Buying Property on the Costa del Sol (2026): A Foreign Buyer's Guide to Marbella, Estepona & Málaga

Published on: July 10, 2026

Last verified: 10 July 2026. Spanish property, tax and residency rules vary by region and change. Verify before acting.

The Costa del Sol, running roughly 150 km along Málaga province from Nerja in the east to Manilva in the west, is the most liquid foreign-buyer property market in southern Spain, and one of the largest in Europe. Marbella, Estepona, Fuengirola, Benalmádena, Torremolinos and Málaga city each have distinct micro-markets with different price points and buyer profiles. This guide covers what a non-resident buyer needs to know in 2026: the taxes, the process, real price benchmarks, the annual costs, and the residency picture after the Golden Visa closure.

Brexit and residency rules changed how much time non-EU buyers can spend in Spain, but they left the fundamental right to buy Spanish property entirely intact. British buyers remain among the most active foreign purchasers on this coast, alongside German, Scandinavian, Dutch and, increasingly, Polish buyers.

First, the headline that many agents get wrong: the Golden Visa is gone

Spain's property-linked Golden Visa, which granted residency for a €500,000+ real-estate investment, was abolished, with applications closing in April 2025. Any agent still pitching Spanish property as a route to a Golden Visa in 2026 is working from outdated information. Non-EU buyers who want to spend extended time in Spain now compare other routes, most commonly the Digital Nomad Visa or the Non-Lucrative Visa, depending on income and work structure. Your visa route should be planned separately from the property purchase itself.

EU citizens do not need a residence permit to buy, but every foreign buyer, EU or not, needs an NIE.

The taxes: the "Andalusia advantage"

The tax you pay depends entirely on whether the property is a resale or a new build. Andalucía currently offers some of the most competitive rates in Spain.

For context, the 7% Andalusian ITP compares favourably with 10% in the Comunidad Valenciana (Costa Blanca) and a sliding 8% to 13% in the Balearics. A crucial detail: since 2022, ITP is calculated on the higher of the purchase price or the official reference value (valor de referencia del catastro). Even if you buy below that reference value, you pay tax on the reference value.

Andalucía also abolished its wealth tax (Impuesto sobre el Patrimonio), and has sharply reduced inheritance and gift tax for close family, a meaningful saving for higher-value purchases compared with other Spanish regions.

Total cost of buying: budget 10 to 14%

Beyond the headline tax, budget for:

• Notary fees: typically €800 to €1,500 (set by law on a sliding scale).
• Independent lawyer (abogado): around 1% of the price plus VAT; commonly €1,500 to €3,000.
• Land Registry: roughly €500 to €1,000.

All in, expect to add 10 to 13% for a resale and 13 to 14% for a new build. On the Costa del Sol, estate-agent commission is generally paid by the seller, not the buyer, and the price you see usually already includes it. Spanish banks will not lend against the taxes and fees, so you need this amount in cash on top of your deposit.

The step-by-step buying process

Buying on the Costa del Sol is straightforward when you follow the right order. A resale purchase typically completes in 8 to 12 weeks from an accepted offer; an off-plan purchase completes when construction finishes.

1. Get your NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) first. You cannot sign a purchase deed, open a bank account or pay taxes without it. The Málaga appointment process can take 2 to 6 weeks, so start immediately.
2. Appoint an independent lawyer, not the one recommended by your estate agent or developer. Spanish conveyancing has no built-in buyer protection, and the notary formalises the deed but does not perform due diligence.
3. Open a Spanish bank account and plan your currency transfer. Expect robust anti-money-laundering checks and be ready to evidence where your funds come from.
4. Complete due diligence. Your lawyer verifies the nota simple (land-registry extract), the first-occupation certificate (Certificado de Primera Ocupación / Licencia de Primera Ocupación), community accounts and minutes, IBI and utility receipts, and the energy performance certificate. For new builds, they check the building licence, the 10-year structural insurance under the LOE, and, critically for off-plan, that your deposit is protected by a bank guarantee (aval bancario).
5. Sign the private purchase contract and pay the deposit, then complete at the notary and register the deed.

Real price benchmarks (early 2026)

Costa del Sol prices range broadly from around €2,000 to €5,000 per square metre, with new-build carrying a 15 to 25% premium over resale. Within that:

Marbella commands the premium on the back of genuine scarcity, prime beachfront and golf-adjacent land is finite, while Estepona West and parts of Mijas carry steadier new-build supply. Prime turnkey resales in top locations still move within weeks when priced correctly.

