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Rental contract, keys and a calculator on a Valencia apartment table - estimating deposits and move-in costs
Rental tool

What you actually pay before you get the keys

Signing a long-term lease in Valencia means handing over much more than the first month. Set your monthly rent below and we add up the fianza, the extra deposit, the agency fee with IVA and optional utility setup costs, using standard 2026 Valencia market practice.

Interactive - 2026

Cash to Move In - Calculate Your Upfront

Most landlords ask for first month + fianza + extra deposit + agency fee on day one. Move the sliders to see exactly what you'll pay before you get the keys.

€950

Drag the slider or type a value.

Beyond the legal 1-month fianza, landlords often ask for 1-2 extra months as private security. Common in competitive Valencia areas.

1

In Spain, the tenant typically pays the finder's fee, usually one month's rent + 21% IVA. Toggle off if you found the apartment direct from the owner.

Some landlords require you to take over utility contracts and pay opening fees (~EUR 100-150 total for water + electricity setup).

Cash Before Keys

First month's rent€950
Fianza (legal 1-month deposit)€950

Held by the Generalitat, returned within 30 days of move-out if no damage.

Extra security deposit€950

Held privately by the landlord. Negotiable in slower markets.

Agency fee (incl. IVA)€1,150
Total cash before keys€4,000
Then monthly€950
Negotiation tip

If your contract is a long-term LAU rental (5-7 years), the landlord legally cannot ask for more than 2 months of additional security beyond the fianza. If you're being asked for more, push back or walk.

Estimate only

Real upfront varies by landlord, contract type, and neighborhood. Some agencies and short-term landlords ask for more (or less). For a binding figure on a specific listing, ask the agent for a written breakdown before you sign.

Sources

  • -Fianza minimum (1 month residential, 2 months commercial) - Ley de Arrendamientos Urbanos (LAU 29/1994), Articulo 36.
  • -Tenant rights and 5/7-year renewal cap - LAU as amended by Ley 12/2023.
  • -Fianza deposit institution for the Comunidad Valenciana - Generalitat Valenciana, Servicio Territorial de Vivienda.
  • -Average Valencia rent ranges 2025-2026 - Idealista quarterly market report and Banco de España housing observatory.

Want a curated list of apartments without the agency fee?

Our home-finding service is paid by you, not the landlord, so we work for you and skip the standard finder's fee model.

See home-finding service

What this calculator computes

It adds up every euro you typically pay on signing day for a long-term rental in Valencia: first month's rent, the legal deposit (fianza), any additional deposit the landlord requests, the agency fee including IVA, and optional utility activation costs. It also shows your recurring monthly rent so you can separate one-off move-in cash from your ongoing budget.

The assumptions behind the math

The tool uses the rules and figures most Valencia rentals follow in 2026:

  • First month: one full month of rent paid in advance.
  • Fianza: exactly one month of rent, the legal deposit under LAU article 36. The landlord lodges it with the Generalitat Valenciana and must return it within 30 days of move-out if there is no damage.
  • Extra deposit: 0 to 3 additional months, held privately by the landlord. The default is 1 month, the norm in Valencia today. The LAU caps this extra guarantee at 2 months on standard long-term contracts, but some landlords ask for more on temporary contracts or when you have no Spanish income history.
  • Agency fee: one month of rent plus 21% IVA, paid by the tenant in most Valencia lettings. Toggle it off if you found the flat directly with the owner.
  • Utilities setup: a flat 125 EUR estimate covering water and electricity activation, off by default because many contracts keep utilities in the landlord's name.

A quick worked example

Take a one-bedroom at 950 EUR per month, a realistic central Valencia figure in 2026, with the default settings: 950 first month + 950 fianza + 950 extra deposit + 1,150 agency fee (one month plus 21% IVA) = roughly 4,000 EUR in cash before you get the keys. After that, your only recurring cost in this tool is the 950 EUR monthly rent.

Who this tool is for

It is built for new arrivals signing their first long-term residential lease (vivienda habitual under the LAU) in Valencia: people budgeting their move before flying out, comparing going through an agency versus renting directly from an owner, or deciding how much cash to keep liquid for signing week. Short stays and room rentals follow different rules and usually need less upfront.

Estimate, not legal advice

The result is a rounded estimate based on standard market practice, not a quote. Real move-in costs vary by landlord, contract type and neighborhood, and some agencies price differently. Always ask for a written breakdown before signing, and treat nothing on this page as legal or financial advice.

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