Obtaining Residency in Spain through Property Purchase
For buying property in Spain, you can obtain permanent residency and a companion visa for your spouse, children, and parents for just 500,000 euros. Residency in Spain through property purchase does not require a presence condition, and given the rising property prices in Spain, it can be said that this investment method is profitable in every respect.
Having a NIE identification number and sufficient financial capability of at least 500,000 euros are among the conditions for purchasing property in Spain. In some cases, through obtaining a loan, applicants can proceed to buy property and obtain residency with costs of around 350,000 euros.
The Malekpour Institute can, under specific conditions, lease your property from the start for a price between 100,000 to 200,000 euros and arrange for you to acquire residency in Spain for 350,000 euros. All you need is to contact our consultants for a free assessment of your situation.
Conditions for Buying Property in Spain
The cost of obtaining residency and immigration to Spain through property purchase is at least 500,000 euros, which can be less depending on family size but will have different residency implications.
In Spain, buyers can purchase property in installments, and in some cases, properties worth €350,000 can qualify for residency. After purchase, you can rent out the property to cover costs. A NIE (Número de Identificación del Extranjero) is mandatory for all property transactions and must be included in purchase documents. Residency can also be obtained by renting property, typically costing €600–€800 per month.
Necessary Documents for Buying Property in Spain
To buy property in Spain, the applicant is required to submit a series of documents to the government of this country. Some required documents for purchasing property in Spain include:
- The original and a copy of the personal pages of your passport are required.
- A financial identification number or NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero) which is a financial identification number for non-nationals. In order to buy a property, you will need a NIE.
- Provide the original and a copy of your identity card.
- If you are buying a residential property, you must have documents proving that the seller is a valid owner.
- Financial information showing that you are able to pay the installments and other purchase costs.
- Request permission from the Spanish Ministry of the Interior as some regions may require specific permission.
- A formal property purchase contract which must be signed by both parties.
- If the property has previously belonged to someone else, evidence of previous ownership (ownership history) may also be required.
- Provide your clean record.
Eligible Applicants for Buying Property in Spain
One of the advantages of investing in property in Spain is that applicants can proceed with this type of investment without any restrictions, and it is not necessary for individuals to be citizens of EU member countries. Investing in real estate in Spain can be made through buying commercial or residential properties, or even land, and this type of investment is supported by the government of this country.
To pursue investment in Spain, applicants must visit the police station and present their passport to obtain an economic number. It is worth noting that the time required for this process for citizens of EU member countries takes about one day, but for applicants from other countries this process may take 2 to 3 weeks.
Important Points Before Buying Property in Spain
Knowing important points before buying property in Spain is essential for individuals intending to make a purchase in this country.
While there are many considerations, we have summarized five critical points to consider before buying property in Spain:
| Research About the Area | Before deciding to buy property, it’s advisable to thoroughly examine the real estate market in your desired area. Property laws, prices, market conditions, local amenities, and other factors may influence your decision. |
| Visit the Property | Ensure you visit the desired property before making a purchase. This will allow you to closely review the property’s condition, structure, and amenities, ensuring it aligns with your expectations. |
| Financial and Legal Matters | Carefully examine legal and financial matters such as the property’s legal status, debts, prior ownership, and information pertaining to ownership. Seek assistance from an independent lawyer or property consultant to ensure the legal and financial transaction is conducted properly. |
| Review Expenses | Before purchasing, calculate all transaction-related expenses precisely. These expenses may include taxes, legal fees, document registration fees, and other costs. This information will help you have an accurate forecast of total expenses. |
Step-by-Step Process of Buying Property in Spain
The process of buying property in Spain can be divided into several steps. The step-by-step process of buying property in Spain is as follows:
- Initial research and finding a suitable property
- Negotiating the price
- Applying for a mortgage if needed
- Preparing legal documents and information
- Signing a purchase contract
- Financial settlement
- Transfer of ownership
- Handing over the keys
Buying Property in Spain with a Loan
In Spain, it’s possible to buy property with a loan. To obtain residency through real estate investment, you must purchase property worth at least €500,000, as valued by government-appointed experts. Some companies offer a 10-year rental agreement, paying around €150,000 as rent (considered a loan), allowing you to acquire the property with €350,000 plus the loan amount.
