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If you're thinking about renting out property in Costa Blanca, or just curious about what landlords are charging these days, this guide breaks down everything you need to know about rental prices in this popular Spanish coastal region.
We cover average rents by property size, the neighborhoods where landlords get the best returns, what tenants are looking for, and what your monthly costs will actually look like as a property owner.
We constantly update this blog post to reflect the latest Costa Blanca rental market data.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Costa Blanca.
What are typical rents in Costa Blanca as of 2026?
What's the average monthly rent for a studio in Costa Blanca as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the average monthly rent for a studio apartment in Costa Blanca is around €575, which works out to approximately $620 or £480.
That said, studio rents in Costa Blanca typically range from €500 to €700 per month (roughly $540 to $755), with the lower end found in inland towns and the upper end in renovated, furnished units near the beach.
The main factors that push Costa Blanca studio rents up or down are location (beachfront versus inland), whether the unit is furnished, the condition of the property, and whether it includes amenities like air conditioning or a sea view.
What's the average monthly rent for a 1-bedroom in Costa Blanca as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the average monthly rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Costa Blanca is approximately €825, equivalent to around $890 or £690.
Most 1-bedroom apartments in Costa Blanca rent for between €700 and €950 per month ($755 to $1,025), depending on location and condition.
You'll find the cheapest 1-bedroom rents in Costa Blanca in less touristy inland areas and towns like parts of Torrevieja away from the beach, while neighborhoods like Playa de Poniente in Benidorm and central Alicante city command the highest prices.
What's the average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom in Costa Blanca as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in Costa Blanca is around €1,050, which translates to approximately $1,135 or £880.
The realistic range for 2-bedroom rentals in Costa Blanca runs from €900 to €1,250 per month ($970 to $1,350), with sea-view properties and modern builds at the top of that range.
For the most affordable 2-bedroom rents in Costa Blanca, look at Dénia's residential areas or non-prime parts of Torrevieja, while the priciest 2-bedrooms are found in Benidorm's Playa de Poniente and Alicante city's Playa de San Juan neighborhoods.
By the way, you will find much more detailed rent ranges in our property pack covering the real estate market in Costa Blanca.
What's the average rent per square meter in Costa Blanca as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the average rent per square meter in Costa Blanca is approximately €13.20 per month, which equals around $14.25 or £11 per m².
Rent per square meter in Costa Blanca ranges from about €11 to €16 per m² ($12 to $17) depending on the town, with Dénia and Orihuela Costa at the lower end and Benidorm at the top.
Compared to other Spanish coastal areas, Costa Blanca's €13 per m² sits below Barcelona's €20+ per m² but above many inland Valencian cities, making it a mid-range option for coastal Spain.
Properties in Costa Blanca that push above the average €/m² typically have sea views, first-line beach locations, modern renovations, or are in high-demand neighborhoods like Rincón de Loix in Benidorm.
How much have rents changed year-over-year in Costa Blanca in 2026?
As of early 2026, rents in Costa Blanca have increased by approximately 10% compared to one year ago.
The main factors driving Costa Blanca rent increases are limited new rental supply, strong demand from both local workers and international residents, and the region's continued popularity as a relocation destination.
This 10% annual increase in Costa Blanca rents is actually slightly higher than the previous year's growth, reflecting ongoing tightness in the rental market that shows no signs of easing soon.
What's the outlook for rent growth in Costa Blanca in 2026?
As of early 2026, rent growth in Costa Blanca is projected to continue at around 5% to 8% over the coming year.
The key factors likely to keep Costa Blanca rents rising include persistent housing supply constraints, continued demand from expats and remote workers, and limited new construction capacity in coastal zones.
Neighborhoods in Costa Blanca expected to see the strongest rent growth are Calpe, which already led the region at nearly 16% growth, along with Benidorm's beachfront areas and Orihuela Costa's expat-heavy developments.
Risks that could slow Costa Blanca rent growth include potential economic slowdowns affecting tourism employment, changes to Spanish rental regulations, or a significant increase in housing supply if development accelerates.
We have made this infographic to give you a quick and clear snapshot of the property market in Spain. It highlights key facts like rental prices, yields, and property costs both in city centers and outside, so you can easily compare opportunities. We’ve done some research and also included useful insights about the country’s economy, like GDP, population, and interest rates, to help you understand the bigger picture.
Which neighborhoods rent best in Costa Blanca as of 2026?
Which neighborhoods have the highest rents in Costa Blanca as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the three neighborhoods with the highest average rents in Costa Blanca are Playa de Poniente in Benidorm, Playa de San Juan in Alicante city, and El Acequión-Los Naúfragos in Torrevieja, with rents ranging from €14 to €18 per m² (roughly $15 to $19 or £12 to £15).
