International Buyers Strengthen the Costa del Sol Property Market in 2026
31st August 2026
According to figures from the Colegio de Registradores, foreign purchasers accounted for 37.01% of registered residential property transactions in Málaga province during Q2 2026.
This compares with 33.29% in the same quarter of 2025—an increase of 3.72 percentage points in just twelve months.
In practical terms, comfortably more than one in every three homes purchased across Málaga province during the quarter was bought by an international purchaser.
International demand continues to grow
The Málaga figures form part of a broader increase in international property activity across Spain.
Foreign buyers completed more than 26,800 purchases nationally during Q2 2026, representing a record 15.98% of all registered residential transactions. International demand increased both in percentage terms and in the number of completed purchases, despite total Spanish property transactions falling by 2.3% compared with Q2 2025.
This distinction is important. The growth in the international share was not simply caused by a declining domestic market: foreign purchasers also completed more transactions.
Málaga recorded the second-highest proportion of foreign buyers among all Spanish provinces, behind only Alicante. The figures confirm the enduring appeal of the Costa del Sol to buyers seeking a combination of climate, accessibility, security, lifestyle and long-term property ownership.
What does this mean for Marbella?
The official statistics cover Málaga province as a whole and should not be presented as Marbella-only figures. Nevertheless, Marbella, Benahavís and the surrounding Costa del Sol communities remain among the province’s most internationally driven residential markets.
Areas including Nueva Andalucía, Puerto Banús, Benahavís and La Zagaleta are particularly well positioned to benefit from this demand.
These locations offer many of the qualities international purchasers now prioritise:
* Secure and established residential communities
* High-quality villas suitable for year-round living
* International schools and private healthcare
* Golf, restaurants and leisure facilities
* Strong connections through Málaga Airport
* Privacy combined with easy access to Marbella and Puerto Banús
For many buyers, a Marbella property is no longer simply a holiday home used for a few weeks each summer. It increasingly serves as a principal residence or a second home occupied for extended periods throughout the year.
That shift is influencing the type of property buyers want. Home offices, advanced security, reliable technology, wellness facilities, energy efficiency and generous year-round living spaces are becoming increasingly important.
A more diverse international market
British purchasers remain an important part of Spain’s international property market, but demand is becoming more widely distributed.
Dutch and German purchasers were among the leading foreign buyer groups nationally during Q2 2026. Marbella agencies are also reporting enquiries from Scandinavia, Switzerland, the United States and the Middle East.
This broader nationality mix is encouraging for the Costa del Sol because it reduces reliance on any single overseas market.
Marbella’s appeal is also extending beyond traditional retirees and holiday-home purchasers. Entrepreneurs, technology professionals and younger internationally mobile families are increasingly considering the area as a permanent or semi-permanent base.
Positive implications for sellers
For owners considering selling a well-positioned Marbella property, the Q2 figures provide evidence that the potential audience remains substantial and increasingly international.
However, strong demand does not remove the need for accurate pricing and high-quality presentation. International buyers can compare Marbella properties with homes in Mallorca, the Algarve, Dubai, the French Riviera and other global luxury destinations.
Successful properties must therefore be marketed internationally and presented to the standard expected in a competitive global market.
Professional photography, video, accurate plans, strong digital exposure and clear information about specifications and legal status are increasingly essential—particularly in the luxury villa market.
A positive outlook for the Costa del Sol
The increase from 33.29% to 37.01% confirms that international demand is becoming an even more important part of the Málaga property market.
It does not mean that every location or property will increase in value automatically. Buyers remain selective, and asking prices still need to be supported by location, quality, condition and comparable evidence.
Nevertheless, the latest registered-sales figures provide a genuinely positive signal. They show that, even against a more restrained national market, international buyers continue to choose Málaga and the Costa del Sol in growing numbers.
For Marbella, Nueva Andalucía, Puerto Banús and Benahavís, this reinforces the area’s position not simply as a holiday destination, but as one of Europe’s most established international residential markets.
Sources: Colegio de Registradores de España, Estadística Registral Inmobiliaria Q2 2025 and Q2 2026.
Published by David
