How To Find Affordable Housing As A TEFL Teacher In Spain

Finding my first place was surprisingly easy. I arrived a week or so before I was due to start my first teaching role in a small town in Andalucía, and had found somewhere to live by the following afternoon! The main reason for this was the contacts that my employer had. 

The morning after my arrival, we went to an inmobilario (estate agent) to see what was available, but the answer was a resounding ‘not much.’ 

Some flats were dark, dingy and seemed overpriced. My boss spoke to some people she knew with rental flats, and I immediately fell in love with one. It was light, modern and half the price of the ones I’d seen at the estate agent. 

I’ve since used agencies and websites, but my best rental experiences came through contacts of employers or friends. 

💡Tip: Before trawling websites or visiting estate agents, ask your future employers if they know of any available flats.

In both the north and south, flats have been the most common rentals  I’ve come across—shared or not—although I’ve noticed more studios being advertised lately.

There seem to be plenty of options for both year-round contracts and ones that follow the academic calendar.

I think that if you’re moving to a university town, it’s fairly easy to find a place from September to June. Many properties cater to students, and landlords often rent flats to holidaymakers in summer—great if you’re planning to travel or work at a summer school. 

As for teacher-specific accommodation, I’ve seen a few job ads that offer temporary accommodation on arrival, paid for by the employer. 

Occasionally, I’ve seen ads offering shared accommodation in a flat provided or subsidised by the school.

A perk of shared accommodation is that if your housemates aren’t TEFL teachers, your different work schedules mean having the place to yourself in the mornings!

What you will need to rent a flat

To get a rental contract, most places require:

• foreign identification number (Número de Identidad de Extranjero or NIE), 
• one month’s deposit, 
• a work contract, and
• three months’ worth of payslips (some might ask for this, but I’ve never had a problem just showing my contract).

l didn’t have my contract when I moved into my current flat because I was changing jobs. My employer provided me with a compromiso de contratación — a document stating their intention to employ me, including my salary and start date—and my landlord was happy with that. 

I’ve seen some places advertised that want an aval bancario (similar to a bank guarantee). Although if you’re new to Spain, you probably won’t have a Spanish bank account set up. 

I usually look for places that ask for a contract and a month’s deposit. 

Agency fees

It was common for the tenant to pay agency fees, but the law has since changed.

So, if a landlord uses an agency to find a tenant, it is their responsibility to pay the fees.

🚩 Some adverts mention agency fees — usually a month’s rent — I avoid these. 

Short-term vs long-term rentals

There isn´t a huge difference in renting short- and long-term lets (if you count short-term as an academic rather than a full year). Usually, you’ll sign a contract for an agreed period, including notice requirements if you want to leave earlier. 

If you sign a year-long contract, you may be locked in for at least six months. 

After six months, you may lose part of your deposit if you don’t stay the full year. However, some contracts state that you need to give a month’s notice before you leave. 

Read more: Leaving Or Ending A TEFL Contract: What You Need To Know

Flat inspections and lease renewals

Renewal of year-round contracts is generally automatic, provided neither you nor the landlord states otherwise at least a month before the contract expires.

There is a cap on the amount that landlords can increase the rent on a rolling contract, set by the government. 

For me, lease renewals have always been a simple message or a coffee. I’ve never done much negotiating, though I did request that the rent not be increased, and the landlord accepted. So it’s always worth asking these things!

In terms of flat inspections, I’ve never had one except when returning the keys at the end of a lease. When I casually offered one landlord the chance to check the place, they just said they trusted me.

Most contracts state that landlords can request an inspection, although never without warning, unless there’s an emergency.

• Ask your employer if they have contacts who rent properties. 

One of the best ways to find housing is through landlords your employer trusts. If issues arise, the landlord can reach you, adding accountability for both sides.

In my experience, landlords who rent through recommendations tend to take better care of their properties and respond faster to issues. 

• Use estate agents and websites like idealista. 

