Ibiza faces housing crisis amid rising rents
Kyiv • UNN
Ibiza faces a housing crisis amid rising rents, forcing locals and seasonal workers to live in unauthorized camps. The average rent on the island has reached 33.7 euros per square meter, significantly exceeding the national minimum wage.
The Spanish party island of Ibiza is suffering from a housing crisis amid rising rents, Reuters reports, writes UNN.
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As the publication writes, behind Ibiza's club scene and beaches, the housing crisis has forced many locals and seasonal workers to share cramped apartments, commute to work from outside the island, or stay in tents and RVs in unauthorized camps.
Ibiza's problems reflect a broader issue in Spain, where a lack of affordable housing in cities and popular coastal destinations has sparked protests demanding rent control and condemning overtourism. Activists accuse landlords of prioritizing short-term tourist rentals over less profitable long-term rentals.
According to local authorities last year, nearly 800 people on Ibiza resorted to living in makeshift settlements, and these figures do not include the approximately 200 people who lived in huts, tents, and vans in the "Can Rovi 2" camp before their eviction last month.
"The island is a paradise, the most beautiful place I have ever seen. But it has a downside," said Jerónimo Diana, a 50-year-old water technician from Argentina who stayed at Can Rovi 2.
A typical monthly rent would consume most of his 1,800 euro salary, Diana said.
The average rent in Ibiza peaked at 33.7 euros per square meter last July, a 23% increase from July 2023, according to data from the real estate website Idealista. This is approximately 1,500 euros (1,756 US dollars) for a small one-bedroom apartment. The national minimum wage in Spain is 1,381 euros per month.
According to the regional statistics institute, Ibiza hosted 3.28 million tourists in 2024, 76% of whom were from outside Spain, while the island's population reached a record 161,485 people.