Guides to buying property on the Costa del Sol.
The honest, dated explainers I wish I’d had as a foreign buyer myself — costs, taxes, the process, and the stay-and-residency facts as they actually stand. No hype, no hard sell. In a hurry? The short answers are on the FAQ page. Buying from the UK? Start with the UK page.
Areas · 7 min
Marbella at 6,000 euros a square metre: where buyers are looking instead
Marbella asking prices hit 5,967 euros a square metre in September 2026. What the same money buys in Estepona, Mijas, Fuengirola and Benalmádena.
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Areas · 6 min
Málaga airport's record year, the 1.5 billion euro expansion and where the Costa del Sol train stands
Málaga airport: 26.8 million passengers in 2025, 262 routes this summer, a 1.5 billion euro expansion from 2029, and the honest state of the coastal train.
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Areas · 8 min
Buying a golf-side home in Mijas: La Cala Golf, Mijas Golf, Calanova and the courses between them
Mijas has eleven golf courses and most of the coast's new golf-side homes. Each course, the new builds beside it, prices from €269,000, and what to check.
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Areas · 9 min
Golf homes from Nueva Andalucía to Estepona
Golf property from Marbella to Manilva in 2026: each course from Nueva Andalucía to La Duquesa, who can play, and the new builds and villas beside them.
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Costs & money · 8 min
Income tax in Spain in 2026: the rates, the allowances and what a resident in Andalucía pays
Spain's 2026 income tax for a resident in Andalucía: rates from 19% to 47%, the €5,790 allowance, how pensions and savings are taxed, and when you file.
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Costs & money · 8 min
Is now a good time to buy on the Costa del Sol? What the 2026 figures say
Prices, sales, foreign demand and mortgage rates on the Costa del Sol in 2026, from the official figures, and how to read them if you are deciding to buy.
Read →Costs & money · 10 min
Tax residency in Spain: the 183-day test, the centre of your interests and what changes when you become resident
Spanish tax residency in 2026: the 183 days, the centre of your interests, the family rule, the UK treaty, the certificate and what changes for you.
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The process · 7 min
Why the same Costa del Sol home is listed by several agents at different prices, and which price is real
Most Costa del Sol homes are listed by many agencies through one shared database, so prices and sizes differ. How it works and which price is real.
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Costs & money · 8 min
Getting your money to Spain: what a bad exchange rate costs on a €400,000 purchase
How to transfer money to Spain for a property purchase. What a 2% bank margin costs on €400,000, how currency specialists compare, and forward contracts.
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Costs & money · 10 min
Do you need a Spanish bank account to buy property in Spain? How a non-resident opens one, and what it is for
How a non-resident opens a Spanish bank account online by video call, at a branch or through a lawyer. The documents, the NIE question and the fees.
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Living in Spain · 17 min
Squatters in Spain: what the law says in 2026, and what an owner actually does
There is no 48-hour rule in Spain. When the police can act at once, the fast-track eviction route since 2025, how common squatting is, and what owners do.
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The process · 18 min
The energy certificate on a Spanish home: what the letter means, what changes in 2030, and how to use it when you negotiate
Spain's energy certificate explained: who issues it, what it costs, registering it with the Junta, the A to G scale, when you need one and the fines.
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Living in Spain · 18 min
Tourist licence in Andalucía: how to get one, where you can, and the rules in 2026
Tourist and rental licence rules in Andalucía, October 2026: the Junta's standards, the community vote, Málaga's freeze, the national changes and the tax.
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The process · 9 min
Buying off-plan in Spain: the bank guarantee, the stage payments and the licence of first occupation
Buying off-plan in Spain: how the bank guarantee covers every stage payment, the special account, a late delivery and the licence of first occupation.
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The process · 8 min
What a new build in Spain includes in 2026
What a new build in Spain includes in 2026, read from 254 developers’ specifications: heating, kitchen, energy rating, the insurance, and what costs extra.
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The process · 7 min
The checks before you take the keys to a new build
The checks before you take the keys to a new build in Spain: the walk round with a written list, the papers to see, and the one, three and ten-year cover.
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The process · 9 min
Checking a developer before you reserve: the licence, the company and the homes it has finished
How to check a Spanish developer before you reserve a new build: the building licence, the company register, the homes it has finished and the contract.
