Barcelona offers a range of accommodation possibilities – shared furnished apartments, long-term unfurnished rentals, tourist apartments which may be rented on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, and student residences.
In a shared (subletted) apartment, typically you'll be asked to pay one month's rent as a security deposit and will not be given a written rental agreement nor required to stay a minimum amount of time. A decent room in a shared apartment in the center of town can be found for about 300-400 euros per month, expenses included, though quality and costs vary greatly.
If you're looking to rent your own apartment, be prepared to have your residency status in order and proof of income and job stability, i.e. supporting pay slips and an indefinite employment agreement. You'll be asked to pay several months rent as a security deposit and, in some cases, up to as much as six month's rent in the form of a bank deposit guarantee ("aval"). Agency commissions range from one month's rent up to 10% of the first year's rent, plus additional costs for issuing the contract. Rental agreements are typically five years with a minimum commitment of one to two years.
The center of town represents the most desirable area for most residents and tourists: the old quarter (fashionable Born, touristy Barri Gòtic, gritty Raval, and somewhat shabby Barceloneta), upscale Eixample, residential Sant Gervasi, and bohemian Gràcia. Expect to get more room for your money in slightly farther out Sants, Les Corts, and Poble Nou and pay considerably less in more outlying areas like Horta and Nou Barris. Poble Sec (together with parts of the lower Raval) remains perhaps the least expensive, central neighborhood, and has a large Latino resident population and a working class air.
Regardless of where you live, Barcelona is a small city, geographically speaking, with a good public transportation system so you'll be able to reach the center of town in fifteen to twenty minutes from just about everywhere.
Websites for finding an apartment in Barcelona:
Almost certainly Barcelona's most popular website for finding housing, jobs, as well as just about anything else that can be bought, sold or rented. With thousands of listings it’s a bit like gold panning, there is more than fool’s gold; you’ve just got to keep looking.
Popular in the US and similar in format to Loquo, it is growing quite quickly internationally. Features both shared and apartment rentals.
Specializes in renting apartments across Spain with thousands of shared or private options available in Barcelona. Offers more screener of ads and standardized information on housing than free-form Loquo and Craigslist.
Spanish site of international classified ads portal. Find available apartments for sale or for rent, furnished and unfurnished, shared or long-term.
Classified website from leading Spanish newspaper; houses and apartments for sale and long-term rent.
Classified website from another leading Spanish newspaper; similarly, with homes for sale as well as long-term unfurnished rentals.
Col·legi d'Administradors de Finques de Barcelona - Lleida
Website run by an industry association of real estate agencies, offers a good selection of unfurnished, long-term rentals at "local" prices. While you will be dealing with an agency (and the additional costs this implies), still a good resource.
Centro d'Informació i Assessorament per a Joves (CIAJ)
Local Barcelona government information center set up for young people, with housing, job, legal, and other resources. Look for shared apartments on their website under the section "Tauló d'Anuncis, Secció Habitatge". C/ Sant Oleguer 6-8 (Raval). Tel. 93 442 29 39.
Another service aimed at students and young people with information on residency halls and dorms, short-term accommodation, and tourist apartments. Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm and 4pm-6pm. C/ Enric Granados 19, entresol 1ª (Eixample). Tel. 93 323 90 68.
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