El Ejido tops rental housing demand in Almeria province as holiday lets squeeze long-term market

This pressure - fueled by rising demand and a decline in long-term lettings as residential properties are converted into holiday homes - mirrors trends across Spain, according to a report compiled by property portal Idealista.

Analysing trends across Spain's 50 provinces using data from active adverts (maintaining a threshold of 75 to 100 published per quarter), the study reveals that market pressure is felt heavily in densely populated areas where prices per square metre are lower, rather than solely in provincial capitals.

The municipality with the greatest pressure from tenant demand relative to available supply in Almeria province is El Ejido, which surpasses Almeria city.

With a population exceeding 93,000, El Ejido is the most sought-after rental area in the province, commanding an average rent of 9.1 euros per square metre per month.

By contrast, Almeria city experiences relatively less demand pressure, despite a higher average rent of 9.5 euros per square metre per month.

Nationally, El Ejido ranks 16th for rental demand pressure. The national list is topped by A Coruña (Galicia), followed by Alcantarilla (Murcia), Alcázar de San Juan (Ciudad Real), Alcoy (Alicante), Aldaia (Valencia), Algeciras (Cadiz), Almansa (Albacete), Ávila, Barakaldo (Vizcaya), Camas (Seville), Churriana de la Vega (Granada), Cordoba, Cornellà de Llobregat (Barcelona), Cuenca and Donostia-San Sebastián (Guipúzcoa).

A broader analysis across Almeria reveals stark regional differences. In coastal areas such as Vera and Roquetas de Mar, finding long-term housing is particularly challenging because holiday rentals account for the bulk of the market. In many instances, landlords only offer tenancy agreements running from September to June, requiring tenants to vacate during the summer for weekly or nightly tourist lets.

Out of approximately 1,800 properties currently listed on Idealista in Almeria province, around 700 are long-term rentals - representing 39 per cent - while the remaining 1,110 (61 per cent) are offered as holiday lets.

In Almeria city, there are more than 600 rental properties listed on the portal. Just over half are for long-term stays, while the rest are holiday lets, creating a balanced market that still leans toward seasonal accommodation. Fierce competition exists in the city due to an influx of university students alongside healthcare and agri-food professionals.

In the eastern part of the province (Levante), there are over 400 listed properties, but three out of every four are holiday homes. Vera has the highest number of rental properties in the Levante region, accounting for 75 per cent of the area's total, yet only around six dozen (72) are available for long-term lets. Mojacar and Garrucha round out the top three municipalities for residential tourism supply in eastern Almeria.

In western Almeria, Roquetas de Mar accounts for 70 per cent of all available rental properties, with two out of three listed as holiday flats. Similarly, in El Ejido, three-quarters of all available rental properties are located in the coastal enclave of Almerimar, where holiday homes predominate. Adra also offers residential rental options, though it follows the same shift toward holiday use.

In the environmentally protected Cabo de Gata-Nijar natural park, there are just over 100 rental properties listed, almost all of which are seasonal lets.

Conversely, inland areas - including the Almanzora Valley, the Los Velez region and the Almeria Alpujarra - remain the only parts of the province where finding an affordable home to live in long-term is relatively easier.

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