Málaga is Spain's second province for foreign buyers: 38.8% of home sales

Foreign buyers in Malaga signed 38.83% of the home sales registered in the province between July and September 2026, according to the Spanish Land Registry's quarterly property statistics. Only Alicante, at 46.46%, has a higher share, and Málaga remains ahead of the Balearic Islands.

Across Spain the foreign share reached 16.05%, the highest in the whole series, even though the market is selling less: 164,148 sales in the quarter, 5.9% fewer than a year earlier. We look at which provinces lead, which nationalities are buying and how much they pay, and what it all means for anyone looking for a home on the Costa del Sol.

Which provinces have the most foreign buyers?

The list is led by Mediterranean provinces and the islands. The Registry itself points to tourism intensity as the factor that best explains the weight of foreign demand in each area.

Málaga gained 1.82 points on the second quarter, when it stood at 37.01%. The province registered 8,047 sales, 14.3% fewer than in the previous quarter, which means foreigners closed around 3,100 deals (EVS calculation from both figures). The Andalusian average is 16.2%: the foreign share in Málaga is more than double the regional one.

How many homes do foreigners buy in Spain?

Just over 26,300 in the third quarter, about 500 fewer than in the second, which set the all-time record. As a percentage, however, the share keeps rising because purchases by Spanish buyers are falling faster. Over the last twelve months the foreign share stands at 14.82%, up from 14.07% a year earlier.

Which nationalities buy the most homes in Spain?

British buyers are once again the leading foreign purchasers in the country, followed by Moroccan and Dutch buyers. These are the top eight for the quarter nationwide:

By world region, citizens of the European Union account for 54.72% of foreign purchases and the rest of Europe, which includes the United Kingdom, for 17.76%. They are followed by Africa (9.37%), Asia (7.27%) and South America (7.02%).

This breakdown by nationality is national: the quarterly report does not give it by province. On the Costa del Sol, from our day-to-day experience, buyers from northern and central Europe carry particular weight, while in other provinces purchases by foreign residents working in Spain play a bigger role.

How much do foreigners pay per square metre?

Buyers from North America pay the most, at an average of 4,469 euros per square metre. They are followed by the European Union (3,221 euros), Oceania (3,215 euros), the rest of Europe (2,948 euros) and Asia (2,709 euros). For reference, the average price of all homes sold in Spain was 2,512 euros per square metre, a record in the Registry statistics and 9.3% more than a year earlier.

In the province of Málaga the average registered price was 3,400 euros per square metre in the quarter (3,618 euros for new builds and 3,294 euros for resale homes). That is an average of completed sales across the whole province, inland areas included. On the coast, asking prices are clearly higher, as our November 2026 market report shows:

The two sources are not directly comparable: the Registry captures actual deed prices across the whole province, while ours reflects asking prices for homes on sale in coastal towns. Even so, they help to frame a budget. A European buyer paying around 3,200 euros per square metre on average in Spain will find that range mainly in the more affordable part of Casares, Manilva or Mijas, and very little of it in Marbella. The full figures, updated every month, are in the Costa del Sol market report.

Why does Málaga attract so many foreign buyers?

The underlying explanation is the same one the Registry gives for the whole coastline: tourism. People who holiday in a place for years end up looking for a home there. On top of that, Málaga offers an airport with direct flights to much of Europe, a mild climate all year round and a very wide range of property, from flats in the city to villas in Benahavís.

Price also works in its favour compared with other destinations. The registered price per square metre in the Balearic Islands was 4,502 euros, against 3,400 in Málaga, a gap of more than 1,100 euros that weighs on many buyers' decisions.

What does it mean for anyone buying on the Costa del Sol?

That the market is moving with fewer transactions but at higher prices. Over the last twelve months the province recorded 35,249 sales, 3.5% fewer than a year earlier, while the average annual price rose 11.7% to 3,329 euros per square metre. With almost four in ten purchases in foreign hands, international demand is holding prices up even as local buyers pull back.

• If you are buying from abroad, sort out your NIE and a Spanish bank account first: it shortens the timeline when the right home comes up.
• Compare the asking price with the median for the town before making an offer.
• If you are selling, think of the international buyer: listings in several languages, quality photos and paperwork ready.

At EVS Property Group we work every day with buyers from all over Europe in Málaga and on the Costa del Sol. If you are looking for a home or want to know what yours is worth, get in touch and we will help you with real data for your area.

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