The purchase of property in Spain by foreigners or expats is generally associated with coastal areas or large urban areas, such as Madrid and Barcelona and surrounding areas. However, there are also foreigners interested in living in smaller Spanish towns and villages close to the coast, but away from the hustle and bustle of Spain's tourist hotspots, Quieter areas close to the Spanish coast that are among the most popular Spanish villages for foreigners include Ciudad Quesada, Polop or Busot (all three in Alicante) or Ojén and Viñuela (both in Málaga), and these could become some of the best places to live in Spain as an expat. Interest in buying a house in these areas is on the rise, according to the study on property searches from abroad carried out by idealista, the real estate marketplace in southern Europe.
Foreign citizens have been part of the significant increase in property sales in Spain in recent times, accounting for 17% of the more than 655,500 units sold in 2021, according to data from the General Council of Notaries. However, although figures have not yet reached pre-pandemic levels, what has stood out is that never before have foreigners bought so many homes in Spain.
The 111,743 transactions carried out in 2021 exceeded the more than 103,600 of 2018, a historic maximum until that point. Resident foreigners have bought the most homes, with more than 66,600 transactions, compared to 45,100 among non-residents.
Among resident foreigners, Romanians and Moroccans stand out above the rest in most autonomous communities, although the British lead the way in Valencia, Germans in the Balearic Islands and Italians in the Canary Islands. Among non-resident foreigners, the British and French top the list in almost all regions. They are accompanied by Germans, Belgians and Americans, according to data from Spanish notaries.
However, on this occasion we are going to move away from foreign transactions in the main coastal markets such as Torrevieja, Malaga, Marbella, Alicante and Valencia, and the large capitals of Madrid and Barcelona, and look at the small towns and villages where foreigners are looking for property in Spain.
It should be noted that foreign buyers are not moving away from areas with more temperate and sunny climates, and are still looking for homes mainly in Spain's "Costas" along the Mediterranean, but in locations where sun and beach tourism is not as overcrowded.
With the data of visits made to idealista from abroad during the final stretch of 2021, we can see that small towns, with around 5,000 inhabitants or less, such as Ciudad Quesada, Polop or Busot, in the province of Alicante, are the most visited by foreigners, especially from the Netherlands. Visits from the United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium are also prominent in these municipalities that do not have a direct coastline, but are located in the vicinity of large tourist areas such as Torrevieja, Benidorm or San Juan de Alicante.
Property prices in these Spanish villages closed the year at 2,207 euros/m2, 1,915 euros/m2 and 1,484 euros/m2, respectively, and in most cases single-family homes are on the market for between 300,000 and 500,000 euros on average.
In the Valencia region of Spain, there is also the case of Palma de Gandía which has been one of the small towns that has aroused most interest among searches from abroad, especially among Dutch, French and British expats. Prices average at 703 euros/m2 but there are villas for sale for around 250,000 euros.
Moving beyond the Levante coast, Ojén, Viñuela and Almogía, all three in the province of Málaga and close to the Costa del Sol, also appear among the most sought-after areas in these small towns. Those searching from the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands are once again the most interested in buying a house.
Ojén (2,138 euros/m2) is in the Marbella area, while Viñuela (1,586 euros/m2) is closer to Vélez-Málaga and the beaches of Torre de Mar and Caleta de Vélez. Finally, Almogía has the most affordable prices at 900 euros/m2 and is located just half an hour from Málaga city.
The Spanish villages preferred by foreigners
Searches from outside Spain for homes for sale on idealista in the 4th quarter of 2021.
| Town | Province | Average Price | Search country 1 | Search country 2 | Search country 3 | |
| 1 | Ciudad Quesada | Alicante | 2,207 euros/m2 | Netherlands | Germany | UK |
| 2 | Polop | Alicante | 1,915 euros/m2 | Netherlands | Germany | France |
| 3 | Busot | Alicante | 1,484 euros/m2 | Netherlands | Belgium | France |
| 4 | Palma de Gandia | Valencia | 703 euros/m2 | Netherlands | France | UK |
| 5 | Ojén | Málaga | 2,138 euros/m2 | Germany | UK | Netherlands |
| 6 | Formentera del Segura | Alicante | 970 euros/m2 | UK | Germany | Netherlands |
| 7 | Viñuela | Málaga | 1,586 euros/m2 | UK | Netherlands | Germany |
| 8 | Almogía | Málaga | 900 euros/m2 | Netherlands | Germany | UK |
| 9 | Porreres | Balearics | 1,639 euros/m2 | Germany | Switzerland | USA |
| 10 | Los Montesinos | Alicante | 1,852 euros/m2 | Belgium | Netherlands | Germany |
| 11 | Algaida | Balearics | 2,313 euros/m2 | Germany | UK | France |
| 12 | Olivella | Barcelona | 1,446 euros/m2 | France | UK | Netherlands |
| 13 | Bunyola | Balearics | 2,854 euros/m2 | Germany | UK | Sweden |
| 14 | Sencelles | Balearics | 2,992 euros/m2 | Germany | UK | USA |
| 15 | Villalonga | Valencia | 675 euros/m2 | Netherlands | UK | Germany |
| 16 | Sineu | Baleares | 1,599 euros/m2 | Germany | UK | USA |
| 17 | San Jorge | Castellón | 905 euros/m2 | France | Germany | Netherlands |
| 18 | Alcaucín | Málaga | 1,240 euros/m2 | Netherlands | UK | Germany |
| 19 | Montuiri | Balearics | 1,740 euros/m2 | Germany | Netherlands | UK |
| 20 | Esporles | Balearics | 3,331 euros/m2 | Germany | UK | Sweden |
| 21 | Alaró | Balearics | 2,566 euros/m2 | Germany | UK | Sweden |
| 22 | Sant Joan | Balearics | 1,511 euros/m2 | Germany | UK | Netherlands |
| 23 | Hondón de las Nieves | Alicante | 1,029 euros/m2 | Netherlands | Belgium | Germany |
| 24 | Sierra Nevada | Granada | 2,010 euros/m2 | UK | Portugal | Sweden |
| 25 | Turre | Almería | 918 euros/m2 | UK | France | Belgium |
House searches from abroad on idealista are also directed to other areas of the rest of Spain, outside the arc of influence of the Mediterranean coast and the Balearic Islands. Towns in Asturias, in the outskirts of Madrid and also in the Canary Islands also raised interest from potential foreign buyers.
In the Asturian towns of Ribadesella (1,591 euros/m2) or Nava (780 euros/m2), interest from the USA, the United Kingdom and Germany was particularly strong. Between Madrid and Segovia is El Espinar (995 euros/m2), with searches received from the USA, the UK and France. Camarma de Esteruelas (1,323 euros/2m), in Madrid, is also in demand from the USA, Argentina and France.
In the Canary Islands, the small municipality of La Vega de San Mateo (1,117 euros/m2), one of the few landlocked municipalities on the island of Gran Canaria, far from the hustle and bustle of the capital and the tourist areas, is attracting interest from Germans, Italians and British buyers.
