Murcia's homes are getting smaller, but prices continue to climb

The average new-build home is 25 square metres smaller than it was a decade ago, but buyers are often paying just as much, if not more

Buying a home in Murcia is becoming increasingly difficult, and not just because prices continue to rise. New homes are getting noticeably smaller too, leaving many people paying almost as much as they would have for a much larger property just a few years ago.

It's a trend that's becoming increasingly common across Murcia, with one- and two-bedroom developments appearing in more towns and neighbourhoods than ever before. Not because bigger properties have fallen out of fashion, but because they're becoming out of reach for many people.

According to figures from the Official College of Architects in the Region of Murcia, the average size of new-build apartments has fallen from 172 square metres in 2015 to 147 square metres in 2025. That's 25 square metres less living space in just ten years.

The change isn't reflected in prices, though.

Property values in Murcia municipality increased by 14.18% during the second quarter of 2026, according to valuation company Tinsa. In other words, buyers are often paying similar prices, or even more, for homes that are considerably smaller than they were a decade ago.

Smaller homes are becoming the new normal

There are several reasons why more one- and two-bedroom homes are being built across Murcia. House prices have risen sharply, construction costs are much higher than they were a few years ago and many people just can't afford the larger family homes that were once the standard.

At the same time, data shows more people are living on their own or as couples without children, creating greater demand for smaller properties. While these homes usually have a lower overall price than larger ones, they're often much more expensive when you look at the cost per square metre.

For many people hoping to buy their first home, it's becoming a question of buying what they can afford rather than what they actually need.

Paying more for less space

A quick look at today's property listings shows just how wide the price range has become.

Current property listings show just how expensive these smaller homes have become. One-bedroom apartments can range from around €104,000 to almost €300,000, depending on the location and development. In some cases, the price exceeds €3,500 per square metre, more than double Murcia's average of around €1,500.

Construction costs, more expensive land and stricter building regulations have all pushed prices upwards, making larger homes increasingly unaffordable for many households.

To make up for the lack of private space, many new developments now include communal facilities such as swimming pools, gyms and rooftop solariums.

These smaller homes are appearing across Murcia, particularly around Guadalupe, close to the campuses of the University of Murcia and UCAM, but also in Churra, Santiago y Zaraíche, Cabezo de Torres, La Nueva Flota and around Juan Carlos I and Juan de Borbón. The Ayuntamiento is also expected to include one-bedroom properties in future affordable housing developments planned on municipal land.

Developers are also urging caution for anyone viewing these apartments purely as an investment. Rising construction costs have reduced returns, meaning they're no longer the guaranteed opportunity they may once have been.

The demand for smaller homes is unlikely to disappear any time soon, however. According to Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE), one in four households in the Region of Murcia is already made up of a single person, and that figure is expected to continue growing over the coming decades.

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