What does a holiday rental in Spain earn?
Across the markets Terrivio tracks, gross yields in Spain typically range from 5–8% and net yields from 2.5–5% after operating costs and acquisition costs. The spread between the two is the whole story: platform fees, cleaning, management, utilities, insurance and local taxes usually consume 35–50% of gross revenue.
Worked example: a €260,000 property at €130 per night and 62% occupancy books about 226 nights and grosses roughly €29,380 a year (11.3% gross yield). After 25% variable costs and €4,200 fixed costs, NOI is about €17,835 — a net yield of 6.1% on the total investment of €291,200.
Purchase costs and taxes in Spain
Budget roughly 12% on top of the asking price for acquisition costs. The main component is the ITP 6–10% (resale) · 10% VAT + 1.5% AJD (new-build). These costs are sunk on day one, which is why Terrivio divides NOI by the total investment — not the asking price — to compute net yield.
Non-resident EU/EEA owners pay 19% on net rental income (costs deductible); non-EU owners 24% on gross. Annual IBI property tax and Plusvalía on resale apply.
Tourist tax: Catalonia & Balearics: ~€2–7 per night. It is normally collected from guests but affects your competitive nightly rate.
Short-term rental rules in Spain
A regional tourist licence (VUT/HUT) plus the national single registry number (mandatory since July 2025) are required. Barcelona is phasing out tourist flats by 2028; the Balearics and parts of Andalusia restrict new licences.
Regulation is the biggest single risk in European STR investing. Terrivio's risk score weights regulatory risk at 25% and flags night caps, licence requirements and enforcement intensity for every analysed listing.
Where to look: cities and portals in Spain
Popular short-term rental locations include Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Málaga, Alicante and Sevilla. Each has a different seasonality profile — Terrivio shows the 12-month revenue curve so you can see how much of the year carries the return.
Listings are mostly published on Idealista, Fotocasa, Habitaclia and pisos.com. Terrivio reads these portals directly: paste the listing URL and the pipeline extracts price, size, rooms and location automatically.
How to analyse a Spain listing with Terrivio
- Copy the listing URL. Open the property on Idealista or another supported portal and copy the address bar URL.
- Paste it into Terrivio. Terrivio scrapes the listing, geocodes the address and pulls market ADR and occupancy for the segment (property type, bedrooms, location).
- Review yield and cashflow. You get gross and net yield, NOI, monthly cashflow, break-even occupancy and 10-year IRR — using Spain-specific acquisition costs and taxes.
- Check risk, tax and rules. The report shows the 10-dimension risk score, the recommended tax regime for Spain and the STR rules that apply to the exact city.
Frequently asked questions
Is a holiday home in Spain a good investment in 2026?
It depends on the micro-location and on regulation. Typical net yields are 2.5–5%; the best results come from locations with year-round demand and clear licensing. Always model the net figure, not the gross.
How much are purchase costs in Spain?
Plan for roughly 12% of the price: ITP 6–10% (resale) · 10% VAT + 1.5% AJD (new-build), plus notary, registry and agent fees where applicable.
Do I need a licence to rent out short-term in Spain?
A regional tourist licence (VUT/HUT) plus the national single registry number (mandatory since July 2025) are required. Barcelona is phasing out tourist flats by 2028; the Balearics and parts of Andalusia restrict new licences.
Which Spain property portals does Terrivio support?
Terrivio analyses listings from Idealista, Fotocasa, Habitaclia and pisos.com and 40+ other European portals. Paste any listing URL to start.