A SHARP rise in the number of fixed-rate mortgages in Spain has been reported in the past two years – and they now account for 43% of every new loan taken out.
Beach towns with the cheapest homes for sale
08/08/2023
A HOUSE or apartment near the beach is usually the most sought-after property among buyers and renters in Spain, especially in the age of remote working where those employed in big-city firms do not necessarily need to live within comfortable commuting distance of the office.
And this ideal location transcends nationalities, ages and cultures: Spanish people seeking a new home in their own country, northern Europeans seeking to retire to warmer climes, younger adults no longer tied by needing to be close to the workplace, and everyone in between, if asked, would probably say their ideal property is in a coastal town.
But towns with a beach in them tend to be among the most expensive – for exactly those reasons.
Not always, though: Some locations on the coast, as yet undiscovered by mass tourism, can be every bit as affordable, or even more so, than larger inland urban parts.
National average prices
At present, the average price of a home for sale in Spain is €2,809 per square metre, if it's brand-new, or €1,801 per square metre if it's pre-owned. This means a spacious three- or four-bedroomed apartment could cost you €180,100 or, if you opt for one that's just been built and has never been lived in before, up to €280,900.
Clearly, this figure varies dramatically according to property type, region, town, and even street. Other features, or lack of them, such as off-road parking, communal or private swimming pools, closeness to shops, schools or other facilities, all make a difference. Two identical properties a few streets apart in the same town could vary in price by over 100%. But those near the coast have traditionally carried the highest price tag, after homes in major cities.
And with residential property prices having been gradually climbing since early 2021, it helps to know where you can get the most space and the best location for your money.
In fact, in coastal towns, these prices might be anything from €844 per square metre to €2,404 per square metre – not counting the most-coveted stretches, such as certain sea-view areas in Jávea (Alicante province) or the Costa del Sol.
Head north: Galicia
One way of grabbing yourself a highly-affordable home in a town with a beach is to swerve the traditional Costas altogether. The oft-overlooked north, with its green and very European-looking scenery, is a world away from Mediterranean and southern Spain in terms of appearance, but still with guaranteed warm weather all summer.
Although a hugely popular staycation destination, the far north-western region of Galicia, just above Portugal, is less likely to attract foreign tourists, so full immersion is guaranteed if you want it. Lively but low-key seaside towns include Ribadeo (Lugo province), bordering Asturias to the east, and world-famous for its 'Cathedral beach'. The dramatically-beautiful As Catedrais takes its name from the rock formations on the sands that resemble the arches of a cathedral.
Local attractions include the Los Moreno Tower, and the lighthouse on the Isla Pancha, and an established rural tourism industry means you can go on hikes and explore the countryside with all the guidance and information you need.
Farther west and on one of the most northerly points of Spain, the lighthouse town of Ferrol (A Coruña province) is a comfortable drive from the spectacular pilgrims' cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, as well as being the site of the legendary Hercules Tower and venue for great year-round events – such as the Ferrol Rally and the International Horror Film Festival.
Like Ribadeo, Ferrol is not remote and isolated at all – far from it. Despite being way off the standard international beach tourism trail, both towns are very mature and established holiday destinations, with plenty of shops, facilities and entertainment.
Mediterranean: Comunidad Valenciana
If you'd rather stick to what you know, though, you can still find very affordable homes in convenient locations in beach towns along the Mediterranean, the Costa del Sol, and islands. For the Mediterranean, this is particularly true if you head slightly north of the centre. Whilst buyers – and holidaymakers – tend to head for the Costa Blanca, particularly the southern half, the climate and infrastructure are very similar in the provinces of Valencia, Castellón and Tarragona. The reason for the province of Alicante being seen as the holiday capital of the east coast is entirely historical: Spain's first real international beach tourism destination was Benidorm, its nearest airport is Alicante, and the resorts and residential complexes simply spread out from there.
