Where to buy a home on the Costa Blanca

The Costa Blanca is just about the most popular Spanish coast for international property buyers, and has been since tourists first came to Benidorm in the 1960s. But covering 200 kilometres, the landscape, coast, villages and resorts vary along its length, and each side has its fans.

Alicante Airport is at the centre, with year-round flights from every corner of the UK, making it accessible for a long healthy retirement or short breaks in your holiday home. When you arrive in Alicante, do you prefer to turn left or right; are you a northern or a southern Costa Blanca kind of person?

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Highlights of the northern Costa Blanca

The north of the Costa Blanca – the ‘white coast’ due to its sandy beaches – stretches from the city of Alicante up to Denia. It’s known for gorgeous beaches, fantastic food and drink and year-round sunshine. The WHO even considers it one of the healthiest places to live in the world. Many think the good-value homes are gone, but bargains are still out there.

Costa Blanca homes

Good for your health…

One massive attraction for buying property in the north of the Costa Blanca is that it’s officially-classified as ‘good for your health’. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that the Costa Blanca has ‘as near-perfect environment as it is possible to obtain’.

Year-round sunshine, salty air, and low humidity are an excellent combination. This is especially the case for anyone suffering from breathing disorders like asthma, skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis, and other health problems including rheumatism, arthritis and heart-related problems. You’ll also be able to access some of the world’s best healthcare. No surprise since Spain spends almost 10% of its GDP on healthcare – and is sixth in the EU for doctors per population, with four doctors for 1,000 people.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that the Costa Blanca has ‘as near-perfect environment as it is possible to obtain’.

Furthermore, even the most ardent lover of a fry-up will want to delve into the Mediterranean diet. It’s so easy to find fresh fruit and vegetables, freshly caught fish, whole grains, nuts and oils, all washed down with locally-grown wine, of course. Spain has the highest life expectancy at birth in Europe – and is second only to Japan worldwide. The dream combo of weather and diet certainly makes this target seem more achievable!

The Costa Blanca North is also perfect for golf lovers, with 10 golf courses located between Jávea and Alicante. Most are located close enough to the coast to benefit from lovely ocean views and a very welcome sea breeze.

Still a great place to invest…

While Spain certainly felt the full effects of the 2007 crash, the country still presents a unique opportunity for investors to snap up low cost properties. It is consistently listed as one of the best places to invest in property in the world. Why? Well, Spain has a lot of beaches! The whole Costa Blanca alone is 212km in length, and that’s just this stretch. This computes to millions of tourists flocking in for some well earned beach time, year-upon-year.

If you’re looking to invest in property in the Costa Blanca, you will have access to high tourist footfall and significant rental income off the back of the region’s booming tourism industry. In 2017, 82 million tourists visited Spain – many of these were heading to the Costa Blanca…and every single one of them needed accommodation!

Who buys here?

According to statistics released by the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) in 2017, there are almost 785,000 Brits living in the EU. Two thirds of these live in Spain, and are predominantly based on the Costa del Sol and the Costa Blanca. Other nationalities keen to call the popular region home include Scandinavians, French, Belgians and Germans.

Celebs seem to have got the memo about the north of Costa Blanca, too. Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones own property in Jávea, as do Nigella Lawson and ex-England manager, Terry Venables. Chris Eubank and Sam Allardyce own holiday homes in Moraira.

The cost of Costa Blanca property

For something decent, you’ll need a budget of at least £170,000 to buy property in the north of the Costa Blanca. For smaller bungalows, townhouses or villas, expect to find properties for £190,000 upwards. Lovely homes with three to five bedrooms and their own pool start from £260,000.

Where to buy property in the Costa Blanca?

Moraira

Moraira’s perfect for buying property in the north of the Costa Blanca: it’s small, peaceful and has a great beach.

This lovely town is ideally located around 80km north of Alicante and 110km from Valencia. It remains one of the most unspoilt resorts on the Costa Blanca. The town’s 8km of coastline enjoys a mountain backdrop and some truly world-class restaurants. There are many Northern Europeans in town. You’ll find it’s particularly popular with retirees or those that want a slice of the quiet life, while keeping the lights of the city not too far away. The area is also known for its vineyards – the Muscatel in particular is not to be missed!

Average property price: €2,310/m2

Calpe

Calpe’s beautiful surrounds and wide range of homes means it’s a great place to buy property in the north of the Costa Blanca

If you’re seeking a peaceful spot on the ocean, surrounded by mountains and vineyards, Calpe could be for you. There are 11km of coves and beaches to visit and a marina with lots of bars and cafes. There’s also a fantastic street market for all your shopping and souvenir needs. The town is particularly well known for its astounding gastronomy – Traveller has even named it the ‘capital of Mediterranean gastronomy’. The seafood in particular is worth some investigation, including arròs del senyoret.

Average property price: €2,050/m2

If you’re thinking of a holiday home, why not pool our resources and buy with family. Read our guide, Buying Abroad with Family to find out how to halve the cost and double the fun!

Altea

In Altea, you’ll find a really authentic Spanish town with traditional white houses. Ana del Castillo / Shutterstock.com

Altea is one of the northern Costa Blanca’s most charming locales. There is an old and a new corner of town, as well as sandy and pebbly beaches overlooked by a wide promenade and lively marina. Follow the cobbled streets of the Old Town up to the stunning church and plaza on the top of the hill. From here, you can enjoy views of the sea and mountains. Altea is home to many top-notch restaurants and cute shops selling the work of local craftspeople. You’ll find lots of apartments on the market, and for larger villas, set your sights on the outskirts of town.

Average property price: €2,140/m2

Denia

Denia’s charming port and surrounding countryside mean it’s not wonder it’s a popular place to own property in the north of the Costa Blanca.

