Long-Term Rentals
Sometimes 2 weeks just isn’t enough.
For those of you planning to stay longer than one month in Tenerife, here are some of the best property pages that are most often recommended. The main tourist areas (Adeje og Arona) are normally most expensive. But you can find more affordable apartments to rent further away from the masses. Playa de las Americas and Los Cristianos are in Arona, and Fanabe is in Adeje.
Getting Around
Tenerife is a small island so there is never need to travel long distances. Even if you stay in North Tenerife, you rarely need to drive longer than one hour to get to Playa de las Americas. If you don’t know your way around Tenerife, just check on Google Maps to find the distance to the nearest supermarket or beach. Or any other service you may need on a regular basis. Google Maps also shows bus stops (TITSA), in case you don’t plan to rent a car.
It is a good idea to stay in a hotel or an Airbnb apartment while searching for a town that suits your needs best. Especially if you plan to stay in Tenerife longer than 3 months.
When you stay in North Tenerife the nights can get chilly over the winter. Homes in the north are normally heated with gas ovens in winter.
Please note that when searching for apartments in Tenerife it seems like they are all located in the capital Santa Cruz, but they are in fact not. This is simply an area name within Spain, i.e. Santa Cruz de Tenerife. If you’re not sure, you can always enter the name of the town, or the full address, into Google Maps to see the correct location.
What is the Best Area to Live in Tenerife?
Location and price depend on if you prefer to be in the main tourist area (Arona and Adeje) or not. Long term rental apartments in the Playa de las Americas and Fanabe areas, and the old town Los Cristianos, are normally more expensive than anywhere else in Tenerife. Generally, renting apartments near the beaches will cost more than apartments on the hills above the highway. But this can be the exact opposite in other towns, where apartments higher up in the cooler air are more expensive.
For those of you who prefer to stay near the main tourist area, but not in the centre of it, check out the surf town El Médano or Puerto de Santiago, opposite the Los Gigantes rocks. Other highly recommended towns are for example Garachico, a historic town with natural baths. Also Las Galletas, El Porís and San Isidro.
If you want to experience Spanish culture you could for instance stay in the capital, Santa Cruz, or Puerto de la Cruz, La Laguna, or Los Realejos. They are all located in North Tenerife. The most populated cities in Tenerife are Santa Cruz and La Laguna. There are plenty of nice options to choose from, of various sizes.
People also require different kinds of services. For some it is enough to be within walking distance to a supermarket and some restaurants. For others, they occasionally need to visit a pharmacy, post office (correos) or physiotherapy. Try using Google Maps to see what each town has to offer.
Booking.comNot Sure Which Location to Choose?
If you haven’t decided which town or city you want to live in, we recommend “trying on” a town or city, to see how you would feel staying there long-term. Maybe a holiday rental through Airbnb or Booking can help you find your perfect fit. For instance, one of the towns or cities mentioned above. Or simply add the search terms Tenerife South or Tenerife North if you like surprises!
How to Select an Apartment to Rent
What is included in the rent varies, and each Airbnb listing shows you exactly what to expect. Most Airbnb apartments have an internet connection and TV. If you are unsure about which area to stay in, renting via Airbnb can be a better option than a regular apartment. Also, if you want to try out a few towns instead of spending the whole trip in the same area, one of the best ways to do so is by spending just a few days in each town. Or a few weeks, depending on how long you can stay in Tenerife.
If you’re looking to rent an apartment in Tenerife with 1 bedroom, it is listed as 1 habitación (1 hab) or 1 dormitorio. Cooker (stove) is either gas or electric.
Useful Spanish Words for Apartment Search
Here are a few words you’ll quickly learn once you start searching for an apartment in Tenerife, Canary Islands, or Spain:
- Rent = alquilar/alquiler
- Bedroom = habitación/dormitorio
- Bathrooms = baños
- Or more = o más
- Balcony = balcón
- Price from-to = precio desde-hasta
Property Listings in Tenerife (Spain and the Canary Islands)
Click on the logos below to go directly to each agent’s property listing page for Tenerife. To simplify your search, the pages have been adjusted. They automatically open with search results for an apartment with 1 bedroom. And sometimes in a specific area, depending on availability. You can easily change and adjust your search.
The Small Print
When you’ve found an apartment you like, contact the agent and ask about insurance deposits. Also check if there are hidden fees, because in some cases the agents charge fees that match one month rent.
Normally you are only required to show your passport when signing the lease agreement, and do not need a Spanish ID number (NIE).
Booking.comThe small print: If you are asked to pay rent in advance to a foreign bank account, DO NOT make a transfer. If the request is fraudulent there is no chance of tracing the money. There’s plenty of recent cases where people have lost money this way, so please make sure you are dealing with a legitimate website and not a copy. Or use payment methods that can be guaranteed, such as credit cards and Paypal. If you are still not sure, check with your bank before making a payment.
How to Spot a Fake Travel Website
Unfortunately there are plenty of recent cases where people have lost money on fake travel websites. The websites look authentic and may even use text, photos and logos from large travel sites like TripAdvisor, Airbnb, and others. Here are a couple of simple ways to spot a fake or fraudulent travel website.
- Check the web address in the top field of your browser. Below is an example of what the authentic web address for Airbnb should look like.
Authentic Web Address
- If you have received an offer or a money request from a travel page, check the email address that email was sent from by clicking on reply. Then the real email address of the sender will be revealed. If it is different than the email address you saw when you received the email, this is most likely a fake account.
Authentic Email Address
