For the last 35 years, we’ve specialised in selling property in Costa Blanca, Murcia and Costa del Sol. Each of these locations has its own culture, geography, and characteristics that make them appealing to different buyers.
This article puts the spotlight on living in Costa Blanca, the features of the region and just a few of the many benefits of choosing to invest in Costa Blanca property.
Costa Blanca property prices
First off the bat, if you’re looking for a coastal property, it’s hard to beat the affordability of living in Costa Blanca. Compared to its more affluent neighbour, Costa del Sol (where property prices rarely drop below €250,000) there are plenty of Costa Blanca property bargains waiting to be snapped up.
Often, you can find a lovely Costa Blanca property from as little as €100,000! Read our previous blog for an overview of typical Costa Blanca property prices.
Cost of living in Costa Blanca
It’s not just the property prices that are a bargain, the overall cost of living in Costa Blanca is also remarkably affordable (this is one of the reasons that early retirement is so common in Spain!).
The more rural or inland communities, such as Orihuela and Albatera, have the lowest living costs, but even the beachside locations such as Guardamar del Segura, Torrevieja and Cabo Roig benefit from extremely reasonable costs of living.
As an example, even in the height of the summer months where your air conditioning unit may be running full blast, you could find yourself with an electricity bill as low as €40 – €60 per month depending on the local rates. Plus, you’ll very rarely have to put the heating on!
Treating yourselves to a delicious meal out also won’t break the bank. This will be music to the ears of foodies who want to take advantage of the wonderful Spanish cuisine that’s available. In traditional Spanish restaurants, popular tapas dishes start from as little as €5, and you can enjoy a glass of wine for around €2, or a small beer from just €1.75!
Costa Blanca beaches
No article on living in Costa Blanca would be complete without a mention of the beaches. With its name translating to ‘White Coast’, it should come as no surprise that Costa Blanca is famous worldwide for its beaches.
What makes them so special? Costa Blanca is home to a whopping 81 Blue Flag beaches. A beach gains Blue Flag certification when it passes strict criteria such as high standards for quality, safety, and environmental education. This certification is by no means given out lightly, making it even more impressive that Costa Blanca holds this achievement.
The Costa Blanca coastline itself is over 200km long, and features a whole range of beach types including:
- Safe, sandy, family-oriented beaches with plenty of restaurants and amenities
- Beaches perfect for water sports enthusiasts
- Quiet, secluded coves ideal for those looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of tourists
- Beaches surrounded by mountainous scenery with caves to explore and nature parks with hiking trails for adventurers.
No two Costa Blanca beaches are the same, so we highly recommend trialling a variety of them to find the perfect beach for you!
Costa Blanca investment properties
Costa Blanca is home to a booming tourism industry, with thousands of holidaymakers choosing it as their summer getaway of choice. These tourists have a couple of options – staying in one of the many local hotels, or for a little more privacy, renting out a Costa Blanca property.
If you can bear to part with your own Costa Blanca property for a couple of weeks at a time, particularly during the peak school holiday periods, you’ll have people biting your hand off to rent your property for premium prices. The money you can make during these periods could be used to pay your Spanish mortgage off a little quicker, or simply to treat yourself!
Below are some examples of average weekly rental returns for different property types. This example is based on renting during the ‘high season’ between June – September:
- A 2-bed apartment – £450 per week
- A 3-bed apartment / bungalow – £550 per week
- A 3-bed villa with a pool – £850 per week!
Expat communities
Making the move to another country with a culture different from the one you’re used to is both exciting and nerve-wracking. We’ve found that something that helps the transition go smoothly for our British clients buying Costa Blanca property, is the warm and welcoming existing expat communities.
Many of the modern, newly built developments are popular with expat communities that will make you feel right at home. You can enjoy all of the new cultural opportunities that Spain has to offer, whilst still being around people who can relate to your previous life in the UK.
There are also numerous online forums and social media groups dedicated to expat life in Costa Blanca (and Spain as a whole), where members can ask questions, share experiences, meet new friends or help others with their adjustment to Spanish life.
View Costa Blanca property in 2020
Costa Blanca really is a wonderful location. With our many years of experience, we’ve found that it is ideal for Brits looking to soak up the Spanish sun, and enjoy an enhanced quality of life.
If you think that living in Costa Blanca could be the right move for you, the best way to start the process is by viewing property in person. We’ve, unfortunately, heard countless stories of people who have bought a property after only seeing images of it online. The reality is, these properties are almost never as you’d expect, but by that point it’s too late to back out.
Because of this, in 1985 we launched our £99 Spanish property viewing trips. We’ll fly you over to view 8-10 properties per day, over a 3-4 day period. Our Costa Blanca property experts will be able to give you a tour of your desired locations and offer helpful advice on the buying process. Call us today on 01202 971614 to talk to an advisor, learn more, or to book a viewing trip.