Between January and June 2026, foreigners who do not live in Spain signed 22,610 home purchases, 6.4% of the 353,557 transactions in the country, according to the Housing Ministry's transaction statistics. In the province of Malaga, that share is four times higher: 26.8%, more than one in every four sales.
The figure comes in a half-year of general cooling. Sales fell 7.1% compared with the first half of 2025, with resale homes down (319,492 transactions, 8.4% fewer) and new builds up (34,065, almost 8% more). Resale homes still make up 90% of the market.
How many homes did non-resident foreigners buy in 2026?
The 22,610 purchases in the first half are 4,633 fewer than a year earlier, a 17% drop. That is more than double the decline of the market as a whole, so the international buyer who does not live here has lost weight in Spain.
At 6.4%, their share is the lowest for a first half since 2021, when travel restrictions left the figure at 4.9%. Ten years ago, in 2016, it was close to 10%. On top of them come foreigners who do live in Spain: 34,985 purchases, 9.9% of the total. Taken together, one in six home buyers in the country is a foreign national.
| First half | Non-resident foreign share in Spain | Share in the province of Málaga | Non-resident foreign purchases in Málaga |
|---|---|---|---|
| H1 2019 | 7.2% | 21.4% | 3,370 |
| H1 2022 | 8.7% | 29.7% | 6,808 |
| H1 2023 | 8.7% | 27.2% | 5,024 |
| H1 2024 | 8.1% | 27.0% | 5,015 |
| H1 2025 | 7.2% | 27.5% | 5,051 |
| H1 2026 | 6.4% | 26.8% | 4,456 |
Source: Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda, housing transactions by buyer residence. EVS calculations adding up the first and second quarters of each year.
Which provinces attract the most non-resident buyers?
Buying from abroad is concentrated in a handful of coastal and island destinations. Across most of inland Spain non-resident foreigners barely register, and in large urban provinces such as Barcelona or Valencia they stay below 4%.
| Province | Purchases by non-resident foreigners (H1 2026) | Share of all sales | Annual change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alicante | 8,268 | 32.3% | -14.8% |
| Malaga | 4,456 | 26.8% | -11.8% |
| Balearic Islands | 1,446 | 21.2% | -19.1% |
| Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 1,070 | 18.7% | -25.6% |
| Las Palmas | 953 | 13.7% | -20.5% |
| Murcia | 1,786 | 12.9% | -14.6% |
| Girona | 871 | 11.9% | -19.5% |
| Spain total | 22,610 | 6.4% | -17.0% |
Alicante remains in the lead, but the Málaga province is the most resilient of the major destinations: its non-resident purchases fall 11.8%, almost the same as the provincial total (-9.6%, down to 16,617 transactions). That is why its share barely moves, from 27.5% to 26.8%, while the national share loses almost a point.
If we add the foreigners who already live in the province (1,880 purchases, 11.3%), foreign buyers sign 38.1% of all home sales in the province of Málaga. No other Andalusian market comes close: across Andalusia as a whole non-resident foreigners account for just 8.3%.
Why is the Costa del Sol holding up better than the rest of Spain?
International demand on the Costa del Sol does not rely on a single profile. Retirees from northern Europe, families settling in with international schools, remote-working professionals and investors looking for a second home with rental income all coexist. When one of these groups slows down, the others keep volumes up.
- Connectivity: Málaga airport links to most European capitals with direct flights of two to three hours.
- Established communities: incoming buyers find services, schools and professionals who work in their language.
- A varied product: from frontline apartments to villas on golf resorts, with new developments still coming onto the market.
- Climate and quality of life, which weigh more than returns in a large share of non-resident purchases.
It is worth bearing in mind that other statistics, such as those from notaries or land registrars, count on different dates and with their own criteria, so their percentages do not always match the Ministry's. The underlying trend, however, is the same: in Málaga the foreign buyer is structural, not cyclical.
How much does a home cost on the Costa del Sol today?
These are the median asking prices in the main municipalities, according to our Costa del Sol market report, which is updated every month with the full EVS catalogue.
| Municipality | Median price | Median price per m² |
|---|---|---|
| Benahavís | €997,000 | €5,651/m² |
| Marbella | €950,000 | €6,096/m² |
| Estepona | €637,000 | €4,750/m² |
| Fuengirola | €560,000 | €5,417/m² |
| Mijas | €550,000 | €4,367/m² |
| Manilva | €360,000 | €3,425/m² |
What does it mean for buyers and sellers on the Costa del Sol?
- For buyers, a slightly less heated market: with fewer transactions across Spain there is more room to compare and negotiate, especially for resale homes.
- For sellers, international clients are still a quarter of demand: advertising in several languages and serving buyers remotely is not optional.
- For investors, the stable foreign share in Málaga is a liquidity signal: there are buyers from abroad even when the national market slows down.
What does a non-resident need to buy a home in Spain?
- Obtain an NIE, the foreigner identification number, which is essential to sign before a notary and pay taxes.
- Open an account with a Spanish bank for the payment and the home's recurring bills.
- If financing, expect a non-resident mortgage to cover a smaller part of the price than a resident's would.
- Set aside around an extra 10%, a little more for new builds, to cover purchase taxes and costs.
If you are thinking of buying or selling on the Costa del Sol from outside Spain, at EVS PROPERTY GROUP we guide you through the whole process, from the search to the signing, in your language.
Frequently asked questions
Can non-resident foreigners buy property in Spain?
They can do so without restrictions based on nationality. They need an NIE and a Spanish bank account. Since April 2025, buying property no longer grants access to the so-called golden visa.
What percentage of homes in Málaga do foreigners buy?
In the first half of 2026, non-resident foreigners signed 26.8% of the province's home sales and resident foreigners a further 11.3%. In total, 38.1%.
What taxes does a non-resident pay when buying in Andalusia?
The same as a resident: 7% transfer tax on resale homes, or 10% VAT plus 1.2% stamp duty on new builds. After that, they pay the annual IBI property tax and non-resident income tax on the home every year.
Are there fewer foreign buyers on the Costa del Sol in 2026?
There are slightly fewer transactions, as in the market as a whole, but their weight holds steady: the non-resident share in the province of Málaga has been stable at around 27% for four years.
What next? The most useful thing after reading is to look at the real market: browse properties by city or tell us on WhatsApp what you are looking for — area, budget, timing — and we will prepare a tailored selection, with no obligation.
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