Spain · Property for sale
If you are looking at property for sale in Spain as a British buyer, six areas matter most: the Costa Blanca, the Costa del Sol, the Murcia and Almería coasts, and the Balearic and Canary Islands, home to almost three in four British residents of Spain. Official valuations there run from €1,350 per m² in Murcia to €3,981 in the Balearics, and inland towns can be valued at less than half the coastal figure in the same province. We do not list homes; this guide covers what to know before you open the listings.
Looking at a home in Spain? Four quick questions, then Rory tells you plainly what your budget reaches and whether the timing works.
See what fits →Land registry figures for 2025 put British buyers ahead of every other foreign nationality in five provinces (Málaga, Granada, Cádiz, Almería and Murcia) and just behind Dutch buyers in Alicante. They rank second in the Balearic Islands and third in the Canary Islands. The year-by-year series, with prices paid and resident numbers, is on our page of official figures on British buyers in Spain.
The reasons are practical. In January these coasts average daytime highs of 16 to 17 °C on the mainland and 21 to 22 °C in the Canaries, each area has its own airport, and British communities are already established. The registrars themselves link foreign buying to tourism: the provinces with the highest foreign share are Mediterranean and island provinces with high tourist intensity.
| Area | Province | Main airports | January average high / low | Official valuation per m², Q2 2026 | British residents, 1 Jan 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costa Blanca | Alicante | Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández (ALC) | 16.7 °C / 6.5 °C | €2,021 | 68,904 |
| Costa del Sol | Málaga | Málaga-Costa del Sol (AGP) | 16.8 °C / 7.4 °C | €3,084 | 49,298 |
| Murcia and the Costa Cálida | Murcia | Región de Murcia (RMU); Alicante-Elche (ALC) | 16.0 °C / 5.5 °C | €1,350 | 16,522 |
| Costa de Almería | Almería | Almería (LEI) | 16.9 °C / 8.3 °C | €1,493 | 15,397 |
| Balearic Islands | Illes Balears | Palma de Mallorca (PMI), Menorca (MAH), Ibiza (IBZ) | 15.2 °C / 3.8 °C | €3,981 | 18,448 |
| Canary Islands | Las Palmas; Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Gran Canaria (LPA), Lanzarote (ACE), Fuerteventura (FUE); Tenerife Sur (TFS), Tenerife Norte (TFN) | 20.8 °C / 15.0 °C (Gran Canaria); 21.7 °C / 15.2 °C (Tenerife Sur) | €2,263; €2,297 | 12,622; 13,118 |
Sources: AEMET climate normals 1981 to 2010 at airport stations (for Murcia, San Javier airport on the Mar Menor); Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana, valor tasado de vivienda libre by province, second quarter of 2026, rounded to the nearest euro; INE, Censo anual de población 2025; airport names from Aena. Valuations are averages of mortgage appraisals, not asking prices.
On official figures, the cheapest homes in Spain are inland. In the second quarter of 2026 the lowest provincial valuations were Ciudad Real (€854 per m²), Jaén (€913) and Cuenca (€950), against €2,355 for Spain as a whole. Of the coastal provinces British buyers favour, Murcia (€1,350) and Almería (€1,493) came lowest.
The same gap shows up inside each coastal province, as the Ministry of Housing's town-level valuations make clear.
| Province | Coastal town | Valuation | Inland town | Valuation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alicante | Jávea/Xàbia | €3,507 | Villena | €994 |
| Alicante | Torrevieja | €2,254 | Elda | €1,013 |
| Málaga | Marbella | €4,528 | Antequera | €1,532 |
| Málaga | Vélez-Málaga | €2,788 | Ronda | €1,743 |
| Murcia | San Javier | €1,953 | Jumilla | €829 |
| Murcia | Águilas | €1,454 | Yecla | €882 |
Source: Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana, valor tasado de vivienda libre in municipalities of more than 25,000 people, second quarter of 2026, rounded to the nearest euro. Smaller villages are not covered by this table.
Homes up to five years old are valued well above older ones, by between 15% in the Balearics and 31% in Almería among the provinces below. Tax differs too: buying new from a developer means VAT plus stamp duty on the deed, whereas a resale purchase is charged the regional transfer tax. Four in five homes that British buyers registered in 2025 had been owned before.
| Province | Homes up to five years old | Homes over five years old |
|---|---|---|
| Almería | €1,938 | €1,482 |
| Alicante | €2,550 | €2,004 |
| Málaga | €3,600 | €3,059 |
| Murcia | €1,727 | €1,340 |
| Illes Balears | €4,551 | €3,956 |
| Spain | €2,737 | €2,343 |
Source: Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana, valor tasado de vivienda libre, tables 1.1 and 1.2, second quarter of 2026, rounded to the nearest euro. Percentages are our calculation.
