Marbella: buying, living & renting

Living in Marbella

Marbella is the name the whole coast is measured against, and for good reason: 27 kilometres of coastline sheltered by the La Concha mountain, a microclimate that's mild even in winter, and a level of restaurants, beach clubs, golf and marinas you won't find concentrated anywhere else in Spain. But the cliché of glitz sells it short. Marbella is also a real Andalusian town with one of the prettiest old quarters on the coast, and its municipality runs from the charming, down-to-earth San Pedro de Alcántara in the west to the family beaches of East Marbella in the east.

For buyers, Marbella is a spectrum. At one end sit the villas of the Golden Mile and Sierra Blanca; at the other, apartments in Nueva Andalucía, townhouses in Elviria, and homes in the old town that put you steps from Orange Square. It is a prime market — internationally, one of the most sought-after on the Mediterranean — which is precisely why local guidance matters so much: the difference between streets, urbanisations and orientations is significant, and knowing it well is the whole job.

Everyday life

• Puerto Banús — the famous marina: superyachts, flagship restaurants and nightlife, plus the beaches either side.
• The Old Town — Plaza de los Naranjos (Orange Square), whitewashed lanes and the best of everyday Marbella life.
• Golf & wellness — the courses of Nueva Andalucía's "Golf Valley", plus spas, beach clubs and marinas along the coast.
• Getting around — Marbella needs a car; there's no coastal train, and the town stretches a long way east–west along the A-7 and AP-7.

Neighbourhoods of Marbella

The Golden Mile

The legendary stretch between Marbella town and Puerto Banús — gated villas, five-star hotels and beachfront apartments, backed by the exclusive Sierra Blanca and Nagüeles enclaves climbing the hillside. The coast's most prestigious address, for buyers seeking privacy, space and prime location.

Puerto Banús & Nueva Andalucía

Banús is the marina and its immediate surroundings; behind it, Nueva Andalucía — the "Golf Valley" — is a huge, popular residential area of apartments, townhouses and villas wrapped around several courses. A favourite for buyers who want proximity to Banús with more choice and value than the beachfront.

Marbella Old Town & centre

The historic heart around Orange Square — character apartments and townhouses, a genuine Spanish town on your doorstep, and the beach and promenade a short walk away. Ideal for buyers who want authentic day-to-day Marbella rather than a resort setting.

San Pedro de Alcántara

Marbella's likeable western town — more relaxed, more local and better value, with a revamped seafront boulevard, its own old quarter and easy access to Banús and the New Golden Mile. Increasingly popular with families and year-round residents.

East Marbella (Elviria, Las Chapas, Los Monteros)

The eastern side — some of the best beaches (and beach clubs), leafy villa urbanisations like Elviria and Los Monteros, and a calmer, greener, family feel. A strong choice for those wanting space and sand without the intensity of the Banús scene.

Buying in Marbella

Marbella offers the coast's fullest range, from apartments in Nueva Andalucía and the old town to landmark villas on the Golden Mile — and, increasingly, contemporary new-build developments through Nueva Andalucía and the eastern side. It is a prime, internationally traded market, which brings depth and liquidity but also real variation street by street: aspect, sea views, walkability and community quality all move value meaningfully.

That variation is exactly where a local agency earns its place. We help you read the difference between a good address and a great one, flag which communities are well run and which orientations catch the winter sun, and make sure the price reflects the property rather than the postcode. Whether you're buying a lock-up-and-leave apartment or a family villa, the brief comes first.

Renting and holiday lets in Marbella

Marbella has one of the strongest rental markets in Spain, at both ends. Holiday demand is high and premium — Banús, the Golden Mile and the beachfront command excellent short-term rates through a long season — while long-term demand from international residents, remote workers and families is deep and year-round, particularly in Nueva Andalucía, San Pedro and East Marbella.

If you intend to let short-term, the property must be registered as a vivienda con fines turísticos (VFT) with the regional tourism authority before advertising, and many of Marbella's gated communities set their own rules on tourist letting — so we always check the community statutes before you commit to a rental-focused purchase. We handle registration and vetting for our owners and keep each licence private.

The buying process for foreign buyers

• NIE number — your Spanish foreigner's tax ID; we help you get it.
• Independent lawyer — searches, community and debt checks, deposit protection. Essential and separate from the agency.
• Costs on top — roughly 10–13%: transfer tax (ITP) on resales or VAT + stamp duty (AJD) on new-builds, plus notary, registry and legal fees.
• Mortgages — non-residents can usually borrow up to around 70% of value.
• Notary & completion — signing the escritura before a notary, who registers it.

We coordinate the lawyer, notary and bank in your language. See our journal on the NIE and buying process, mortgages for non-residents and the Málaga market.