Alicante is the southernmost of three provinces in a region known as the Comunidad Valenciana, bordering the sea along its east, and home to the beautiful city of Valencia, the third-largest in Spain.
Almost halfway between the airports of Alicante and Valencia, and just 13 kilometres north of the start of the Costa Blanca, the district capital of Gandia is a key beach holiday hotspot for Spaniards on staycation. Home to over 75,000 residents, and the seat of 10 generations of the infamous Borgia dynasty – you can take a tour of the palace, where a blockbuster film of their lives was shot – there's no shortage of services and facilities, including two major shopping centres. As is often the case in Spain, the beach area is a few kilometres from the main hub of town, but served all summer by regular buses and a quick and easy drive between the two.
Smaller beach towns just minutes from Gandia by good roads, and cheaper still, include Oliva, with 26,000 inhabitants; Tavernes de la Valldigna, with around 18,000, the smaller villages of Piles, Daimús – massively popular with French visitors – Miramar, and Guardamar de la Safor which only has around 500 residents but is just five minutes from Oliva or Gandia via very good, main roads. You can read more about it in our article covering villages of fewer than 1,000 inhabitants but right on a beach.
Cheaper still, much quieter but still not too remote, the coastal towns of the region's northernmost province of Castellón remain, as yet, a secret not shared by international tourist crowds.
Benicàssim, home of the world-renowned music festival, Peñíscola with its Mediaeval castle right on the beach, Oropesa del Mar and Vinaròs are some of the most popular seaside locations in this otherwise very rural, rustic and beautiful province.
Mediterranean: Murcia Region
This single-province region has been up and coming for a while now, meaning it has an established multi-national expat community and network of residential complexes and golf courses, as well as being right next to what is technically an inland sea, the Mar Menor. Here, the year-round warm waters are hailed as a real tonic for aches and pains, meaning the Murcia coast does not become empty and silent in autumn and winter.
Cheapest beach-town homes tend to be those closest to Cartagena, a small city steeped in history. Traces of the Romans can be found at every turn (a tour of the open-air amphitheatre is a must), and its long past as a key Naval port means numerous sightseeing opportunities linked to all things maritime.
Mediterranean: Tarragona province
Known as the Costa Daurada, the southernmost province in Catalunya – a region whose capital is Barcelona – borders onto Castellón to the south and, although it has a firmly-rooted European expatriate community, this is very spread out; it's not hard to find groups you share a native language or nationality with, but if you're seeking 'real Spain' with a beach nearby, Tarragona's coast may fit the bill.
All conveniences and entertainment you might wish for can be found easily, especially for families – one of the cheapest coastal towns is Salou, home to PortAventura World, a huge and well-loved theme park.
South coast – including Costa del Sol
Probably one of the first parts of mainland Spain that spring to mind when foreign buyers are considering getting a property close to a beach, the Costa del Sol is well-loved for good reason – but that means it's rarely a low-budge option. That said, it's still possible to find great properties in coastal locations selling at well below the national average price – it just means looking beyond the conventional holiday havens of Marbella, Mijas and Benahavís. In these three, you'll find some real luxury homes if that's what you want, but more economical options include Málaga city, the provincial capital, with its futuristic seafront esplanade, internationally-renowned shopping precinct, majestic castle, and other historical monuments that will keep you busy sightseeing even when it's too cold for relaxing on a beach.
Cheaper still is Vélez-Málaga, especially its tied parish of Torre del Mar. The latter is a great choice if you have children, or plan to have your grandchildren visit you: Take them to the Torrenigma Escape Room or Aquavelis Water Park. And once they've gone home, you can take a relaxing stroll along the endless seafront esplanade – a great way to get some serious exercise without realising it. At 4.5 kilometres in length, you can walk from end to end and then back again, exploring the shops and popping into bars for a coffee on a terrace; on the Costa del Sol, you can do this for most of the year, since winters tend to be very mild.