These Costa Blanca neighborhoods command premium rents because they offer direct beach access, walkable amenities, well-maintained buildings, and strong year-round demand from both locals and internationals.
Tenants renting in these high-rent Costa Blanca neighborhoods are typically professionals with stable incomes, expats seeking quality coastal living, and couples or small families willing to pay more for location and lifestyle.
By the way, we've written a blog article detailing what are the current best areas to invest in property in Costa Blanca.
Where do young professionals prefer to rent in Costa Blanca right now?
Young professionals in Costa Blanca tend to prefer renting in Ensanche-Diputación and Centro in Alicante city, as well as Rincón de Loix in Benidorm, where they can access jobs, nightlife, and transit easily.
In these Costa Blanca neighborhoods popular with young professionals, typical monthly rents run from €700 to €1,000 ($755 to $1,080 or £585 to £835) for a 1-bedroom apartment.
What attracts young professionals to these Costa Blanca areas includes proximity to offices and hospitality employers, tram connections in Alicante city, a lively social scene, and a good selection of cafes and coworking spaces.
By the way, you will find a detailed tenant analysis in our property pack covering the real estate market in Costa Blanca.
Where do families prefer to rent in Costa Blanca right now?
Families renting in Costa Blanca typically prefer Playa de San Juan in Alicante city, residential areas of Dénia, and quieter parts of Torrevieja away from the tourist center.
For a 2 to 3 bedroom apartment in these family-friendly Costa Blanca neighborhoods, families typically pay between €900 and €1,300 per month ($970 to $1,405 or £750 to £1,085).
These Costa Blanca neighborhoods attract families because they offer larger apartments, quieter streets, parks and playgrounds, and a more "year-round living" atmosphere rather than a tourist vibe.
Families renting in Costa Blanca's Playa de San Juan benefit from several well-regarded public and private schools, while Dénia offers both Spanish and international school options that draw families from across Europe.
Which areas near transit or universities rent faster in Costa Blanca in 2026?
As of early 2026, the areas near transit or educational institutions that rent fastest in Costa Blanca are Centro and Ensanche-Diputación in Alicante city (near tram lines), plus the Elche commuter corridor with university access.
Well-priced rentals in these high-demand Costa Blanca transit areas typically lease within 15 to 25 days, compared to 30 to 45 days in less connected neighborhoods.
Properties within walking distance of Costa Blanca's tram stations or the University of Alicante typically command a rent premium of €50 to €100 per month ($54 to $108 or £42 to £83) compared to similar units farther from transit.
Which neighborhoods are most popular with expats in Costa Blanca right now?
The three neighborhoods most popular with expats in Costa Blanca are Orihuela Costa (including areas like Aguamarina), Playa de Poniente in Benidorm, and Calpe's beachfront zones.
Expats renting in these Costa Blanca neighborhoods typically pay between €800 and €1,200 per month ($865 to $1,295 or £670 to £1,000) for a 1 to 2 bedroom apartment.
These Costa Blanca areas attract expats because they offer English-speaking services, international supermarkets, established expat social networks, and easy access to beaches and golf courses.
British, German, Dutch, and Scandinavian expats are the most represented nationalities in these Costa Blanca neighborhoods, with Orihuela Costa being particularly popular among British retirees and Calpe drawing a more Northern European mix.
And if you are also an expat, you may want to read our exhaustive guide for expats in Costa Blanca.
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Who rents, and what do tenants want in Costa Blanca right now?
What tenant profiles dominate rentals in Costa Blanca?
The three tenant profiles that dominate Costa Blanca's rental market are local workers in hospitality and services, international expats and retirees, and mobile professionals doing medium-term stays.
Local workers make up roughly 45% of Costa Blanca's long-term rental demand, expats and retirees account for about 35%, and mobile professionals represent around 20% of the market.
Local workers in Costa Blanca typically seek affordable 1 to 2 bedroom apartments near job centers, expats prefer furnished 2-bedroom units in coastal areas, and mobile professionals often look for well-equipped 1-bedroom or studio apartments with good internet.
If you want to optimize your cashflow, you can read our complete guide on how to buy and rent out in Costa Blanca.
Do tenants prefer furnished or unfurnished in Costa Blanca?
In Costa Blanca, roughly 55% of tenants prefer furnished apartments while 45% seek unfurnished units, though this split varies significantly between coastal tourist areas and year-round residential neighborhoods.
Furnished apartments in Costa Blanca typically command a rent premium of €75 to €150 per month ($80 to $160 or £63 to £125) compared to equivalent unfurnished units.
Tenants who prefer furnished rentals in Costa Blanca are mainly expats, international workers, and anyone planning stays of one to three years, while local families often prefer unfurnished so they can bring their own belongings.
Which amenities increase rent the most in Costa Blanca?
