2026 ranges
In PEM (direct works budget) per built m², mid-range quality:
| Item | Indicative PEM 2026 |
|---|---|
| Above-ground construction | €900 – 1,300/m² |
| Basement parking (per level) | €450 – 700/m² |
| Internal plot works | Variable, €40 – 100/m² of plot |
As a market reference, cost observatories placed the average multifamily building in Catalonia above €1,600/m² in execution cost in 2025, consistent with these PEM figures once overheads and industrial profit are added and considering Barcelona's high position on the regional scale. The correction by area is covered in regional cost differences.
Cost per dwelling
The developer reasons in cost per sellable unit. For a building of 20 dwellings of 75 built m² with a 600 m² basement level:
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Above ground | 1,500 m² × €1,100/m² | €1,650,000 |
| Basement | 600 m² × €550/m² | €330,000 |
| Total PEM | €1,980,000 | |
| PEM per dwelling | 1,980,000 / 20 | €99,000 |
On that base then operate the contract mark-up, fees, permits, insurance (technical inspection and the mandatory ten-year structural warranty for housing built for sale), management and financing costs, and the land. In high-pressure areas, the land cost per buildable m² rivals or exceeds the construction cost, and it is the variable that decides feasibility.
The three mechanics specific to multifamily buildings
The scale effect. Shared façades and roofs, serialised building services and repeated unit types reduce the ratio compared with single-family homes at equal quality. The building's compactness (envelope-to-floor-area ratio) is the most reliable early indicator of the final ratio.
The height effect. Beyond a certain number of storeys, the ratio rises again: structure and cores grow, lifting equipment becomes more expensive and execution productivity drops. The economic optimum depends on local planning rules and sales values, but the phenomenon is universal: height is paid for.
Below ground. Each basement level adds excavation, retaining works and, where relevant, dewatering below the water table. The car park is usually the floor area with the worst cost-to-value ratio in the building: indispensable because of parking requirements in planning rules, rarely profitable in itself. Rating its cost correctly (separately, never diluted into the housing ratio) is essential to compare budgets and to negotiate with contractors.
The essentials
A standard multifamily building sits in 2026 between €900 and €1,300/m² PEM above ground, with the basement rated separately at €450 to €700/m² per level. The useful reading for feasibility is the cost per dwelling, built by adding both scopes and the full chain of development costs. The two classic mistakes: diluting the basement into the general ratio, and comparing budgets of buildings with very different compactness as if they were equivalent.
Note: indicative ranges and examples for Spain in 2026, variable by region, project and market.