Buying a home on the Spanish coast is not typically a budget option, with property being in high demand and low supply in beach locations. But there are still areas where a main residence is relatively affordable, and in some cases – especially if you're seeking a holiday home – are actually cheap.
When giving average buying prices for the following towns, we have based these on a property of 100 square metres. This could be, perhaps, a spacious three-bedroom apartment, or a small villa. These prices, though, are not set in stone: Exact property type and location can alter the cost significantly.
As Catedrais beach in Ribadeo - one of the cheapest coastal towns in Spain for buying property. Photo: Pxhere
The central hub of many coastal towns is often a few kilometres inland, and their beach neighbourhoods used almost exclusively by local residents in summer, when they move into their second homes. If you decided to live in the town proper, you would still be comfortably near enough to the beach to be able to enjoy it – typically a five- or 10-minute drive, or a 20-minute cycle ride away – and would be able to buy a home for considerably less.
Older properties – pre-2000 – are normally cheaper, and depending upon your willingness to refurbish your home and to what extent, you could save even more. Renovations needed might be merely cosmetic – ranging from repainting or, perhaps, retiling, through to replacing the kitchen and bathroom – or could involve major structural works. If the former is the case, you may even decide you can live with the original decades-old décor, particularly if you plan to use the property as a holiday home, if it means spending less.
If the property is not going to be your main residence, you won't need as much space, which will also reduce expense. In some coastal towns in Spain, you can find one-bedroom apartments for as little as €30,000 or €40,000.
Here are some of the cheapest coastal areas to buy homes in, each with a description and price range.
Galicia
You might have expected the cheapest coastal properties in Spain to be found in the north, which has cooler and shorter summers and does not appear on the international beach tourism trail. This is not necessarily true, although eight of the 10 least-expensive seaside towns for homebuyers are in the far north-western region of Galicia.
This green and pleasant land is a far cry from what you would expect a Spanish Costa to look like. Instead of palm trees, you'll find a lush, grassy landscape that benefits from constant light in winter, autumn and spring, and more closely resembles that of northern Europe. Galicia's emerald scenery, rugged cliffs and multiple river deltas – or Rías - are often likened to Scotland and Ireland and, indeed, the region shares strong historical ties with both.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com