Cost of living in Marbella.

Rental costs in Marbella have risen sharply since 2022 and show no sign of softening. A two-bedroom apartment in a good location (Nueva Andalucía, San Pedro, Marbella East) rents for €1,500–€2,500 per month unfurnished. A three-bedroom family villa with a pool in a mid-range urbanisation runs €3,000–€5,500 per month. Golden Mile and beachfront properties command €6,000–€15,000+ per month. All figures are for long-term (12-month) contracts; short-term summer lets are 2–4x higher.

For owners, annual running costs on a typical three-bedroom villa in Marbella include IBI (property tax) of €1,500–€4,000, basura (waste tax) of €250–€400, community fees of €200–€600 per month if in a gated urbanisation, garden and pool maintenance of €300–€600 per month, home insurance of €800–€2,000 per year, and utilities of €200–€500 per month. Total annual ownership costs for a mid-range villa sit around €25,000–€40,000 before mortgage payments.

Supermarket costs in Marbella are broadly comparable to the UK and 20–30% below northern European equivalents. Mercadona, the dominant chain, is excellent value for daily groceries: a full weekly shop for a family of four runs €120–€180. For imported and specialist products (British brands, organic, Asian ingredients) there are international supermarkets like Iceland, SuperCor (El Corte Inglés group) and various delicatessens, all at a premium.

Fresh produce at local markets (Marbella town market, San Pedro Sunday market) is meaningfully cheaper and better quality than supermarket equivalents, particularly fruit, vegetables, fish and cured meats. A monthly grocery budget for a family of four, mixing supermarket and market shopping, typically runs €600–€900.

Eating out in Marbella ranges from €10 for a menú del día (three-course lunch with wine) at a local Spanish restaurant to €200+ per head at Michelin-level restaurants like Skina or Leñi’s Marbella. A mid-range dinner for two with wine at a good restaurant in the old town or San Pedro costs €60–€100. Beach club day passes with lunch run €40–€80 per person at Nikki Beach or similar, and €15–€30 at the more local chiringuito beach restaurants. Coffee in a café costs €1.50–€3.00. A gin and tonic in a bar costs €8–€14.

The practical tip: the further you eat from Puerto Banús and the beachfront tourist strip, the better the value. Old-town Marbella, San Pedro and Estepona all have excellent Spanish restaurants where locals eat at local prices.

International school fees range from €6,000 to €18,000 per year per child depending on the school and age group, with associated costs (transport, uniforms, lunch, extracurriculars) adding €2,000–€4,000 on top. Spanish state schools are free.

Private health insurance for a family of four costs €300–€600 per month with Sanitas or Adeslas, covering outpatient care, hospitalisation, dental and specialist consultations at Hospital Quirón or HC Marbella. Public healthcare is free for tax residents and covers GP visits, emergency care, prescriptions (with co-pay) and hospital treatment at the Costa del Sol Hospital.

A car is effectively essential in Marbella. Public transport (buses) exists but is limited and slow. Most families run one or two cars. Petrol costs roughly €1.50–€1.65 per litre. Car insurance runs €400–€1,200 per year depending on the vehicle and driver history. ITV (MOT equivalent) is €40 every two years for newer cars.

Taxis in Marbella are reasonably priced: a trip from the old town to Puerto Banús costs around €12–€18. Uber does not operate on the Costa del Sol; Cabify is available but coverage is patchy outside peak hours. For flights, Málaga airport is 45–60 minutes from central Marbella and handles direct flights to over 120 European cities. Gibraltar airport (British Airways to London) is 60–75 minutes from Marbella.

A comfortable expatriate lifestyle for a family of four in Marbella, renting a three-bedroom villa, two children at an international school, private healthcare, one car, eating out regularly, costs roughly €7,000–€12,000 per month (€84,000–€144,000 per year) before property purchase or mortgage costs. A more modest lifestyle, renting a two-bedroom apartment, state schooling, public healthcare, less frequent dining out, can work at €3,500–€5,000 per month. At the top end, a Golden Mile lifestyle with private staffing, multiple vehicles, club memberships and fine dining adds up to €20,000–€35,000 per month or more.

These are real numbers based on what our team and clients spend. The point is not to discourage but to inform. Marbella is meaningfully less expensive than London, Paris or Monaco for a comparable quality of life, but it is not the bargain that some relocation guides suggest.