The five amenities that increase rent the most in Costa Blanca are sea views, air conditioning, private parking, a swimming pool, and a terrace or balcony with outdoor space.
In Costa Blanca, a sea view can add €100 to €200 per month ($108 to $216), air conditioning adds €30 to €50 ($32 to $54), parking adds €50 to €80 ($54 to $86), pool access adds €40 to €70 ($43 to $76), and a good terrace adds €30 to €60 ($32 to $65).
In our property pack covering the real estate market in Costa Blanca, we cover what are the best investments a landlord can make.
What renovations get the best ROI for rentals in Costa Blanca?
The five renovations with the best ROI for Costa Blanca rental properties are installing or upgrading air conditioning, refreshing kitchens and bathrooms, adding exterior shading like awnings, repainting with salt-resistant coatings, and providing a quality furnished package for expat tenants.
In Costa Blanca, adding A/C costs €800 to €1,500 ($865 to $1,620) and can increase rent by €30 to €50 per month, a kitchen/bath refresh runs €2,000 to €5,000 ($2,160 to $5,400) for €50 to €100 more monthly, and a full furnishing package costing €3,000 to €6,000 ($3,240 to $6,480) enables rent premiums of €75 to €150 per month.
Renovations to avoid in Costa Blanca include luxury finishes that exceed the neighborhood standard, complex smart-home systems tenants may not use, and over-the-top designer kitchens that add cost without proportional rent increases.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Spain versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
How strong is rental demand in Costa Blanca as of 2026?
What's the vacancy rate for rentals in Costa Blanca as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the vacancy rate for long-term rental properties in prime Costa Blanca coastal areas is estimated at just 2% to 4%, reflecting very tight market conditions.
Vacancy rates in Costa Blanca vary from around 2% to 3% in high-demand areas like Benidorm and Alicante city center, up to 5% to 7% in less popular inland or non-prime coastal zones.
This current Costa Blanca rental vacancy rate is well below the historical average, as strong demand and limited new supply have compressed availability over the past few years.
Finally please note that you will have all the indicators you need in our property pack covering the real estate market in Costa Blanca.
How many days do rentals stay listed in Costa Blanca as of 2026?
As of early 2026, well-priced long-term rentals in Costa Blanca typically stay listed for around 20 to 35 days before being rented.
Days on market in Costa Blanca range from as few as 15 to 20 days in prime coastal and central areas to 45 to 60 days for properties in less desirable locations or those priced above market rates.
Compared to one year ago, Costa Blanca rental listings are leasing slightly faster, reflecting continued strong demand and limited inventory in the most sought-after neighborhoods.
Which months have peak tenant demand in Costa Blanca?
Peak months for long-term tenant demand in Costa Blanca are September and October, followed by a secondary wave in January through March.
The September-October Costa Blanca rental peak is driven by job relocations, the start of the school year, and people settling after summer holidays, while January-March sees international movers and those making New Year relocation decisions.
The lowest tenant demand in Costa Blanca for long-term rentals occurs in July and August, when many landlords shift to short-term holiday lets and prospective tenants delay moving during vacation season.
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An increasing number of foreign investors are showing interest. However, 90% of them will make mistakes. Avoid the pitfalls with our comprehensive guide.
What will my monthly costs be in Costa Blanca as of 2026?
What property taxes should landlords expect in Costa Blanca as of 2026?
As of early 2026, landlords in Costa Blanca should expect to pay annual IBI property tax of roughly €420 to €900 (approximately $455 to $970 or £350 to £750), which works out to €35 to €75 per month for a typical apartment.
IBI in Costa Blanca can range from under €300 per year for smaller inland properties to over €1,200 per year ($1,295) for larger coastal villas or properties in municipalities with higher tax rates.
Costa Blanca property taxes are calculated by multiplying your property's cadastral value by the municipal IBI rate, which varies by town, so a property in Alicante city may have a different effective rate than one in Benidorm or Torrevieja.
Please note that, in our property pack covering the real estate market in Costa Blanca, we cover what exemptions or deductions may be available to reduce property taxes for landlords.
What utilities do landlords often pay in Costa Blanca right now?
In Costa Blanca, landlords most commonly pay building community fees (comunidad), building insurance, and sometimes water or garbage fees depending on the building setup, while tenants typically cover electricity, gas, and internet.
Community fees in Costa Blanca typically run €40 to €120 per month ($43 to $130) depending on building amenities like pools and lifts, while building insurance costs landlords roughly €15 to €30 per month ($16 to $32).
The common practice in Costa Blanca is for the lease to specify exactly who pays what, so landlords should clearly define utility responsibilities in the contract since Spain's rental law allows flexibility on this point.
What maintenance budget per year is realistic in Costa Blanca right now?
Landlords in Costa Blanca should budget approximately 1% to 1.5% of their property's value annually for maintenance, or roughly €20 to €35 per square meter per year ($22 to $38) as a practical planning figure.
