A LUXURY hotspot on Spain’s Costa del Sol has become the country’s second-richest town, with residents earning almost €80,000 a year on average.
Benahavis, just inland from Marbella, recorded an average gross income of €79,041 in 2024, according to the latest data from Spain’s tax authority, the Agencia Tributaria.
That puts it second only to Madrid’s wealthy suburb of Pozuelo de Alarcon, where the average gross income reached €92,564.
For Benahavis, the figure represents a staggering 83% jump after it ranked just 56th nationally the previous year with an average income of €43,159.
The town has long been synonymous with wealth, attracting affluent residents and property buyers to its gated communities, luxury villas and golf resorts.
It is home to several of the Costa del Sol’s most exclusive residential developments, including La Zagaleta, often described as one of Europe’s most expensive private estates.
Its location has also made it a favourite among wealthy international residents looking for privacy while remaining close to Marbella and Puerto Banus.
But the dramatic jump in the latest figures does not necessarily mean every resident suddenly became richer, experts say.
In a relatively small municipality, a handful of very high earners or large one-off payments can have a significant impact on the average.
The national average was €33,239 in 2024, meaning Benahavís’s figure was more than twice as high.
Madrid continued to dominate the top of the rankings, with Boadilla del Monte placing third on €76,478.
Several wealthy municipalities in Catalonia also featured near the top, including Matadepera, Sant Just Desvern and Sant Cugat del Valles.
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