€9,273 / m²
La Zagaleta
A 9 km² private estate above Benahavís.
A Practical Guide
Move to Marbella.
The manual we wish we'd been given.
Everything a newcomer needs in one place. Interactive zone map. Honest pros and cons. Purchase structures, visa routes, taxes, cars, schools, healthcare, banking. From the desk of a Marbella advisory founded in 2024.
Why so many move here
Marbella is one of the few cities in Europe where four things overlap: a major international airport at 50 minutes, Sierra Nevada skiing about 2 hours 15 minutes away by car, 320 sunshine days a year on the Mediterranean, and a mature English-speaking infrastructure. Two tax rules are worth understanding before the move, and neither is a blanket exemption: the Beckham regime, for people who move to Spain for work, and Andalusia's wealth-tax relief, which above a threshold gives way to the state solidarity tax. Both are set out below, with the three residence routes that remain after the Golden Visa.
320 sun days a year
Mediterranean coast at 36° N — same latitude as Northern California. Subtropical microclimate sheltered by Sierra Blanca to the north. Sea swimming May–November. Winter daytime 17–19°C.
Málaga airport — 50 min
200+ daily flights to London, Paris, Frankfurt, Dubai, Moscow, New York. Costa del Sol's primary international gateway. Marbella centre to AGP arrivals: 45–55 min via A-7.
Sierra Nevada skiing — 2h 15m
Spain's southernmost ski resort (Pradollano, peak 3,398 m). Open Dec–Apr. Ski in the morning, swim at Marbella in the afternoon — verified, the Muse desk does this every season.
International schools
Aloha College, Swans International, English International College, Laude San Pedro International College, Atalaya Colegio Internacional, Sotogrande International School, Atlas American School, British School Marbella. Curriculum, ages and location for each are in the Schools section below; each school publishes its own fees.
Private healthcare network
Quirónsalud, Vithas Xanit, HC Hospital Marbella. English-speaking staff standard. Private plans (Sanitas, DKV, ASISA) €50–120/month/adult. Pharmacy network dense — 60+ in Marbella centre.
Scarcity is measurable; appreciation is not
Spain publishes no per-property closing prices, so no Marbella appreciation series — ours or anyone else's — can be sourced, and this page will not quote one. What the register does measure is asking prices. The Marbella Property Index has measured the whole published register from €350,000 since 13 August 2026. Current asking prices by zone, each with its sample size and date, are on the Marbella Property Index. Land between the sea and the Sierra Blanca ridge is finite; what that has done to prices is not a public fact.
Interactive map
12 districts, 8 international schools, 5 hospitals, 12 beaches, 17 top restaurants, 10 chiringuitos — every point hand-curated, every coordinate verified. Click any marker for description and living advantages. Filter categories on/off with the chips.
The Costa del Sol
Twelve districts. Each its own city.
La Zagaleta is a private estate behind one gate. Sotogrande is polo + Valderrama golf. Estepona is Spanish daily life with a 21 km paseo. Puerto Banús is yachts and luxury retail. Each district has its own register, its own weight on the coast.
Click any card to open its full briefing — surrounding schools, hospitals, beaches, restaurants, golf, marinas, what makes it worth living in, and the drive times.
How to structure the purchase
Three routes: personal (individual), Spanish SL company, or foreign holding. Each has different tax treatment on purchase, annual carry, and resale. Below is the comparison we share with every principal at the briefing stage.
