Who Is Buying Property on the Costa del Sol? International Buyers in Numbers

More than one in three properties is purchased by an international buyer

Foreign demand continues to play a major role in the market.

In the first quarter of 2026, international buyers accounted for 34.3% of residential property purchases in Málaga province. In the second quarter, their share increased to 37.01%.

This represents an increase of 2.71 percentage points in just one quarter.

By comparison, foreign buyers accounted for 15.98% of all residential property purchases in Spain in the second quarter of 2026.

British, Dutch and German buyers among the most active

Across Spain as a whole, the largest groups of foreign buyers in the second quarter of 2026 were:

• British – 6.99%
• Dutch – 6.94%
• German – 6.11%
• Moroccan – 6.09%
• Romanian – 5.70%
• Italian – 5.13%
• French – 4.97%
• Polish – 4.33%

The figures show that international demand for Spanish property is highly diversified and is not driven by any single nationality.

Who is buying property in Andalusia?

Full-year data for 2025 also provide a clearer picture of the nationalities purchasing property across Andalusia.

British buyers represented the largest group, accounting for more than 13% of all foreign property purchases in Andalusia. They were followed by buyers from the Netherlands and Morocco.

Polish buyers accounted for 4.73% of foreign purchases, placing them among the most significant international buyer groups in the region.

European buyers dominate international demand

Foreign demand for Spanish property remains predominantly European.

In the second quarter of 2026, 57.39% of properties purchased in Spain by foreign nationals were bought by citizens of European Union countries.

A further 16.75% of purchases were made by buyers from other European countries.

Combined, this means that approximately 74% of foreign demand came from Europe.

Almost one in five foreign purchases in Andalusia exceeds €500,000

The importance of international buyers is also visible in the higher end of the market.

In 2025, 19.22% of properties purchased by foreign buyers in Andalusia were valued at €500,000 or more.

Within this segment:

• 57.01% of transactions were completed by EU citizens,
• 42.99% of transactions were completed by non-EU buyers.

In other words, almost one in five foreign property purchases in Andalusia involved a property worth at least €500,000.

What do the figures tell us?

First – international buyers are one of the key forces shaping the Costa del Sol property market. In the second quarter of 2026, they accounted for 37.01% of residential purchases in Málaga province, compared with a national average of 15.98%.

Second – the majority of international demand comes from Europe. EU citizens represented 57.39% of foreign property buyers in Spain. When buyers from other European countries are included, the European share rises to approximately 74%.

Third – international buyers also play a significant role in the higher-value segment of the market. In Andalusia, almost 20% of foreign property purchases in 2025 involved properties valued at €500,000 or more.

The data confirms that the Costa del Sol property market remains highly international, with foreign buyers continuing to play an important role both in overall transaction volumes and in the premium property segment.

Sources

• Colegio de Registradores de España – Estadística Registral Inmobiliaria, Primer trimestre 2026
• Colegio de Registradores de España – Estadística Registral Inmobiliaria, Segundo trimestre 2026
• Colegio de Registradores de España – Estadística Registral Inmobiliaria, Anuario 2025