Buying Spanish property involves much more than the purchase price. Between acquisition taxes, annual running costs, capital gains on sale and — for higher-value estates — the state-level wealth taxes, the real cost of ownership deserves careful planning. This guide gives an overview of the main taxes and costs a non-resident buyer should understand, with a particular eye on the premium market. It is...

Marbella is the best-known address on the Costa del Sol and one of the most internationally traded luxury property markets in southern Europe. The municipality covers a long stretch of coastline between Estepona to the west and Mijas to the east, and contains a striking range of neighbourhoods — from the characterful old town to the ultra-prime Golden Mile corridor, the golf valleys of Nueva Andalucía...

Buying property in Spain as a non-Spanish national is generally accessible, but the process involves legal, tax and administrative steps that should be checked carefully before committing to a purchase. Understanding the NIE requirement, the tax structure, the legal process and the real total cost before you begin looking at properties makes the experience considerably smoother. This guide covers the key...

The route that once allowed non-EU buyers to obtain Spanish residency by purchasing property worth €500,000 or more — the investor visa's real estate pathway — was closed on 3 April 2025. In fact, the change went further than the property route alone: Spain eliminated the entire investor residence visa, ending a twelve-year chapter in which capital investment and residency were directly linked for...

Almuñécar and La Herradura occupy a stretch of the Costa Tropical of Granada — a coastline that is geographically close to the Costa del Sol but administratively and climatically distinct. The municipality sits approximately 25 kilometres east of Nerja and around 80 kilometres from Málaga, in the province of Granada. Its subtropical microclimate — warm winters, mild summers, and conditions suitable...

Salobreña is one of the most visually striking towns on the entire Andalusian coast. The old town sits on a rocky outcrop that rises sharply from a coastal plain of sugar cane fields, crowned by a Moorish castle and a cluster of whitewashed houses that tumble down to the plain below. It is a town that resists easy categorisation: part Andalusian village, part beach resort, part agricultural community —...

Torrox, on the eastern Costa del Sol in Málaga province, is a small but active property market where most sales are resale homes rather than new-builds, and where international buyers play an outsized role. This guide explains who is buying, what they pay in taxes, and how new-build and resale stock compare. How active is the Torrox property market? Torrox sits between Nerja and the Axarquía...

Maro is a small village in the hills just east of Nerja, on the eastern Costa del Sol. It suits buyers who want cove beaches, a protected natural park and a slower rhythm of life rather than resort bustle. Property here is scarce, mostly rural and village houses, so timing and local guidance matter. Where is Maro and what makes it special Maro is a pedanía (hamlet) of the municipality of Nerja, in...

Cómpeta is a whitewashed mountain village in the Axarquía, around 640 metres above sea level and roughly 20 km inland from Nerja. It suits buyers wanting authentic village or country living — cortijos, town houses and rural fincas surrounded by Moscatel vineyards — at gentler prices than the coast, provided you understand rural ownership. Why buyers look inland to Cómpeta The Axarquía is the...

Torrox is a single municipality on the eastern Costa del Sol, but it presents two distinct places to live: Torrox Costa, the beachside resort strip on the sea, and Torrox Pueblo, the traditional white village approximately four kilometres inland on a hillside. The two share town hall, but they offer very different lifestyles, property types and price profiles. Which suits you depends on what you are...