Barcelona after ten years: what changed, what residents say

Barcelona is often described as a model of urban renewal and, in the same breath, as the capital of overtourism. Both are partly true. This article looks at what changed over roughly ten years, using official or authoritative figures, and at what people who have lived there for eight to fifteen years say in public. It is informational, not a recommendation to move or buy.

How we researched this

We used public sources only: the City Council's population report, its superblocks and tram pages, a World Health Organization feature, Euronews and Catalan News reports, and an SBS report on tourist flats. We did not invent or compose any residents. We found no public account by a Polish- or Russian-language resident with a stated eight-plus years that opened in full, so the voices below are English-language ones; one Russian-born resident appears in a Catalan News report.

What changed in ten years

• Population. On 1 January 2026 Barcelona had 1,729,963 registered residents, 0.1 percent fewer than a year earlier, of whom 626,924 (about 36 percent) were born abroad, and 44.6 percent were reported to be born in the city itself (Barcelona City Council, population report). We did not find a 2014 figure to compare.
• Superblocks. The Public Health Agency's 2021 evaluation, summarised by Barcelona City Council and the WHO, found NO2 down by 25 percent and PM10 down by 17 percent in the Sant Antoni area, less noise and better wellbeing in Poblenou, and estimated that, if extended citywide, the model could prevent almost 700 deaths a year. That is a model estimate, not an observed count. The Horta results were less clear, with no significant change in pollutant levels reported.
• Tram. The new link between Glories and Verdaguer along Diagonal opened on 9 November 2024 at a cost of about 100 million euros, with an expected 24,000 passengers a day and about 2,000 fewer cars on that stretch (Catalan News). Joining the two tram networks along Diagonal is the next stage and is under way; ask the City Council for dates before relying on it.
• Visitors. A journalist who has lived in the city for ten years cites 16.7 million visitors in 2014 and 26 million in 2023 (Euronews, 31 Aug 2024). These are the author's figures, not a statistics-office release.
• Cruise ships. The same piece reports a cap of seven ships a day and the moving of a terminal in October 2023.
• Rents and prices. SBS, June 2024 reported rents up 68 percent and purchase prices up 38 percent in ten years; Euronews gave rents up 62.1 percent against salaries up 3.4 percent. The two rent figures differ by source and period, but both show rents outrunning pay.
• Tourist-flat regulation. In June 2024 the mayor announced that the licences of 10,101 tourist apartments would not be renewed and would end by November 2028 (SBS). We did not verify the final legal status of this measure, so check it, and see our short-term rental rules.

What long-term residents report

• A travel journalist, ten years in Barcelona, lists good changes: restored sights, the Sant Antoni market reopened in 2018 after an 80 million euro renovation, a far more varied food scene, a low-emission zone and the Eixample superblocks the author says were completed in 2023. The author also lists costs: rents up 62.1 percent against salaries up 3.4 percent, food costs up 38 percent in three years, record heat of 40 degrees in 2024 and a drought. Source: Euronews, 31 Aug 2024.
• A US national who has lived in the city for more than eleven years came for a year or two of adventure and stayed. Source: Catalan News, 5 Oct 2024.
• An Indian resident of eight years says housing has not been good for expats and that it was better three or four years ago. Source: Catalan News, 5 Oct 2024.
• A Russian-born resident who first came 15 years ago says there were many fewer tourists and it felt much safer, and describes being robbed after settling, like several acquaintances. An Irish resident adds that over 15 years the rise in costs is out of proportion to a standard salary and calls the situation not sustainable. Source: Catalan News, 5 Oct 2024.

What did not change or got harder

• Affordability. Both the data and the residents point the same way: costs rose faster than pay.
• Safety in crowded areas. A resident of 15 years reports more theft than at first; use ordinary precautions, especially around transport hubs and the old town.
• Heat and water. Record temperatures and a drought were part of 2024; check the water situation and the building's cooling before you buy.
• The tourism debate. It remains political, and the rules on tourist flats are among the most debated in Spain.

What newcomers can take from this

• Rent before you buy, and compare areas with the Barcelona, Madrid and islands guide.
• Do not buy a flat in Barcelona on the assumption that you can let it to tourists; read the investment risk guide and the yield guide.
• Budget for the whole cost, using the price and cost guide.
• Compare life first-hand: read why expats love Spain and Barcelona: what impresses, then plan a trip with viewing trip abroad.

FAQ

How many people live in Barcelona? 1,729,963 registered residents on 1 January 2026 according to the City Council, with 626,924 born abroad.

Do superblocks really reduce pollution? The Public Health Agency found NO2 down 25 percent and PM10 down 17 percent in the Sant Antoni area, but results differ by neighbourhood.

Are tourist flats being banned? The mayor announced in 2024 that the licences of 10,101 tourist apartments would end by November 2028. Check the current legal position.

Are rents really up 60-70 percent? Two sources give 62.1 and 68 percent over about ten years; the exact figure depends on source and period.

Is this a recommendation? No. It is a summary of public data and public accounts.

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We are a trilingual platform that finds properties in Spain and coordinates independent local lawyers and tax advisers. Browse current offers on our Spain properties page or the country page. This text is informational and is not legal, tax or investment advice; rules and figures change, so verify the current position with a local lawyer and the relevant authority.