THE cost of renting a home on the Costa del Sol continues to climb, with prices in Malaga province up 11.6% in the past year.
The expat hotspot has seen one of the strongest increases in Spain and above the national average of 10.9%, according to the latest data from property portal Idealista.
The figures show that rents across the country have reached an average of €14.5 per square metre, with Malaga now among the top five most expensive provinces at €16.5 per square metre – just behind the Balearic Islands (€19.1) and Barcelona (€21).
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That means an 80-square-metre flat on the Costa del Sol now costs around €1,320 a month, while a similar property in Palma would set a tenant back €1,530, and in Barcelona almost €1,680.
In Malaga city itself, prices have climbed a more moderate 3.8% over the past year, suggesting that demand is spreading outward along the Costa del Sol, from Estepona and Fuengirola to Mijas and Nerja, where competition for long-term homes remains intense.
What’s striking in the data is how the usual post-summer drop in prices has all but vanished.
In previous years, landlords often lowered rents in autumn as tourist demand fell away, but Idealista’s October data shows only a marginal 0.6% monthly dip in Malaga, confirming that the traditional ‘winter lull’ has so far disappeared.
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The rise indicates a broader trend of convergence between Spain’s biggest rental markets.
Madrid (+12.7%), Malaga (+11.6%) and Valencia (+10.2%) have all seen double-digit annual increases, while Barcelona’s growth has slowed to 5.9% after years of leading the national ranking.
Agents say the market is being sustained by steady year-round demand from both locals and foreign residents.
The influx of remote workers, digital nomads and wealthier European tenants has kept occupancy high, even outside the summer season, while the pool of available long-term rentals continues to shrink.
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In the Balearic Islands, where tourism has slowed this autumn, the average price still stands at €19.1 per square metre – meaning an 80-square-metre home costs around €1,530 a month – up 9% on the year. Palma remains Spain’s third most expensive city to rent in, at €18.2 per square metre.
Across Spain, 51 of the 52 provincial capitals recorded annual rent increases in October, with only Huesca showing a fall.
Madrid remains the most expensive market in the country (€23/m²), followed closely by Barcelona (€24.3/m²) and Palma (€18.2/m²).
The Idealista data suggests that Spain’s rental market has entered a new phase of chronic tightness, where tourist seasons no longer dictate price swings.
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