Almost One in Two Alicante Buyers Is Foreign — And the Southern Costa Blanca Is at the Centre of the Story
Something remarkable is happening on the southern Costa Blanca.
For years, Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa were sometimes viewed as the more affordable alternatives to Spain’s better-known premium property markets.
Marbella had the glamour.
Mallorca had the exclusivity.
Northern Costa Blanca had Jávea, Altea and Moraira.
But Torrevieja and Orihuela offered something different:
Value.
In 2026, that value proposition is colliding with enormous international demand.
The latest Q2 figures show Alicante province recording:
12,298 HOME SALES
during the quarter.
And an extraordinary:
46.43% FOREIGN BUYERS
Almost one in every two properties sold in Alicante province is now being purchased by an international buyer.
And few places demonstrate the internationalisation of the Costa Blanca better than Torrevieja and Orihuela.
These are not simply holiday-home destinations anymore.
They are becoming major international residential markets.
The 46.43% Number Changes Everything
Start with the biggest number.
Foreign purchasers accounted for 46.43% of Alicante province’s residential property transactions in Q2 2026.
Compare that with:
Málaga — 37.01%
Balearic Islands — 32.27%
Spain overall — 15.98%
Alicante is not merely above the national average.
Foreign participation is almost three times the Spanish average.
That fundamentally changes the nature of the market.
In much of Spain, international buyers represent an important additional source of demand.
On the Costa Blanca, they are one of the principal components of demand.
And in parts of the southern Costa Blanca, their influence is even greater.
Why Torrevieja?
Torrevieja has an unusual combination of characteristics.
It is a genuine Spanish city rather than simply a resort development.
It has a substantial permanent population, beaches, an established tourism economy, healthcare and everyday infrastructure.
Alicante Airport is readily accessible.
And decades of overseas migration have created deeply established international communities.
That last point is important.
International buyers often follow other international buyers.
Why?
Because moving abroad becomes easier when infrastructure already exists.
International services.
Foreign-language businesses.
Lawyers accustomed to overseas transactions.
Established expat communities.
Air connections to northern Europe.
Schools.
Healthcare.
Restaurants.
Social networks.
Torrevieja has spent decades building this ecosystem.
In 2026, that infrastructure has become one of its greatest property-market assets.
Torrevieja Is No Longer the Cheap Costa Blanca
But there is a catch.
The value story is changing.
Current 2026 market indicators put Torrevieja residential property broadly around the mid-€2,000s per square metre, although figures vary substantially depending on methodology, property type and location.
Some current apartment-market measures are around:
€2,700/m²
That is still relatively accessible compared with many Mediterranean prime markets.
But it is a long way from the image of Torrevieja as a bargain-basement Spanish property destination.
Prices have moved.
Demand has moved.
And buyers have noticed.
The question increasingly is not:
“Is Torrevieja cheap?”
It is:
“Does Torrevieja still offer relative value?”
For many northern European buyers, the answer remains yes.
Then There Is Orihuela Costa
Move south and the market becomes even more interesting.
Orihuela Costa is not one single resort.
It is effectively a collection of coastal residential communities stretching through areas including:
La Zenia.
Cabo Roig.
Campoamor.
Playa Flamenca.
Villamartín.
Punta Prima.
Las Ramblas.
And surrounding developments.
That creates a broad property ecosystem.
Apartments.
Townhouses.
Golf properties.
New developments.
Villas.
Beachside homes.
Luxury properties.
And everything in between.
Current market estimates generally place much of Orihuela Costa around:
€2,700–€3,000/m²
with premium locations and new developments capable of moving considerably higher.
So the southern Costa Blanca is not simply generating transactions.
It is gradually moving up the price ladder too.
International Demand Can Reach Extraordinary Levels
Historic industry data has already shown just how international Orihuela can become.
Previous market reporting has estimated that foreign purchasers were responsible for as much as 87% of transactions in parts of the Orihuela market.
The exact percentage varies depending on area, period and methodology, so it should not be confused with the official provincial Q2 figure.
But it illustrates something important.
There are parts of the southern Costa Blanca where the international buyer is not simply significant.
The international buyer effectively defines the market.
Dutch.
British.
Belgian.
German.
Scandinavian.
Irish.
Polish.
And increasingly buyers from other European markets.
Walk through many Orihuela Costa communities and the international nature of the population is immediately obvious.
The Costa Blanca Value Gap
This is where the bigger Spanish property story becomes interesting.
Compare the Q2 provincial averages:
ALICANTE
€2,267/m²
MÁLAGA
€3,347/m²
BALEARICS
€4,311/m²
Alicante therefore remains approximately 32% cheaper than Málaga on this measure.
And approximately 47% cheaper than the Balearics.
That difference is enormous.
For an international buyer deciding where to place €500,000, purchasing power can vary dramatically depending on destination.
On the Costa Blanca, €500,000 can still provide access to substantial high-quality residential property.
In Marbella’s prime market, the same budget is increasingly restrictive.
In Mallorca’s most exclusive locations, it may barely provide entry.
That relative-value gap helps explain why international buyers continue flowing towards Alicante.
A €300,000–€500,000 Sweet Spot
The southern Costa Blanca has another advantage.
It has enormous inventory around price levels accessible to Europe’s affluent middle class rather than only the ultra-rich.
That matters.
The global luxury market receives huge media attention.
€5 million villas make excellent headlines.
But the number of people capable of spending €300,000, €400,000 or €500,000 on a second home is vastly greater than the number capable of spending €5 million.
Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa operate heavily within this broader international market.
A buyer selling a home in Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany or Scandinavia may have enough equity to purchase a Costa Blanca property with relatively limited financing.