After ten years and obtaining residency in Spain, you will have two paths ahead:
- Returning the property and getting back the initial investment of 350,000 euros
- Selling a property that was worth 500,000 euros in the past and is now worth more
One of the most important points of this method is that you gain permanent residency after five years and Spanish citizenship after ten years. The method of buying property in Spain with a loan has no presence condition, and children will have the right to free education. In the method of buying property in Spain with a loan, there is a guarantee for the return of 350,000 euros.
Costs of Buying Property in Spain
The costs of buying property in Spain include the cost and amount needed for purchasing the property, as well as ancillary costs such as notary fees, title registration fees, taxes, and attorney fees.
Below is a table where you can see the ancillary costs of buying property in Spain and taxes associated with it.
| Costs required to buy a property in Spain | Cost amount + explanation |
| Notary Fee | This fee is 0.2 to 0.5 percent of the property price, which must be paid by the buyer. |
| Deed Registration Fee | The amount of this fee is 0.1 to 0.25 percent of the property price, which must be paid by the buyer. |
| Property tax costs | New property: IVA and IAJD taxes. IVA tax is about 10% and IAJD tax is about 0.4 to 1.5% of the property price, which must be paid by the buyer. Used property: ITP tax is 6 to 10% of the property price, which must be paid by the buyer. |
Legal Steps for Buying Property in Spain
The first step in buying property in Spain is obtaining a tourist visa to visit and choose your desired property. Once decided, book an appointment with a notary in Spain and secure your NIE identification code from the police department. You must also provide clearance from electricity, gas, and water departments. After finalizing the contract and paying costs, the property deed is registered in your name.
To apply for a Spanish residency visa, the property must be officially in your name. Required documents include a completed visa application form, a recent photo, a valid passport, a criminal record certificate, proof of funds from your bank, health insurance, and the translated property deed.
Below are the legal steps for buying property in Spain.
- Obtain a Spanish tourist visa
- Select property in Spain
- Execute the purchase contract
- Obtain the NIE identification code
- Obtaining the necessary inquiries
- Make an appointment with the notary office in Spain
- Officially register the property deed in your name
- Present documents to the Spanish embassy
- Apply for residency in Spain
Price of Houses in Spain
The price of houses in Spain varies depending on the size of the property, location, city, and whether it is urban or rural. The average price for purchasing a house in Spain is approximately 406,000 dollars or 203 dollars per square foot. The price of real estate in Spain has been consistently rising and has increased by 7.6 percent compared to the previous year in 2025. The Balearic Islands have the most expensive houses in Spain.
The second most expensive region for buying a house in Spain is Madrid. The average price of a house in Madrid is about 642,000 dollars, which is 4.3 percent more than last year. The price per square foot for houses in this region is 321 dollars.
| City | House prices in Spain (prices in dollars per square meter) | Annual change in house prices in Spain |
| Andalusia | 207 | 9.7% |
| Aragon | 141 | 5.3% |
| Asturias | 138 | 1.4% |
| Baleares | 404 | 14.8% |
| Canarias | 229 | 11.4% |
| Cantabria | 157 | 4.0% |
Price of Buying Villas in Spain
The price of buying a villa in Spain varies like anywhere else in the world based on land area, building size, amenities, region, city,… and most importantly, how much the buyer intends to spend on purchasing a villa. Depending on your budget, you can purchase a reasonably priced or luxurious villa.
