The platform for attracting new residents lists rents starting at €400 per month, well below what is paid for a similar apartment in the Madrid metropolitan area. Some reports lower the range even further, pointing to rentals starting at €200 and houses for sale starting at €50,000-€100,000 depending on size and location, figures that are unthinkable in the capital.
The municipal objective is to fill uninhabited houses and prevent the town from becoming depopulated, offering affordable prices at a time when Madrid far exceeds €4,000 per square meter in many neighborhoods. In addition, the City Council and the Provincial Council have put together aid and subsidies for families who register as residents, which further improves the equation for those considering moving in the medium term.
Services, internet, and almost guaranteed employment
Albares does not want to sell only cheap housing, he also boasts an “all-round” infrastructure that includes a health center, school, sports facilities (paddle tennis and soccer courts), gym, bank with ATM, supermarket, library, cultural center, nursing home, and day center. Added to this are bars, restaurants, a tobacconist, and small shops, which means residents do not have to travel to the city every day for basic necessities.
In terms of employment, the town offers opportunities in the service sector, agriculture and livestock, commerce, and small businesses and workshops. The 4G connection and the availability of fiber optics also facilitate teleworking, so that many qualified professionals can keep their jobs remotely or combine stays in Madrid with days of remote work from the village.