| Aspect | Personal (Individual) Purchase | Spanish SL (Sociedad Limitada) Purchase | Foreign Company (Holding) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suitable for | Primary residence, single property, simple structure | Multi-property portfolio, family wealth structuring, professional rental | Rarely advisable — historic patterns, often less efficient now |
| Upfront taxes | ITP 7% on resale (Andalusia rate), or IVA 10% + AJD 1.2% on new build | Same ITP/IVA + AJD as personal, plus ~€1,500 incorporation cost | ITP/IVA + AJD as above |
| Annual carry | IBI (cadastral value × the municipal rate), and wealth tax only above the solidarity-tax threshold — see Taxes below | ~€2,000–4,000 accountant + Corporate Tax 25% on profits + Mercantile Registry fees | Accounting and filings in the home jurisdiction as well as in Spain |
| On sale | On the gain: the savings scale, 19% to 30%, for a Spanish tax resident; 19% for a non-resident, whatever the country of residence | Corporate Tax 25% on capital gain | Spanish CGT 19% + potentially home-jurisdiction taxes |
| Pros | Simple, immediate, no annual accounting overhead | IBI deductible, professional structure for rentals, clearer succession via share transfer | Anonymity (now limited post-2024 transparency rules) |
| Cons | Inheritance simpler but progressive Sucesiones; less suitable for portfolios | Annual admin cost, double taxation if dividends paid out, more bureaucracy | Tax treaty intersection complex; banks increasingly reluctant |
Most-asked question: if buying a single primary residence, personal is almost always the right answer. If buying for a family wealth structure with three or more properties, an SL starts to make sense. The numbers shift with the buyer's country tax position. The desk introduces buyers to independent lawyers, tax advisers and banks; the buyer chooses, instructs and pays them directly.
Taxes for owners and residents
Purchase taxes
- ITP (resale): 7% of the price, or of the Catastro's reference value if that is higher. It has been a single 7% rate since 2021; the earlier scale was 8%, 9% and 10%.
- IVA (new build): 10% plus AJD at 1.2% (11.2% together), and no ITP.
- Notary + Registry: statutory tariffs, not percentages of the price. As estimated invoices: notary €2,000–€5,000 and land registry €1,500–€4,000 on a €1.5M–€10M purchase.
- Lawyer: agreed, not regulated: commonly 0.5–1% of the price plus 21% IVA.
Annual carry
- IBI: the cadastral value multiplied by the municipal rate, which the law allows between 0.4% and 1.10% for urban property. The bill for a specific house is on its last receipt — ask the seller for it.
- Basura (garbage): set by the municipal ordinance; the amount is on the last receipt.
- Comunidad (community fees): set by each community's approved budget; no public source gives a range. Ask for the receipts of the last twelve months.
- Patrimonio (wealth): Andalusia gives 100% relief on wealth tax (Article 25 bis of Ley 5/2021). While the state Temporary Solidarity Tax on Large Fortunes (ITSGF) is in force, that relief is limited to the difference between the two bills, so above the threshold the taxpayer pays what the solidarity tax would charge. Nothing is due while net wealth after the €700,000 allowance stays within €3,000,000; above that the scale is 1.7% to €5,347,998.03, 2.1% to €10,695,996.06 and 3.5% beyond (Article 3 of Ley 38/2022).
- Renta del NR (non-resident income): for 2026, a non-resident individual who does not let the property is taxed on a deemed income of 1.1% or 2% of the cadastral value, depending on when that value was last revised; the rate is 19% for EU/EEA residents and 24% for others.
On sale
- Plusvalía Municipal: the seller's tax on a sale; the declaration is due within thirty working days of the deed.
- Capital Gains: Spanish tax residents pay the savings scale on a gain: 19% up to €6,000, 21% to €50,000, 23% to €200,000, 27% to €300,000 and 30% above €300,000. A non-resident pays 19% on the gain, whatever the country of residence.
- 3% retention at sale (non-resident seller): the buyer withholds 3% of the price and pays it to the tax agency on Modelo 211 within one month of the sale. It is a payment on account of the seller's tax; only the excess over the tax due is refunded.
If you become resident
- IRPF (income tax): progressive 19–47%; under the Beckham regime, 24% on work income up to €600,000 and 47% above, for the year of arrival and the next five
- Sucesiones (inheritance): Andalusia 99% bonificada for direct line
- Tax treaty: credit for foreign tax paid via Spain's 90+ treaties
In the worked examples at €2–5 million — notary and land registry as estimated invoices, lawyer at 0.75% plus IVA — the total comes to 8.0–8.2% on top of the price for a resale and 12.2% for a new build. Only the tax is fixed by law; the other lines are estimates. The lines are set out in the buying costs guide, and one worked annual budget in the cost of running a villa. Tax explainers: Non-resident tax, Wealth and solidarity tax, Beckham regime.
