Renting in Palma

Palma is one of the hardest cities in Spain to rent in: asking rents reached a record €19.6 per m² in September 2026, the typical advertised one-bed costs about €1,500 a month, and each listing draws around 59 enquiries, second only to Barcelona among Spain's big cities. A third of the flats on offer are fixed-term 'temporada' lets, many of them winter lets that end before the summer season. Arrive with your papers ready, ask what kind of contract you are being offered, and never pay to reserve a flat before you have checked who really owns it.

Checked 2 October 2026Deposits, contracts and notice periods: Spain rules

Palma cathedral above the seafront

The situation right now

Idealista puts average asking rent in Palma at €19.6 per m² in September 2026, a new high and 7.3% more than a year earlier; Fotocasa's index gives €20.08 per m² in August, up 6.7%, its fifteenth month in a row of yearly rises. Prices are not levelling off: the old town (€20.2) and Santa Catalina–Son Armadans–Paseo Marítimo (€20.1) are at or near their records, Portixol–El Molinar rose 21.7% in a year, and cheaper districts such as Pere Garau (+12.3%) are catching up. Of the eight Balearic towns in Fotocasa's August report, only Calvià and four on Ibiza cost more.

On 2 October 2026 Idealista listed 999 flats and houses and 419 rooms to rent in the whole city. 328 of those homes, about a third, are 'alquiler de temporada' (fixed-term lets of up to 11 months), and among one-beds the share is 45%. Many are furnished winter lets from October or November to May, priced by the month and handed back to holiday guests or the owner for the summer. Tourist letting is closed to growth: a regional decree-law has barred new tourist places in apartment buildings across the islands since April 2025, Palma had already banned them there in 2018, and on 28 May 2026 the city extended the ban to houses. The latest count of tourist homes in Palma is 538, 43.6% fewer than a year earlier (Última Hora, September 2026).

Competition is fierce. Each Idealista rental ad in Palma drew 59 enquiries in the second quarter of 2026, against 42 nationally, and 24% of the homes let had been online for less than 24 hours (17% nationally). You are up against local workers on island wages, seasonal and hospitality staff, public employees posted to Mallorca, students at the Universitat de les Illes Balears and better-paid newcomers working remotely. Ads ask for a permanent contract or income of twice the rent, one for a household income of at least €4,600 a month,, and landlords pick the applicant who looks safest.

There is no cap on starting rents: no Balearic municipality is among the 317 municipalities with declared stressed-market zones (Housing Ministry, September 2026), and in December 2025 the regional government was rejecting a declaration and announced a tax deduction for landlords who keep the rent unchanged on renewal in 2026, not confirmed in force as of October 2026. Public schemes are aimed at long-standing residents: protected homes need five years' residence in the islands (Ley 4/2025, since July 2025), and so do limited-price homes and the 'Lloguer Segur' scheme. A Mallorca tenants' union, the Sindicat de Llogateres de Mallorca, was founded in May 2026. Palma's civic ordinance, in force since May 2025, dropped the fines it had planned for living in a caravan but limits parking in one spot to ten days; vans and caravans lived in on the street are a visible sign of the shortage.

On a normal local salary, a room in a shared flat (€550–700) is the realistic option; a one-bed takes most of a median net wage, and two-beds are mostly €1,650–2,500. Expect four to eight weeks of searching if you are on the island with your documents ready, longer if you need a long-term contract and arrive between April and September, when owners keep flats for the season.

Behind the scores

DifficultyVery hard

Homes are scarce as well as hard to qualify for: competition is 4 (59 contacts per listing, 24% let within 24 hours, Idealista, Q2 2026). Ads ask for a permanent contract, income of twice the rent or, in one case, a household income of at least €4,600 a month (Idealista and Milanuncios listings, 2026-10). 33% of listed homes and 45% of one-beds are temporary lets (Idealista, 2026-10-02). Protected homes and Lloguer Segur need five years' residence in the islands (Ley 4/2025; Govern balear, 2026). As of October 2026.

CostVery expensive

One-bed of 45–55 m² in Ciutat Antiga, Santa Catalina, Es Fortí, Las Avenidas or Son Oliva: €765–1,110 (Idealista, €17.0–20.2/m², 2026-09). Median gross pay in the Balearics €24,962 (INE EAES 2024), about €1,650 net a month over 12 payments after social security and income tax, single person; a regional median. Share 46–67%, middle 57%. Cross-checks: AEAT Balearic average €24,254, about €1,615 net; median listed one-bed €1,500 (Idealista, 2026-10), 91%, higher as 45% of one-beds are furnished temporary lets. As of September 2026.

