Alicante vs Málaga: the figures side by side

Alicante and Málaga have two of the main airports through which foreign buyers reach the Spanish Mediterranean, and both are provincial capitals by the sea. Málaga is the larger city, the capital of the Costa del Sol, with a larger economy and a city centre that has changed a lot in recent years. Alicante is smaller and calmer, the gateway to the Costa Blanca, with the TRAM d'Alacant running up the coast and the towns of the south an easy drive away.

They also sit in different regions: Alicante in the Comunitat Valenciana and Málaga in Andalucía. That matters for a purchase, because the transfer tax on a resale home and some regional reliefs are set by each region. Both have a high-speed train to Madrid.

The table below puts official figures for both cities side by side: prices and rent, gross yield, climate, air, recorded crime, foreign residents and internet. Each row has its own source and period, so compare like with like.

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Alicante · Málaga

Alicante vs Málaga: the figures side by side
Indicator	Alicante	Málaga	Source and period
Average appraised value	€2,279.2/m²	€3,320.5/m²	Measured for the municipality · Fuente: Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible, Q2 2026. Updated 17/10/2026.
Median rent	€7.11/m² a month	€9.55/m² a month	Measured for the municipality · Origen de los datos: Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana (SERPAVI), 2024. Updated 17/10/2026.
Gross rental yield	3.7%	3.5%	Measured for the municipality · Rent €7.11/m² a month — Origen de los datos: Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana (SERPAVI), 2024. Updated 17/10/2026. · Price €2,279.2/m² — Fuente: Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible, Q2 2026. Updated 17/10/2026. · Rent €9.55/m² a month — Origen de los datos: Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana (SERPAVI), 2024. Updated 17/10/2026. · Price €3,320.5/m² — Fuente: Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible, Q2 2026. Updated 17/10/2026.
Average income per person	€13,681	€13,847	Measured for the municipality · Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 2023. Updated 17/10/2026.
Registered population	366,221	599,063	Measured for the municipality · Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 2025. Updated 15/10/2026.
Foreign residents	76,685	69,892	Measured for the municipality · Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 2025. Updated 17/10/2026.
Share of foreign residents	21%	11.7%	Measured for the municipality · Foreign residents 76,685 — Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 2025. Updated 17/10/2026. · Population (annual census) 365,586 — Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 2025. Updated 17/10/2026. · Foreign residents 69,892 — Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 2025. Updated 17/10/2026. · Population (annual census) 597,173 — Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 2025. Updated 17/10/2026.
Aged 65 and over	19.87%	19.45%	Measured for the municipality · Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 2025. Updated 17/10/2026.
Aged 0 to 15	13.21%	13.16%	Measured for the municipality · Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 2025. Updated 17/10/2026.
Registered tourist lets	2,854	8,288	Measured for the municipality · Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 05/2026. Updated 17/10/2026.
Tourist lets as a share of all homes	1.52%	3.17%	Measured for the municipality · Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 05/2026. Updated 17/10/2026.
Average January temperature	11.9 °C Station ALACANT/ALICANTE, 3.3 km away in a straight line	13.3 °C Station MÁLAGA, CENTRO METEOROLÓGICO, 6.3 km away in a straight line	© AEMET, climate normals 1991–2020. Updated 17/10/2026.
Average August high	31.1 °C Station ALACANT/ALICANTE, 3.3 km away in a straight line	32.1 °C Station MÁLAGA, CENTRO METEOROLÓGICO, 6.3 km away in a straight line	© AEMET, climate normals 1991–2020. Updated 17/10/2026.
Annual rainfall	284.6 mm Station ALACANT/ALICANTE, 3.3 km away in a straight line	454.4 mm Station MÁLAGA, CENTRO METEOROLÓGICO, 6.3 km away in a straight line	© AEMET, climate normals 1991–2020. Updated 17/10/2026.
Sunshine hours a year	3,013 h Station ALACANT/ALICANTE, 3.3 km away in a straight line	2,976 h Station MÁLAGA AEROPUERTO, 11.5 km away in a straight line	© AEMET, climate normals 1991–2020. Updated 17/10/2026.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), annual mean	14 µg/m³ Station ALACANT-FLORIDA-BABEL, 4.5 km away in a straight line	14 µg/m³ Station EL ATABAL, 4.4 km away in a straight line	Source: European Environment Agency (EEA), 2025. Updated 17/10/2026.
PM10 particles, annual mean	—	19 µg/m³ Station EL ATABAL, 4.4 km away in a straight line	Source: European Environment Agency (EEA), 2025. Updated 17/10/2026.
PM2.5 particles, annual mean	11 µg/m³ Station ALACANT-FLORIDA-BABEL, 4.5 km away in a straight line	—	Source: European Environment Agency (EEA), 2025. Updated 17/10/2026.
Recorded criminal offences	27,781 (Provisional figure)	38,043 (Provisional figure)	Measured for the municipality · Fuente: Ministerio del Interior, Balance de Criminalidad, 12 months to Q2 2026. Updated 17/10/2026.
Per thousand registered residents	75.86 (Provisional figure)	63.5 (Provisional figure)	Measured for the municipality · Fuente: Ministerio del Interior, Balance de Criminalidad, 12 months to Q2 2026. Updated 17/10/2026. · Registered population 366,221 — Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 2025. Updated 15/10/2026. · Registered population 599,063 — Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 2025. Updated 15/10/2026.
Per thousand people, including the estimated tourist population	75.11 (Provisional figure)	61.98 (Provisional figure)	Measured for the municipality · Fuente: Ministerio del Interior, Balance de Criminalidad, 12 months to Q2 2026. Updated 17/10/2026. · Registered population 366,221 — Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 2025. Updated 15/10/2026. · Beds in tourist lets 12,519 — Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 05/2026. Updated 17/10/2026. · Registered population 599,063 — Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 2025. Updated 15/10/2026. · Beds in tourist lets 34,724 — Elaboración propia con datos extraídos del sitio web del INE: www.ine.es, 05/2026. Updated 17/10/2026.
Homes with fibre (FTTH)	98.16%	98.43%	Measured for the municipality · Origen de los datos: Ministerio para la Transformación Digital y de la Función Pública, 2025. Updated 17/10/2026.
Homes with 1 Gbit/s	98.06%	98.34%	Measured for the municipality · Origen de los datos: Ministerio para la Transformación Digital y de la Función Pública, 2025. Updated 17/10/2026.
IBI property tax rate	0.62795%	0.451%	Measured for the municipality · Origen de los datos: Ministerio de Hacienda (Secretaría General de Financiación Autonómica y Local). Elaboración propia: flatin.es, 2025. Updated 15/10/2026.
Nearest airport	10.6 km ALICANTE/Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández · 10.6 km in a straight line, not travel time	11.2 km MÁLAGA/Costa del Sol · 11.2 km in a straight line, not travel time	Fuente: AIP España (ENAIRE). Updated 17/10/2026.
Nearest high-speed rail station	4.6 km Alicante/Alacant-Terminal · 4.6 km in a straight line, not travel time	6 km Málaga María Zambrano · 6 km in a straight line, not travel time	Fuente: Renfe (data.renfe.com). Updated 17/10/2026.
Nearest hospital	4.1 km Hospital General Universitario Dr. Balmis · 4.1 km in a straight line, not travel time	4.1 km Hospital Universitario Regional de Málaga · 4.1 km in a straight line, not travel time	Fuente: Ministerio de Sanidad, Catálogo Nacional de Hospitales. Updated 17/10/2026.

