How to Find Accommodation in Spain for Your Internship

TL;DR

TL;DR — Book the first 30 days from home using a well-reviewed Airbnb or student residence. Find your long-term room after you arrive, viewing in person. Idealista + Badi + WG-Gesucht clones + Erasmus WhatsApp groups are the four sources that work in 2026.

Never do this

Wire a rental deposit before viewing (top-1 scam vector for foreign students)
Sign a 12-month contract for a 6-month placement
Take the first offer you see because you're jet-lagged

The two-stage strategy

Stage 1 — Bridge accommodation for weeks 1–4

Options in order of typical cost:

Well-reviewed Airbnb (€800–€1,500/month) — flexibility + tourist tax
Student residence (€600–€1,100/month) — social, catered, sometimes gym included
Aparthotel (€1,000–€1,500/month) — private + serviced
Trusted friend's spare room (€300–€500/month)

Book this before flying. It buys you the time to search properly.

Stage 2 — Long-term room from month 2

Move into a shared flat once you know:

Your neighbourhood preferences
Your commute
Your budget reality
Your flatmate chemistry

The four sources that actually work

1. Idealista

Spain's largest listings site. Filter for "sin comisión" (no agency fee) and "amueblado" (furnished).

2. Badi

Room-first (not flat-first) matching. Better UX for interns wanting one room in a shared flat.

3. Facebook groups

Search: "Pisos compartidos [city]", "Erasmus [city] flats", "Room to rent [city]". Fewer scams than Idealista but scam risk still real.

4. WhatsApp groups from your placement network

Your placement coordinator likely has a group of past interns who are moving out. Best source, zero fees.

Red flags — walk away

Listing without a real address
Landlord who "can't meet in person" or "is abroad"
Deposit request before viewing
Deposit via Western Union, MoneyGram, or cash
Deep discount vs neighbourhood average
Photos that reverse-image-search to hotels or other listings

Use Reverse Google Image Search on every listing photo. Ten seconds. Saves months of regret.

Fair deposit + fees in 2026

Deposit: 1 month legal maximum for tenancies under 5 years (Ley 29/1994 as amended)
Second month bank guarantee: landlord can request but you can negotiate
Agency fee (comisión): paid by the landlord since May 2023 (Ley 12/2023) — refuse if asked to pay
Written contract: always, in Spanish, with your NIE + landlord's DNI

Neighbourhoods by city (intern-friendly, safe, reasonably priced)

City	Best neighbourhoods for interns
Madrid	Malasaña, La Latina, Chamberí, Lavapiés (edgier), Argüelles (students)
Barcelona	Gràcia, Poble Sec, Sant Antoni, Poblenou, Sants
Valencia	Ruzafa, El Carmen, Benimaclet (student), Cabanyal (beach)
Seville	Alameda, Triana, San Bernardo
Málaga	Soho, Centro Histórico, Pedregalejo (beach)
Bilbao	Casco Viejo, Indautxu, Deusto

Contract — what to check before signing

Both parties' full names + IDs
Property address and room number if shared
Monthly rent and payment date
Deposit amount and repayment conditions
Duration + notice period
Utilities: included or split (typical: internet included, electricity+gas split by flatmate count)
Inventory of furniture (photograph everything on move-in day)
Rules on guests, pets, subletting
Landlord's obligation to file the deposit with the regional housing authority (INCASOL in Catalonia, AVS in Valencia, etc.)

The move-in day protocol

Photograph every room with a timestamp
Test water, hot water, electricity, wifi, oven, washing machine
Get a copy of the signed contract on paper
Meet all flatmates + swap phone numbers
Confirm the empadronamiento process — you may need the landlord to sign a letter

Timeline — how long a proper search takes

City	Realistic search time
Barcelona	2–4 weeks
Madrid	2–3 weeks
Valencia	1–2 weeks
Málaga	2–3 weeks (rises May–Sept)
Seville	1–2 weeks

Book bridge accommodation for the upper bound.

Key takeaways

Never wire before viewing.
Use a bridge for weeks 1–4, then a proper long-term room.
Deposit = 1 month legal max. Agency fee = paid by landlord since 2023.
Photograph everything on move-in day.
Reverse-image-search every listing photo.

FAQ

Can I sign a 6-month contract? Yes — Spanish law allows any duration by agreement. A 6-month contract is very common for interns.

What about coliving spaces? Rising in Madrid and Barcelona. Usually €900–€1,500/month all-inclusive. Great for social + hassle-free, expensive vs shared flat.

What if the landlord asks for cash? Bank transfer only. Always. Cash rentals have no legal recourse.