How much does an apartment cost in Spain? On land registry figures, homes sold for an average of €2,512 per square metre in the third quarter of 2026, so a 70 m² flat costs about €176,000 (£147,000). Asking prices run higher, at €2,955 per m² in October. Costa Blanca flats cost far less than Costa del Sol ones.
How much does an apartment cost in Spain in 2026?
It depends on which figure you look at. Spain publishes three kinds of price data, and they can differ by 20 per cent or more for the same place.
| Area | Sold price per m² (registry, Q3 2026) | 70 m² flat at that price | Asking price per m² (idealista) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | €2,512 | €175,800 (£146,900) | €2,955 (October 2026) |
| Alicante province (Costa Blanca) | €2,403 | €168,200 (£140,600) | not used |
| Málaga province (Costa del Sol) | €3,400 | €238,000 (£198,900) | €4,317 (September 2026) |
Registry figures: Colegio de Registradores, third quarter 2026. Pounds at the ECB reference rate of 13 November 2026 (€1 = £0.83559), rounded to the nearest £100. A 70 m² figure is simple multiplication, not a valuation of any real flat.
Both measures are at record levels. The registrars put the Spanish average at an all-time high, 9.3 per cent above a year earlier. On idealista, asking prices for resale homes were 11.2 per cent higher than in October 2025. New homes cost more per square metre than resale ones: €2,701 against €2,462 in the registry data.
Why do Spanish property price figures disagree?
Because they measure different things:
- Registered sale prices (Colegio de Registradores) come from deeds that have been signed and registered. They show what people really paid, but they lag the market by a few months.
- Official valuations (the Ministry of Transport's valor tasado) come from bank and surveyor valuations, often for mortgages. They are published town by town for every municipality with over 25,000 people.
- Asking prices (idealista, Fotocasa) come from adverts. They are the newest, and the highest.
The gap between advert and deal is real. Fotocasa's negotiation index for the first half of 2026 put the gap between asking prices and what buyers were looking to pay at 13 per cent in Alicante city and 9 per cent in Málaga. When you compare an article with a listing, check which kind of figure you are looking at. For sales volumes, foreign buyers and a sober look at crash risk, see our report on the Spanish property market in 2026.
How much is an apartment on the Costa Blanca?
On official valuations, a flat on the Costa Blanca costs from about €2,100 per m² in Orihuela to €3,500 in Jávea (Xàbia). The rule of thumb holds: the south is cheaper, the north dearer.
| Town | Average valuation per m², Q2 2026 | 70 m² flat | Change on Q2 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orihuela (includes Orihuela Costa) | €2,080 | €145,600 (£121,700) | up 17.9 per cent |
| Villajoyosa | €2,222 | €155,500 (£130,000) | up 13.0 per cent |
| Torrevieja | €2,254 | €157,800 (£131,800) | up 16.7 per cent |
| Alicante city | €2,279 | €159,500 (£133,300) | up 12.6 per cent |
| Santa Pola | €2,614 | €183,000 (£152,900) | up 22.4 per cent |
| Dénia | €2,985 | €208,900 (£174,600) | up 18.3 per cent |
| Benidorm | €3,216 | €225,200 (£188,100) | up 15.7 per cent |
| Calpe | €3,268 | €228,800 (£191,200) | up 16.1 per cent |
| Jávea (Xàbia) | €3,507 | €245,500 (£205,100) | up 7.5 per cent |
Source: Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible, average valuation of private homes, municipalities over 25,000 people, second quarter 2026. Covers all private homes, not only flats. Altea and Guardamar del Segura are too small to be listed.
The south (Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa, Guardamar) is full of large estates from the 1980s and 1990s plus new developments, so there is plenty of choice at lower prices. The north (Calpe, Altea, Jávea) has fewer flats, more villas on the hillsides and higher prices for each square metre. Our guide to Torrevieja apartment prices by district works through a €200,000 budget street by street.
How much is an apartment on the Costa del Sol?