— No data: the source publishes no value for this municipality.

Compare places side by side

Who this place may suit

What our rules read from these figures. Alicante: People escaping a northern winter, Retirees looking for a mild winter, Remote workers who need fast internet. Málaga: People escaping a northern winter, Retirees looking for a mild winter, Remote workers who need fast internet. Each conclusion comes from a fixed threshold on a published figure, shown in the “who it may suit” block of the city's page; it is not our opinion of either city.

Alicante

People escaping a northern winter
Based on: Average January temperature: 11.9 °C (≥ 11 °C)
© AEMET, climate normals 1991–2020. Updated 17/10/2026.
Retirees looking for a mild winter
Based on: Average January temperature: 11.9 °C (≥ 11 °C); Nearest hospital: 4.1 km (≤ 15 km)
© AEMET, climate normals 1991–2020. Updated 17/10/2026. · Fuente: Ministerio de Sanidad, Catálogo Nacional de Hospitales. Updated 17/10/2026.
Remote workers who need fast internet
Based on: Homes with 1 Gbit/s: 98.06% (≥ 75%)
Origen de los datos: Ministerio para la Transformación Digital y de la Función Pública, 2025. Updated 17/10/2026.

Málaga

People escaping a northern winter
Based on: Average January temperature: 13.3 °C (≥ 11 °C)
© AEMET, climate normals 1991–2020. Updated 17/10/2026.
Retirees looking for a mild winter
Based on: Average January temperature: 13.3 °C (≥ 11 °C); Nearest hospital: 4.1 km (≤ 15 km)
© AEMET, climate normals 1991–2020. Updated 17/10/2026. · Fuente: Ministerio de Sanidad, Catálogo Nacional de Hospitales. Updated 17/10/2026.
Remote workers who need fast internet
Based on: Homes with 1 Gbit/s: 98.34% (≥ 75%)
Origen de los datos: Ministerio para la Transformación Digital y de la Función Pública, 2025. Updated 17/10/2026.

These are fixed rules applied to the published figures on this page, not our opinion. A rule whose data is missing stays silent.