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.
Cash to Move In - Calculate Your Upfront
Most landlords ask for first month + fianza + extra deposit on day one; agency fees fall on the landlord for residential leases since Ley 12/2023. Move the sliders to see exactly what you'll pay before you get the keys.
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.
Since 25 May 2023 (Ley 12/2023, art. 20.1 LAU) the landlord pays the agency fee on residential leases. Toggle on only for a temporary or room contract, or if an agency still bills you one month + 21% IVA.
Some landlords require you to take over utility contracts and pay opening fees (~EUR 100-150 total for water + electricity setup).
Cash Before Keys
Held by the Generalitat, returned within 30 days of move-out if no damage.
Held privately by the landlord. Negotiable in slower markets.
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.
- -Agency and contract costs charged to the landlord (art. 20.1) and the 5/7-year renewal cap - LAU as amended by Ley 12/2023 por el derecho a la vivienda.
- -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?
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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: off by default, because since 25 May 2023 the Ley 12/2023 de Vivienda (article 20.1 of the LAU) puts agency and contract-drafting costs on the landlord for residential leases. Toggle it on, at one month of rent plus 21% IVA, only if you are signing a temporary or room contract or an agency is still billing you for a service you asked for.
- 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 = 2,850 EUR in cash before you get the keys, or roughly 4,000 EUR if an agency fee of one month plus 21% IVA still applies to your contract. 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.