Foreign buyer in Malaga and Costa del Sol: what the percentages mean (and what they require)

Foreign buyer in Malaga and Costa del Sol: what the percentages mean (and what they require)

International demand is not an “extra” on the Costa del Sol: it is part of the core of the market. At the national level, the College of Registrars and media that report their figures indicate that in 2025 foreign buyers represented around 13.8% of the total, with around 97,300 purchases.

In provinces like Malaga, the peso can be significantly higher in certain periods. For example, it has been reported that in Q2 2025 the percentage of sales to foreigners in Malaga was around 27.1%. (The exact figure varies by quarter and source, but what is relevant is the trend: Málaga is in the high group of foreign demand.)

What does this data imply in practice

A market with 1 in 4 purchases (approximately) linked to foreign demand changes the service standard:

• Decision pace: many operations are accelerated by travel windows.
• Documentary requirement: the foreign client penalizes opacity or uncertainty; requires traceability.
• Coordination: taxation, NIE, accounts, payments, sworn translations, powers of attorney.

Professionalism is not “brand”; It is an operational requirement.

Additional key information: prices at record highs

The Registrars have indicated average prices in 2025 at the highest levels in their series (for example, €2,354/m² on average and +9.5% annually, with differences between new and used). In markets with rising prices and an international component, the margin of error in valuation or negotiation is reduced.

Foreign demand increases liquidity and dynamism, but also increases the responsibility of the intermediary: it is not enough to “show houses”; You have to manage risk, deadlines, expectations and compliance.

Own analysis from public sources.

Idealista (en) – Foreign buyers near 100,000 home purchases in 2025

https://www.idealista.com/en/news/property-for-sale-in-spain/2026/02/11/883167-foreign-buyers-near-100-000-home-purchases-in-spain-in-2025

Idealista – Foreigners close to 100,000 purchases and average registration price

https://www.idealista.com/news/inmobiliario/vivienda/2026/02/05/883167-los-extranjeros-se-acercaron-a-las-100-000-viviendas-compradas-en-espana-en-2025

Cadena SER Málaga – “Málaga sells almost 30% to foreigners” (Q2 2025)

https://cadenaser.com/andalucia/2025/09/11/malaga-vende-casi-un-30-de-sus-casas-a-extranjeros-ser-malaga/

Registrars – Property Statistics Portal

https://www.registradores.org/actualidad/portal-estadistico-registral/estadisticas-de-propiedad