Most Expensive Neighbourhoods in Barcelona to Live in

Barcelona has some fantastic architecture and buildings. Home to 9 UNESCO world Heritage sites, and some of the best examples of both Gothic and Modernista architecture there are some amazing properties in breathtaking buildings. You can also own your own little piece of history if you prefer the old town neighbourhoods of the Gothic Quarter or Raval, and brand spanking modern apartments with all the mod cons in front of the Mediterranean sea in Diagonal Mar is that's your preference.

Assuming you don't have the cash to buy your property outright, you'll be financing the move with a mortgage or other home loan. Fortunately, mortgages in Spain are usually taken out over 30 to 40 years and some banks even offer a 50 year mortgage. This sometimes means that you may be able to afford a better place, as long as you can handle the repayments!

Prices are talked about an awful lot, and are always given as a price per square metre in Barcelona. Apartments can range from as small as twenty square metres for some dwellings in the old town, as high as hundreds of square metres in more exclusive neighbourhoods. Expect to pay a whopping 6476 Euros per square metre in the high end neighbourhood of Pedralbes and Sarria. This is the most expensive neighbourhood in the city, with most buildings having private gardens and pools, private car parking spaces and is home to the elite.

If history and rustic charm is more your idea of a Barcelona home, then don't assume that for old properties the price is also from the old ages! The charming Gothic quarter will set you back 4925 euros per square metre, and you also have to choose very carefully in this neighbourhood, as there are many small, dimly lit streets offeing poor natural light. Expect to pay a lot more per square metre if the apartment is high up, well lit and has any kind of terrace or balcony – remember, these are average prices so take all properties into account. Across the famous Ramblas street to the Raval quarter is a little easier on the wallet, with an average price of 4215 Euros. The old fisherman's quarters of Barceloneta is a literal stone's throw from the beach, and you'll have to cough up 4479 Euros per square metre to watch the sun rise over the Mediterranean here. 4778 Euros is a higher price for the coastline's extension down in the Olympic Village but one which is understandable, as the properties here are much newer and more spacious in comparison to the parallel lines of tiny streets in Barceloneta.

The biggest neighbourhood in Barcelona is Eixample, designed 150 years ago by Ildefons Cerdà and is a grid-like expanse covering almost all of Barcelona from left to right. Apartments within buildings here are generally large and many have been well reserved to maintain original aspects from construction in the early 1900s. Here, prices may vary per square metre from 4913 to 4397 Euros, depending on the location. The nearby small neighbourhood of Gracia with its small town charm is also an extremely central neighbourhood but maintains a high floor price due to the smaller buildings in the area – and therefore fewer apartments to go round. There's no lower than 4787 Euros here.