Visa and residency routes
The residence routes described on this site are the Non-Lucrative Visa, the Digital Nomad Visa and the Entrepreneur Visa. The Beckham regime is a tax option that can sit on top of a work-based route; it is not a route itself. Pick the route that matches your income source — passive income, remote work or a business.
Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV)
Qualifying: ~€29,000/year passive income for main applicant + ~€7,200 per dependent. Accepted: dividends, rental, pension, royalties.
Pros: The route for retirees and passive-income principals. Renewable: 1 year initially, then 2 + 2, then 5-year permanent. Family included. Path to citizenship at 10 years.
Cons: Cannot work in Spain (any source). Must spend 183+ days/year to maintain → Spanish tax resident from year one. Private health insurance required.
Timing: 2–4 months at the Spanish consulate in your country of origin
Digital Nomad Visa (DNV)
Qualifying: ~€2,762/month income (200% of Spain SMI) from remote work for non-Spanish employers/clients. Spanish-source income ≤20%.
Pros: Allows work from Spain. The Beckham regime can sit on top of it (see below). 3-year initial, 2-year renewals. Family included. Bachelor degree OR 3+ years professional experience.
Cons: Income must originate outside Spain. Proof of remote employment for ≥3 months required.
Timing: 20 working days in-Spain; 30–60 days via consulate
Entrepreneur Visa (Innovative Business)
Qualifying: Innovative business project approved by ENISA (Empresa Nacional de Innovación). Must create Spanish jobs + contribute to the economy.
Pros: The route for those building or running a business in Spain. 2-year initial, renewable.
Cons: Requires bonafide business plan + ENISA evaluation (~3 months). Not a passive route; not for property-only investment.
Timing: 3–6 months total including ENISA evaluation
EU citizens: no visa required. Simply register as resident at the Extranjería office after 90 days of presence + obtain the certificate of registration (Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión).
How to get a car
Buy locally
Simplest path. Spanish-registered car, no import paperwork. ITP transfer tax 4%. Notary ~€80. ITV technical inspection annually if >4 years old.
Where: dealerships in Marbella, Estepona, Málaga. AutoCasión + Coches.net are the standard online platforms for used.
Insurance: €600–1,500/year fully comprehensive. Mapfre, Mutua Madrileña, AXA dominant.
Import from EU
Must transfer to Spanish plates within 30 days of establishing residency. Pay IEDMT (matriculation tax, ~5–14% depending on CO2 emissions). Spanish ITV.
Watch out: high-emission cars (G band) pay 14% IEDMT — often makes it cheaper to sell abroad and buy locally.
Import from non-EU
Customs duty 10% + IVA 21% + IEDMT. Plus homologation if not EU-spec. Usually only worthwhile for collector cars or family heirlooms.
Driving licence: EU licences valid indefinitely. UK / US / others — exchange in first 6 months or sit Spanish theory + practical test.
Schools
The Marbella/Costa del Sol area has the strongest international school cluster in southern Spain. Most enrol by January for the September academic year start — places fill quickly at the top schools.
| School | Curriculum | Location | Ages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aloha College | International · British + IB | Nueva Andalucía | 3 – 18 |
| Swans International | International · British + IB | Sierra Blanca | 3 – 18 |
| English International College | International · British | Elviria, Marbella East | 3 – 18 |
| Laude San Pedro International College | International · Dual curriculum | San Pedro de Alcántara | 3 – 18 |
| Atalaya Colegio Internacional | Bilingual · Spanish curriculum | Estepona | 3 – 18 |
| Sotogrande International School | International · IB continuum | Sotogrande | 3 – 18 |
| Atlas American School | American | Nueva Andalucía | 3 – 18 |
| British School Marbella | International · British | Marbella centre | 3 – 18 |
Each school publishes its own fees, and they change every academic year; this site does not restate them. Which residential zones feed each school, and what those zones ask, is on the school-run map.
