Buy a house or apartment in Marbella: 1,518 apartments and 987 houses and villas

Living in Marbella

Marbella is the Costa del Sol's calling card, but behind the glamour is a real town with schools, hospitals, markets and neighbourhoods where Spanish families have lived for generations. The municipality stretches along twenty-seven kilometres of coast, from Guadalmina in the west to Cabopino in the east, with the Sierra Blanca mountains as a backdrop. You live among a very international community and life never stops, not even in January.

Marbella's different areas

Marbella West covers San Pedro de Alcántara, Guadalmina, Nueva Andalucía and Puerto Banús: a mix of Spanish town life, the golf valley and the famous marina. The Golden Mile, with Nagüeles and Sierra Blanca, is the prestigious strip between Puerto Banús and the centre, with grand villas and hotels such as Marbella Club and Puente Romano.

Marbella town centres on the old quarter with Plaza de los Naranjos, the promenade and the port. Marbella East, from Río Real and Los Monteros to Elviria and Cabopino, is greener and quieter, with dunes and family-friendly urbanisations. If you want to head properly into the hills, the mountain village of Istán offers peace and nature fifteen minutes from the coast.

Prices and market

Homes in Marbella in our listings have an average (median) price of €5,960 per m² (November 2026).

By type: apartments and penthouses at €5,940 per m², houses and villas at €5,980 per m². Within each area, location, views and condition make all the difference.

Beaches, golf and schools

The whole coastline is made up of sandy beaches, from the town beaches in the centre to the Artola dunes near Cabopino. Marbella has sixteen golf courses, including Guadalmina, Aloha, Las Brisas, Río Real and Marbella Golf. For families the choice of international schools is unrivalled: Aloha College, Swans International School, English International College, Laude San Pedro, St George's, the German School and the French international school, to name a few.

Getting around

Málaga airport is about fifty minutes away via the AP-7 or A-7; allow more in summer and at rush hour. There is no train in Marbella: the commuter line ends in Fuengirola and a coastal railway is still only at the study stage. A car is therefore useful, although in the centre, San Pedro and around Puerto Banús you can do a lot on foot. Healthcare is well covered, with the public Hospital Costa del Sol and several private clinics.

New build or resale, and who is it for?

Building land is scarce in Marbella, so new builds are concentrated in the hills of Nueva Andalucía, around San Pedro and in Marbella East, often as the replacement or renovation of an older villa. Resales offer more choice of large plots and central locations, but budget for updating older apartments. Marbella suits families, entrepreneurs and second-home owners who want to combine town and beach. If peace or maximum space is your priority, Benahavís or Estepona often makes more sense.

Frequently asked questions about Marbella