Because it is possible to buy a villa in this country for amounts under 200,000 euros and even less than 100,000 euros. If you want to know the average cost per square meter for villas in various cities of Spain, you can review the table below:
| Location | Property price per square meter (in euros) |
| Malaga | 2,091 |
| Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 1,527 |
| Santander | 1,868 |
| Bilbao | 3,073 |
| Barcelona | 4,009 |
| Madrid | 3,682 |
| Valencia | 1,824 |
| Palma de Mallorca | 2,897 |
| Murcia | 1,069 |
| Toledo | 1,355 |
| Badajoz | 1,221 |
Price of Buying Apartments in Spain
Buying an apartment in Spain can be exciting and daunting for many reasons, especially for migrants who are moving abroad for the first time and are purchasing property in Spain for the first time. Property purchase processes vary across countries, having different implications and conditions. In addition to the price of buying an apartment in Spain, remember that you should consider additional costs and expenses.
Therefore, if you plan to buy property in Spain, especially an apartment, you need to factor in taxes and other ancillary costs. The cost per square meter of an apartment in Spain can range from 2,156 euros to 5,400 euros, depending on the city and other factors.
Price of Buying Hotels in Spain
If you are considering migrating to Spain through property purchase, you can also consider buying a hotel. To find a hotel you wish to purchase, you will need to negotiate conditions, price, and sales terms with the owner in Spain. This is not mandatory, and you can utilize an independent English-speaking consultant for this task. Besides, both the city and region determine the prices of hotels in Spain, and the number of stars also contributes to this matter.
Currently, there are 416 hotels for sale in Spain with an average price of 3,355,155 euros. The average price per square meter for acquiring a hotel in Spain is 3,469 euros. The Spanish cities with the highest number of hotels for sale are Altea, Calpe / Calp, and Marbella; the cheapest hotels in Spain can be found in Alora, Calpe / Calp, and Altea.
Price of Buying Farms in Spain
Buying a farm in Spain offers peace and quiet away from the city, but finding suitable land for commercial farming requires considering factors like soil type and irrigation. If no building exists, most rural areas require at least 10,000 m² for construction, though rules vary by region.
Prices differ across Spain; for example, in Asturias, land over 1,000 m² can cost under €50,000, but to qualify for purchase, the land value must generally be at least €100,000.
Cost of Renting Property in Spain
The cost of renting property in Spain, similar to the cost of buying property in this country, varies depending on the square footage, urban or rural status of the location, city center or outskirts, as well as whether the property is new or old. Buying a cheap apartment in Spain and renting it is a very suitable investment opportunity in this country.
The average rent price per square meter in Spain is 11.70 euros per square meter. This means that a 100 square meter apartment (the average size in Spain is 97 square meters) costs approximately 1,170 euros per month for new tenants.
Below is a table showing the rental costs of properties in Spain.
| City Name | Price in Euros per square meter |
| Barcelona | 19.8 |
| Madrid | 16.5 |
| San Sebastian | 16.3 |
| Bilbao | 13.3 |
| Palma de Mallorca | 13.3 |
| Malaga | 12.1 |
| Valencia | 11.4 |
| Girona | 11.2 |
| Las Palmas | 11.0 |
| Vitoria | 11.0 |
Best Cities in Spain for Buying Property
The price of buying property in Spain differs across its cities. Some of the best cities where you can commonly find listings for buying homes in Spain include Barcelona, Granada, and Marbella. We will discuss the best cities for buying property in Spain along with the property costs in each.
Price of Houses in Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is a city full of culture, food, and nightlife. However, living in the heart of this city comes with high costs, as it is one of the most expensive places in Spain to buy a house, and certainly some of the costliest properties in Spain can be found in Barcelona.
However, you can significantly reduce your housing expenses by examining houses in the city suburbs rather than the city center. The average price of a house in Barcelona, Spain, per square meter is as follows.
| Price of buying a house in Spain Barcelona | Price (amounts in euros) |
| Price of buying an apartment in the city center (per square meter) | 595000 |
| Price of buying an apartment outside the center (per square meter) | 3,083.29 |
Price of Buying Property in Valencia
Valencia is a very popular destination for migrants seeking pleasant weather, a high standard of living, and of course delicious food. Whether you are considering working in one of Spain’s major cities like Madrid, Barcelona, or Valencia or retiring on the beaches of Spain, you need to find somewhere to live.
