Property prices in Spain in 2026: what a home costs, town by town
Who this is for: For buyers working out a budget. The prices are averages across all homes for sale in each town, new and resale; a new build almost always costs more than the average.
"How much does a flat in Spain cost?" is usually the first question. It has no single answer: in one town a square metre costs two thousand euros, in another nearly six.
The figures below are for September 2026, from idealista, Spain's largest property portal, which calculates them from every home listed for sale.
One caveat to avoid disappointment: this is the average across all homes in a town, new and resale, old blocks inland and new developments by the sea. A new build almost always costs more than the average.
In short
In September 2026 a square metre cost from about €2,000 in San Pedro del Pinatar on the Mar Menor to €5,967 in Marbella; the Spanish average was €2,930, up 11.8% in a year. Within a town the spread can be bigger than between towns: in Marbella, from €4,649 to €8,331. An 80 m² flat ranges from about €160,000 on the Mar Menor to €477,000 in Marbella. Add about 12% in taxes and fees on a new build, and €1,500–2,000 a year to run it.
Price per square metre
| Town | Coast | €/m² | Change in a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marbella | Costa del Sol | 5,967 | +3.2% |
| Estepona | Costa del Sol | 5,021 | +17.1% |
| Málaga | Costa del Sol | 3,969 | +4.1% |
| Benidorm | Costa Blanca | 3,824 | +10.7% |
| Mijas | Costa del Sol | 3,717 | +8.5% |
| Finestrat | Costa Blanca | 3,316 | +4.5% |
| Pilar de la Horadada | Costa Blanca | 3,221 | +1.7% |
| Orihuela Costa | Costa Blanca | 3,058 | +5.7% |
| Alicante | Costa Blanca | 2,743 | +6.6% |
| Guardamar del Segura | Costa Blanca | 2,643 | +12.6% |
| Torrevieja | Costa Blanca | 2,561 | +9.3% |
| Los Alcázares | Mar Menor | 2,144 (Aug) | +19.0% (Aug) |
| Torre-Pacheco | Mar Menor | 2,112 (Aug) | +14.2% (Aug) |
| San Pedro del Pinatar | Mar Menor | 2,003 (Aug) | +2.9% (Aug) |
| Spain average | 2,930 | +11.8% |
For the Mar Menor towns the figures are for August 2026, the latest we could check.
Three things the table shows
The gap between towns is nearly threefold. A square metre in Marbella costs almost three times as much as in San Pedro del Pinatar. These are not slightly different markets; they are different worlds on the same Mediterranean.
Alicante is cheaper than the resorts. A provincial capital with an airport, a university and jobs, and yet the metre costs less than in Benidorm or Finestrat. The reason is simple: a big city has an expensive seafront and ordinary residential districts too, and the latter pull the average down. A resort town has few ordinary districts.
The cheapest towns are rising fastest. Los Alcázares added 19% in a year, Estepona 17.1%, Torre-Pacheco 14.2%, Guardamar 12.6%. Marbella, the most expensive, added 3.2%. The affordable end is catching up; the top end rose earlier.
Within a town, the spread is bigger than between towns
Marbella: from €4,649 per m² in San Pedro de Alcántara to €8,331 on Nagüeles and the Golden Mile.
Estepona: from €3,526 in Altos de Estepona to €7,349 in Selwo.
Málaga: from €2,184 in Campanillas to €5,070 in the Este district.
Mijas: from €2,975 in Campo de Mijas to €4,613 in La Cala de Mijas.
Torrevieja: from €2,158 in the centre to €3,240 in Punta Prima.
The lesson: the town in the listing tells you less than the area. The spread within Marbella is over €3,600 per metre, twenty times the gap between Alicante and Torrevieja.
What a whole flat costs
Turning metres into money: an 80 m² flat is a typical two-bedroom apartment with a living room.
| Town | Approximate price |
|---|---|
| San Pedro del Pinatar | about €160,000 |
| Torre-Pacheco | about €169,000 |
| Los Alcázares | about €172,000 |
| Torrevieja | about €205,000 |
| Guardamar | about €211,000 |
| Alicante | about €219,000 |
| Orihuela Costa | about €245,000 |
| Benidorm | about €306,000 |
| Estepona | about €402,000 |
| Marbella | about €477,000 |
This is a guide based on the average price per metre. A particular flat can cost a good deal less or more: the area, the floor, the view, the condition and whether it is new or resale decide that.
What to add on top
The listing price is not what leaves your account. Taxes and fees come on top, and they depend on the region.
New build: 10% VAT plus stamp duty: 1.4% on the Costa Blanca, 1.2% in Andalusia, 1.5% in Murcia. With the notary and registry, allow about 12% above the price: on a €205,000 flat in Torrevieja, roughly another €24,600.
Resale: transfer tax of 9% on the Costa Blanca (11% if the home costs over a million), 7% in Andalusia, 7.75% in Murcia, plus notary and registry.
Note that resale tax is not always charged on the price in the contract: if the cadastral reference value is higher, the tax is charged on that.
Every rate, with worked examples, is in taxes and costs when buying property in Spain.
What it costs to own
After you buy, you pay every year: community fees, IBI property tax, the waste charge, insurance and non-resident tax. For a typical apartment that comes to about €1,500–2,000 a year, plus electricity and water.
Each item is worked out in running costs of a home in Spain.
What pushes the price up
Being near the sea. The main driver. Seafront Punta Prima in Torrevieja costs half as much again as the centre; La Cala de Mijas costs half as much again as Campo de Mijas.
A newer building. A new build costs more than a resale home in the same area.
What the development offers. A pool, parking and security add to the price, and to the monthly fee.
City or resort. A big city has cheaper districts; a resort town hardly any.
Homes for sale in each of these towns, with current prices, are in our property catalogue. For one town in depth, see the Torrevieja guide for buyers.