West of the province of Málaga, those of Cádiz and Huelva have been increasing in popularity among homebuyers – whether for holiday homes or relocating, Spanish or foreign – in the past 20 or so years. As yet, that's not long enough to have turned them into mass beach resort destinations, but plenty of time to see them evolve to cater for a more multi-cultural community and develop the infrastructure and services needed for locals' and visitors' convenience.
One of the cheapest towns to buy property here is Barbate (Cádiz province), where you can find exceptionally high-quality homes close to a beach for an average of €1,700 per square metre.
Canary Islands
This beautiful, volcanic archipelago needs little introduction. Loved by holidaymakers from all over the world for its extensive beaches, very mild winters (the mercury rarely drops below 13ºC, even in the early hours) and warm but pleasant summers (typically a top temperature of 30ºC), the Canary Islands is also where you'll find more National Parks than anywhere else in Spain.
Bigger islands such as Tenerife, home of the globally-acclaimed Teide National Park, where you can walk into the crater of a live volcano, provide the life and soul of the region, but quieter ones such as Fuerteventura allow you to switch off and enjoy the silence sometimes. Here, the town where properties are currently the least expensive is Puerto del Rosario, averaging €1,381 per square metre, and renting a home typically comes in at around €8.40 per square metre per month. That means if you just want a small, one-bed apartment as a 'base' for a short time, you could easily find something for about €420 a month. Puerto del Rosario is the largest town in Fuerteventura in terms of population, so you won't find it lacks any of the services and facilities you need.
Lanzarote, home to some stunningly-beautiful natural wonders – such as the Jameos de Agua and the desert-like, lunar landscape of the Timanfaya National Park – is also where you'll find one of Spain's cheapest coastal towns for buying a home. Arrecife, seat of the island's airport and its capital, is only slightly more expensive than Puerto del Rosario, with a 100-square-metre property costing you approximately €150,000.
As Puerto del Rosario and Arrecife are the most densely-populated towns on their islands, you might find even cheaper homes in other, smaller coastal towns in Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. Provincial, district or island capitals are normally the most expensive, but smaller towns just a few kilometres outside them can be much more economical.
Related Topics
A HOUSE or apartment near the beach is usually the most sought-after property among buyers and renters in Spain, especially in the age of remote working where those employed in big-city firms do not necessarily need to live within comfortable commuting distance of the office.
And this ideal location transcends nationalities, ages and cultures: Spanish people seeking a new home in their own country, northern Europeans seeking to retire to warmer climes, younger adults no longer tied by needing to be close to the workplace, and everyone in between, if asked, would probably say their ideal property is in a coastal town.
But towns with a beach in them tend to be among the most expensive – for exactly those reasons.
Not always, though: Some locations on the coast, as yet undiscovered by mass tourism, can be every bit as affordable, or even more so, than larger inland urban parts.
National average prices
At present, the average price of a home for sale in Spain is €2,809 per square metre, if it's brand-new, or €1,801 per square metre if it's pre-owned. This means a spacious three- or four-bedroomed apartment could cost you €180,100 or, if you opt for one that's just been built and has never been lived in before, up to €280,900.
Clearly, this figure varies dramatically according to property type, region, town, and even street. Other features, or lack of them, such as off-road parking, communal or private swimming pools, closeness to shops, schools or other facilities, all make a difference. Two identical properties a few streets apart in the same town could vary in price by over 100%. But those near the coast have traditionally carried the highest price tag, after homes in major cities.
And with residential property prices having been gradually climbing since early 2021, it helps to know where you can get the most space and the best location for your money.
In fact, in coastal towns, these prices might be anything from €844 per square metre to €2,404 per square metre – not counting the most-coveted stretches, such as certain sea-view areas in Jávea (Alicante province) or the Costa del Sol.
Head north: Galicia
One way of grabbing yourself a highly-affordable home in a town with a beach is to swerve the traditional Costas altogether. The oft-overlooked north, with its green and very European-looking scenery, is a world away from Mediterranean and southern Spain in terms of appearance, but still with guaranteed warm weather all summer.
