According to data from the Official College of Technical Architecture of Alicante (COATA), construction began on 2,912 residential units in the third quarter of the current year, which is the second-best figure in the historical series after the second quarter of 2023. Over the last twelve months, construction started on 9,720 units, 11% more than in the previous year and the highest figure in 17 years. The average construction cost also reached a new record of 576 euros per square metre compared to 543 euros in 2024.
Construction dynamics by area in the third quarter
COATA data confirm a gradual increase in construction volumes since 2018 following the crisis in the real estate market. Between 2018 and 2025, the number of residential units whose construction began in the third quarter of each year, by area, was as follows:
| Year | Vega Baja | Alicante area | Elche area | Coastal areas | Inland areas | Total Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 799 | 404 | 78 | 150 | 81 | 1512 |
| 2019 | 560 | 241 | 154 | 563 | 72 | 1590 |
| 2020 | 203 | 342 | 137 | 216 | 57 | 955 |
| 2021 | 589 | 220 | 130 | 360 | 71 | 1370 |
| 2022 | 480 | 205 | 85 | 419 | 95 | 1284 |
| 2023 | 943 | 217 | 184 | 446 | 105 | 1895 |
| 2024 | 979 | 248 | 208 | 458 | 164 | 2057 |
| 2025 | 1116 | 809 | 172 | 692 | 123 | 2912 |
The Vega Baja area, which accounts for more than a third of all construction activity each year, remains the driving force of construction in the province. The most notable growth is observed in the Alicante metropolitan area: from just 220 units in 2021 to 809 in 2025.
Construction dynamics in the first nine months of the year
The cumulative data for the first nine months of the year also show a clear increase in volumes.
| Year | Vega Baja | Alicante | Elche | Coastal areas | Inland areas | Total Jan–Sep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1162 | 901 | 580 | 1175 | 233 | 4051 |
| 2022 | 1579 | 840 | 432 | 1032 | 234 | 4117 |
| 2023 | 3237 | 1162 | 484 | 1797 | 233 | 6913 |
| 2024 | 2591 | 1248 | 583 | 1659 | 444 | 6525 |
| 2025 | 2823 | 1923 | 518 | 2194 | 434 | 7892 |
The aggregate figure for 2025 shows a 21% increase compared to 2024, confirming a similar trend almost everywhere except Elche and the inland areas, where there is a slight decline.
Growth in average construction costs
The average cost of constructing one square metre has risen by 32% since 2018 – from 483 euros to 576 euros at present. The increase has been gradual, with a marked jump after the pandemic:
| Year | Cost €/m² |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 483 |
| 2019 | 486 |
| 2020 | 507 |
| 2021 | 503 |
| 2022 | 529 |
| 2023 | 556 |
| 2024 | 543 |
| 2025 | 576 |
Housing demand and building permits
Rising housing demand – especially along the coast and in the suburbs of Alicante – is supporting the pace of construction. Vega Baja, with 2,823 residential units as of September, remains the epicentre, while Alicante and its surroundings show the highest percentage growth.
As for building permits for new housing in the province of Alicante, their number reached 6,160 by July 2025 – 22.1% more than in the same period of 2024. This accounts for 7.33% of all permits issued in Spain (84,061). If, in addition to new construction, extensions and refurbishments are included, 6,439 permits were issued in the province of Alicante up to July (compared with 3,393 a year earlier).
