Foreign renters drive soaring demand for homes in Nerja and Malaga province

Property portal Idealista reports that Nerja has become a hotspot for overseas renters, with half of all rental searches in the town coming from non-Spanish users during the first quarter of 2026. Only a few Spanish municipalities reached a similar overseas share, while Mallorca and Alicante topped the national list. In the broader Malaga province, 24% of rental searches are foreign-origin, making it one of the country's most internationally sought rental markets.

The United States, the United Kingdom and Sweden account for the largest share of foreign interest, and British renters are especially significant in the province, followed by Americans and Germans. Other coastal towns such as Almuñecar (45%) and Salobreña (43%) also show strong foreign search activity. These figures reflect a growing trend of expatriates and long-term renters targeting the Costa del Sol, intensifying competition for available homes.