Annual costs of ownership

Buying is only the start. Budget for these from day one:

• IBI (council tax): €300 to €2,000+ per year depending on size and location.
• Comunidad fees (community charges for shared areas and pools): €50 to €150/month for standard apartments, rising to €500 to €1,500+/month for luxury gated communities with 24-hour security and concierge. Outstanding community debts transfer with the property, you inherit them as the new owner, so always request the last three years of accounts and check for pending derramas (one-off special assessments).
• Non-resident income tax (IRNR): non-residents pay an imputed income tax even if they do not rent the property out, based on a percentage of the cadastral value; rental income is taxed at 19% for EU residents (rates differ for non-EU owners).
• Home insurance and utilities.

Mortgages for non-residents

Non-residents can obtain Spanish mortgages, typically up to 70% loan-to-value (so plan for a 30 to 40% deposit). In early 2026, fixed rates tracked roughly 2.8% to 3.8%. Terms run to 20-25 years for non-residents and must usually finish before age 75. Since the 2019 mortgage-law reform, the bank pays most mortgage set-up costs (the AJD on the mortgage, the notary for the mortgage deed, and registration); you generally pay only the valuation fee, around €300 to €600.

Two Costa del Sol issues to watch

• Illegal construction legacy. Parts of the coast carry a history of properties built without proper planning permission or where a licence was obtained irregularly. The Junta de Andalucía runs a regularisation programme, but many remain in legal limbo. Your lawyer must verify the property's status in the planning register and confirm its first-occupation certificate.
• Short-term rental licensing. Renting out on a short-term basis requires registration as a vivienda con fines turísticos (VFT), and Andalucía updated its tourist-license procedures in 2026. If rental income is part of your plan, sort licensing before you buy.

Frequently asked questions

Is Spain's property Golden Visa still available in 2026?
No. The property-linked Golden Visa was abolished, with applications closing in April 2025. Non-EU buyers now typically use the Digital Nomad Visa or Non-Lucrative Visa, planned separately from the purchase.

How much are the taxes when buying on the Costa del Sol?
In Andalusia, resale properties carry a flat 7% ITP; new builds carry 10% IVA plus 1.2% AJD stamp duty (11.2% total). ITP is charged on the higher of the purchase price or the official reference value.

What are the total costs of buying?
Budget 10 to 13% of the price for a resale and 13 to 14% for a new build, covering tax, notary (€800 to €1,500), lawyer (~1% + VAT), and land registry (€500 to €1,000). Agent commission is usually paid by the seller.

Do I need an NIE and a lawyer?
Yes to both. The NIE is required before you can sign, bank or pay taxes, and an independent lawyer is essential because Spanish conveyancing offers no built-in buyer protection, the notary formalises but does not investigate.

How much does property cost in Marbella versus Estepona?
In early 2026, prime Marbella and the Golden Mile ran roughly €6,500 to €10,000/m² (ultra-prime Sierra Blanca higher), while Estepona's New Golden Mile ran roughly €3,500 to €6,500/m², with new-build 2-bed apartments from around €350,000.

Do non-residents pay Spanish property tax?
Yes. Non-residents pay annual IBI (council tax) and non-resident income tax (IRNR), even without renting the property, plus community fees and insurance.

Explore Costa del Sol listings on JanusHermes

JanusHermes brings together verified listings from licensed agencies across Marbella, Estepona, Málaga and the wider Costa del Sol, with prices in your currency and cost-of-living data on every property page. Browse current Costa del Sol listings or see our full Spain investing guide. For the tax and residency detail, see the full Spain deposit, fees and all-in cost guide.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal, tax or investment advice. Spanish property, tax and residency rules vary by region and change over time, and your position depends on your residency status and nationality. Andalusian tax rates and reduced-rate conditions in particular should be confirmed for your specific case. Always engage an independent Spanish lawyer and, where relevant, a tax adviser before committing funds.

A note on the numbers: where no source is named, the market figures in this article (prices, yields, costs) are indicative estimates compiled from publicly available market data and industry reporting at the time of writing. Markets move and rules change, so treat them as a starting point and verify current figures with official sources before acting on them.