Ciutat Vella · Barcelona
Rental yield in el Raval
El Raval is an affordable area for Barcelona, with a high rental yield and a Total Return above the city average. Here is what a typical flat in el Raval costs to buy and rent, and the Total Return (IRR) it delivers, compared with Ciutat Vella and the rest of Barcelona.
Sale price
3,645
€/m² · second-hand homes
Rent
16.6
€/m² per month · SERPAVI legal cap
Gross yield
5.5%
annual rent ÷ price
Total Return
5.1%
10-year IRR · typical flat
Appreciation
+2.3%
a year, 10-15 year history
Household income
€31,729
net, per year · INE
What the data says
El Raval is a neighbourhood in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona. The reference sale price is €3,645/m², based on registered sales in 2025 (Land Registry): 16% below the Barcelona median (€4,345/m²) and 23% below its district median (€4,742/m²). It ranks 50 of 70 neighbourhoods in Barcelona by price and 4 of 4 within Ciutat Vella.
The reference rent is €16.6/m² per month (SERPAVI median for the neighbourhood, 2024): about €930 a month for a typical 56 m² flat. Barcelona is a declared stressed rental zone, so that figure acts as the legal cap on a new tenancy (the usual range in the neighbourhood runs from €11.8 to €18.1/m²). The gross yield (annual rent ÷ price) comes to 5.5%, 1.6 points above the city median (3.9%): rank 6 of 70 by gross yield.
With a 70% mortgage at 3.80% over 25 years and a sale after 10 years, the estimated Total Return (IRR) for that typical flat is 5.1%, above the Barcelona median (4.2%). It takes about €83,754 of cash (deposit, taxes and costs), and first-year cash flow after tax is -€73 a month.
Asking prices in the Ciutat Vella district have grown by an average of 2.3% a year over the last 10 and 15 years (idealista, December 2025). Historical, not a forecast: it is the appreciation the modelled sale assumes. Average net household income is €31,729 a year (INE). 1,390 sales were registered in Ciutat Vella in 2025, averaging 67 m².
A typical flat in el Raval
The same standard assumptions as the CasaROI map: change the mortgage, term or tax profile in your account and the Total Return is recalculated for your case.
- Size
- 56 m²
- Purchase price
- €204,120
- Monthly rent
- €930
- Cash needed · deposit + transfer tax + costs
- €83,754
- Monthly cash flow (year 1)
- -€73
- Total Return (IRR)
- 5.1%
Assumptions: 70% mortgage over 25 years at 3.80%, sale after 10 years, Spanish tax resident at a 37% marginal rate, no renovation.
Neighbourhoods in Ciutat Vella, ranked by gross yield
| Area | €/m² | Rent €/m² | Gross | IRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| el Raval | 3,645 | 16.6 | 5.5% | 5.1% |
| la Barceloneta | 5,686 | 22.4 | 4.7% | 4.0% |
| Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera | 4,859 | 17.7 | 4.4% | 3.5% |
| el Barri Gòtic | 4,624 | 16.2 | 4.2% | 3.2% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a square metre cost in el Raval?
€3,645/m² on average, based on registered sales in 2025 (Land Registry). A typical 56 m² flat costs about €204,120, 16% below the Barcelona median.
How much is rent in el Raval?
The reference rent is €16.6/m² per month: about €930 a month for 56 m². As a stressed rental zone, that figure is the legal cap on a new whole-flat tenancy (room-by-room lets are exempt).
Is el Raval a good buy-to-let investment?
The gross yield is 5.5% (Barcelona median: 3.9%). With a 70% mortgage and a sale after 10 years, the estimated Total Return (IRR) is 5.1% against a city median of 4.2%. It depends on your financing and tax residency: with your own profile the number can change.
Is el Raval in a stressed rental zone?
Yes. Barcelona is a declared stressed rental zone, so on a new whole-flat tenancy the rent is limited by the official reference index (SERPAVI).
Buying in el Raval?
Paste the listing and we tell you whether it holds up at that price: legal rent, taxes, red flags and a verdict.
Sources and method
- Sale: Registre de la Propietat · Generalitat (compravenda 2ª mà, barri) · MITMA city anchor 3865 €/m² (2024)
- Rent: SERPAVI legal cap (Housing Ministry) · typical flat in the area
- Appreciation: average of the 10- and 15-year rates of the area's asking price — historical, not a forecast