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The process · 8 min
Do you need a survey when buying a property in Spain? What the system checks, what it does not, and what I do
Do you need a survey when buying in Spain? What the notary and registry check, what nobody inspects unless you arrange it, and when a surveyor is worth it.
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Living in Spain · 12 min
International schools on the Costa del Sol: a buyer's guide to choosing the school before the home
International school fees in Estepona, Marbella, Fuengirola, Benalmádena and Málaga, with each school's curriculum, ages and how admissions work.
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Areas · 6 min
Where to buy on the Costa del Sol: the six stretches compared
Six stretches from Estepona to Nerja compared on 2026 price per m², the drive from Málaga airport, character and who each suits. East, west or the city.
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Areas · 8 min
The Costa del Sol train: the C-1 from Málaga to Fuengirola, and the plan to reach Marbella
The C-1 train from Málaga and the airport to Fuengirola in 2026: every station, times, fares and passes, the buses to Marbella, and the coastal line plan.
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Areas · 9 min
Marbella or Estepona: what the extra €1,650 a square metre buys
Marbella vs Estepona in 2026: €5,956 against €4,307 a square metre, what the gap buys, new builds, the drive, schools, hospitals and who each suits.
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Areas · 8 min
Fuengirola or Benalmádena: two train towns compared
Fuengirola vs Benalmádena in 2026: €4,451 against €4,139 a square metre, the C-1 train, the districts, new builds, schools, hospitals and who each suits.
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Areas · 8 min
Mijas Pueblo, Mijas Costa or La Cala: which part of Mijas
Mijas Pueblo, Mijas Costa or La Cala: idealista's September 2026 price for each district, the drive, the beaches, the new builds and who each part suits.
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Areas · 8 min
Nerja or Torrox: the eastern end compared
Nerja vs Torrox in 2026: €3,952 against €3,123 a square metre, two towns of 22,000 people, beaches, the drive, new builds, the hospital and who each suits.
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Areas · 7 min
Costa del Sol or Costa Blanca: how the two coasts compare on flights, weather, prices and tax
Costa del Sol or Costa Blanca in 2026, on published figures: the two airports, AEMET's climate averages, idealista's prices and the two regions' taxes.
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Areas · 8 min
The best towns on the Costa del Sol for families: schools, space, beaches and hospitals
Where families settle on the Costa del Sol: districts near the international schools, space for the money, beaches, hospitals and new houses with gardens.
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Areas · 9 min
Frontline beach property: what “primera línea” means and costs
Frontline property on the Costa del Sol in 2026: what primera línea means, the coastal law’s 100 m and 20 m zones, frontline prices on file and the checks.
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Areas · 7 min
Sea views: what they add to the price and how to check them
Sea view property on the Costa del Sol: what developers charge for height and outlook, orientation, terraces, and what the town plan allows in front.
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Areas · 10 min
Gated communities on the Costa del Sol: what the gate, the guard and the fees buy
Gated communities on the Costa del Sol in 2026: what the gate, guards and cameras add to the fees, the estates in Benahavís and the accounts to read.
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Areas · 8 min
Penthouses on the Costa del Sol: what to check before you buy one
Penthouses on the Costa del Sol in 2026: what the top floor adds to the price, how terraces are counted, who owns the roof, and the checks before you buy.
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Areas · 7 min
The Costa del Sol in winter: the weather, and the towns that stay open all year
The Costa del Sol in winter, on AEMET's figures: highs near 17°C, lows of 7 to 9°C, and which towns stay lived in from November to March, from the census.
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Costs & money · 6 min
What a €350,000 Costa del Sol apartment really costs
Tax and fees on a €350,000 resale come to about €30,800, and I tell buyers to budget 10 to 11%. A new build pays 10% VAT and 1.2% stamp duty instead.
Read →Costs & money · 7 min
What you need to buy on the Costa del Sol, area by area
Four budgets from €350,000 to €1,100,000, worked against 2026 €/m² prices town by town, with the buying costs on top. Plain numbers for British buyers.
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Costs & money · 15 min
Mortgage in Spain for non-residents: the deposit, the rate and what the bank asks for
Non-resident mortgage in Spain, explained: how much a bank lends a foreign buyer, the deposit you need, how the rate is set, the documents and the steps.