Although a hugely popular staycation destination, the far north-western region of Galicia, just above Portugal, is less likely to attract foreign tourists, so full immersion is guaranteed if you want it. Lively but low-key seaside towns include Ribadeo (Lugo province), bordering Asturias to the east, and world-famous for its 'Cathedral beach'. The dramatically-beautiful As Catedrais takes its name from the rock formations on the sands that resemble the arches of a cathedral.
Local attractions include the Los Moreno Tower, and the lighthouse on the Isla Pancha, and an established rural tourism industry means you can go on hikes and explore the countryside with all the guidance and information you need.
Farther west and on one of the most northerly points of Spain, the lighthouse town of Ferrol (A Coruña province) is a comfortable drive from the spectacular pilgrims' cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, as well as being the site of the legendary Hercules Tower and venue for great year-round events – such as the Ferrol Rally and the International Horror Film Festival.
Like Ribadeo, Ferrol is not remote and isolated at all – far from it. Despite being way off the standard international beach tourism trail, both towns are very mature and established holiday destinations, with plenty of shops, facilities and entertainment.
Mediterranean: Comunidad Valenciana
If you'd rather stick to what you know, though, you can still find very affordable homes in convenient locations in beach towns along the Mediterranean, the Costa del Sol, and islands. For the Mediterranean, this is particularly true if you head slightly north of the centre. Whilst buyers – and holidaymakers – tend to head for the Costa Blanca, particularly the southern half, the climate and infrastructure are very similar in the provinces of Valencia, Castellón and Tarragona. The reason for the province of Alicante being seen as the holiday capital of the east coast is entirely historical: Spain's first real international beach tourism destination was Benidorm, its nearest airport is Alicante, and the resorts and residential complexes simply spread out from there.
Alicante is the southernmost of three provinces in a region known as the Comunidad Valenciana, bordering the sea along its east, and home to the beautiful city of Valencia, the third-largest in Spain.
Almost halfway between the airports of Alicante and Valencia, and just 13 kilometres north of the start of the Costa Blanca, the district capital of Gandia is a key beach holiday hotspot for Spaniards on staycation. Home to over 75,000 residents, and the seat of 10 generations of the infamous Borgia dynasty – you can take a tour of the palace, where a blockbuster film of their lives was shot – there's no shortage of services and facilities, including two major shopping centres. As is often the case in Spain, the beach area is a few kilometres from the main hub of town, but served all summer by regular buses and a quick and easy drive between the two.
Smaller beach towns just minutes from Gandia by good roads, and cheaper still, include Oliva, with 26,000 inhabitants; Tavernes de la Valldigna, with around 18,000, the smaller villages of Piles, Daimús – massively popular with French visitors – Miramar, and Guardamar de la Safor which only has around 500 residents but is just five minutes from Oliva or Gandia via very good, main roads. You can read more about it in our article covering villages of fewer than 1,000 inhabitants but right on a beach.
Cheaper still, much quieter but still not too remote, the coastal towns of the region's northernmost province of Castellón remain, as yet, a secret not shared by international tourist crowds.
Benicàssim, home of the world-renowned music festival, Peñíscola with its Mediaeval castle right on the beach, Oropesa del Mar and Vinaròs are some of the most popular seaside locations in this otherwise very rural, rustic and beautiful province.
Mediterranean: Murcia Region
This single-province region has been up and coming for a while now, meaning it has an established multi-national expat community and network of residential complexes and golf courses, as well as being right next to what is technically an inland sea, the Mar Menor. Here, the year-round warm waters are hailed as a real tonic for aches and pains, meaning the Murcia coast does not become empty and silent in autumn and winter.
Cheapest beach-town homes tend to be those closest to Cartagena, a small city steeped in history. Traces of the Romans can be found at every turn (a tour of the open-air amphitheatre is a must), and its long past as a key Naval port means numerous sightseeing opportunities linked to all things maritime.
