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366.221
Population
31° / 17°
Summer peak / Winter day
21%
Foreign residents
€2,705
Avg €/m²
Updated 19 Sept 2026How we source our data →

Living in Alicante

Alicante is a working Mediterranean city rather than a resort with a city attached. Urban beaches sit alongside a commercial centre, port, tram network and historic streets, giving buyers a coastal setting without giving up the services of a substantial city. The result is a broad housing market in which the exact address and daily journey matter more than a citywide average.

The city supports daily life without depending entirely on tourism. Commuter rail runs towards Murcia and Sant Vicent del Raspeig, coastal tram lines run north, ferries connect with Algerian ports, and major public healthcare is available locally. In the centre, the Explanada de España runs along the harbour front and the Castillo de Santa Bárbara stands on the rock above the old town, with the city beach of El Postiguet at its foot. The University of Alicante sits in neighbouring Sant Vicent, keeping student demand relevant to buyers who choose a home with a practical rail or tram journey.

You get beaches and regional-city services in the same municipality, and accept sharp differences in price, density and neighbourhood feel between the coast, the centre and the northern districts. The address decides the daily walk, the school run and the summer noise far more than the name of the city does.

The verdict

Honestly considered, both sides.

The upside is real. So is the downside. Both matter more than any brochure will admit.

The case for

  • Transport supports life without a car

    Alicante has commuter rail, a central tram terminus and coastal tram connections. Buyers in well-served locations can make many routine journeys without driving.

  • The economy extends beyond tourism

    The city hosts public institutions, technology activity, a commercial port and a large service economy. That gives buyers a deeper year-round employment base than a beach resort alone.

  • The housing market offers different settings

    Buyers can compare central streets, established urban neighbourhoods, suburban homes and coastal property within one municipality. The exact street, building and transport link matter more than the municipal average.

  • Healthcare is available locally

    A major public hospital and a network of health centres serve the city. The assigned department and health centre depend on the exact address, so buyers with regular treatment needs should check before choosing a home.

  • City beaches remain part of everyday life

    Postiguet sits beside central Alicante, while Playa de San Juan provides a much longer residential beach setting. The choice is between urban convenience and a more suburban coastal routine, not simply beach or no beach.

The case against

  • A citywide average conceals very different purchases

    Coastal, central and outer urban homes do not offer the same setting, housing or daily experience. Only a street-level visit reveals the trade-offs behind an asking price.

  • The driest climate brings practical costs

    Low rainfall is attractive for outdoor life, but gardens and private pools require regular water and maintenance. Buyers should include those running costs rather than treat sunshine as cost-free.

  • Building condition varies sharply

    Alicante's broad housing stock includes historic buildings, established apartment blocks and newer coastal development. Buyers should compare accessibility, communal costs and planned works rather than judge an area from its asking price alone.

  • The main residential beach is less central than it looks on a city map

    Playa de San Juan has tram links and local services, but it is a separate daily setting from central Alicante. Buyers who need frequent access to the rail station or central offices should test the journey at their normal travel time.

Editor's note

Where you might be better off elsewhere

Alicante suits buyers who want a beach city with rail, tram, healthcare and a substantial year-round economy. El Campello offers a smaller beach town on the same coastal tram corridor. Benidorm is the stronger alternative for a resort-led market with dense visitor services. Guardamar del Segura suits buyers who want a smaller coastal municipality and accept fewer big-city services.

Alicante on the map

Lifestyle data

Climate

31° / 17°
Summer peak / Winter day
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Low 12°CHigh 26°C
Annual mean
18°C

station: Alacant/Alicante (8025)

Average 1981-2010 · AEMET

Property market

€2,705
/m²
+6.6% year on year

Updated 30 Aug 2026

Access

ALICANTE AIRPORT
Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández · ALC
0+ direct routes
Top direct
LondonManchesterDublinAmsterdamBrusselsOslo

Community

21%
Foreign residents

INE Annual Population Census, nationality basis, 1 January 2025

Amenities

0
Int. schools
1
Hospitals

Alicante neighborhoods

Where to live and what to expect at each price point.

Praia de San Juan e Cabo de la Huerta

Playa de San Juan and Cabo de la Huerta

€3,859/m²Asking price, August 2026270.000 - 620.000 €Implied for a 70 to 160 m² home

Alicante's long northern beach, backed by a promenade and a beachside sports area with tennis, volleyball and beach football courts. The council reports that it has held the Blue Flag without interruption for forty years, one of seven beaches in the world to do so. The Cabo de la Huerta headland closes the bay to the north east, a rocky coast of small coves, a flora micro reserve and a lighthouse.

BeachBeachfrontFamily
Centro de Alicante

Centro

€3,651/m²Asking price, August 2026260.000 - 580.000 €Implied for a 70 to 160 m² home

The heart of the old city, between the palm lined Explanada de España and the Benacantil hill, where the Castillo de Santa Bárbara stands above the sea. The Mercado Central, opened in 1921, sits on the line of the old city wall and still trades daily. Postiguet beach is a short walk east, and the streets behind the market climb towards the Santa Cruz quarter.