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Costs & money · 6 min
New build or resale on the Costa del Sol: the honest comparison
New build or resale in Spain: the tax on each worked on €350,000, which costs more, how off-plan payments are protected and the checks before the keys.
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Costs & money · 5 min
Andalucía’s transfer tax cut for 2027: buy now or wait?
Andalucía plans to cut transfer tax on resale homes from 7% to 6.75% in 2027. What it saves at each price, who gains most, and whether waiting pays.
Read →Costs & money · 6 min
What it costs to own a home in Spain each year, for UK owners
IBI, the refuse charge, community fees, insurance, utilities and the Modelo 210 non-resident tax. What a Spanish home costs UK owners each year, sourced.
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Costs & money · 10 min
Cost of living on the Costa del Sol in 2026: a monthly budget for a couple and a family, line by line
Living costs on the Costa del Sol in October 2026: about €607 a month for a couple and €1,085 for a family of four, each line from a published source.
Read →Costs & money · 10 min
IBI town by town: the council tax rate in nine Costa del Sol towns in 2026
IBI on the Costa del Sol in 2026: the urban rate in nine towns from each town hall's ordinance, how the bill works, who pays and the rubbish charge.
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Costs & money · 9 min
Community fees in Spain: what they pay for and what to check before you buy
Community fees in Spain under the Horizontal Property Law: how your share is set, the reserve fund, levies, the yearly meeting and the debt certificate.
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Costs & money · 8 min
Home insurance in Spain for owners: what a policy covers and what to check before you sign
Home insurance in Spain for owners: building and contents cover, what a mortgage bank requires, the Consorcio surcharge, a home left empty and legal cover.
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Costs & money · 9 min
Electricity, water and internet in a new home in Spain: connecting the supplies, step by step
Connecting a new home in Spain in 2026: the installation certificate, e-distribución and your supplier, contracted power, the PVPC, water and fibre.
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Costs & money · 9 min
Wealth tax in Spain for property owners, and why Andalucía is different
Spain's wealth tax for property owners in 2026: the 700,000 euro allowance, the rates, Andalucía's 100% rebate and the solidarity tax above 3.7 million.
Read →Costs & money · 7 min
Modelo 210: the Spanish tax every non-resident owner pays, even on a home that is never let
Modelo 210: the tax Spain charges non-resident owners on a home they never let, the 19% and 24% rates, the rental version, deadlines and a worked example.
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Costs & money · 9 min
Rental yields on the Costa del Sol, town by town: long lets, holiday lets and the tax
Gross rental yields in 14 Costa del Sol towns from idealista's September 2026 figures, with the sum shown, long lets against holiday lets, and the tax.
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Costs & money · 6 min
What your money buys, town by town
Plain 2026 €/m² prices across the Costa del Sol, Nerja to Estepona: where your budget stretches furthest and where the famous names cost you.
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The process · 6 min
What a buyer’s agent does in Spain
What a buying agent, or buyer’s agent, does on a Costa del Sol purchase, how it differs from the estate agent selling the property, and what to ask first.
Read →The process · 10 min
Selling property in Spain as a non-resident: the 3% retention, capital gains, plusvalía and the documents
Selling a home in Spain as a non-resident in 2026: the 3% retention, 19% capital gains, the plusvalía, the documents to gather, the costs and the timeline.
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The process · 8 min
Selling on the Costa del Sol: what buyers pay more for
What buyers on the Costa del Sol pay more for, from idealista's district prices and developers' price lists, and the presentation and papers you control.
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The process · 13 min
Buying a plot and building a villa on the Costa del Sol: the rules, the costs and the order
Building a villa on the Costa del Sol in 2026: urban and rustic land, the checks on a plot, the taxes, the licence, what the build costs, and the order.
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The process · 10 min
Renovating a resale home in Spain: permits, costs and timings
Renovating a resale home in Andalucía: obra menor, obra mayor and the declaración responsable, what four town halls ask for, the VAT and the timings.
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The process · 8 min
The legal checks before you buy a home in Spain
What a lawyer checks before you commit to a home on the Costa del Sol: nota simple, catastro, licences, community debts, IBI and the energy certificate.
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The process · 9 min
How to get a NIE number in Spain from the UK: the two routes
What the NIE is, why a buyer needs one before the deed, the consulate route in the UK and the police route in Spain, the forms, and the published timing.
