Catalonia built 12,112 social homes since 2020, 55% less than Madrid

The Catalan community has built 12,112 social homes so far this decade compared to 26,675 in Madrid, although in 2025 it surpassed the capital for the first time with 3,517 units. The IBI and rental caps mark two opposing models.

Housing policy in Catalonia and Madrid has followed opposite paths in recent years. According to data collected by economiadigital.es, since 2020 the Catalan region has promoted 12,112 social homes, while the Community of Madrid has reached 26,675, a 104% more. The gap has widened year by year: in 2024, Madrid built 6,689 units compared to 1,893 in Catalonia.

The turnaround came in 2025. Catalonia recorded 3,517 social homes, surpassing Madrid for the first time, which remained at 2,048. A figure that breaks the trend, but does not compensate for the accumulated total of previous years.

The difference is also evident in total housing construction. Between 2020 and 2025, Madrid has built 104,181 properties and Catalonia 83,413. The figure is striking because Catalonia encompasses four provinces, with more territory and population than the Madrid community.

The rental market reflects divergent strategies. Since 2018, housing prices have risen by 98.3% in Madrid and 30.7% in Catalonia, where caps and restrictions are applied. In rentals, the increase has been 58.5% in Madrid and 21.7% in Barcelona.

The downside is the available supply. In the same period, Madrid has lost 73% of its rental stock and Barcelona 90%. Between the second quarter of 2025 and this year, the offer in Barcelona has dropped another 11%, while in Madrid it was recovering.

Local taxation adds another difference. The IBI is the main source of income for municipalities, and Catalans apply it at higher rates. A resident of Barcelona pays a rate of 0.66% compared to 0.41% for a Madrilenian. For a flat worth 240,000 euros, the bill in Madrid is 992 euros and in Barcelona 1,584 euros, more than 50% more expensive.

The debate over the now-defunct Maricarmen decrees has intensified the dispute. Catalan policy has been equivalent to that of the central government, with interventionist measures, while Madrid has opted for more liberal formulas within its competencies. The result, according to the data, is that Madrid has more supply and better salaries, although with higher prices.

For residents of Catalonia, access to home ownership or rental remains more challenging than in Madrid. The drop in supply in Barcelona, far greater than that in Madrid, limits options for those seeking to emancipate or change homes. The construction of social housing, although it surged in 2025, is still far from compensating for the accumulated deficit.