Living in Sant Antoni, Barcelona (2026)
A grid barri around the restored Sant Antoni market, with cafés, bars and a local feel.
Sant Antoni in numbers
| Sant Antoni | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| One-bed (60 m²), asking rent | 1,120 to 1,370 EUR a month | idealista price report, Eixample district average, September 2026 |
| Three-bed (100 m²), asking rent | 1,860 to 2,280 EUR a month | idealista price report, Eixample district average, September 2026 |
| Average signed rent, all sizes | 1,128 EUR a month (16.4 EUR/m²) | Incasòl rental deposits (Generalitat de Catalunya), Q1 2026 |
| Room in a shared flat | about 600 EUR a month (city-wide) | idealista room-rental report, Q2 2026 |
| Buying, asking price | 5,268 EUR/m² | Fotocasa price index, September 2026 |
| Public transport | Metro L2 (Sant Antoni), L1 (Urgell), L2/L3 (Paral·lel) | TMB, FGC and Rodalies network maps |
| To Plaça de Catalunya | 8-12 min by public transport | Our estimate from TMB, FGC and Rodalies timetables |
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What is it like to live in Sant Antoni?
Sant Antoni sits where the Eixample meets the Raval and Poble Sec. Life revolves around the market, reopened in 2018, the Sunday book market and the bars of Carrer del Parlament. Residents are young professionals, couples and long-time locals. The superilla around the market made several streets calmer and greener.
The catch: Terrace and bar noise on Parlament and nearby streets runs late, and it is no longer a well-kept secret.
Who is Sant Antoni for?
Choose Sant Antoni if
- You are a young professional or a couple
- You want central and local at the same time
- You work from cafés
Look elsewhere if
- Your bedroom would face a bar street
- You need big green spaces
- The beach is the point of moving
How much is rent in Sant Antoni in 2026?
A one-bedroom flat in Sant Antoni 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 Sant Antoni barri was 1,128 EUR a month, or 16.4 EUR per square metre (Incasòl rental deposits (Generalitat de Catalunya), Q1 2026), the 12th 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 Sant Antoni?
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 Sant Antoni?
Homes in Sant Antoni are advertised at about 5,268 EUR per square metre (Fotocasa price index, September 2026), the 11th most expensive of the 18 places we compare. On the same benchmark sizes:
- One bedroom, 60 m²: 284,000 to 348,000 EUR
- Three bedrooms, 100 m²: 474,000 to 579,000 EUR
That figure covers the Sant Antoni barri.
What do you pay on top of the price when buying in Sant Antoni?
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 316,000 EUR one-bedroom flat in Sant Antoni, the middle of the band above:
- ITP: about 32,000 EUR
- Notary, registry, gestoría and a lawyer: roughly 2,050 to 5,350 EUR
- Buying outright: about 350,000 EUR in total
- With a non-resident mortgage at 70%: about 129,000 EUR of your own money
So the costs on top come to roughly 10.6% to 11.7% 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.
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How do you get around from Sant Antoni?
Sant Antoni has metro L2 at Sant Antoni, L1 at Urgell and L2 and L3 at Paral·lel. Plaça de Catalunya is 8 to 12 minutes away, or a 15-minute walk.
No. Sant Antoni works entirely without a car: metro, bus and bike cover daily life, and parking would cost you more than it saves.
Is Sant Antoni good for families?
Not especially. Families do live in Sant Antoni, but small flats, noise and little green space make it harder than the uptown or suburban options.
Can you live in Sant Antoni in English?
Mostly. Sant Antoni has a sizeable international community, so English speakers are easy to find, but shops, doctors and landlords default to Spanish and Catalan.
Sant Antoni compared with Eixample Dreta and Eixample Esquerra
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.
| Area | One-bed asking, EUR/month | Average signed rent, EUR/month | Buy, EUR/m² | Minutes to Pl. Catalunya | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eixample Dreta | 1,120 to 1,370 | 1,595 | 7,841 | 5-12 | A prime central address |
| Eixample Esquerra | 1,120 to 1,370 | 1,319 | 6,944 | 5-15 | Central but residential |
| Sant Antoni | 1,120 to 1,370 | 1,128 | 5,268 | 8-12 | Food, cafés, young professionals |
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.
Sant Antoni or Eixample Dreta?
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 Eixample Dreta →
Sant Antoni or Eixample Esquerra?
Close neighbours. Sant Antoni is livelier, with the market and Carrer del Parlament, and cheaper; the Esquerra is more residential and nearer the university and the hospital. Living in Eixample Esquerra →
What to know before you move to Sant Antoni
- The Mercat de Sant Antoni reopened in 2018 after nine years of renovation, and hosts a book and collectors' market on Sundays. (Ajuntament de Barcelona)
- Signed rent was 16.39 EUR per square metre in Q1 2026, the lowest of the three Eixample areas on these pages. (Incasòl)
Sant Antoni 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.
| Getting around without a car | Entirely livable without a car |
|---|---|
| How central it is | Right in the middle of the city |
| Noise | Lively, and noisy at weekends |
| Going out in the evening | Plenty within walking distance |
| Green space | A park or two |
| The sea | The beach is a trip rather than a walk |
| With children | Workable with children |
| English and the international crowd | A sizeable international crowd |
| Space for your money | Ordinary value for Barcelona |
| Parking | No realistic chance of parking |
| What you would be renting | Dense older city flats |
| The buildings | Almost all pre-1960 blocks |
News about Sant Antoni, in English
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