Where is the best place to buy a house in Spain? A guide to regions, prices, and choosing a location in 2025
Where is the best place to buy a house in Spain: by the sea, in the mountains, or on the islands? Or perhaps in a dynamic agglomeration with year-round infrastructure? In this guide we have collected practical tips, a regional comparison, and answers to the most commonly searched phrases: where is the best place to buy a house in Spain and where to buy a house in Spain at the best price. You will also find differences in lifestyle, connectivity, maintenance costs, and rental potential.
What will you find in the article?
In which regions of Spain is it worth buying a house?
Deciding where in Spain to buy a house, start by matching the region to your lifestyle, budget and plans (residence, second home, investment for rent).
Costa del Sol (Andalusia: Marbella, Estepona, Benahavís, Mijas): advantages: 320 days of sunshine, excellent flight connections (Malaga), premium infrastructure, golf courses, modern developments, high resale liquidity.
For whom: lifestyle + investment. Perfect if you’re asking where is the best place to buy a house in Spain with year-round residence and rental potential.
Costa Blanca (Alicante, Orihuela Costa, Jávea, Denia): advantages: a very wide supply of new and used homes, attractive price-to-quality ratio, good healthcare, large international community.
For whom: mid-range budgets, families and seniors seeking a calmer pace and sun.
Balearic (Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca): advantages: prestige, distinctive landscape, cruises, gastronomy, stable prices.
For whom: premium segment. If you are considering where to buy a home in Spain with a strong lifestyle element and less seasonality.
Canaries (Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura): advantages: eternal spring, good flight network, varied microclimates.
For whom: year-round residents, remote workers, people who value moderate temperatures.
Costa Brava and Girona: advantages: spectacular coastline, proximity to France, sport and gastronomy, intimate coves.
For whom: buyers looking for unique, less mass-market locations.
Large metropolitan areas and surroundings (Madrid, Barcelona — suburbs and satellite municipalities; Valencia; Málaga): advantages: work, international schools, culture, year-round urban life.
For whom: people combining work and the Spanish lifestyle, families with children.
Conclusion: the answer to where is the best place to buy a house in Spain will be different for an investor focused on vacation rental, different for a family with children, and yet another for seniors.
Is it better to buy a house by the sea, in the mountains, or on the Spanish islands?
By the sea (Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Costa Brava)
+ Pros: beaches, water sports, high tourist appeal, good potential for seasonal rental.
– Cons: greater seasonality in smaller resorts, higher “front-line” prices.
In the mountains and inland from the coast (e.g., Andalusian villages, around Sierra de las Nieves)
+ Pros: quiet, nature, larger plots, lower price per m²; 15–25 minutes by car to the sea can be an excellent compromise.
– Cons: lower tourist footfall, a car is needed.
Islands (Balearic, Canaries)
+ Pros: a unique climate (literally and figuratively), stable demand, a recognizable destination.
– Cons: limited supply, higher entry prices in top places, logistics of transporting larger purchases.
If your priority is daily access to beaches and restaurants, the sea will be the natural choice. If you’re asking where to buy a house in Spain with the best price-to-quality ratio, consider the 2nd–3rd line from the sea or the green hinterland behind the coast.
What are the most popular places to buy a home for foreigners?
Marbella, Estepona, Benahavís (Costa del Sol): middle and premium segment, modern developments, golf, marinas. A common answer to the question where is the best place to buy a house in Spain for buyers from Poland and Northern Europe.
Alicante and surroundings (Costa Blanca): large selection of homes in various budgets, developed expat community, good hospitals and schools.
Valencia and surroundings: a city friendly for year-round living, increasingly popular among remote workers.
Islands: Mallorca, Tenerife: premium lifestyle (Mallorca), “eternal spring” and diversity (Canaries). Stable demand among foreigners.
Barcelona – suburban areas, Madrid – satellite municipalities: for those who combine work in the metropolis with a home in a calmer setting.
These locations are convenient: you can easily access specialists (lawyers, architects, contractors), which helps with the purchase and renovation process. If, however, you’re asking where to buy a house in Spain with a price opportunity, it’s worth looking in less obvious municipalities 10–25 minutes from the most popular resorts.
Where in Spain can you find the cheapest houses for sale?
If your aim is budget optimization and you’re wondering where to buy a home in Spain cheapest, consider:
Costa Cálida (Murcia) and the southern stretches of Costa Blanca: attractive prices compared with Costa del Sol, many new row houses and semi-detached homes.
Costa de Almería and smaller towns of Andalusia: lower entry prices, quieter tourism, good climate conditions.
Interior regions (a dozen to a few dozen minutes from the sea): significant difference in land price and price per m², larger plots, quiet and greenery.
Selected areas of Galicia, Extremadura or Castile-La Mancha: the lowest prices nationally, though a less “vacation-like” experience and fewer flight options.
Strategy: if you’re typing into a search engine where is the best place to buy a home in Spain on a budget, consider a compromise between distance to the beach and price. Often 10–20 minutes by car can save tens of percent.
Practical criteria for choosing a location:
- Access to the airport and travel time (important for short stays and family/friends).
- Year-round infrastructure (shops, doctors, schools, transport).
- Short-term rental regulations (if you plan to monetize).
- Exposure and microclimate (wind, humidity, sun exposure – important when choosing a plot and standard).
- Market liquidity (how quickly you can sell if plans change).
Summary
If you’re asking where is the best place to buy a house in Spain for a combination of lifestyle and investment, the most commonly cited are Costa del Sol and the top parts of Costa Blanca and Mallorca.
If your phrase is “where to buy a house in Spain cheapest,” it’s reasonable to look 10–25 minutes from the beach or in less obvious municipalities with good infrastructure.
Islands offer a unique climate and reputation, but typically higher prices and limited supply – great for premium buyers.
The cheapest homes can be found on Costa Cálida, in the southern part of Costa de Almería, and in the interior of the regions – a sea/price compromise.
With these criteria you will more easily refine where to buy a house in Spain to fit your needs – whether it’s a year-round family home, a winter second home, or a property with rental potential and capital protection.