Idealista is a popular website in Spain for finding or buying property. It usually shows the paperwork landlords require, the property’s energy rating and details about heating.

• Search expat Facebook groups. 

You can post or browse listings for rental properties, usually in English.

💡 Tip: I always prefer to search in person, if possible. You get a much better idea of the property and location (and the landlord!). 

Additional house-hunting tips:

• If possible, arrange short-term accommodation while you look for a longer-term place.
• Try to arrive a bit before your start date so you’re free to check out places without the stress of moving while starting a new job. 
• Start house hunting in summer, as it tends to be a good time to look, and you’ll probably have more available options.

Remote house hunting

Pros:  Searching remotely has its perks. You might be able to organise a place to live before you arrive and then just relax until it’s time to board your flight! 

Cons: The biggest downside of searching remotely is that the photos can be rather flattering, and the reality might be quite different—I’ve seen flats that looked lovely online, but smelled in person!

Securing a long-term rental before arriving in Spain can be difficult, especially without all your paperwork ready.

Read more: What Documents Do I Need To Teach English Abroad?

Small towns vs cities

As a general rule, smaller towns and villages tend to be cheaper than cities, and the accommodation usually offers better value for money due to lower demand. 

TEFL salaries in these areas may be slightly higher, as employers often struggle to attract teachers to lesser-known locations. 

So, smaller towns might be the smarter choice, financially speaking.

Living in a city has its advantages, like:

• Better transport links
• Being closer to an airport
• Easy access to shops and amenities — no need to travel an hour just to buy clothes or essentials
• More chances to meet English speakers, especially in university towns or areas with lots of schools and auxiliaries (language assistants)

Read more: What Is The Cost Of Living In Spain? We Asked Our TEFL Teachers

Pricing

A quick search on idealista shows that a studio flat in Madrid will set you back at least €600 a month, with prices increasing closer to the centre. 

A room in a shared flat tends to start at just over €400, depending on the area.

In Seville, both shared flats and studio flats start around €400, but prices climb in popular neighbourhoods — some one-bedroom flats are listed for over €1,000 a month.

In contrast, towns in the north (like in Asturias or Galicia) show starting prices of around €400, but that might get you a two-bedroom flat. 

In smaller towns, nearly every property is fairly central. Shared flats in these areas can go for as little as €250 a month.

Just a few years ago, in my current city, you could find a small flat in a central area for around €300 a month — those same flats now go for over €500. 

Shared accommodation hasn’t risen as much; some rooms are still under €300, but the average is now around €350–€400.

💡Tips: 

• Check rental sites in the area before committing.
• Factor in extra costs — check what’s included and confirm it’s in the contract.

Utilities and other hidden costs

You’ll almost always need to pay for electricity, and in some areas, a monthly water fee, too.

Wifi is often included in shared flats, but usually not if you live alone, so it’s another cost to factor in. 

There’s also comunidad: a monthly fee for communal spaces. 

Comunidad is normally covered by the landlord, but double-check your rental contract in case they try to pass it on to you.

💡Tip: Check what kind of heating the place has (if any) before signing. 

Some buildings have gas central heating via a shared boiler.

Other options include individual gas boilers, electric radiators (more expensive to run), or gas canisters you’ll need to replace yourself. 

When I had electric or gas radiators, I set aside around €100/month for heating and electricity, billed every 2–3 months. 

The biggest challenge is probably going to be the language.

Read: How To Learn The Local Language

Employers usually help with housing visits by offering translation and support. This is less of an issue in bigger cities or university towns where English is more common.

Bring a fluent friend or colleague who knows the area, even if your Spanish is good. It can make viewings easier, and they might ask questions you wouldn’t think of.

Ask someone to help you check the rental contract before signing, to make sure you fully understand the terms and conditions.

Make sure you have a legal rental agreement, even if you’ve found the place through a friend or contact.

It’s a legal requirement for anyone residing in Spain to empadronarse (register your address at the ayuntamiento: town hall/city council). To do this, you’ll need official proof of where you live. 

