Moving to the Costa Blanca and Costa Cálida
Buying the house is one part of the move. This is the practical ground: the paperwork, healthcare, schools and the rhythm of the year.
The admin
- NIE and residencyEveryone needs a NIE to buy. If you are moving for good, residency is the next step — the process differs for EU and non-EU citizens, and non-EU buyers often route through a non-lucrative or digital-nomad visa. A gestor or your lawyer can handle the application.
- PadrónRegistering on the town-hall census. It is quick, and it is needed for the local health centre and school places, and some town halls offer resident discounts.
- HealthcareEU residents can register through the state system; others take private cover, which is straightforward and inexpensive here. Private hospitals serve both the Costa Blanca and the Costa Cálida.
- SchoolingState, concertado (state-funded private) and international schools teaching in English. Places move fast for September — worth sorting before you complete.
Day to day
- Getting aroundAlicante-Elche airport serves the Costa Blanca, and Región de Murcia International airport the Costa Cálida, both with flights across Europe. You will want a car; the coast road and the villages behind it are not built for anything else.
- The seasonsSummers are hot and busy, winters mild and quiet. Spring and autumn are the reason people stay. If you are buying to live here year-round, visit in January before you decide — some resorts close down, the villages do not.
- LanguageYou can get by in English along much of the coast, but a little Spanish opens every door. In the Valencian Community, which includes the Costa Blanca, Valencian is an official language alongside Spanish.
Where to base yourself
We sell across Costa Blanca South — from Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa to Pilar de la Horadada — Costa Blanca North, from Alicante and Benidorm up to Jávea and Dénia, and Murcia's Costa Cálida around the Mar Menor.
Tell us how you want to live and we can suggest where to start looking.
Planning a move rather than a purchase? Tell us about it and we can help you work out where to start.