Clearly more. The same official valuations put Mijas at €3,365 per m², Estepona at €3,518, Fuengirola and Torremolinos at €3,758 and Marbella at €4,528. A 70 m² flat at Marbella's average works out at about €317,000 (£264,900).
Asking prices there are much higher than valuations. In September 2026 idealista listed Marbella at €5,967 per m², Estepona at €5,021 and Fuengirola at €4,452. Vélez-Málaga, east of Málaga, was far below the big resorts at €2,249, after a 26.2 per cent rise in a year. Our guide to buying property on the Costa del Sol compares the main towns.
Average house price in Spain vs the UK
The UK's average flat or maisonette cost £194,148 in August 2026, on the UK House Price Index. That is about €232,300 at the ECB rate of 13 November.
At official valuations, that sum covers about 103 m² in Torrevieja, 71 m² in Calpe or 51 m² in Marbella, before buying costs. The overall UK average for all property types was £273,000, about €326,700. The two countries measure prices in different ways, so treat this as a rough guide, not a like-for-like comparison.
If you earn in pounds, the exchange rate moves your budget every day. Your bank or currency provider will quote its own rate, not the ECB reference rate. Irish buyers pay in euro and avoid that step.
What do flats cost in our listings?
On 13 November 2026 the cheapest flats in our database started at these prices:
| Town | Cheapest flat | In pounds |
|---|---|---|
| Torrevieja | €112,950 | £94,400 |
| Estepona | €115,000 | £96,100 |
| Orihuela Costa | €119,000 | £99,400 |
| Fuengirola | €153,000 | £127,800 |
| Calpe | €175,000 | £146,200 |
| Marbella | €175,000 | £146,200 |
| Benidorm | €249,000 | £208,100 |
Source: Tripinvest ES listings database, 13 November 2026. Listings change daily.
A few two-bedroom examples from the same day: 70 m² in central Torrevieja for €119,900; 60 m² in Villamartín, Orihuela Costa, for €129,000; 78 m² in central Fuengirola for €153,000; and 70 to 75 m² in central Benidorm for €249,000. See what is available now on our pages for property in Torrevieja and property in Estepona. Before you chase the lowest price, read our list of risks behind cheap property in Spain.
What pushes the price of a flat up or down?
Flats in the same town can differ by tens of per cent per square metre. The main reasons:
- Distance from the sea. Frontline (primera línea) with a sea view costs most. A few hundred metres back, prices drop.
- Type of home. A ground-floor bungalow, a penthouse (ático) and a flat in a block are priced differently.
- Age and condition. Many 1980s flats have no heating or insulation. New builds cost more but are cheaper to run.
- The estate (urbanización). A pool, gardens and security push up both the price and the community fees.
- Orientation and view. South-facing terraces, sea views and golf views all add value.
- Extras. A parking space, a storage room (trastero) or a roof solarium.
- New build or resale. Our comparison of new build vs resale in Spain sets out the costs of each.
When you compare adverts, look at the price per m², not only the total. Some Spanish listings include the terrace or a share of communal areas in the floor area.
How much money do you need on top of the price?
Allow up to 13 to 14 per cent on top of the listing price for tax and legal and official costs. A €180,000 flat therefore needs up to about €205,000 in total, roughly £171,300.
On a resale flat in the Valencia region, which includes the Costa Blanca, the biggest cost is transfer tax (ITP) at 9 per cent since 1 June 2026, down from 10. On a new build you pay 10 per cent VAT (IVA) plus stamp duty (AJD) instead. Legal and official costs come to up to 4 per cent. Our guide to buying costs in Spain for UK buyers lists every item, and the purchase calculator works out your own figure.
After you buy, there are yearly costs: IBI council tax, community fees, utilities and non-resident income tax. Spain taxes non-residents on a notional income from a home they use themselves, and on any rent. Since 2021, UK residents pay 24 per cent and cannot deduct expenses, while Irish and other EU residents pay 19 per cent. You will also need an NIE, the identification number for foreigners, before you sign.
