César Nebrera stands beside his old green Kia sedan, parked in the shade of a carob tree near Ibiza Town, where he has brewed a cup of coffee on a stove in the car’s boot.
“I miss the simple comforts of life, like being able to stand up in your own home, cook properly, or pull out some socks from a drawer,” he reflects.
For the past three years, César’s Kia has served as his home. Despite working as a chef, the soaring rental costs on the Spanish island of Ibiza have made it impossible for him to afford a flat.
“Accommodation in Ibiza is incredibly expensive and becoming even more so,” he explains. “The rental prices are completely disproportionate to what you earn. Living like this is less comfortable, but it allows me to continue living on the island.”
Ibiza is part of Spain’s Balearic Islands, along with Majorca, Menorca, and Formentera, situated in the Mediterranean Sea.
Due to the exorbitant rental costs, many local professionals in Ibiza are facing similar challenges and living in precarious conditions. Last year, the IGC, representing the civil guard police force, reported that “three or four” officers were residing in vehicles on the island.
In addition to living in vehicles, some locals have turned to living in tents or very basic shared accommodations as alternatives to cope with the housing crisis.
Daniel Granda, spokesperson for the Sindicato de Inquilinas de Ibiza y Formentera, an organization representing local tenants, has emphasized that such living situations are becoming increasingly common.
