Buying property on the Costa Blanca: a complete 2026 guide
Costa Blanca purchase costs at 10% ITP, the Valencia licence rules, and how Moraira, Jávea, Calpe and Altea compare on price and supply.
The northern Costa Blanca — Dénia down through Jávea, Moraira, Benissa, Calpe and Altea — is a villa market with a small number of genuinely scarce frontline pockets and a large, liquid hinterland of urbanisation stock. Knowing which you are buying is most of the decision.
What it costs to buy here
| Cost | Resale | New build |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer tax / VAT | ITP 10% (Valencian Community) | IVA 10% |
| Stamp duty (AJD) | — | 1.5% |
| Notary + land registry | 0.2–0.8% | 0.2–0.8% |
| Lawyer | ~1% + VAT | ~1% + VAT |
| Total on top of price | ~11–12% | ~13% |
The 10% ITP is a Valencian Community rate, not a national one — the same purchase in Andalucía would be taxed at 7%. Budget the full amount in cash: acquisition costs cannot be mortgaged.
Annual ownership costs
- IBI — 0.4–1.1% of the cadastral value, billed by the ayuntamiento.
- Non-resident income tax — 19% for EU/EEA residents, 24% for others, on actual rent or on imputed income if the property is not let.
- Community fees — from a couple of hundred euros on a simple urbanisation to several thousand where there are pools, gates and gardens.
- Pool and garden maintenance — the cost most buyers under-budget on a detached villa.
Town by town
Moraira — low-rise by planning rule, villa-dominated, and the most protected micro-market on the coast. El Portet and Cap Blanc hold the sea-view stock; the Benissa Coast just north offers larger plots.
Jávea — three distinct towns in one: the port, the arenal beach and the historic old town, plus the Montgó slopes. The broadest range of stock in the area.
Calpe — the liquid apartment market, split by the Peñón between Arenal-Bol and La Fossa. Easiest entry and easiest exit.
Altea — the old town above the coast, an arts-and-culture profile, pebble rather than sand beaches.
Dénia — a working port town with a ferry to the Balearics and a year-round economy, and the shortest drive to Valencia.
If you plan to let
Tourist letting in the Valencian Community requires a licence registered against the specific property, and municipalities have been tightening issuance. Never assume a licence transfers with the sale — have your lawyer confirm its status in writing before you exchange.
Diligence checklist
- Get a NIE number early; the purchase cannot complete without one.
- Order a nota simple from the Land Registry to confirm ownership, charges and embargoes.
- Check the cadastral surface against the registered surface — extensions and closed terraces are frequently unregistered.
- Confirm the certificate of habitation (cédula) and, on rural plots, whether the build is legal on non-urbanisable land.
- Ask for the last IBI receipt and community fee statement — debts follow the property, not the seller.
Source for statutory rates: Agencia Tributaria and the Generalitat Valenciana tax schedule.