At Lodging, we’re specialists in monthly rentals in Barcelona, and we know that month-to-month rentals are a necessary service tailored to tenants with a very specific profile. Unlike traditional long-term rentals, tenants of month-to-month apartments are looking to stay in the city for a short period of time and prioritize furnished and equipped accommodations with flexible contracts. This market is evolving rapidly and demands increasingly professional management. Owners, take note: it’s not just a matter of renting a good apartment, but of offering a complete experience, tailored to each guest.
The mid-length-stay segment comprises a totally different population from that of holiday rentals, and originates from different needs. One example of this is foreign students who move to the city for a period of time and require accommodation for a few weeks or months. According to the Statistical Institute of Catalonia, 15,621 visiting students chose Catalonia for university studies in 2013/2014, and more than 13,000 of those came to universities in Barcelona. If we take into account that these figures do not include those enrolled in the numerous prestigious business schools in Barcelona—which offer their own programs not included in this study—the data clearly shows the need for accommodation tailored to their needs. Furthermore, it should be noted that these educational programs include older senior students, many of whom move for months to pursue postgraduate studies or research stays and demand impeccable, premium accommodation.
In this population group we also find people with temporary work placements and expats who come to the city for projects that last several months or who need temporary housing for a transitional period before they settle down. According to an analysis by the Catalan News Agency, the expatriate population in Barcelona from countries with a higher GDP per capita than Spain has grown to more than 86,000 people, representing more than 5% of the city’s population. These people usually seek well-equipped housing and flexible contracts and, according to data from the Centre d’Estudis Demogràfics (CED) of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), their numbers could ascend to 200,000 in the Catalan capital.
These two groups show a clear demand for monthly rentals. The latest figures from Barcelona also reinforce these statistics: a study by the Cambra de la Propietat Urbana de Barcelona reveals that in 2024, 8,406 temporary rental contracts were signed, representing approximately 2.68% of the city’s rental stock—a modest share, but an increase of 40.8% over the previous year, indicating that the monthly rental model is expanding and must respond to new needs.
And why is this formula so important for the city and homeowners? On the one hand, offering month-to-month rental expands the housing stock and lets owners earn income from properties they would like to keep at their disposal in the medium term (letting only for a year, say), which would otherwise go unused for extended periods of time. It’s a combination of stability for the owner (several months’ rent) and flexibility for the guest (a contract tailored to their stay).
For owners, being able to rely on specialists in monthly rentals in Barcelona offers multiple advantages: a rigorous selection of tenants, maintenance services and control of utility use, advice on regulations and taxation, and the highest possible occupancy. Furnished and equipped homes can be put on the market easily, and be supervised by professionals that manage day-to-day operations and improve efficiency. In short, mid-term rentals in Barcelona are not a niche market: they are an essential service that responds to the growing number of international students, expats, and professionals who need month-to-month contracts, sometimes as a prerequisite for settling more permanently in the city. For owners with available housing who do not want to let their property for long periods of time, this formula can be the perfect solution to ensure that property remains part of the city’s housing stock. With the help of specialists in monthly rentals in Barcelona, like Lodging, transforming a stagnant asset into a profitable source of income can be done with agile, transparent management aligned with the real needs of the market. We’re ready to help; give us a call.