While renting property in Valencia is certainly an option worth considering, many international applicants intending to stay in Valencia long-term choose to buy property in Spain. The price of buying property in Valencia per square meter is as follows.
| Apartment Purchase Price | Price (amounts in euros) |
| Price for buying an apartment in the city center (per square meter) | 3,204.55 |
| Price for buying an apartment outside the center (per square meter) | 1,650.00 |
Price of Buying Property in the Canary Islands
Politically, the Canary Islands belong to Spain, and the cost of buying property in the Canary Islands is almost the same as property costs in Turkey, so with buying property in the Canary Islands, you can obtain residency in Spain and subsequently Spanish passport. By purchasing property in these islands, in addition to obtaining residency in Europe through property purchasing, you can also earn a significant income by renting it out to tourists.
Coastal Areas in Spain
In coastal areas, such as Costa Brava and Costa del Sol, property prices tend to be higher due to the demand for holiday homes. For instance, a villa in Lloret de Mar in Costa Brava can vary from 650,000 euros to over 2,000,000 euros depending on its size and amenities.
Cost of Living in Spain
Another cost that applicants for immigration to Spain through buying property should consider is the daily living expenses in this country. Below in the table, we present some of these costs on average.
| Item | Cost (in Euros) |
|---|---|
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | 14.00 |
| Three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant | 60.00 |
| McMeal at McDonald’s (or equivalent combo meal) | 9.00 |
| 1 kg of white rice | 1.32 |
| 1 liter of milk | 0.97 |
| 500g loaf of white bread | 1.38 |
| 12 eggs | 2.52 |
| 1 kg of boneless chicken breast | 7.15 |
| 1 kg of apples | 2.05 |
| 1 kg of bananas | 1.99 |
| 1 kg of onions | 1.45 |
| 1.5-liter bottle of water | 0.77 |
| 1 liter of gasoline | 1.91 |
| One-way ticket (local transport) | 2.40 |
| Monthly utilities (electricity, heating, water, etc.) | 157.07 |
| Mobile phone tariff (1 min, prepaid local) | 0.22 |
| One pair of Levi’s jeans | 73.39 |
| One pair of men’s leather shoes | 103.65 |
Living Expenses in Granada:
The average monthly expenses for a family of four, excluding rent, is 2,259.9 euros, while the cost for a single person without rent is 633.7 euros. Granada is 41.0% cheaper than Sydney. Rent in Granada is approximately 71.0% less than in Sydney.
Living Expenses in Barcelona:
The average monthly living expenses for a family of four, not including rent, is 2,635.1 euros, and the cost for a single person without considering rent is 746.4 euros. Barcelona is about 29.9% cheaper than Sydney excluding rent. Regarding rental costs in Barcelona, they are approximately 44.5% less than in Sydney.
Benefits of Residency in Spain through Property Purchase
Buying property in Spain is one of the top investment methods in this country offering many benefits for investors. Among the most important advantages of residency in Spain through property purchase, in addition to safeguarding the principal investment, is the considerable profit that the applicant can achieve alongside obtaining residency in Spain.
Other advantages of residency in Spain through property purchase include the relatively low property prices in Spain compared to historical standards, as well as lower property prices in comparison to housing loan costs in Spain. Further advantages of obtaining residency in Spain through property purchase are listed below.
- This method does not require presence.
- Possibility of obtaining residence for spouse, dependent children under 30 years of age and parents
- Permanent residence after 5 years and passport after 10 years
- Free movement in 26 countries of the Schengen area
- Has a very strong and excellent infrastructure network
- The applicant’s spouse will have a work permit and children will have free education.
