Housing and transport crisis: the top concerns for Malaga province residents

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Public anxiety regarding traffic congestion and inadequate public transport has surged from fourth to second place in just 12 months, according to the latest 2026 Madeca foundation survey

Ignacio Lillo

Malaga

Monday, 13 April 2026, 12:46

Residents of Malaga province have delivered a clear verdict on the challenges defining their daily lives: the housing crisis and transport infrastructure are now the two most critical issues facing the region.

The results of the 2026 Madeca foundation report, based on 2,050 surveys across the province (excluding Malaga city), highlight a significant shift in public priorities over the last year.

The housing crisis remains the primary source of anxiety for the province's inhabitants - a problem that has become chronic, as surveys have shown over the years. Almost half (47%) of respondents have stated that this is their main cause of concern, with a score of 8.41 out of ten.

47%

of those surveyed consider housing to be the main problem

While the survey excludes the provincial capital, the crisis is particularly acute in the following districts: the Serranía de Ronda, Antequera district, the Guadalhorce Valley and the Costa del Sol Occidental.

Residents identified high rents (21.6%) and a lack of market inventory (20.3%) as the primary barriers. Other significant pressures include the high volume of tourist rentals (18.4%) and job insecurity (12.7%). To combat this, the public is demanding more subsidised housing, the release of land, and stricter limits on tourist accommodation.

To combat this, the public is demanding more subsidised housing, the release of land, and stricter limits on tourist accommodation.

Transport concerns "skyrocket"

The daily traffic jams on major roads and overcrowding on public transport demonstrate the extent to which transport (or rather, the lack thereof) is a serious problem in Malaga. This concern has skyrocketed from one year to the next.

The number of Malaga residents who say their daily lives are affected by this issue has tripled in the last year, making it the second most pressing problem in the province, second only to the shortage of affordable housing. It has overtaken unemployment and healthcare, two issues that had historically been major concerns.

It's worth remembering that in the 2025 survey, the main problems were housing (49.5%), unemployment (7.4%), healthcare (7%), transport (4.6%) and the economy (3.3%). This year, however, the ranking of priorities has changed substantially, which is very likely linked to the migration of thousands of Malaga residents to municipalities in Malaga city's surrounding areas and Marbella, primarily.

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