CompetitionFierce

59 contacts per rental listing before it came down, up 1% in a year, against 42 nationally, Madrid 48 and Barcelona 95 (Idealista, Q2 2026); 24% of homes let within 24 hours, against 17% nationally, Madrid and Málaga 9% and Barcelona 36% (Idealista study via Fibwi Diario, 2026-08). About 999 homes listed for the whole city (Idealista, 2026-10-02). Dozens of enquiries per flat and many gone within a day or two. As of September 2026.

Scam riskVery common

Police action against rental fraud aimed at flat-hunters in Palma: a Policía Nacional arrest over fake leases, €300–365 'reservations' then about €1,125 for deposit and first month (Última Hora, 2026-04); four Policía Nacional arrests (operación Zemtrun) over holiday flats rented for two or three days and offered as homes, about €18,000, up to €7,500 per victim (mallorcadiario.com, 2026-05). A Guardia Civil case and warning after a Mallorca resident lost over €3,000 on a portal ad (Última Hora, 2026-05). As of September 2026.

Apartment buildings over the arcades of a square in Palma
Apartment buildings over the arcades of a square in Palma

What it costs

TypeTypical asking rentSource
Room in a shared flatMiddle half of 419 listings, median about €600. Bills are sometimes included; ask.€550–700 a monthIdealista (room listings, Palma), October 2026
Studio or one-bedOne-beds: middle half of 149 listings, median about €1,500, cheapest about €950; 45% are temporada lets. Studios are few (29 listings), mostly €1,100–1,500. A one-bed of 45–55 m² at Idealista's district averages would be €765–1,110.€1,300–1,800 a monthIdealista (live listings, Palma), October 2026
Two-bed flatAsking rents, middle half of 337 listings, median about €2,000. City average €19.6 per m² (Idealista price report, Sept 2026).€1,650–2,500 a monthIdealista (live listings, Palma), October 2026

Asking rents on the portals; what people actually pay is often lower for older contracts and higher for furnished short lets. Deposits and what can legally be charged on top are on the Spain page.

A lane in Palma’s old town
A lane in Palma’s old town

Local tips

Gathered from local forums, city subreddits and expat groups, rewritten in our own words. They are what people who have done this say helped; none of it is a guarantee.

  1. Ask whether the lease runs through the summer

    A third of Palma's listed homes are temporada lets, and many are winter lets from October or November to May, sometimes with a different price each month, because the owner wants the flat back for the summer. If you need a home all year, filter for 'Residencial de larga estancia' and ask in your first message whether the contract is for 'vivienda habitual' and when it ends.

    Source: Rentlet check of Idealista listings, 2 Oct 2026

  2. Make sure the lease lets you register

    To register on Palma's padrón as a tenant you need a lease of at least six months plus the latest rent receipt, or a utility bill in your name; shorter leases only work if you can prove you live there most of the year. The padrón is the start of every residence clock in the islands, so a three-month let can set you back.

    Source: Ajuntament de Palma, empadronamiento information sheet, 2026

  3. Start the five-year clock now

    Protected housing, limited-price homes and the Lloguer Segur scheme all require five years' residence in the Balearic Islands. You will not qualify on arrival, but register on the padrón from day one so that the years can be proved.

    Source: Ley 4/2025 (BOE); Govern de les Illes Balears, limited-price homes FAQ and Lloguer Segur, 2026

  4. Look east and north of the centre for value

    Per square metre, Bons Aires costs €15.4, Rafal–Son Forteza €16.7, Las Avenidas €17.0 and Pere Garau €17.4, against €20.1–20.2 in the old town and Santa Catalina. Pere Garau is rising fastest, up 12.3% in a year.

    Source: Idealista price report by district, Sept 2026

  5. Price the commuter towns, not just the beach

    Marratxí (€15.0 per m²) and Inca (€13.0) are on the Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca train line from Palma's Estació Intermodal; Llucmajor (€16.9) has no train yet, as the Palma–Llucmajor line is still at the design stage. Calvià, west of Palma, costs more than the city at €23.7.

    Source: Idealista Balearic price report, Sept 2026; SFM, 2026

  6. State your job and income in the first message

    With around 59 enquiries per ad, owners filter fast: some Palma ads say they will not answer messages that do not give your job, others ask for a permanent contract or income of twice the rent, and one sets a household minimum of €4,600 a month. Send a short note with your job, contract type, income and move-in date, with your documents ready as one PDF.

