Resale homes in Spain up 11.8% according to idealista: why Málaga is slowing and what it means for the Costa del Sol

Resale home prices in Spain have risen 11.8% in a year to €2,930/m² at the end of the third quarter of 2026, according to the idealista index. Malaga city is bucking the trend: its growth has eased to 4.1%, one of the lowest in the country, although its prices remain at record highs and the province is now the fourth most expensive in Spain.

How much have resale home prices risen in Spain?

The 11.8% annual rise contrasts with a much gentler short-term pace: prices are up 0.5% over the quarter and only 0.2% in the last month. The all-time high was set in July at €2,933/m², so in practice the market has been broadly flat at its peak for three months.

It is worth remembering that idealista measures asking prices, in other words what sellers are requesting in their listings. Since July 2026 the index also excludes holiday and seasonal rentals and filters out outliers more rigorously, a meaningful improvement in a market as tourism-driven as ours.

The key figures from the idealista report

No provincial capital has seen prices fall. The biggest increases are in small, still-affordable markets such as Ciudad Real, Teruel and Salamanca, while the most expensive and sought-after destinations, such as Madrid, San Sebastián, Palma and Málaga, are growing at low single digits.

Why are Málaga home prices rising less than the national average?

Málaga is not cooling because of a lack of interest, but because it was already starting from a very high base. After several years of strong rises, the city is among the 11 markets that hit record highs in September, and the province, at €4,317/m², trails only the Balearic Islands, Madrid and Gipuzkoa.

The idealista spokesperson, Francisco Iñareta, describes a market at a turning point: high prices have priced out some buyers, financing is more expensive and sales are falling. In the medium term he does not rule out stabilisation or even slight falls in some capitals, while areas that are still affordable keep posting double-digit rises.

This diagnosis is consistent with what other sources were already saying this autumn: Tinsa valuations show strong rises but with signs of slowing, and notaries are recording fewer sales with prices still rising.

What is the price per square metre on the Costa del Sol?

To put the national figure into context, we compare it with our Costa del Sol market report, which calculates the median asking price per municipality every month across more than 9,000 active listings. In October 2026 the median on the coast stands at €4,667/m², almost 1.6 times the Spanish average for resale homes.

A word of caution when comparing: our figures include both new-build and resale homes and are median asking prices from our own catalogue, whereas idealista only measures resale homes. Even so, the picture is clear: the western coast, with Marbella, Benahavís and Estepona, plays in a different league, and the most moderate prices per square metre are found in Manilva, Casares and the inland villages.

Will home prices fall in Málaga and on the Costa del Sol?

A widespread fall does not look like the most likely scenario. Housing supply remains tight, construction has not picked up pace and international demand is holding up. What the data do point to is a change of phase: slower rises in the most expensive markets and buyers moving towards areas offering better value for money.

• If you are buying to live in: there is more room to negotiate in the city and in prime areas than a year ago, especially on homes that have been listed for a while.
• If you are buying to invest: the scope for capital growth is now concentrated in municipalities that are still affordable, such as Manilva, Casares or the Axarquía.
• If you are selling: the asking price matters more than ever, because buyers compare and the market no longer absorbs any figure.

Conclusion

The idealista index confirms that resale home prices are still rising strongly in Spain, but also that the most expensive markets, Málaga among them, are easing off. On the Costa del Sol this translates into a more selective market, where choosing the right area and the right price makes all the difference. At EVS Property Group we help you find the right home or value yours using real data for each municipality.

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