For a typical Costa Blanca apartment worth €150,000, this means setting aside €1,500 to €2,250 per year ($1,620 to $2,430 or £1,250 to £1,875) for repairs and upkeep.
Costa Blanca properties require slightly higher maintenance budgets than inland Spanish properties because coastal humidity and salt air accelerate wear on paint, window seals, and metal fixtures.
How is rental income taxed in Costa Blanca as of 2026?
As of early 2026, rental income in Costa Blanca for Spanish tax residents is taxed as real estate capital income ("rendimientos del capital inmobiliario"), with rates that depend on your total income bracket but typically range from 19% to 45% on the net taxable amount after deductions.
The main deductions Costa Blanca landlords can claim against rental income include IBI property tax, community fees, insurance, repairs and maintenance, mortgage interest, depreciation of the property, and property management fees.
A common tax mistake Costa Blanca landlords make is failing to properly document deductible expenses or not understanding that the calculation methods differ for residents versus non-residents, which can result in paying more tax than necessary.
We cover these mistakes, among others, in our list of risks and pitfalls people face when buying property in Costa Blanca.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Spain compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Costa Blanca, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can … and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why it's authoritative | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| SERPAVI - Ministry of Housing | It's Spain's official government tool built from actual tax-record rental data, so it reflects real signed leases rather than just asking prices. | We used it as a reality-check for what signed residential rents look like versus advertised prices. We used it to validate our Costa Blanca averages and ranges against official records. |
| Idealista - Alicante Index | Idealista is Spain's largest property portal and publishes consistent, transparent indexes from its marketplace data. | We used it to anchor a core city Costa Blanca rent level and track annual changes. We used it as one of our weighted inputs for the blended Costa Blanca price per square meter. |
| Idealista - Benidorm Index | It provides the same consistent Idealista methodology but with local neighborhood detail for a key tourist-coastal market. | We used it to capture the tourist-coastal premium rent levels and identify real high-rent neighborhoods. We used its year-over-year figure in our Costa Blanca rent growth estimate. |
| Idealista - Torrevieja Index | It's a widely-cited market index covering one of Costa Blanca's biggest rental markets on the south coast. | We used it to represent the south-coast corridor in our blended Costa Blanca rent estimate. We used its area breakdown for neighborhood-specific examples. |
| Idealista - Calpe Index | It provides a clear, single-page snapshot for a prime coastal town with strong international demand. | We used it to capture the prime coastal town segment in our blended Costa Blanca estimate. We used its high year-over-year figure to explain where rent growth is hottest. |
| Idealista - Orihuela Costa Index | It's a specialized submarket page that matches how renters actually search for coastal properties by zone. | We used it to represent the expat-heavy south-coast segment. We used it for examples of neighborhoods popular with international renters. |
| Fotocasa Rent Index | Fotocasa is a major Spanish property portal with a long-running index that's widely cited in the press. | We used it as an independent cross-check against Idealista's price levels and trends. We used it to keep our estimates conservative when the two portals showed different figures. |
| Banco de España - Rental Market Analysis | It's Spain's central bank, so it's a high-trust source for understanding structural supply and demand drivers. | We used it to explain why rents are rising beyond just reporting the numbers. We used it to frame our 2026 outlook section with credible macro context. |
| BBVA Research - Observatorio Inmobiliario | It's a major bank research unit publishing detailed, data-driven housing forecasts. | We used it to ground our 2026 forward-looking scenario with macro and housing constraint analysis. We used it to support a still-tight, still-growing baseline for Costa Blanca rents. |
| Spanish Tax Agency (AEAT) | It's the official source for how Spain taxes rental income and what expenses landlords can deduct. | We used it to outline how rental income is taxed and which costs reduce taxable income. We used it to build the monthly costs and tax sections accurately. |
| Spain's Urban Leases Act (LAU) | It's the core national law governing residential leases in Spain. | We used it to describe who typically pays which costs and what can be agreed in contracts. We used it to frame the landlord cost checklist in plain language. |
| Local Tax Legal Framework (BOE) | It's the national law that underpins how local property taxes like IBI are structured. | We used it to explain what IBI is and why it varies by municipality. We used it to justify giving ranges rather than single figures for property taxes. |
| Alicante City Council - IBI Ordinance | It's a primary local-government announcement, so the information is directly verifiable. | We used it as a concrete example that IBI can change by city policy even within the same province. We used it to encourage readers to check their exact municipality's rates. |
| Generalitat Valenciana Housing Report | It's an official regional-government analysis citing census-based vacancy metrics for Alicante province. | We used it to provide a quantified vacancy baseline for Alicante province. We used it to explain why overall housing vacancy can coexist with tight rental supply on the coast. |
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