I think many people are imagining it wrong, though … it’s not like every house in Barcelona has a parking garage, especially in the old town, but also in newer dense neighborhoods. It’s just my estimate based on observation but I would say apartment buildings WITH a parking garage are the exception rather than the norm. If they have a garage, you still have to pay extra for the spot usually.

As a resident you can apply for resident street parking, which gives you preferential parking in the parking zones associated with your neighborhood. That’s not free, either, but you can park at a discount.

But typically renting an apartment doesn’t come with any guarantee that you’ll have guaranteed immediate access to parking close to your place … heck, if you’re living in the old town you might have trouble finding a place to put your bicycle …

EDIT: the article only mentions selling, not renting, so, not sure how that compares really …