The Balearic Islands are Spain’s most expensive ride-hailing market: the VTC360 index puts the figure at around €198,000 in July 2026 — higher than Madrid. The explanation lies in a unique combination of factors:
- Extreme and seasonal tourist demand. Palma Airport, five-star hotels and seasonal transfers generate exceptional revenue per vehicle for much of the year; licences with renewed hotel contracts are among the most sought-after in the country.
- Particularly tight supply. A historically restrictive regional policy on the granting of new licences is compounded by the specific operating conditions on the islands. The result is that very few licences come onto the market, and those that do are snapped up immediately.
- Insularity. The 80/20 rule here is purely a matter of geography: a Balearic licence is operated in the Balearic Islands.
Risks to watch out for: the seasonal concentration itself (the winter months yield much less) and active regional regulation that should be checked well in advance of each operation — the up-to-date status, with its source, is always available on the regulatory map and on the provincial page for the Balearic Islands.
LAST REVIEWED · Jul 19, 2026 — VTC360 guide: general criteria, not advice for your specific case.