HistoricWalkableCulture
Babel e San Gabriel

Babel and San Gabriel

Two southern barrios between the city and the port industry, with the municipal market of Babel trading since 1982 and a compact historic core in San Gabriel around its church and old streets. The urban beach of San Gabriel runs along the coast below, and the tram line towards the city centre and the university passes through.

AuthenticBeachWalkable
Carolinas

Carolinas

A dense residential quarter north of the centre, built around the Mercado de Carolinas, which the council opened in 1958 and still runs, with a street market alongside it on two mornings a week. Streets are flat and gridded, shops serve the immediate neighbourhood, and the centre is within walking distance.

AuthenticWalkableFamily
Albufereta e Vistahermosa

Albufereta and Vistahermosa

A sheltered cove beach with a residential hillside above it, on the road out towards Playa de San Juan. The Roman city of Lucentum sits on the Tossal de Manises here, open to visitors as an archaeological site, and a nearby Roman villa is protected as a listed monument. Housing is mostly low rise blocks and villas on the slopes.

BeachCultureViews
Santa Faz

Santa Faz

A village within the municipality, north of the city, gathered around the monastery founded at the end of the fifteenth century. Every year the Peregrina pilgrimage walks out from the city to the monastery after Easter. The surrounding streets keep a low rise village layout, with the huerta and the Playa de San Juan road close by.

VillageQuietCulture

Alicante FAQ

Honest answers to the questions buyers actually ask.

How should I compare value across Alicante?+
Start with the exact street, building condition and journey to work or school rather than a citywide average. Coastal, central and outer urban homes solve different problems, and a lower asking price may come with higher transport, renovation or communal costs.
Where should I look for beach living?+
Postiguet is the urban choice beside central Alicante. Playa de San Juan offers a longer beach and a more residential, suburban routine. Buyers should compare the daily journey as carefully as the view.
Can I live in Alicante without a car?+
Yes, especially in central and coastal locations with direct tram or rail access. The network covers many routine journeys well, although outer areas and some cross-city trips are easier by car.
Is Alicante mainly a British expatriate city?+
No. It is a large, diverse Spanish city with a year-round economy, university demand, a working port and substantial public services. Buyers seeking a smaller resort environment should compare other Costa Blanca towns instead.
What healthcare does the city have?+
Alicante has a major public hospital and local health centres across the urban area. The northern beach area belongs to a health department based in neighbouring Sant Joan d'Alacant, so the assigned centre depends on the exact address.
Where is the University of Alicante?+
The main campus is in neighbouring Sant Vicent del Raspeig, not inside Alicante municipality. Tram and commuter rail connect the university area with the city, which keeps student demand relevant but makes the exact journey important for a rental purchase.
How should buyers think about the climate?+
Alicante is notably dry, with long periods of little rain. That supports outdoor living but raises the importance of shade, cooling, water use and the maintenance costs of gardens or pools.
What are the costs of buying property in Alicante?+
When buying property in Alicante, budget for property transfer tax (ITP) of 9% up to €1,000,000 (11% above that, applied to the full taxable value, not marginal bands) [ATV: https://atv.gva.es/va/he-comprat-un-inmoble], plus roughly 3-4% in notary, land registry and legal fees. Agency commission is usually paid by the seller. On the mainland and the Balearics, new builds pay VAT (IVA) of 10% plus AJD stamp duty instead of ITP. Transfer tax is set by Comunitat Valenciana rather than nationally, and reduced rates can apply for main homes and younger buyers.
What are the ongoing costs of owning property in Alicante?+
Annual property ownership costs in Alicante include IBI (property tax) of 0.4-1.1% of cadastral value, community fees (for apartments), rubbish collection tax (basura), utility bills, and property insurance. Budget approximately 2-4% of property value per year for all running costs. IBI is set by the town hall of Alicante within a national band, so it is municipal rather than regional.
What taxes do I pay when selling property in Alicante?+
When selling property in Alicante, you pay capital gains tax (plusvalía) on the profit at rates of 19-26% depending on the gain amount. Non-residents have 3% of the sale price withheld at completion. You may also pay municipal capital gains tax. Main residence exemptions may apply for residents over 65. Capital gains tax is national, so it is the same in Comunitat Valenciana as anywhere in Spain. Plusvalia municipal is set by the town hall of Alicante and has had two calculation methods since the 2021 reform, so ask your lawyer which one is cheaper for you.
Can I still get a Golden Visa by buying property in Spain?+
No. Spain withdrew the Golden Visa property investment route in April 2025, so buying in Alicante no longer leads to residency. Non-EU buyers who want to live in Spain apply for a separate permit instead, most often the non-lucrative visa (proof of income and private health insurance) or the digital nomad visa (remote work for non-Spanish clients). Ask an immigration lawyer which route fits your situation before you buy.

Transfer tax rates as of August 2026. Rates are set per autonomous community and do change. Confirm the current figures with a Spanish lawyer or tax adviser before you budget.

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