The lowest prices can hide planning problems. In 2019 the Junta de Andalucía estimated that about 300,000 of the roughly 500,000 buildings on the region's non-developable rural land were irregular. A home declared 'asimilado a fuera de ordenación' (AFO) can be authorised to connect to water and electricity, but Andalusian law states that the declaration does not make it legal, so ask an independent lawyer (abogado) to check planning status before you commit.
Flats are the bulk of the Spanish market, at 78.97% of registered home sales in the second quarter of 2026. Whether you are looking at houses for sale in Spain or at apartments and villas, the bigger differences come after the purchase, in running costs and in the rules of shared ownership.
As of September 2026, every owner pays IBI, the annual municipal property tax, at a rate each town hall sets between 0.4% and 1.10% of the cadastral value (valor catastral) for urban property; some towns may add small increments. If you live outside Spain and do not let the home, you also pay non-resident income tax each year on an imputed income of 1.1% or 2% of that cadastral value, the lower rate applying where the town's values were revised in the last ten years. The tax rate is 24% for UK residents, against 19% for residents of the EU and EEA.
Unpaid community fees follow the home, not the seller. The property you buy answers for the seller's arrears for the current year and the previous three, which is why the seller must bring a certificate of community debts to the notary. This is general information, not advice: an independent Spanish lawyer or tax adviser can confirm how the rules apply to you.
Rates, fees and timings are set out in our guide to buying property in Spain.
Buying a home in Spain does not give you the right to live there. As of September 2026, the limit for British visitors is 90 days in any rolling 180-day period in the Schengen area. Border checks tightened on 10 April 2026, when the EU's Entry/Exit System went fully live: it logs each arrival and departure at the Schengen border and flags anyone who overstays. Our 90-day rule explainer includes a day counter.
Property purchase no longer leads to residence either: Spain abolished its investor 'Golden Visa' with effect from 3 April 2025. To spend longer in Spain you need a residence visa, for example the non-lucrative visa; our Spain visa guide sets out who qualifies and the income required, and retiring to Spain covers healthcare and pensions.
We are an introducer, not an estate agent: we never publish developments or price lists, and anyone who wants to see specific homes speaks to Rory privately.
Weighing up a home in Spain?
Rory speaks to every buyer before anyone is introduced: fifteen minutes, your budget and your timing, and a straight answer on whether it fits.
Talk to us about Spain →Yes: British buyers registered 7,665 home purchases in Spain in 2025. Since Brexit they are treated as non-EU buyers, which matters in two ways. Homes in zones restricted for defence reasons need a military authorisation before the notary signs the deed, and a non-resident owner pays 24% tax on imputed income instead of the 19% EU rate. An independent lawyer can check both.
Inland. The Ministry of Housing's valuations for the second quarter of 2026 put Ciudad Real at €854 per m², Jaén at €913 and Cuenca at €950, well under the national €2,355. Among the coastal provinces popular with British buyers, Murcia and Almería had the lowest figures. These are averages from mortgage appraisals, so individual homes can sit well above or below them.
Owning a home makes no difference to the limit: British visitors get 90 days in every rolling 180 across the Schengen area, Spain included. The EU's Entry/Exit System, in full operation from 10 April 2026, now logs each crossing electronically. Beyond that you need a residence visa, for example the non-lucrative visa; property no longer qualifies anyone for residence, as the Golden Visa closed on 3 April 2025.
Expect IBI, the municipal property tax, at 0.4% to 1.10% of the cadastral value; community fees if the home shares a building, pool or gardens; and, if you are non-resident and do not let it, income tax of 24% on an imputed income of 1.1% or 2% of the cadastral value. Add insurance, utilities and upkeep, which depend on the property.
Older homes are usually valued lower. In the second quarter of 2026 the Ministry of Housing's average was €2,737 per m² nationally for homes up to five years old and €2,343 for older homes; in Almería the figures were €1,938 and €1,482. Buying new from a developer also brings VAT and stamp duty instead of transfer tax, so compare the full cost.
Last checked 2026-09-28. Rules and rates change; this is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm your own position with an independent Spanish lawyer or tax adviser before you act.