Buying a home in Malaga province is becoming increasingly out of reach for many locals, particularly in the capital and along the Costa del Sol, where prices continue to climb sharply.
With the average price now sitting at €4,106 per square metre, affordable options are shrinking – pushing many buyers to look inland to smaller towns.
The cheapest place to buy
According to March 2026 data from Idealista, just six municipalities in the province still offer homes for under €1,000 per square metre.
The most affordable is Villanueva de Algaidas, near Antequera, where prices average just €607/m2.
The contrast with the coast is stark. In Marbella, prices reach €5,572/m2 – more than nine times higher.
Even in Malaga city, where the average stands at €3,720/m2, buyers pay over six times more than in the province’s cheapest town.
Six towns still under €1,000/m2
The most affordable areas are mainly inland, far from the pressure of coastal demand. However, even these markets are heating up.
Alameda stands out. While still relatively cheap at €908/m2, prices there have surged by 44.6% in a year, the biggest rise among the most affordable areas.
Other towns like Campillos remain below €1,000/m2 but are also seeing steady growth, while Casarabonela is the only one in this group where prices have slightly fallen, though it still sits just under the threshold at €998/m2.
Rising prices spread inland
Beyond the cheapest towns, several still offer homes below €2,000/m2, but many are seeing rapid increases.
Antequera has seen prices rise by over 25%, while Colmenar and Mollina are also experiencing strong growth.
This trend reflects a wider shift. As buyers are priced out of the coast and the capital, demand is moving into inland areas and pushing prices up there too.
Pressure spreads to commuter towns
The ripple effect is also being felt in towns within commuting distance of Malaga.
Places like Cartama, Coin and Velez-Malaga are becoming increasingly popular alternatives, but prices are rising quickly as a result.
In Velez-Malaga, for example, prices have jumped 23.6% in a year, now exceeding €2,000/m2.
A widening gap across the province
At the top end of the market, the Costa del Sol continues to dominate. Marbella leads, followed closely by Benahavis, both firmly above €5,000/m2.
The gap between these hotspots and inland towns highlights a growing divide in Malaga’s housing market.
