This year your rent can go up by at most …
Using INE's official index for updating housing rents (IRAV).
The cap, month by month
What you need to know
What is the IRAV?
The Housing Rent Reference Index, created by Spain's Housing Act to prevent disproportionate increases. INE calculates it every month as the lowest of three values: inflation (CPI), core inflation and an adjusted average rate. That's why it's usually lower than CPI when prices rise a lot.
Which contracts does it apply to?
Housing rental contracts signed since 26 May 2023, whether the landlord is an individual or a company and whether or not the home is in a high-pressure area. Older contracts are updated as the contract says, usually with CPI.
Which month's figure is used?
The latest one published when the rent is due to be updated. INE publishes each figure in the middle of the following month, so a January increase uses November's. If your increase is in a month that hasn't arrived yet, bolsillo uses the latest figure and tells you it's an estimate.
Can it go up if my contract says nothing?
No. Spain's Urban Leases Act only allows the rent to be updated if the contract expressly says so. And the IRAV is a maximum: your landlord can raise it by less or not at all.
Where does the data come from?
From INE, which has published the IRAV since January 2025 with data from November 2024. bolsillo downloads it from INE's public API and updates automatically whenever a new figure comes out. This is information, not legal advice: if in doubt, check your contract or ask your region's consumer or housing office.