Colivings double their capacity and exceed 500 million in investment in Spain

In the past two years, the number of available coliving beds in Spain has jumped from 8,000 to 20,000, representing a 300% increase in investments and reaching €500 million. In fact, Spain now ranks as the third-largest European market where most coliving spaces are set to open by 2026. Barcelona stands out in particular, as listings for rooms for rent already quadruple the number of conventional rental offers in the city. In contrast to this boom, municipalities like Sant Cugat are seeking to limit the growth of colivings, arguing that they make it harder for traditional residents to access housing.

The story of Leandro and Eugenia, a pair of Argentine programmers who moved to Barcelona just four months ago, illustrates the current situation in the Catalan capital. Despite quickly finding jobs and residence permits thanks to their high-demand profession, securing housing has been almost impossible: prices are extremely high and most rental offers are temporary. This led them to shift their search toward a temporary room managed by Inèdit, attracted both by the comfort of the space and the ability to telework together from the same bedroom. They settled into a coliving and plan to remain there until November 2025 at the latest.

The coliving model barely existed in Spain before 2011, when Laia Comas, inspired by what she saw in Silicon Valley, founded the first space of this type after her Erasmus experience in Lisbon. Coliving revolves around renting rooms with services, common areas, and expenses included, fostering community life and connections among people in similar situations, such as students or international professionals. The concept spread quickly in major cities due to housing market pressure and the growing population of young professionals and digital nomads, as recognized by cases such as Daniel Beck and his platform Coliving.com, which now offers more than 39,000 rooms across 400 cities.

Currently, the phenomenon is not limited to Barcelona and Madrid (which concentrate 85% of Spain’s supply), but has expanded to cities such as Valencia, Málaga, Seville, Zaragoza, Bilbao, and even rural areas. Average prices range between €600 and €800. According to recent reports, by the end of 2024 Spain will have a capacity of 20,000 coliving beds, and investments in the “flex living” sector grew by 300% between 2023 and 2024. If this trend continues, by 2026 Spain will host one-third of all new coliving spaces built in Europe.

Demand, which initially came almost exclusively from students, has diversified. Now, most tenants are young international professionals moving for work, although more couples, families, and Spaniards are joining in due to the lack of alternatives in the traditional housing market, especially in cities like Barcelona. One example of how the sector has transformed is The Social Hub (formerly The Student Hotel), which now offers hybrid spaces combining hotel, shared living, and coworking for digital nomads and entrepreneurs, with prices in Spain starting at €1,300 per month.

From an investment perspective, funds and developers are betting on rehabilitating central buildings, targeting clients with higher purchasing power, since coliving allows for more flexible management than conventional rentals, as it is not subject to the Urban Lease Law (LAU).

In Barcelona, the coliving boom is evident in neighborhoods like Poblenou, where companies such as Aticco have transformed old apartments into modern shared accommodations. Aticco Living already manages 500 units and plans to reach 10,000 by 2030, offering medium-term contracts—on average seven months—and basic services such as high-speed internet, cleaning, and access to workspaces. They acknowledge that 80% of their tenants are foreigners, and paying €900 to €1,300 per month is justified by the location and the experience of connecting with other professionals in Barcelona.

However, coliving’s growth also sparks controversy. Some urban planners and neighborhood associations warn that this model pushes out long-term residents and drives up traditional housing prices in central districts. Organizations such as the Sindicat de Llogateres denounce that real estate funds are buying entire buildings to convert them into colivings, displacing residents and artificially inflating prices. They stress the urgent need to regulate this type of rental in order to protect affordable housing supply in cities like Barcelona.

Despite the public debate, everything indicates that coliving will continue to expand in Barcelona and other major Spanish cities. The combination of flexibility, included services, and networking opportunities positions it as an increasingly attractive alternative to traditional renting in Barcelona—especially for international professionals and digital nomads. The creativity of the real estate market seems unstoppable, and coliving has already become part of the city’s new urban landscape.