The Costa del Sol
One of the warmest and most relaxed coasts in Europe. Sun for most of the year, the sea in front and the mountains behind, fresh food, golf, marinas, and quiet white towns. From Malaga to Sotogrande, this page shows what each part of the coast is really like.
Why people choose Costa del Sol
People come for the weather and stay for how easy life feels here. Coffee outside in February, lunch by the sea, a short flight home whenever you want. The coast is long and varied: lively resort towns, quiet white villages, golf valleys and city life in Malaga, so there is a place to suit almost anyone.
People stay for the welcome, not just the weather. You are greeted with a smile in the shops, and most newcomers feel at home within weeks. It is easy to find your own language and community here, and traditional Spain sits right beside it: family-run bars, local festivals, historic old towns, and Sunday markets a few minutes from the resorts.
Around 300 days of sun
Hot summers, and mild winters you can spend outdoors.
Easy to reach
Malaga Airport (AGP) flies direct to 163 cities in 41 countries, the fourth best-connected in Spain.
Private healthcare
International hospitals with English-speaking doctors.
International schools
British, American and other programmes along the coast.
Everything you need to know about the Costa del Sol
The Costa del Sol is many things at once: golf and beaches, food and culture, schools and the property market. Each one has its own honest, in-depth guide.
A property you will use all year
Many holiday properties abroad sit empty for most of the year, and the town around them closes in winter. The Costa del Sol does not. It stays warm and open all year and the flight is short, so you will come often and so will your friends and family. Where the property can legally be rented out, and that is the first thing to check rather than assume, the rental income helps it pay for itself while you are away.
What you buy depends on how you use it
Most of our buyers want a second property, not a permanent move. Below is what tends to matter for each kind of buyer, and where to look next.
A place in the sun
For a few weeks a year, a low-maintenance apartment near the beach usually beats a big villa.
Working from the coast
Staying a few months? Check the digital nomad visa and fibre coverage before you choose a town.
A property that earns
Rental returns depend on a tourist licence and location. We tell you honestly which properties can get one.
Winters in the sun
For long winters, look for south-facing properties with real heating, in a town that stays open off-season.
A base for the family
Space, a pool and nearness to international schools usually matter more than being on the beach.
Somewhere for the years ahead
Many buy a holiday base now and spend more of the year here later, close to good healthcare.
What you can buy
Apartments, townhouses and villas
Most buyers here want a second property or an asset that earns, not a full move. These are the types that come up most, and who each one tends to suit.
Explore by area
One coast, many different places
The coast changes a lot as you drive it. Here is the character of each area, and roughly where it sits on price. Open any one for the full guide.
Marbella
Prestige and a complete lifestyle, from the historic old town to the beach clubs.
The Golden Mile
The classic strip of gated villas and grand resorts between Marbella and Puerto Banus.
Nueva Andalucia
Golf-valley living moments from Puerto Banus, long popular with families.
Estepona
Authentic Andalusian town charm that is rising fast in reputation and value.
All areas
Mijas
A white hillside village paired with genuine coastal value just below.
Fuengirola
Year-round value and unbeatable transport along the coastal train line.
Sotogrande
Polo, championship golf and understated privacy at the coast's western edge.
Malaga city
Culture, museums and a buzzing centre with strong year-round city rentals.
Nerja
Natural beauty and a quieter, more traditional pace east of Malaga.
Manilva
Some of the best beachfront value on the coast, at its far western end.
Torremolinos
A lively, well-connected resort town with wide sandy beaches.
Benalmadena
Marina, cable car and family attractions with quick airport access.
The New Golden Mile
The fast-developing corridor of new resorts between Estepona and Marbella.
Alcaidesa
Quiet links-golf coast between Sotogrande and Gibraltar, with long beaches and some of the lowest frontline prices on the coast.
San Roque
The municipality around Sotogrande: cork-oak hills, top golf, and value the famous neighbour never offers.
Which part of the coast fits you? Compare before you choose
Four short tools built from the same data as our area guides. Each one answers a question buyers ask us every week.
Compare areas side by side
Prices, beaches, seasons and travel times for every town, in one table.
Where you can walk to the beach
The honest list of areas where the beach is on foot, not a drive.
Best value areas right now
Where each euro buys the most, ranked from the current market data.
Strong demand, and not much new to buy
You do not need to rush. But it helps to know the shape of the market before you start looking.
Here is the honest part. Prices have risen for several years, so this is not the bargain coast it was a decade ago. You can still buy well, but you will pay a fair market price, not a steal.
Fifteen clear steps, from first call to keys
Buying abroad sounds daunting. It is far less so once you can see the whole path. Here it is in short.
Budget for more than the asking price
On top of the price, plan for roughly 9 to 10 percent on a resale property and 12 to 14 percent on a new build. A resale carries a transfer tax; a new build has VAT plus stamp duty. Your lawyer, the notary and the land registry each charge a fee too, and a mortgage adds its own costs. We show you the full number for a specific property before you decide, not after.
A real team, on your side, and free to you
The seller or developer pays us, so our help costs you nothing and your price stays the same. That means we have no reason to push one property over another.
Buyer-side only, so we never represent the seller against you. Your own independent lawyer checks every title, debt and licence before any money moves.
You will usually hear back within the hour, from a real person.
What buyers tell us
We did everything from Poland, which I was not sure about at first. Alexandra made a video call presentation and showed us the area with a drone. When we visited in person it was exactly as she described. We reserved the apartment and are looking forward to completion.
I bought two units as an investment. Everything went smoothly and now their team handles the rentals. What I liked is they were realistic about the income (other agents gave me numbers that were obviously too good) and about all the purchase and going costs.
First time buying abroad and the legal stuff was scaring me. After finding us the perfect apartment, Samuel sorted us an independent lawyer, English-speaking thank god, who went through everything with us. Still took a while, but at no point did I feel lost.
Not sure where to start?
Browse the properties for sale, or send one message and we will do the searching for you. No pressure, and no cost.