    Source: Rentlet check of Idealista and Milanuncios listings, 2 Oct 2026

  7. Check that the deposit goes to the IBAVI

    In the Balearic Islands the landlord must lodge your fianza with the IBAVI (the regional housing institute) within 30 working days of signing: one month's rent for a main home, two for a temporada let. Pay by bank transfer, get a receipt and ask for proof of lodging.

    Source: IBAVI, fianzas FAQ, 2026

  8. Check the Bono Alquiler Joven limits before counting on it

    The regional youth rent aid pays €250 a month, but only on a flat of up to €900 or a room of up to €450. The cheapest one-bed on Idealista in Palma was €950 on 2 October 2026, so for most young newcomers it only helps with a room.

    Source: Economía de Mallorca, 30 Aug 2026; Rentlet check of Idealista listings, 2 Oct 2026

Neighbourhoods

  • Old town (Ciutat Antiga: La Seu, Sant Nicolau, La Llotja, Sant Jaume) higher rents

    The historic centre around the Cathedral, the Born and Jaume III: beautiful, walkable and full of renovated furnished flats, many of them temporada lets. About €20.2 per m², a record level (Sept 2026).

  • Santa Catalina, Son Armadans and the Paseo Marítimo higher rents

    The former fishermen's quarter west of the centre, with its market, restaurants and many international residents, and the seafront blocks behind it. About €20.1 per m², its record (Sept 2026).

  • Portixol and El Molinar higher rents

    The seafront east of the centre, popular with newcomers who cycle or run along the bay. About €21.9 per m², up 21.7% in a year (Sept 2026).

  • Es Fortí, Son Cotoner and Son Dameto mid-range

    Residential districts north-west of the centre, with everyday shops, schools and older blocks. About €18.6 per m², slightly down on the quarter (Sept 2026).

  • Pere Garau and Las Avenidas mid-range

    Dense, mixed working districts just outside the ring of avenues, with a big daily market in Pere Garau and many long-established immigrant families. €15.4 in Bons Aires to €18.1 in Foners; Pere Garau €17.4, up 12.3% in a year (Sept 2026).

  • Nou Llevant and La Soledat mid-range

    The east side between the centre and the motorway: older blocks in La Soledat and new build-to-rent schemes in Nou Llevant, where one-beds of about 52–55 m² were advertised at €1,500 with a garage in October 2026. About €18.1 per m² (Sept 2026).

  • Rafal, Son Forteza and Son Gotleu lower rents

    Northern working-class districts beyond Pere Garau, among the cheapest in the city at about €16.7 per m² in Rafal–Son Forteza (Sept 2026). One-beds in Son Gotleu were advertised from about €1,100 in October 2026.

  • Playa de Palma and S'Arenal higher rents

    The resort strip south-east towards the airport. Per m² it is dear (€20.8, Sept 2026) and much of what is advertised is winter lets that end before the summer season; check the end date before you sign.

Palma and its cathedral across the bay, with the mountains behind
Palma and its cathedral across the bay, with the mountains behind

What landlords ask for

Have these ready as PDFs before the first viewing; in Palma the flat often goes to whoever sends a complete file first.

  • Passport or national ID, and for non-Spaniards the NIE (foreigner's identity number), which agencies, insurers and utility companies expect.
  • The last three payslips and a work contract; many Palma ads ask for a permanent contract (contrato indefinido) or income of at least twice the rent, and some set a household minimum (€4,600 a month in one October 2026 ad).
  • A vida laboral (Social Security employment record) and the last tax return, or invoices and tax returns if self-employed.
  • Recent bank statements showing savings, especially if your income is foreign, new, seasonal or remote.
  • A guarantor (aval) or approval by the landlord's rent-default insurance (seguro de impago), which checks your income against the rent.
  • For temporada lets: proof of the temporary reason, such as a posting letter, a seasonal work contract or a university enrolment letter.
  • First month's rent plus the deposit (one month for a main home, two for a temporada let), and sometimes an extra guarantee of up to two months.
  • Seasonal workers usually lack a permanent contract and a year of payslips; a letter from the employer confirming the contract and pay, plus savings, is what most agencies will look at instead.

Scams typical of Palma

Scam risk here is rated 4 of 5. Police action against rental fraud aimed at flat-hunters in Palma: a Policía Nacional arrest over fake leases, €300–365 'reservations' then about €1,125 for deposit and first month (Última Hora, 2026-04); four Policía Nacional arrests (operación Zemtrun) over holiday flats rented for two or three days and offered as homes, about €18,000, up to €7,500 per victim (mallorcadiario.com, 2026-05). A Guardia Civil case and warning after a Mallorca resident lost over €3,000 on a portal ad (Última Hora, 2026-05). The general patterns, and what to do if you have already paid, are in the scam guide.

