Living in Eixample Dreta, Barcelona (2026)

Eixample Dreta in numbers

What is it like to live in Eixample Dreta?

The Dreta runs east of Carrer de Balmes, around Passeig de Gràcia and the Modernista buildings. Flats are larger and grander than in the old town, with high ceilings and long balconies. Residents are professionals, established Barcelona families and international renters who want a central, polished address. It is the most expensive area to buy in on these pages after Sant Gervasi.

Who is Eixample Dreta for?

How much is rent in Eixample Dreta in 2026?

A one-bedroom flat in Eixample Dreta is advertised at about 1,120 to 1,370 EUR a month, and a three-bedroom at about 1,860 to 2,280 EUR. That is 20.7 EUR per square metre (idealista price report, Eixample district average, September 2026) on a 60 m² and a 100 m² flat, plus or minus 10%.

The official figure is lower: the average rent on contracts actually signed in the Dreta de l'Eixample barri was 1,595 EUR a month, or 17.9 EUR per square metre (Incasòl rental deposits (Generalitat de Catalunya), Q1 2026), the 3rd highest of the 18 places we compare. It is lower than the asking price because it covers every new contract, including small flats, and because the rent cap holds many renewals down. Arriving now, budget against the asking price.

A room in a shared flat costs about 600 EUR a month across Barcelona (idealista room-rental report, Q2 2026).

Is rent capped in Eixample Dreta?

Yes. Barcelona is a declared stressed housing market ("zona tensionada") since March 2024, so the rent on a new contract is capped under the state housing law, Ley 12/2023. In general a new rent cannot be higher than the previous tenant's rent, updated by the official index. Large landlords, and flats that have not been rented in the last five years, are capped at the official reference price index instead. The contract must state the previous rent, so ask to see it. Since January 2026 the same limits also cover seasonal and room rentals under the Catalan law 11/2025, which is under appeal at the Constitutional Court but in force.

How much does it cost to buy in Eixample Dreta?

Homes in Eixample Dreta are advertised at about 7,841 EUR per square metre (Fotocasa price index, September 2026), the 2nd most expensive of the 18 places we compare. On the same benchmark sizes:

• One bedroom, 60 m²: 423,000 to 518,000 EUR
• Three bedrooms, 100 m²: 706,000 to 863,000 EUR

That figure covers the Dreta de l'Eixample barri.

What do you pay on top of the price when buying in Eixample Dreta?

Buying a resale home in Catalonia carries a transfer tax, ITP, of 10% up to 600,000 EUR, 11% from 600,000 to 900,000, 12% to 1.5 million and 13% above, each rate applied only to its own slice of the price, under Decret llei 5/2025, in force since 27 June 2025 (Agència Tributària de Catalunya, October 2026). A reduced 5% rate exists for buyers aged 35 or under, large families, single parents and buyers with a disability, but only for a main home and with a household income below about 36,000 EUR, so most buyers on these pages pay the full rate. A new build pays no ITP: it pays IVA at 10% plus AJD at 1.5%. On top come notary, land registry, gestoría and a lawyer.

On a 471,000 EUR one-bedroom flat in Eixample Dreta, the middle of the band above:

• ITP: about 47,000 EUR
• Notary, registry, gestoría and a lawyer: roughly 2,400 to 6,550 EUR
• Buying outright: about 520,000 EUR in total
• With a non-resident mortgage at 70%: about 191,000 EUR of your own money

So the costs on top come to roughly 10.5% to 11.4% of the price. Non-resident lenders generally lend 60–70% of value.

The tax is self-assessed on form 600 with the Agència Tributària de Catalunya within one month of the deed. Many websites quote 30 working days, which is the national default, not the Catalan rule. Rates checked October 2026. This is market information and not tax, legal or financial advice. Confirm anything here with a lawyer before you sign.

How do you get around from Eixample Dreta?

The Dreta is the best-connected part of the city: Passeig de Gràcia station has metro L2, L3 and L4 plus Rodalies trains, with more stops at Girona, Verdaguer and Urquinaona. Plaça de Catalunya is at its southern corner, 5 to 12 minutes away.

No. Eixample Dreta works entirely without a car: metro, bus and bike cover daily life, and parking would cost you more than it saves.

Is Eixample Dreta good for families?

It works. Families live well in Eixample Dreta, though it is not built around them. Green space: almost no greenery. Noise: lively, and noisy at weekends. International schools nearby: Benjamin Franklin International School (Sant Gervasi, about 20 minutes).

Can you live in Eixample Dreta in English?

Easily. Eixample Dreta has one of the largest international populations in Barcelona and you will hear English every day. Bureaucracy and contracts still run in Spanish and Catalan.

Eixample Dreta compared with Eixample Esquerra and Sant Antoni

The 19th-century grid between the old town and Gràcia: central, flat, well connected and short on parks. The choice is how much you pay for the address.

Asking rent: idealista price report, September 2026, district averages inside the city and the latest month available for the towns. Signed rent: Incasòl rental deposits (Generalitat de Catalunya), Q1 2026. Sale: Fotocasa price index, September 2026. Minutes: our estimate, door to Plaça de Catalunya by public transport. Exact source and date for each figure are on each area's page.

Eixample Dreta or Eixample Esquerra?

The Dreta has the Modernista buildings, the bigger flats and the prestige; the Esquerra is more residential and cheaper to buy (6,944 EUR/m2 in the Antiga Esquerra against 7,841), with the university and the Hospital Clínic close by. Living in Eixample Esquerra →

Eixample Dreta or Sant Antoni?

Sant Antoni is the Eixample with a neighbourhood feel: a market, bars and smaller, cheaper flats (signed rent 1,128 EUR against 1,595). The Dreta is grander, quieter at street level and much more expensive to buy. Living in Sant Antoni →

What to know before you move to Eixample Dreta

• Casa Batlló, La Pedrera and Casa Amatller are all on Passeig de Gràcia. (Ajuntament de Barcelona)
• Signed rent was 1,595 EUR a month in Q1 2026, the highest of the central barrios on these pages, because flats are larger. (Incasòl)
• The Eixample grid was designed by Ildefons Cerdà in 1859, with chamfered corners at every junction. (Ajuntament de Barcelona)

Eixample Dreta rated on twelve measures

The same twelve measures on all 18 Barcelona pages, so two can be read side by side. Our own ratings, not official statistics.

News about Eixample Dreta, in English

Barcelona Expat Daily summarises Barcelona's local press in English every day: rent rules, transport changes, works and closures, and what is on in each barrio. Read today's edition, or get it by email for free below.

Where to go next