This phenomenon is particularly evident in areas like the Community of Madrid, where municipalities such as Pinto have recorded a 33.75% increase in housing prices. This rise is approaching the percentages seen in capital cities, indicating that the periphery no longer offers the affordable prices it once did.
The escalating cost of housing in major cities prompted thousands of families to seek more economical options in surrounding municipalities. However, this trend has led to a revaluation in these areas, causing the model of seeking refuge in the periphery to lose its effectiveness when price increases reach 70% or 100%.
“"The periphery is no longer the refuge it once was. There are municipalities far from large cities that have doubled or tripled their prices in three years, demonstrating that the accessibility crisis is no longer an exclusively metropolitan phenomenon."
Nationally, Madrid leads in housing price increases, with a 42.78% rise, from 4,461 euros per square meter in 2023 to 6,369 euros in 2026. A 90-square-meter apartment in the capital now averages 573,222 euros, compared to 401,466 euros three years ago, according to an analysis by pisos.com.
The study also reveals that none of the 50 provincial capitals have seen price decreases during this period, reflecting a structural imbalance between supply and demand. Among the municipalities with the highest national increases are Villena (Alicante) with 135.51%, Torre-Pacheco (Murcia) with 114.52%, and Villafranca de los Barros (Badajoz) with 113.73%.
In contrast to this general upward trend, some municipalities have experienced price declines between 2023 and 2026. Among the largest decreases are Villajoyosa (-51.96%), Monreal del Campo (-36.79%), Celanova (-30.44%), and Mondragón (-29.05%).
In this context, housing affordability has become a national issue, no longer confined to large cities. This necessitates urgent structural responses regarding land use and the promotion of new housing to address the situation.