That produces a powerful pool of potential demand.
It’s Not Just Second Homes Anymore
Another change is taking place.
The traditional Costa Blanca buyer often followed a familiar pattern.
Retire.
Buy an apartment.
Spend winters in Spain.
Return north during summer.
That buyer still exists.
But the market has expanded.
Today there are remote workers, entrepreneurs, families relocating permanently, semi-retired professionals, investors, digital business owners, early retirees and second-home buyers spending several months per year in Spain.
This changes the type of housing people want.
A family relocating permanently may want three or four bedrooms, good internet, schools nearby, outdoor space, parking, a year-round community, access to healthcare and airport connectivity.
The Costa Blanca South can provide all of those things.
Alicante Airport Is an Economic Asset
Property markets are often discussed in terms of beaches and house prices.
But one of Costa Blanca’s most valuable property assets is not a property at all.
It is:
ALICANTE-ELCHE AIRPORT
International buyers do not simply ask whether they like an area.
They ask:
How easily can I get there?
For someone with family, work or business connections in northern Europe, direct flights matter enormously.
A beautiful second home that requires complicated connections becomes less attractive.
A home that can be reached after a relatively short direct flight becomes usable much more frequently.
That turns a holiday home into a genuine second residence.
And a second residence can eventually become a primary residence.
Golf Adds Another Layer
Orihuela Costa has another major advantage.
Golf.
Villamartín.
Las Ramblas.
Campoamor.
Las Colinas nearby.
Golf creates a specific international property ecosystem.
Golf buyers are not necessarily restricted to summer.
That extends the residential and tourism season.
It also creates demand for properties with golf views, terraces, communal pools, security, lock-up-and-leave convenience and easy airport access.
This makes parts of Orihuela Costa particularly suited to international second-home ownership.
Torrevieja and Orihuela Are Complementary Markets
It is tempting to treat them as competitors.
But they actually serve somewhat different buyers.
TORREVIEJA
More urban.
Larger permanent population.
Greater range of apartment stock.
Extensive services.
Strong value proposition.
Highly international.
ORIHUELA COSTA
More resort-oriented.
Golf communities.
Beachside developments.
Large international second-home population.
Higher concentration of villas and townhouses in certain areas.
Premium pockets.
Together they create one of Spain’s largest international residential ecosystems.
But Rapid Growth Creates Problems Too
Booming demand is not universally positive.
The same forces supporting property prices can create serious affordability problems for local residents.
As international purchasing power competes with Spanish incomes, the gap between local wages and property values can widen.
This can affect young buyers, renters, hospitality workers, teachers, healthcare staff, service-sector employees and families trying to remain within their communities.
Torrevieja has already been identified in affordability studies as one of the Costa Blanca markets where rising housing costs are placing increasing pressure on residents.
This is an important part of the story.
A successful property market must ultimately coexist with a functioning local economy.
Supply Is Becoming the Next Question
International demand is clearly strong.
The next question is supply.
How many new homes can Costa Blanca South deliver?
At what prices?
Where?
And quickly enough to meet demand?
New-build developments have become increasingly important because international purchasers often favour modern design, energy efficiency, communal pools, security, terraces, low maintenance and turnkey properties.
But new-build supply has its own constraints.
Land.
Planning.
Construction costs.
Labour.
Infrastructure.
Development timelines.
If demand continues growing faster than suitable supply, the logical pressure is upward.
Is the Value Advantage Disappearing?
This may be the most important question for the next several years.
Costa Blanca has benefited enormously from being comparatively affordable.
But success gradually changes affordability.
If Torrevieja prices keep rising…
If Orihuela Costa keeps moving towards €3,000/m² and beyond…
If new-build prices continue increasing…
At what point does the relative-value proposition begin to weaken?
We are not there yet.
Compared with Marbella, Mallorca and many northern European housing markets, Costa Blanca South can still look extremely competitive.
But the gap is narrowing.
And that could gradually change the type of buyer entering the market.
What Does This Mean for Sellers?
For property owners, the most important lesson is that their potential market is far larger than their local area.
A seller in Torrevieja is not simply selling to Torrevieja.
They may be selling to London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Berlin, Stockholm, Warsaw, Oslo or Helsinki.
That has major implications for how property should be marketed.
International distribution matters.
Languages matter.
Photography matters.
Accurate property information matters.
And collaboration between agencies matters.
What Does This Mean for Buyers?
For buyers, the message is slightly different.
Costa Blanca South still offers value.
But yesterday’s assumptions should not automatically be applied to today’s market.
Torrevieja is not as cheap as it once was.
Orihuela Costa’s best areas command significant premiums.
New developments can be considerably more expensive than resale properties.
And micro-location matters enormously.
The difference between two properties only a few kilometres apart can be substantial.
Buyers therefore need to compare price per square metre, condition, community costs, location, beach access, rental restrictions, new-build versus resale and long-term usability.
A cheap property is not necessarily good value.
And an expensive property is not necessarily overpriced.
The NLS Conclusion
Three numbers explain why the southern Costa Blanca deserves attention in 2026.
12,298
Residential transactions across Alicante province in Q2.
46.43%
The share purchased by foreign buyers.
And roughly:
€2,267/m²
The provincial average price.
Together, those numbers describe an unusual market:
High transaction volume.
Extraordinary international demand.
And prices that remain substantially below Málaga and the Balearics.
Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa sit at the centre of that proposition.
For decades, they built their reputations on sunshine, affordability and international communities.
Now those same characteristics are attracting a much broader international buyer.
That success is pushing prices higher and gradually changing what “value” means on the Costa Blanca.
The question for the next few years may therefore not be whether international buyers continue coming.
The numbers suggest they already are.
