Buying a property in Mijas: our honest area guide

Mijas is one of the fastest-growing municipalities on the Costa del Sol, and that is no accident. You sit between Málaga and Marbella, twenty minutes from the airport, with twelve kilometres of coastline, dozens of golf courses nearby and a white mountain village as a backdrop. The mix of holiday feeling and full amenities (schools, healthcare, shopping in Las Lagunas) makes it attractive for personal use and rentals alike.

Compared with Marbella you generally pay less per square metre in Mijas, while the beach comes with the same sea. That price gap is the quiet engine behind the popularity of areas like La Cala and Riviera del Sol.

La Cala de Mijas is the most popular: a real village by the sea with restaurants, a promenade and life all year round. Prices are firm by now, especially for new builds within walking distance of the beach. Riviera del Sol and Miraflores, slightly towards Marbella, often give you more for your money: hills with sea views, golf next door and plenty of new developments. This is where we bought ourselves.

Calahonda is large and established, with an international community and lots of resale stock, so entry prices are sharper there. Mijas Pueblo is for romantics: authentic, white and atmospheric, but supply is small and a village house is not practical for everyone. And if you want amenities rather than holiday atmosphere, look at Las Lagunas, where the local market dominates.

New build is a serious market in Mijas: modern complexes with pools, underground parking and energy ratings older urbanisations cannot match. You often buy off plan, pay in stages during construction and receive a home that is rental-ready on day one. The downside: you need patience, usually eighteen months to three years.

We did exactly this: we bought our Coral penthouse at Coral Mijas Residencial off plan, with delivery due mid Q1 2028. Resale has the advantage that you can enjoy it immediately and see exactly what you are buying, but budget for renovation on older apartments. Both routes can work out well; it comes down to your time horizon and your nerves.

In Andalusia, allow roughly 10 to 13 percent in costs on top of the purchase price. On resale you pay transfer tax (ITP, a flat 7 percent in Andalusia); on new build you pay 10 percent VAT (IVA) plus stamp duty (AJD, around 1.2 percent). Add notary, land registry and a lawyer. That lawyer is not a luxury but a must: they check licences, debts attached to the property and the build guarantees.

You will also need an NIE number (the Spanish identification number for foreigners), and a Spanish bank account helps. The process itself: reservation contract, private purchase contract with a deposit (usually 10 percent), then the escritura at the notary. Rules and rates change; treat this as guidance, not legal advice.

Many buyers in Mijas rent their home out to holiday guests at least part of the year, and demand is real: the area draws sun and golf visitors year round. But tourist rentals are regulated in Andalusia. You need a registration as a vivienda de uso turístico (VUT), rules have tightened in recent years, and owners' communities have gained more say over rentals in their building. Check this before you buy, not after.

You can read our own approach on this site: we will run our penthouse as a holiday rental from delivery, with a waitlist until then. Realistic rental figures depend heavily on location, quality and how seriously you take the hospitality side.

Buying in another country means different rules, a different language and a market full of parties who all want to earn something from you. Our biggest lesson: choose one party you trust as your single point of contact, and let them coordinate the rest.

For international buyers, Costa del Sol Invest is such a point of contact: guidance on new build and resale along the whole Costa del Sol, from first search to key handover. Ask your questions freely, even if you are still dreaming; looking around costs nothing.