British buyers account for a consistently large share of foreign property purchases in Málaga province, a pattern that has held through multiple market cycles. The appeal is partly logistical — Málaga Airport (AGP) connects to dozens of UK airports year-round, with flight times under three hours from most of England — and partly financial: Spain's €/£ exchange rate and relatively low property taxes compared with UK stamp duty make the headline price close to the all-in cost once buyers understand what to add.
Before looking at specific developments, it is worth knowing what to add to any asking price. New-build purchases in Andalusia attract IVA (VAT) at 10% of the purchase price, plus Actos Jurídicos Documentados (stamp duty on new builds) at 1.2% in Andalusia. Legal fees typically run 1–1.5%, notary and land-registry costs roughly 0.5–1%. Budget 12–14% on top of the asking price to cover all acquisition costs. An NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero) is a legal requirement before signing any purchase contract; it can be obtained at a Spanish consulate in the UK or at a police station in Spain, and a good independent lawyer can process it by power of attorney.
Manilva: the western entry point
Manilva sits at the far western end of the Costa del Sol, roughly 25 minutes by road from Marbella and about 20 minutes from Gibraltar. Property prices are measurably lower here than in Marbella, and the coastline remains less built-up. For buyers whose priority is value per square metre combined with easy access to Gibraltar (useful for banking or UK-linked services post-Brexit), Manilva has become a practical first choice.
Moon 64 — Manilva
Moon 64 is a new-build development in Manilva offering ground-floor apartments, standard apartments and penthouses with 2 to 3 bedrooms. Prices run from €381,800 to €581,500. The development includes a swimming pool. At the lower end of the Costa del Sol price spectrum, this range gives buyers entry into a freehold new-build with the legal protections that come with off-plan purchase in Spain — including the mandatory bank guarantee on stage payments, which any independent lawyer should verify is in place before the deposit is transferred.
Mijas: mid-range apartments between Fuengirola and Marbella
Mijas municipality covers a wide area, including the coastal strip (Mijas Costa) and the hilltop village of Mijas Pueblo. The coastal zone sits between Fuengirola to the east and Marbella to the west, with the A-7 and AP-7 motorway providing quick access to Málaga Airport — typically 30–40 minutes depending on traffic and the exact location within Mijas.
Solana Village G Sur — Mijas
Solana Village G Sur is a development in Mijas with penthouses, apartments and ground-floor units across 2 and 3-bedroom configurations. Prices range from €445,000 to €670,000. The development has a swimming pool. For buyers who want more space than a standard apartment but are not yet at the Marbella price level, this range covers a middle ground that still gives direct motorway access to both Málaga and Marbella.
Marbella: the established benchmark
Marbella is the reference market for the Costa del Sol. Prices are higher, the resale market is more liquid, and the infrastructure — private international schools, private hospitals, an established English-speaking legal and financial services community — is more developed than anywhere else on this coast. For buyers considering rental income, Marbella's year-round demand from both long-stay residents and short-term visitors makes it the more calculable choice, though short-term rental licences in Andalusia require a specific registration and are subject to municipal restrictions that your lawyer must confirm for the specific property.
Soleil — Marbella
Soleil is a Marbella development offering ground-floor units, apartments and penthouses with 2 to 3 bedrooms. Prices range from €530,000 to €875,000 and the development includes a swimming pool. This range sits at the accessible end of the Marbella new-build market and captures buyers who want a Marbella address without committing to a villa-level budget.
Aida Marbella — Marbella
Aida Marbella is a 3-bedroom villa in Marbella priced at €4,150,000. At this level, buyers are typically comparing against resale villas and other new-build plots in the same price band. The due diligence requirements are the same as for any new-build — independent legal check on the building licence, energy certificate obligation, and confirmation that the property will be delivered with a first-occupation licence (licencia de primera ocupación) — but at this price point, engaging a specialist independent surveyor before completion is standard practice.
Los Altos Villa Sara — Marbella
Los Altos Villa Sara is a 4-bedroom villa in Marbella with a fixed price of €5,675,000. For buyers at this level, the practical considerations shift: currency risk on stage payments over a construction period of 18–24 months is material at this price, and most buyers at this level use a forward contract or currency option through a specialist FX provider rather than a high-street bank to lock in the €/£ rate at reservation.
Off-plan vs key-ready: what to weigh
All five projects listed here are new-build. Off-plan purchases give buyers the ability to personalise finishes and typically allow stage payments across the construction period rather than a single lump sum. The trade-off is completion risk — delays are common in Spanish construction — and the period during which capital is tied up without generating any return. Key-ready new-builds remove that uncertainty but offer less scope for customisation. At every price point, the purchase contract should specify a longstop completion date and the buyer's right to recover stage payments with interest if it is missed.
