César Nebrera, a chef by profession, says he has been living in his car for the last three years as he can’t afford the high rental costs of the Spanish island of Ibiza.
He told BBC: “In Ibiza, accommodation is very expensive, and it’s getting more and more expensive.
“And the cost of renting is completely out of kilter with what you earn. So living like this is an alternative. It’s less comfortable, but it allows me to keep living on the island.
“I miss the basic things that make life comfortable, like being able to stand up in your own home, being able to cook properly, or even open a drawer and pull out some socks,” he says.
“Those are the kinds of things that you miss out on when you live in a car.”
And he is not alone. Several local professionals in Ibiza are living in similarly precarious conditions because of high rental costs
Over the last few years, the rents in the popular holiday destination have spiralled up.
Ibiza is one of the four Mediterranean islands that make up Spain’s Balearic Islands. The others are Majorca, Menorca, and Formentera.
Last year, the IGC, a representative body of the civil guard police force, said that “three or four” of its officers were living in vehicles on the island, reports BBC.
Other locals have resorted to living in tents, or in extremely basic shared accommodation.
Daniel Granda, spokesman for the Sindicato de Inquilinas de Ibiza y Formentera, an organisation that represents local tenants, says such situations are becoming commonplace.
He said: “A lot of people end up in quite miserable conditions, and we’re starting to see slums across the island.
“Without the possibility of finding accommodation that allows us to live normally, those of us who live on the island have the feeling that we are being pushed off it.”
Many Spaniards are choosing not to buy property due to high interest rates and a recent cost-of-living crisis.
This has led to a rise in demand for rental accommodation, causing rental costs to increase. In the Balearic Islands, rental prices have gone up by an average of 18 percent in the past year, compared to a nationwide average increase of 12 percent.
Ibiza, with a population of only 160,000, welcomed nearly four million tourists last year, setting a new record. The local government reports that 84 percent of its economic activity relies on tourism.
While the tourism sector offers many job opportunities in hotels, restaurants, and clubs, much of the available housing is rented out at short-term tourist rates, making it unaffordable for local workers.
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