This beautiful town of around 40,000 people boasts 20km of rocky and sandy coastline and a bustling port and marina. It’s wonderfully located on the shores of the Mediterranean. It’s backed by the mountains of Montgó National Park and the Balearic Islands out to sea. From the marina, you can hop on a ferry to Ibiza or Palma. You can also catch a tram to Alicante, Altea, Benidorm or Calpe. Denia is home to some charming properties – mostly one-storey homes with white façades, red-tiled roofs and shady porches. There is a ruined castle proudly guarding the town, a lovely old quarter to explore and lots of shops and museums to enjoy when you need to get out of the sun.

Average property price: €1,900/m2

Quick tip: Familiarise yourself with the types and price ranges of properties in each area to get a feel for which region best suits your budget and requirements. You can search for a wide range of Costa Blanca properties with Your Overseas Home.

How to get there?

You can fly to Alicante from airports all around the UK in around 2.5-3 hours. If you book early enough, you can snap up one-way flights for as little as £36. You can also fly into Valencia and hire a car to reach spots like Denia easily.

What’s the weather like?

The Costa Blanca revels in a delightful Mediterranean climate. This means hot and sunny summers and mild and relatively rainy winters. August is by far the hottest month, with an average temperature of 29°C and 11 hours of sunshine every day. Even when temperatures are at their hottest, most locations enjoy a nice bit of respite from a sea breeze.

Furthermore, even in winter, you’ll enjoy five to six hours of sunshine a day. Come winter time, temperatures dip to their lowest point of around 11-12°C in January. The wettest month is November, when you can prepare for around 42mm of rain. (For a bit of context, in the same month, London gets 59mm, Edinburgh 62mm, Belfast 96mm and Cardiff 123mm).

Even in winter, you’ll enjoy five to six hours of sunshine a day.

Those who enjoy a dip in the sea will be happiest from July to September, where the average sea temperature is 25°C . May and June are fine if you’re brave and don’t mind the water being a little bracing!

Highlights of the southern Costa Blanca

There are good reasons why the world flocks to the Costa Blanca. And not just in summer – the party goes on here all year, usually in warm, bright sunshine. But where should you buy? Take a tour of the liveliest resorts and communities in the south of the coast.

Torrevieja

This popular beach resort is conveniently located between Murcia and Alicante. It’s home to parks, beaches, gardens and squares, perfect for enjoying the sunshine that characterises this corner of the world. Torrevieja’s harbour is vibrant, and great for enjoying some of the freshest seafood on the Costa Blanca. The nearby salt lakes are said to be particularly beneficial to those with arthritis.

If you’re preparing to come over to Spain to look at properties, make sure you know what to look for by reading our free guide, Your Viewing Trip.

Santa Pola

This former fishing village is now one of the most popular seaside resorts on the southern Costa Blanca. The port remains a working harbour, so expect restaurants to serve up incredibly fresh and delicious seafood. Explore its 16th century castle and watchtowers, lounge on the 11km of sandy beaches, or play a few holes on one of the nearby golf courses.

Santa Pola harbour

Guadamar

Located to the north of Torrevieja on the mouth of the River Segura, Guadamar’s sand dune lined beaches will make you feel as though you’ve arrived in a tropical paradise. The town is characterised by sandy beaches, manicured parks, and its many restaurants.

Playa Flamenca

Playa Flamenca first gained popularity back in the 1970s when a group of Flemish investors piled money into turning the deserted coastline into a bonafide holiday destination. Today the town is popular with for watersports enthusiasts, horse riders, and hikers. Although predominantly a quiet residential area, Playa Flamenca is just a short stroll from beaches, shops, bars and restaurants. If that’s not sufficient, Torrevieja is a 10-minute drive away.

Villamartin

Villamartin remains a popular choice with those looking to buy on the Costa Blanca due to its proximity to a number of world-class golf courses. Particularly popular with expats from Northern Europe, you’ll find that many of the properties in town are used primarily as holiday homes, or as holiday rentals.

When changing pounds to euro for something as expensive as a property, you need a specialist. We recommend Smart Currency Exchange. They have an office on the Costa Blanca too. Read Smart’s Property Buyer’s Guide to Currency here.

Orihuela

Orihuela is a sunny spot where property prices remain significantly lower than other towns in the region. For this reason, it is called home by a growing community of expats, which means great employment opportunities, mostly in the retail and hospitality sectors.

Orihuela (Alex Tihonovs / Shutterstock.com)

Pina de Campoverde

Just 8km away from the coast, this hillside village is particularly popular with British and German expats looking for larger, detached houses. The village has all you need, including shops, and sporting facilities.

Guardamar del Segura

Guardamar del Segura pulls in expats and tourists because of its clean, sandy beaches. The sought-after area is home properties of all kinds ranging from holiday apartments to more traditional Spanish homes.

Cabo Roig

This beach resort on the Orihuela Costa of the Southern Costa Blanca is located close to La Zenia, Torrevieja and both Murcia and Alicante airports, making it popular with holidaymakers and second-home owners throughout the year. The town is known for its blue flag beaches, superb shopping, fine dining, and arguably the most attractive marina on the Costa Blanca. Along the coast, the majority of property for sale consists of apartments, but away from the shore you’ll find more traditional style homes.

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Algorfa

Located on the southern Costa Blanca, this relatively small inland town is a mecca for golfers and second-home owners. The agricultural town itself is relatively small with only around 2,000 people living here year round.

Campoamor

Campoamor is conveniently located 15 minutes from Murcia airport, and 35 minutes from Alicante, on the border of the Costa Blanca and the Costa Calida. Here you’ll find most types of property, amenities to suit all needs, fantastic golf courses, and clean beaches.