Mediterranean: Tarragona province
Known as the Costa Daurada, the southernmost province in Catalunya – a region whose capital is Barcelona – borders onto Castellón to the south and, although it has a firmly-rooted European expatriate community, this is very spread out; it's not hard to find groups you share a native language or nationality with, but if you're seeking 'real Spain' with a beach nearby, Tarragona's coast may fit the bill.
All conveniences and entertainment you might wish for can be found easily, especially for families – one of the cheapest coastal towns is Salou, home to PortAventura World, a huge and well-loved theme park.
South coast – including Costa del Sol
Probably one of the first parts of mainland Spain that spring to mind when foreign buyers are considering getting a property close to a beach, the Costa del Sol is well-loved for good reason – but that means it's rarely a low-budge option. That said, it's still possible to find great properties in coastal locations selling at well below the national average price – it just means looking beyond the conventional holiday havens of Marbella, Mijas and Benahavís. In these three, you'll find some real luxury homes if that's what you want, but more economical options include Málaga city, the provincial capital, with its futuristic seafront esplanade, internationally-renowned shopping precinct, majestic castle, and other historical monuments that will keep you busy sightseeing even when it's too cold for relaxing on a beach.
Cheaper still is Vélez-Málaga, especially its tied parish of Torre del Mar. The latter is a great choice if you have children, or plan to have your grandchildren visit you: Take them to the Torrenigma Escape Room or Aquavelis Water Park. And once they've gone home, you can take a relaxing stroll along the endless seafront esplanade – a great way to get some serious exercise without realising it. At 4.5 kilometres in length, you can walk from end to end and then back again, exploring the shops and popping into bars for a coffee on a terrace; on the Costa del Sol, you can do this for most of the year, since winters tend to be very mild.
West of the province of Málaga, those of Cádiz and Huelva have been increasing in popularity among homebuyers – whether for holiday homes or relocating, Spanish or foreign – in the past 20 or so years. As yet, that's not long enough to have turned them into mass beach resort destinations, but plenty of time to see them evolve to cater for a more multi-cultural community and develop the infrastructure and services needed for locals' and visitors' convenience.
One of the cheapest towns to buy property here is Barbate (Cádiz province), where you can find exceptionally high-quality homes close to a beach for an average of €1,700 per square metre.
Canary Islands
This beautiful, volcanic archipelago needs little introduction. Loved by holidaymakers from all over the world for its extensive beaches, very mild winters (the mercury rarely drops below 13ºC, even in the early hours) and warm but pleasant summers (typically a top temperature of 30ºC), the Canary Islands is also where you'll find more National Parks than anywhere else in Spain.
Bigger islands such as Tenerife, home of the globally-acclaimed Teide National Park, where you can walk into the crater of a live volcano, provide the life and soul of the region, but quieter ones such as Fuerteventura allow you to switch off and enjoy the silence sometimes. Here, the town where properties are currently the least expensive is Puerto del Rosario, averaging €1,381 per square metre, and renting a home typically comes in at around €8.40 per square metre per month. That means if you just want a small, one-bed apartment as a 'base' for a short time, you could easily find something for about €420 a month. Puerto del Rosario is the largest town in Fuerteventura in terms of population, so you won't find it lacks any of the services and facilities you need.
Lanzarote, home to some stunningly-beautiful natural wonders – such as the Jameos de Agua and the desert-like, lunar landscape of the Timanfaya National Park – is also where you'll find one of Spain's cheapest coastal towns for buying a home. Arrecife, seat of the island's airport and its capital, is only slightly more expensive than Puerto del Rosario, with a 100-square-metre property costing you approximately €150,000.
As Puerto del Rosario and Arrecife are the most densely-populated towns on their islands, you might find even cheaper homes in other, smaller coastal towns in Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. Provincial, district or island capitals are normally the most expensive, but smaller towns just a few kilometres outside them can be much more economical.
Related Topics
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