Little Stockholm
Swedish nationals completed an estimated 1,212 property transactions across the five major Costa del Sol municipalities: Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella, Benahavís, and Estepona. Swedish buyers concentrate heavily in certain areas while maintaining a strong presence in premium locations.
Marbella recorded the highest number of Swedish transactions, with Fuengirola close behind. Notably, Fuengirola claimed the largest market share at 13.74%. After the top four municipalities – Marbella, Fuengirola, Estepona, and Mijas- transaction volumes dropped significantly.
Swedes are particularly drawn to areas like Nueva Andalucía, and the new Notaries portal gives us stats that we can drill down to postcode level.
In postal code 29660, which includes Nueva Andalucia and Puerto Banus, Swedes are the number 1 foreign buyer nationality with 14% of all transactions by foreigners in the 12 months to September 2025 according to Notary data. Approximately 124 sales were made to Swedish buyers in the 29660 postal code area during this period. This represents approximately 31% of the total estimated Swedish purchases across the entire Marbella municipality (which was 396 sales) and approximately 4.5% of all foreign sales across the entire Marbella municipality.
The buyer profile has been shifting from retired couples to include young families and remote workers, attracted by the lifestyle, climate, and the presence of amenities like the Swedish School of Marbella.
The table below provides a municipal breakdown of the estimated sales volume and market share for Swedish buyers.
| Municipality | Total Sales | % Foreign Buyers | Swedish Share of Foreign Buyers (%) | Estimated Swedish Sales |
| Marbella | 4,366 | 63.25% | 9.07% | 396 |
| Benahavís | 720 | 83.13% | 9.60% | 69 |
| Estepona | 3,548 | 70.09% | 6.35% | 225 |
| Mijas | 3,461 | 67.42% | 6.32% | 219 |
| Fuengirola | 2,207 | 56.31% | 13.74% | 303 |
| Benalmadena | data not available | |||
| TOTALS | 16,529 | 63.46% | – | 1,212 |
Residents vs Non-Residents?
Despite the evident trend toward relocation, the majority of Swedish buyers on the Costa del Sol are non-residents. Notary stats show that approximately 85% of Swedish buyers on the Costa del Sol (Malaga Province) are non-residents.
Zooming out, according to Spain’s National Institute of Statistics (INE), approximately 20,000 to 22,000 Swedish citizens officially resided in Spain as of January 2024. However, the actual number is likely much higher. Unofficial estimates suggest around 100,000 Swedes may be living in or regularly staying in Spain.
This discrepancy exists because INE figures only count those who have formally registered as residents in municipal records. Many Swedes own property or spend extended periods in Spain without officially registering, exercising their right to free movement within the European Union.
Straight answers to straight questions:
- how many Swedish people buy property in Marbella each year? Approximately 400, according to Notaries’ data for the 12 months to September 2025
- how many Swedish people buy property in Benahavis each year? Approximately 70, according to Notaries’ data for the 12 months to September 2025
- how many Swedish people buy property in Estepona each year? Approximately 225, according to Notaries’ data for the 12 months to September 2025
- how many Swedish people buy property in Mijas each year? Approximately 220, according to Notaries’ data for the 12 months to September 2025
- how many Swedish people buy property in Fuengirola each year? Approximately 300, according to Notaries’ data for the 12 months to September 2025
*Notaries’ data for the 12 months to September 2025 corresponding to Malaga Privince
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