- Enjoying rich cultural and scenic places and tourist attractions
- High quality of life and security
- Living in a European country with a strong economy
- Having a very stable political environment
Converting Residency in Spain through Property Purchase to Passport
One popular route to residency in Spain is through the Golden Visa, granted to applicants who invest over €500,000 in Spanish real estate. This visa covers the applicant and their family, must be renewed every two years, and can lead to permanent residency after five years.
While temporary residency doesn’t require living in Spain, permanent residency does. After ten years of permanent residency, applicants can apply for Spanish citizenship and a passport.
Buying Property in Spain and Legal Assistance
Buying property in Spain is an important and complex matter that individuals cannot embark on without sufficient experience and knowledge in this field.
We have repeatedly seen cases where individuals have attempted to invest in Spain through property purchase without a reliable guide, yet they could not successfully complete their cases, and besides losing time and incurring expenses, they created a negative record in their investment and migration files.
Additionally, a lack of familiarity with legal terms or insufficient proficiency in the Spanish language may lead individuals to face exploitation and fraud; therefore, we strongly recommend consulting a credible property attorney before taking any actions to ensure secure investment.
Buying Property in Spain and Services by Malekpour Institute
Malekpour Immigration Institute offers professional services for buying property in Spain and other investment-based migration options. With decades of experience, the institute provides a unique plan where you rent a property for €100,000–€200,000 and pay only €350,000 yourself. If property prices drop within 5–10 years, you are guaranteed loss compensation.
No fees are paid before purchase; payments are made after the deed is registered in your name. The process typically takes 1–3 months, ensuring a secure and profitable investment. This program allows you to include your spouse, children under 30, and both your and your spouse’s parents in your application. Contact Malekpour Immigration Institute for expert guidance.
Buying Property in Spain and Legal Recommendations
When buying property in Spain, hire a lawyer fluent in both English and Spanish, with expertise in real estate law, as sellers may not speak English. Always visit the property in person rather than relying on online photos, which can be misleading.
Some properties may lack utilities like water or electricity. Ensure you deal directly with the legal owner, and if a representative is involved, verify the validity of their power of attorney before finalizing the purchase.
Buying Property in Spain and Investment Standards in Spain
Before investing abroad, it’s essential to understand a country’s investment standards. In Spain, two key factors are the risk of asset expropriation and the corruption control index. Asset expropriation risk measures the likelihood of a government seizing investor assets due to sanctions or political changes. Countries are rated from 1 (lowest risk) to 7 (highest risk); Spain ranks in the low-risk category, making it attractive for property investment.
The corruption control index ranges from -2.5 to +2.5, with higher scores indicating stronger protection against misuse of power by officials. Spain scores positively, showing a secure environment for investors seeking residency through property purchase.
Buying Property in Spain and Economic Indicators in Spain
Another major consideration for applicants investing in Spain through property purchase should focus on is the economic indicators in Spain. Among these impactful metrics on buying and renting properties in Spain, the inflation rate in Spain and the Gross Domestic Product growth status are emphasized, which we will review for you.
One important indicator in Spain is the inflation rate. Generally, inflation signifies price changes over a defined time period to the consumer. Another critical economic indicator influencing investment through property purchase in Spain is the GDP growth rate in this country. In general, this rate indicates a country’s economic growth compared to previous years.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Buying Property in Spain
- Is it possible to obtain residency in Spain through buying property?
Yes. You can acquire the Golden Visa or Spain’s Golden Visa if you purchase property worth 500,000 euros.
- Is buying a house in Spain profitable?
Spain is one of the countries where house prices are on the rise due to its active tourism industry, and substantial profits can also be made with short-term rentals.
- Does Spain’s golden visa have a presence condition?
No, you can maintain your residency without needing to be present in Spain.
- What is the minimum investment required to buy an apartment in Spain?
To ensure your investment leads to residency in this country, you must purchase property worth.