Local Spanish schools (concertado + público): free to residents. Strong reputation: IES Sierra Blanca, Colegio San José. Curriculum in Spanish — usually chosen by families committed to deep integration. Most international families combine: Spanish primary years for language, switch to international from secondary onwards.
Healthcare
Public (SNS)
Free at point of care for residents. Quality strong in Spain, particularly emergency. Some wait times for non-urgent. Access via NIE + residency. English-language reception variable outside main hospitals.
Private insurance
Standard for English-speaking households. Sanitas, DKV, ASISA, Adeslas dominate. Costs €50–120/month/adult, €30–70/month/child. Direct billing at participating clinics; no claim forms.
Recommended providers: Sanitas for international reach; DKV for digital nomad-friendly plans.
Private hospitals
Quirónsalud Marbella — flagship private, strong oncology, cardiology, maternity.
Vithas Xanit Internacional — Benalmádena, multilingual.
HC Hospital Marbella — specialist private, English-speaking, beachfront location.
Practical advice: start with private insurance before residency. Once SNS is available, many keep private as a complement for waiting-time avoidance and English-speaking GP access. Most Muse Selection principals run both — public for emergencies + private for routine.
First 90 days — practical checklist
The realistic sequence of moves from landing to settled. Critical-path items marked.
- Week 1Land in Spain. Hotel or short rental while completing paperwork.critical
- Week 1Apply for NIE at police station or Spanish consulate. Required for everything else.critical
- Week 2Open Spanish bank account. Sabadell, BBVA, CaixaBank serve non-residents.critical
- Week 2–3View properties with advisor. Place reservation deposit (1%) on chosen.
- Week 4–5Sign deposit contract (Arras), pay 10%. Hire bilingual lawyer for due diligence.
- Week 9–10Apply for residency: NLV (passive income), Digital Nomad Visa, or Entrepreneur Visa. Golden Visa is no longer available — abolished with effect from 3 April 2025.critical
- Week 10–11Register healthcare — private insurance starts. Public SNS after residency card issued.
- Week 10–12Enrol kids in school for September start (apply by January for next year cycle).
- Week 11–13Complete at notary and pay the balance — a cash purchase typically takes two to three months from reservation to deed; longer with a mortgage. ITP on a resale, or AJD on a new build, is then self-assessed on Modelo 600 within two months; IVA on a new build is paid to the developer with the price. Register at Land Registry.critical
- After the deedSet up utilities transfer (Endesa electricity, water board, internet). Often needs new contracts.
- Week 11–13Buy or transfer car. ITV technical inspection. Spanish driving licence if non-EU.
- Month 4+File annual taxes. If you moved for work and qualify, file the Beckham option on Modelo 149 within six months of the start of the activity shown in your Social Security registration.
Questions people ask before the move
- Why do so many people relocate to Marbella specifically?
- Marbella combines conditions that rarely overlap in one town: about 320 sunshine days a year on the Mediterranean, Málaga airport about 50 minutes away, Sierra Nevada skiing about 2 hours 15 minutes away by car, and a mature English-speaking infrastructure of international schools and private healthcare. Two tax rules matter to newcomers and neither is a blanket exemption: the Beckham regime, for people who move to Spain for work, and Andalusia's wealth-tax relief, which above a threshold gives way to the state solidarity tax. The Golden Visa is not among the reasons: it was abolished with effect from 3 April 2025.
- Should I buy property in Spain personally or through a company?
- The purchase taxes are the same either way. A resale in Andalusia pays ITP at 7% and no AJD; a new build pays IVA at 10% plus AJD at 1.2% (11.2% together) and no ITP. For a primary residence or a single property, a personal purchase is usually simpler. For several properties or a family wealth structure, a Spanish SL (Sociedad Limitada) is often considered: it adds annual accounting (about €2,000–4,000) and Corporate Tax at 25% on profits, and gives a professional structure for rental operations and a clearer succession. The right answer depends on the buyer's country of tax residence — this is general information, not tax advice.