If you need a loan, our guide to mortgages in Spain for foreigners explains how Spanish banks lend to non-residents. If you cannot fly out for every step, we advise coming once in person to see the property and signing a power of attorney at a Spanish notary during that visit.
Frequently asked questions
Are property prices still rising in Spain?
Yes, over the last year. Registered prices were 9.3 per cent higher in the third quarter of 2026 than a year earlier, and idealista asking prices were up 11.2 per cent in October. Official valuations rose 16.7 per cent in Torrevieja and 15.6 per cent in Marbella. These are past figures, so choose a town by budget and purpose first.
Where is the cheapest place to buy a flat by the sea in Spain?
Of the coastal towns in this guide, Orihuela, Villajoyosa, Torrevieja and Alicante city have the lowest official valuations, all between about €2,080 and €2,280 per m². On the Costa del Sol, Vélez-Málaga's asking price of €2,249 per m² was far below the big resorts. In our listings the cheapest flats were in Torrevieja and Estepona.
How much is a 2 bedroom apartment in Spain?
A two-bedroom flat usually has 60 to 80 m². At Torrevieja's official average that is about €135,000 to €180,000, and at Marbella's about €272,000 to €362,000. Asking prices are higher. On 13 November 2026 our listings had two-bedroom flats from €119,000 in Torrevieja and €129,000 in Orihuela Costa.
How much is an apartment in Alicante, Spain?
In Alicante city the official average valuation was €2,279 per m² in the second quarter of 2026, so a 70 m² flat comes to about €159,500 (£133,300). Across Alicante province, registered sales averaged €2,403 per m² in the third quarter. Popular resort towns in the north, such as Calpe and Jávea, cost considerably more.
Is the asking price what you actually pay in Spain?
Not always. Fotocasa's negotiation index for the first half of 2026 found a 13 per cent gap between asking prices and what buyers wanted to pay in Alicante city, and 9 per cent in Málaga. The final discount depends on the flat, the seller and how long it has been on the market.
How much does a flat in Spain cost in pounds?
At the ECB rate of 13 November 2026, the Spanish registered average of €2,512 per m² is about £2,099 per m². A 70 m² flat at that average is about £146,900. Your bank will quote its own rate, so check the figure on the day you transfer money.
Want to know what your budget buys?
Tell us your budget in pounds or euros and the towns you have in mind. We will tell you straight what makes sense and what to look out for. Tripinvest ES is a licensed agency (RAICV 4221) with offices in Torrevieja and Calpe and a head office in London, and our agents have over 12 years' experience on the Spanish market. Service is in English from the first call to the notary. Our clients don't pay us commission.
Or call our London office on +44 20 3888 0008.
Sources
Last checked: November 2026
- Colegio de Registradores, Estadística Registral Inmobiliaria, third quarter 2026: registradores.org (official)
- Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible, valor tasado de vivienda libre, municipalities over 25,000 inhabitants, Q2 2026 and Q2 2025: apps.fomento.gob.es (official)
- GOV.UK, UK House Price Index summary, August 2026: gov.uk (official)
- European Central Bank, euro foreign exchange reference rates, 13 November 2026: ecb.europa.eu (official)
- Agencia Tributaria, consequences of Brexit for non-resident income tax: sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es (official)
- Agencia Tributaria, non-resident income tax rates: sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es (official)
- Demócrata, 4 November 2026, idealista data for October 2026: democrata.es
- El Español, 15 October 2026, idealista data for September 2026, Málaga province and Costa del Sol towns: elespanol.com
- Bolsamanía, 17 June 2026, Fotocasa negotiation index, first half of 2026: bolsamania.com
- Tripinvest ES listings database, 13 November 2026, flats, our own calculations
- Photo: Diego Delso, "Vista de Benidorm, España, 2014-07-02, DD 65", Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0: commons.wikimedia.org
