Fuengirola · Málaga · Marbella · Estepona
Move, buy and own on the Costa del Sol. Minus the guesswork.
The sunshine is the easy part. Whether you are retiring, buying a second home or moving a remote career, the visas, taxes and property costs are where the dream stalls. We turned them into clear, sourced guides written from here. Read, tick the boxes, move.
- Every figure sourced & dated
- Written by a named resident
- No developer sponsorships
New: free calculators & tools — monthly budget, Modelo 210 tax, buying costs and a visa picker, built on the guides' sourced figures.
Start with your passport: 🇺🇸 For Americans · 🇬🇧 For UK owners & movers
Or follow a topic map: Buying · Non-resident tax · Visas · Moving money
Buying & Owning Property
What it really costs to buy, own, rent out and sell, with the sums worked through.
- The Real Cost of Buying Property in Málaga as an American (2026) Line-by-line 2026 costs for an American buying a €600,000 home in Málaga: 7% ITP, fees, Modelo 210, US reporting, and the currency spread worth $18,000.
- What €600,000 Really Buys on the Costa del Sol in 2026 (Cost Breakdown by Town) What €600,000 buys in Marbella, Fuengirola, Málaga, Estepona, Benalmádena and Mijas in 2026: floor space per town, buying costs, and annual ownership taxes.
Tax & Estate
Spanish and home-country tax, reporting duties, wills and inheritance.
- Modelo 210 for British Holiday-Home Owners: The Annual Tax Everyone Forgets (2026) Modelo 210 explained in plain English: UK owners of Spanish holiday homes must file yearly even with no rent. 2026 rates, deadlines, penalties and a filing walkthrough.
- The Beckham Law for Remote Executives and Tech Talent (2026): 24% Flat Tax Explained Spain's Beckham Law gives qualifying newcomers a flat 24% tax on employment income for six years. Who qualifies in 2026, the savings, and the Modelo 149 trap.
- US Taxes When You Move to Spain: FBAR, FATCA, and What Nobody Explains (2026) Moving to Spain doesn't end US tax duties. What Americans must know about FBAR, FATCA Form 8938, the FEIE vs Foreign Tax Credit choice, and Spain's Modelo 720.
Visas & Residency
NIE, TIE, visas and the 90/180 rule: the paperwork, in the right order.
- How to Move to Spain as a Wealthy Person Now the Golden Visa Is Gone (2026) Spain's Golden Visa ended in April 2025. Compare the real 2026 routes for wealthy movers: NLV, Digital Nomad Visa with Beckham Law, or Entrepreneur Visa.
- Non-Lucrative Visa vs Digital Nomad Visa for Americans (2026): Which One? NLV or Digital Nomad Visa? 2026 income floors, Beckham tax access, and application steps compared side by side for Americans moving to the Costa del Sol.
- The 90/180 Rule After Brexit: How British Second-Home Owners Track It (EES 2026) How the 90/180 Schengen rule works for British second-home owners in Spain, how the 2026 EES tracks every day, and the legal routes to longer stays.
- The Right Order to Move to Spain: Why You Sort Tax Before Residency (2026) Why you settle your tax position before triggering Spanish residency: the 183-day switch, Beckham timing, visa routes, and property steps in order.
Money & Banking
Bank accounts, currency transfers and pensions paid across borders.
- Moving $500,000+ to Spain: Bank, Broker or Wise? (2026) A typical bank takes ~3% on a large USD-EUR transfer; a currency broker ~0.5%. On $500,000 that is a $12,500 difference. How to move six figures safely in 2026.
- Opening a Spanish Bank Account as an American: FATCA-Friendly Banks (2026) American banks don't operate branches in Spain, but these Spanish banks and neobanks accept US citizens in 2026: BBVA, Santander, Revolut and more, W-9 included.
Healthcare
Public, private and the convenio especial, with real costs by age.
Living Here
Where to live, what it costs month to month, and how to settle in.
- Cost of Living: Costa del Sol vs the United States (2026), Line by Line The coast runs 24–35% cheaper than the US overall, but the line that decides it is health cover before 65: ~$1,244/month unsubsidized at home vs ~$260 here.
- The Real Cost of Living on the Costa del Sol in 2026 (Monthly Budget by Household) A couple lives well on €2,365–€3,665 a month. Build your own budget with the interactive calculator, then check rent, health cover and groceries town by town.