- Is the Spain Golden Visa still available?
- No. Spain's investor residence visa (the Golden Visa) — every route, not only property — was abolished by Ley Orgánica 1/2025 of 2 January (final provision 21), in force since 3 April 2025. Buying property gives no right of residence at any price. Applications filed before that date are decided under the old rules, and permits already granted keep their validity and can be renewed under them. The residence routes described on this site are the Non-Lucrative Visa, the Digital Nomad Visa and the Entrepreneur Visa. The Beckham regime is a tax option that can sit on top of a work-based route; it is not a route itself.
- What are the international schools in Marbella?
- The schools described on this site are Aloha College (Nueva Andalucía), Swans International (Sierra Blanca), English International College (Elviria, Marbella East), Laude San Pedro International College (San Pedro de Alcántara), Atalaya Colegio Internacional (Estepona), Sotogrande International School (Sotogrande), Atlas American School (Nueva Andalucía) and British School Marbella (Marbella centre). Most enrol by January for a September start. Each school publishes its own fees, and they change every academic year; this site does not restate them.
- Is Sierra Nevada skiing really accessible from Marbella?
- Yes. Sierra Nevada (the Pradollano resort) is about 2 hours 15 minutes from Marbella by car, via the A-7 and then the A-92. It is Spain's southernmost ski resort and is open from December to April. It is possible to ski in the morning and be on the beach in Marbella by late afternoon.
- What is the Beckham Law and who qualifies?
- The Beckham regime is a tax regime, not a visa: it gives no right of residence. Under Article 93 of Ley 35/2006, a person who moves to Spain for work and was not tax-resident there in the five preceding years can opt, for the year of arrival and the next five, to be taxed at 24% on work income up to €600,000 and 47% above. The option is filed on Modelo 149 within six months of the start of the activity shown in the Social Security registration (Article 116 of the income-tax Regulation, Real Decreto 439/2007). Buying a home does not by itself qualify: the move must be for work.
- Can I drive my existing foreign car in Spain after moving?
- A car registered in another EU country must be transferred to Spanish plates within 30 days of establishing residency: you pay the registration tax (IEDMT, about 5–14% depending on CO2 emissions) and pass the Spanish ITV inspection. A car imported from outside the EU also pays customs duty and IVA. Many newcomers sell abroad and buy in Spain instead: a used car bought here pays 4% ITP on the transfer, and fully comprehensive insurance runs about €600–1,500 a year.
- How strong is property capital growth in Marbella?
- No source can quote a figure. No appreciation or year-on-year figure exists for these addresses: it would need closing prices at two dates, and Spain publishes none. What can be measured is asking prices. The Marbella Property Index has measured the whole published register from €350,000 since 13 August 2026. Current asking prices by zone, each with its sample size and date, are on the Marbella Property Index.
- What is the climate like year-round?
- Marbella has a subtropical Mediterranean climate: about 320 days of sunshine a year, winter daytime temperatures of 17–19°C, summer 28–32°C with a sea breeze. Rain falls mostly between November and March. The sea-swimming season runs from May to November. The Sierra Blanca range to the north shelters the coast from cold northerly winds.
- What if my budget is below €1.5 million?
- The published register starts at €350,000. The curated Selection tier starts at €1.5 million. Apartments and townhouses below the Selection tier are therefore on the register directly. Muse Selection (museselection.es) and Muse Marbella (musemarbella.es) are two sites of one company, Muse 2.0 S.L., and one desk. Below €350,000, the public portals are the place to look.
Talk to the desk
Muse Selection was founded in Marbella in 2024. Muse Selection lists residences for the owners and developers who instruct it and introduces buyers to residences on the shared register. 7,506 residences published from €350,000 (deduplicated). Some residences are not published and are shown by introduction. A first briefing is free and without commitment — we walk you through the route that fits your situation.
Contact: info@musemarbella.es · +34 600 677 121 · Two offices in Marbella: Avenida Arias Maldonado 2, 29602 Marbella, and Calle Agricultor Jose Urbano 19A, 29670 Marbella.