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The process · 8 min
The first occupation licence and AFO: the papers a villa needs to be lived in, connected and sold
The occupation licence and the AFO in Andalucía in 2026: which papers a villa has, and what each means for a buyer, a mortgage and the utilities.
Read →The process · 7 min
NIE, arras, escritura: the Spanish buying process in plain English
The Spanish buying process for non-resident buyers: the NIE, an independent lawyer, reserva and arras, the notary and escritura, and how long it takes.
Read →The process · 9 min
Power of attorney for buying property in Spain: who can sign for you, and the three ways to grant the power from the UK
Buying in Spain without flying out: who can sign for you, general or specific powers, and granting one at a notary, a consulate or a UK notary.
Read →The process · 5 min
The arras contract in Spain: what it is and how it works
The contrato de arras explained: the usual 10% deposit, the three kinds of arras, what happens if either side pulls out, and what to check before you sign.
Read →The process · 11 min
Spanish property words, from arras to escritura: a plain-English glossary
Spanish property terms in plain English, from arras and nota simple to escritura, IBI and plusvalía, grouped by stage, with the guide that covers each.
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Living in Spain · 12 min
The 90/180-day rule, explained without the panic
UK, US and other non-EU citizens get 90 days in any 180 across Schengen. How the count works, border logging since April 2026, and why a home adds none.
Read →Living in Spain · 8 min
The padrón in Spain: registering with your town hall on the Costa del Sol, what it is for and what each town asks for
What the padrón is, why it matters, and how to register with the town hall in Marbella, Estepona, Mijas, Fuengirola, Benalmádena and Málaga.
Read →Living in Spain · 8 min
Swapping a UK driving licence in Spain: who has to, by when, and how the exchange works
Exchanging a UK driving licence in Spain in 2026: who must, the six-month limit, the medical report, the DVLA check code, the DGT appointment and the fee.
Read →Living in Spain · 9 min
Moving to the Costa del Sol from the UK: the checklist, in order
Moving to the Costa del Sol from the UK in 2026: the steps in order, before you go, in the first month and in the first year, with the rule behind each.
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Living in Spain · 8 min
Retiring to the Costa del Sol: residency, healthcare, your pension and the home, in order
Retiring to the Costa del Sol: the visa route, the 183-day rule, healthcare through the S1 or the state scheme, how your pension is taxed, and the home.
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Living in Spain · 10 min
Spain's digital nomad visa: the 2026 requirements, the tax option and settling on the Costa del Sol
Spain's digital nomad visa in 2026: who qualifies, the income test at 200% of the minimum wage, the two ways to apply, the 24% tax option, where to live.
Read →Living in Spain · 6 min
Spain's non-lucrative visa: the 2026 requirements for UK citizens
Spain's non-lucrative visa for UK citizens in 2026: the income test at 400% of IPREM, insurance, certificates, where to apply and the 183-day tax point.
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Living in Spain · 7 min
Hospitals on the Costa del Sol, area by area: public, private and 24-hour care
The public and private hospitals from Estepona to Nerja in 2026: which hospital serves each town, the 24-hour emergency departments, and who can use them.
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Living in Spain · 8 min
Healthcare for residents in Spain: the S1, work, private cover and the convenio especial
Public healthcare for Costa del Sol residents in 2026: work, the S1 for UK pensioners, private cover for a visa, the convenio especial and the health card.
Read →Living in Spain · 8 min
Wills and inheritance for a Spanish home: whether you need a Spanish will, and what Andalucía's 99% relief means
What heirs pay on a home in Andalucía: the €1m reduction per close heir, 99% relief on a main home, the six-month deadline, and whether you need a will.
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Living in Spain · 5 min
The golden visa is gone. The routes to Spain that aren't.
Spain scrapped the golden visa in April 2025. Buying a home no longer buys residency, but these routes still let non-EU citizens live in Spain.
Read →Living in Spain · 5 min
The '100% tax on foreign buyers': what's actually true
Spain's planned 100% tax on non-EU buyers was cancelled when parliament closed for the election. What happened, and what buyers pay today.
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The process · 6 min
Five checks to make before you buy on the Costa del Sol
Five checks to make before you buy on the Costa del Sol: your own lawyer, the full cost, the area off-season, what comes with the home, and the pace.
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