Foreign buyers accounted for a record 16.05% of homes sold in Spain between July and September 2026, even as the wider market slowed. More than 26,300 purchases involved international buyers during the quarter, according to Spain’s College of Registrars.
The figure matters because overall sales moved in the opposite direction. A total of 164,148 homes changed hands in the third quarter, down 5.9%, marking the third consecutive quarterly fall. International demand therefore held a larger share of a quieter market, particularly in coastal provinces and the islands.
Foreign buyers in Spain keep a firm place in the market
Foreign purchasers bought around 500 fewer homes than in the previous quarter, when their purchases reached 26,836. Even so, their 16.05% market share was the highest recorded in the Registrars’ figures, while their share across the previous 12 months stood at 14.82%.
Buyers from the European Union accounted for 54.7% of foreign purchases. Another 17.8% came from elsewhere in Europe, followed by Africa at 9.4%, Asia at 7.3% and South America at 7%. The remaining 3.8% came from other parts of the world.
British buyers lead foreign home purchases in Spain
British nationals were the largest overseas buyer group in Q3 2026, purchasing 1,943 homes. They accounted for 7.5% of all purchases by foreign nationals.
Nationality | Homes bought | Share of foreign purchases |
|---|---|---|
British | 1,943 | 7.5% |
Moroccan | 1,652 | 6.4% |
Dutch | 1,515 | 5.8% |
German | 1,481 | 5.7% |
Romanian | 1,478 | 5.7% |
Italian | 1,314 | 5.0% |
French | 1,102 | 4.2% |
Polish | 1,089 | 4.2% |
Alicante and Málaga have the largest foreign-buyer shares
Alicante recorded the greatest concentration of foreign buyers. International purchasers accounted for 46.5% of transactions in the province, almost half of more than 12,000 home sales recorded during the quarter.
Málaga followed at 38.8%. The Balearic Islands came next at 37.2%, ahead of Santa Cruz de Tenerife at 29%.
The pattern also appears across several other parts of the Mediterranean coast and the Canary Islands:
Province | Foreign buyers’ share of home purchases |
|---|---|
Alicante | 46.5% |
Málaga | 38.8% |
Balearic Islands | 37.2% |
Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 29.0% |
Murcia | 23.0% |
Las Palmas | 22.4% |
Girona | 21.4% |
Almería | 21.0% |
Tarragona | 17.1% |
What foreign buyers pay for homes in Spain
North American buyers paid the highest average price among the world regions listed, at €4,469 per m².
Across Spain, the average home price reached €2,512 per m², the highest level recorded by the College of Registrars. Existing homes averaged €2,462 per m², while new-build homes averaged €2,701 per m².
Buyer region | Average price paid |
|---|---|
North America | €4,469 per m² |
European Union | €3,221 per m² |
Oceania | €3,215 per m² |
Rest of Europe | €2,948 per m² |
Asia | €2,709 per m² |
Madrid, the Balearic Islands and Málaga lead Spain’s higher-priced markets
The Community of Madrid had the highest average regional price at €4,565 per m², followed closely by the Balearic Islands at €4,502 per m². The Basque Country averaged €3,693 per m², Catalonia €2,989 per m² and the Canary Islands €2,850 per m².
Among provinces, Málaga averaged €3,400 per m². Madrid and the Balearic Islands were higher, at €4,565 per m² and €4,502 per m², respectively. Gipuzkoa averaged €4,372 per m² and Biscay €3,526 per m².
Spain’s most expensive provincial capitals were San Sebastián at €6,662 per m², Madrid at €5,597 per m² and Barcelona at €5,124 per m². Palma averaged €4,408 per m², while Bilbao stood at €3,877 per m².
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