🚩 If a landlord asks you not to register using the address, that’s a red flag. 

Not having a valid contract leaves you vulnerable to future issues. 

If you are not ‘officially’ living in the property, could insurance issues arise if something goes wrong? Will the landlord ask you to leave on short notice or unfairly raise the rent? It’s not worth the risk.

I haven’t noticed major differences between renting in Spain and other countries I’ve lived in, except I’ve never seen a fire or carbon monoxide alarm in any rental I’ve viewed.

Like anywhere, you’ll find fantastic landlords—and some who are less so. Some respond quickly to issues, while others may delay repairs to avoid costs.

Deposits are usually one month’s rent. 

Contracts typically state:

• when rent is due, 
• that the landlord is responsible for maintenance and repairs (including white goods—major household appliances lile the fridge, oven, etc.), and  
• that the tenant is responsible for minor breakages.

There’s a more relaxed attitude here. I’ve never had a flat inspection during tenancy or a landlord complain about me putting up pictures, though I always ask first. In the UK, this could cost you part of your deposit. 

In one flat, I painted over the orange walls with the landlord’s permission, as I couldn’t live with the colour. It worked out well: the flat looked better, I stayed longer, and they thanked me with gifts.

The most frustrating cultural difference I’ve noticed is vagueness around timings, like when someone needs to enter the property for repairs. It took me a while to realise that mediodía (midday) can mean anytime up until 3:00 pm. Now I ask for an exact time.

It’s also frustrating that when I report an issue, I’m told ‘someone will be around pronto’ (soon). When is soon? That same day, week, or month?  

Read more: Ways To Work & Live In Spain As A Foreigner

I always bring a few photos and little trinkets from my travels — it helps a new place feel like home almost immediately.

We totally agree – this change in paint colour makes such a difference!

There are quite a few IKEAs dotted around Spain, which are great for affordable household bits. Stores like TEDi also stock decorative bits and bobs. 

A few cushions and throws and a couple of plants will soon have the place feeling more homely without breaking the bank.

A bedroom displaying an IKEA throw nearly EVERY TEFL teacher in Spain has.

Setting up utilities and wifi

In most rentals, you won’t need to set up utilities yourself. The landlord typically receives the bills and passes them on to you when they’re due.

The only thing I’ve had to set up myself is wifi (unless you’re in a shared flat where it’s already sorted). It was fairly easy. I needed my foreign ID number and a Spanish bank account. 

I compared phone and internet deals, made my choice and was connected within days.

Suggestions:

• Take someone with you if your Spanish isn’t strong. 
• Go to shops in person rather than phone companies to set up phone, internet and TV — phone companies tend to sign you up for services you didn’t request, which I’ve experienced.

💡 Tip: Document everything. 

Our top tip: Wherever you end up, take photos or videos of the property on the day you move in, especially if there are any marks on the walls or damaged items. 

Report anything that wasn’t working straightaway. 

This can help avoid disputes later, especially with getting your full deposit back and preventing landlords from wrongly blaming you for existing damage, though I’ve never experienced this myself.

The best option depends on your budget, preferences and personality. 

Sharing is generally going to be cheaper. 

When I moved to Spain, the rent was much cheaper. For example, a flat in Andalucía was only €200 a month. I’d shared flats for years before and, although renting a room would have been slightly cheaper, I chose to pay more for my own space. 

Some people prefer sharing because they don’t like coming home to an empty house. Many have become close friends with their housemates.

Sharing also means that you’re not the only one who has to contact the landlord if there’s an issue. 

It’s easier to meet people in larger towns and cities, especially if you don’t speak Spanish initially. 

But if your goal is to improve your Spanish quickly, smaller places where fewer people speak English will help you level up faster.

There are advantages and disadvantages to sharing versus having your own place and living in a big city versus a small town. 

But wherever you end up, Spain is a beautiful country and every place has its traditions, food and charms. And hopefully, you’ll have a fantastic time discovering them.