  • A real flat, shown by someone who rented it for the weekend

    A group arrested by the Policía Nacional in Palma in May 2026 rented holiday flats for two or three days with false papers, photographed them and advertised them as long-term lets. A 'daughter' showed the flat while the 'owner' was away for work, then the victims paid two months' deposit and a month's rent, up to €7,500, against a fake contract. The sign: you are shown the flat, but nobody can give you a nota simple (Land Registry extract) in the name of the person you are paying.

  • Small reservation now, deposit before the keys

    A man arrested in Palma in April 2026 advertised flats a little below the going rate, met people in person with photos and videos and a copy of his ID, and promised a contract through a gestoría. He took €300–365 to 'reserve' and then about €1,125 for deposit and first month by Bizum or cash before handing over keys, and disappeared. The sign: a viewing of photos instead of the flat, and payment by Bizum or cash.

  • The 'agency' that leaves the portal

    A Mallorca resident lost over €3,000 in 2026 after an ad on a well-known portal: the advertisers moved the chat to email, said they were an agency, sent a booking code and claimed the flat had just switched from holiday to long-term letting, with high demand. The Guardia Civil traced the author to Ciudad Real and warned about fake agencies on rental portals (May 2026). Stay on the portal's messaging and never transfer a reservation before a viewing and a signed contract.

  • Threats about your residence papers

    In one of the April 2026 Palma cases the scammer told a victim that reporting him would cause problems with regularising their status in Spain. It was a pressure tactic: the police added coercion to the fraud charges when they arrested him. If it happens to you, report it.

  • The student room before the course starts

    Copied photos of a real room at a low price, an owner abroad, and a request for a deposit to hold it. The Policía Nacional warned students across Spain about a rise in these scams in September 2026. Only pay after a viewing in person or by live video from inside, and a contract.

How long it takes

Allow four to eight weeks from first alert to keys if you are already on Mallorca with your documents ready, longer if you need a long-term contract and arrive between April and September, when many owners keep flats for the season. Book a room or furnished let for your first month, get your NIE, a Spanish bank account and phone number, and build a one-PDF dossier with your contract, payslips and savings. Set instant alerts on Idealista and Fotocasa for two or three districts with the long-term filter, reply within the hour with your job and income, and view in person or by live video. Ask for a nota simple or the agency's written mandate, check the end date and type of contract, and pay nothing before signing. Make sure the lease is for at least six months so you can register on the padrón, and register straight away.

Where to get help

Questions people ask about renting in Palma

How much does a one-bed flat cost in Palma?

On Idealista in early October 2026, most one-beds were advertised at €1,300–1,800 a month, with a median of about €1,500 and very few under €1,000. The city average is €19.6 per m² (September 2026), from about €15.4 in Bons Aires to €22.3 in Gènova–Bonanova–Sant Agustí.

Is there a rent cap in Palma?

No cap on starting rents. No Balearic municipality is among the 317 municipalities with declared stressed-market zones (September 2026), and in December 2025 the regional government was rejecting a declaration, preferring a tax deduction for landlords who keep rents unchanged on renewal, announced but not confirmed in force. Owners set the first rent freely; yearly rises during a contract follow the national rules on our Spain page.

Why do so many Palma flats end in May or June?

About a third of homes on Idealista in October 2026 were temporada lets, many of them furnished winter lets that the owner takes back for the summer season or for family use. They give none of the five-year security of a main-home lease. A national decree that would have required a provable temporary reason applied on 1 and 2 October 2026 but was voted down on 2 October, so the earlier rules stand; ask for a 'vivienda habitual' contract if you need a permanent home.

Can I still find a tourist flat to rent long-term?

Tourist letting is banned in Palma's apartment buildings since 2018, upheld by the Supreme Court in February 2023, and since May 2026 no new tourist places are allowed anywhere in the city; 4,473 existing places in 632 properties may carry on. Some owners now offer former holiday flats as winter or long-term lets; scammers also use real holiday flats as bait, so check who owns the flat.

Can a newcomer get public or subsidised housing in Palma?

Rarely. Since July 2025 protected homes in the Balearic Islands go to people with five years' residence there (Ley 4/2025), and limited-price homes and the Lloguer Segur scheme set the same rule; IBAVI's recent rental calls were for small developments outside Palma. The youth rent aid has no residence-time rule, but only covers flats up to €900 and rooms up to €450, and its 2026 window closed on 30 September.

Sources for this page (56)

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