The province of Alicante remains the leading destination for foreign buyers of residential property in Spain.
According to data from pisos.com, based on the latest quarterly report by the Association of Registrars, 44.65% of home purchase transactions on the Costa Blanca were carried out by foreign citizens, the highest figure among all coastal provinces in the country.
Alicante therefore ranks ahead of Malaga, where the figure stands at 34.3%, and the Balearic Islands, with 28.89%.
Foreign demand is reflected in price growth
The share of international demand is also reflected in price dynamics.
On the Costa Blanca, the average price of housing has increased by 46.6% over the last five years.
This growth, although lower than on the Costa del Sol – 73.14% – or in the Balearic Islands – 65.04%, is still significantly above cumulative inflation over the same period.
According to representatives of pisos.com, the link between foreign investment and price growth remains very strong in the Mediterranean region.
However, this phenomenon is beginning to spread to other coastal regions where, until now, the share of foreign buyers had been very limited.
Northern Spain is attracting more foreign buyers
In fact, the report highlights the growth of foreign demand in the north of the Iberian Peninsula as the main new trend.
In Pontevedra, the share of purchase transactions involving foreigners has increased more than fourfold – from 0.71% in 2021 to 3.36% in 2026, representing growth of 373.24%.
Asturias – 225%, Lugo – 206.17%, La Coruña – 137.29%, Cantabria – 60.73% and the coast of Barcelona province – 78.51% – also stand out.
This trend is driven by foreign buyers searching for new destinations, attracted by lower prices than those found in the Mediterranean and by less saturated coastlines.
Northern coastal areas remain cheaper than the Mediterranean
For example, in the Rías Baixas the average coastal home price is 201,787 euros, while in the Rías Altas it is 184,226 euros.
These figures are significantly lower than 578,562 euros in the Balearic Islands or 485,645 euros on the Costa del Sol.
Against this backdrop, the Costa Blanca maintains an intermediate position: the region remains more accessible than the most expensive island and southern markets, while continuing to attract strong international demand.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife was the exception
The study also highlights one exception: Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the only coastal province where the share of transactions carried out by foreigners fell between 2021 and 2026 – from 26.79% to 26.05%.
Even so, this decline did not prevent the average housing price in the Canary Islands from rising by 59.55% over the same period.
In addition, in Las Palmas the share of foreign buyers continues to grow, reaching 20.14% of all transactions.
Spain’s coast has gone through a strong price growth cycle
Overall, according to the conclusions of pisos.com, the residential property market on the Spanish coast has gone through a period of significant price growth over the last five years.
In addition to the Costa del Sol, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands, notable price increases were also recorded on the Costa Blanca – 46.6%, the Costa de Almería – 43.73% – and the Costa del Maresme – 42.12%.
At the same time, the most moderate growth was observed on the Costa Verde – 8.75% – and in the Rías Baixas – 12.87%.
For buyers considering Spain as a destination for living, holidays or investment, these figures confirm the sustained appeal of coastal markets, especially destinations such as Alicante, Benidorm, Calpe and other towns on the Costa Blanca.
Photo: Chedko / Shutterstock.com
