If we choose the best place by looking at the sales chart of the Spanish real estate market and the purchasing tendencies of our customers, Málaga and Cádiz are two locations that come to mind first in Andalusia. But of course, other regions are not inferior. There is a region for all lifestyles and needs here.

Choose Your Best Area in Andalusia to Live!

Andalusia is the Spanish Autonomous Community that is the most populated region and has the second-largest land area in Spain. It is a land of bullfights, flamenco, historic cities, picturesque landscapes, and sandy beaches. The coastline is over 800 km long, and you can swim at many points.

Andulusia-mapIt is divided into 8 provinces;

  • Seville
  • Málaga
  • Cádiz
  • Huelva
  • Córdoba
  • Jaén
  • Granada
  • Almería

Unique Seville is the capital and the largest city of Andalusia. Below you will find the general characteristics of the regions. Which one do you think is perfect for living in Andalusia, Spain?

Seville

Seville, architectureColorful traditions, historical architecture, endless tapas, and more are the elements that make up the identity of Seville, the city of sunlight. It is one of the most beautiful cities you have ever seen in terms of architecture and public spaces. The capital is also a source of ancient magic with the three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which are:

  • Alcázar of Seville is a royal palace that offers an astonishing mix of architectural styles.
  • The Catedral de Sevilla is famous for its visual magnificence and for being the burial place of Christopher Columbus.
  • The Archivo General de Indias (General Archive of the Indies) is a repository of valuable archival documents showing the history of the Spanish Empire in America and Asia. The building, designed by Juan de Herrera, is an Italian example of Spanish Renaissance architecture.

In this city, where there is more to visit, many positive aspects of living are available. First, it is a relatively inexpensive city with beautiful architecture, affordable public transport, and outstanding cuisine.

Mountains and other scenic beauties are at your feet to relax on the weekends. As we said, the weather is enjoyable, but July and August can be a bit hotter. But there are numerous beaches where you can cool off in the heat of these months. The top 5 beaches are:

  • Bolonia Cadiz
  • Punta Umbria
  • La Fontelina
  • Cala de Aceite
  • Canos de Meca

The job opportunities are relatively diverse, especially in the tourism sector. As one of the most visited vacation destinations, you can easily find a job in the service sector.

The cost of living and housing in Seville is affordable. To give an idea, a single person can live on € 600 per month without rent. If you buy a property in Seville, you can live in a European city at affordable prices, with your profitable investment for sure.

Málaga

Malaga, Bull-ringKnown as the cultural capital of the Costa Del Sol, Málaga is a commercial and cultural hub of the Andalusian coastline. When we examine the region on the basis of daily life:

  • There is no end to the wide variety of social activities, which are also affordable.
  • It is home to museums, lively nightlife, and delicious cuisine.
  • The public transportation system is pretty good and reasonable, but residents choose to get around the city by bike.
  • To give an example, the average grocery expenses are 30% lower than in Amsterdam. The same quality is obtainable at a more affordable price when compared to many European countries.
  • It is one of the top safe places to live in Andalusia. It scored highly with a safety index of 72, which is ahead of Madrid and Barcelona.
  • Healthcare is both of good quality and affordable.
  • Málaga’s Soho offers a visual fest with many vibrant street communities. If you are into art, it is heaven for you!

It is absolutely perfect for those looking for warm weather all year round, a laid-back lifestyle, leisure options, and good living conditions. It proves all these pluses by being named the second-best city for ex-pats by Internations in 2021.

In the Housing Subcategory of the same research, Málaga is named first in terms of the local cost of living and 5th based on housing affordability and the ease of finding a suitable home.

It is also one of the most demanded provinces by our customers. The municipality of Benalmádena, in particular, has grown rapidly in recent years due to tourism activities and has become one of the prime holiday spots on the Costa del Sol. Benalmádena Pueblo, Benalmadena Costa, and Arroyo de la Miel are the best places to live in Benalmádena.

Some of their motivations to live in Malaga are:

  • There is a wide variety of real estate in Málaga.
  • As a European city, the housing market is relatively reasonable.
  • It offers a high investment potential. The city is becoming more and more recognizable, and in parallel, the houses are gaining more and more value.
  • As a notable tourist destination, residents prefer to rent out their properties when they are not in use. Renting out generates a substantial income.

The Costa Del Sol, meaning “Sun Coast”, is a region that includes coastal towns and communities along the coastline of Málaga and the eastern part of Campo de Gibraltar in Cádiz. It is the rising star of Málaga.

Its name derives from its sunny climate, present most days of the year. It is also a well-known destination in Spain, attracting millions of tourists with its beaches. About 35% of Andalusian tourism is concentrated in the region; in 2009, there were 17 million overnight stays.

It has everything you need for a cozy and super comfy life. Its white houses, magnificent green gardens, luxurious life, golfing, and more are calling visitors from all over the world. Owning a home in Costa Del Sol is very attractive, lucrative, and exclusive for investors.

Cádiz

The Cathedral of CadizCádiz is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe, located on the south coast of Spain. It was founded 3000 years ago by the Phoenicians and later also ruled by the Romans. Much of its history has been well preserved.

It covers an area of ​​4 square miles, which makes it an extremely walkable city. Wandering around the old towns in Spain is always a different experience, but the gorgeous narrow streets and squares in Andalusia have something extra magical for visitors.

As you can imagine, the larger cities in Spain are multicultural and welcome thousands of tourists every year. But, Cádiz has a truly Spanish soul because not much has been discovered.

Locals know each other, and most in the city go back several generations, such as tapas bars and some restaurants with menus almost unchanged from 50 years ago.

If you live here, you get a chance to sunbathe and swim on Atlantic Ocean beaches; La Caleta, Playa de Santa Maria del Mar, and Playa de la Victoria in Cadiz. Many have won plenty of awards. Located at one end of the peninsula, La Caleta is the best-known popular spot by tourists and locals that can be a little crowded.

Here you can benefit from warm temperatures all year round. It will be enough to allocate a low budget for heating costs as the temperatures vary between 16 and 17 degrees in winter.

We see that the property market in Cádiz focuses more on villas with gardens and terraces. This is probably because designers prefer to eliminate the need for people to go somewhere to spend time outside. The weather is beautiful, and there are many activities to do, at least a walk on the beach. Why would you be stuck at home?

Prices are reasonable compared to other cities in Spain. For example, houses for sale in Cádiz are 30% cheaper than houses for sale in Barcelona.

Huelva

Huelva, known as the Door to the Atlantic, is located in the south of Spain. It has a border with Portugal and a coast to the Atlantic Ocean.

In the historical process, it was a meeting point for many civilizations, such as the Romans, the Phoenicians, and the Carthaginians. That’s why you’ll be embraced by its rich historical and monumental heritage.

Today, the land is pictured as one of the unique places that have everything a visitor looking for in a destination. Beaches, history, art, everything…

To describe the city a bit, the land is surrounded by dunes of marshes of the famous Doñana National Park. It is one of the important wetlands of Europe, in which you can see different ecosystems, such as lagoons, aloe veras, moving dunes, cliffs, pine groves, marshlands, 30 kilometers of white beaches, and so on.

Plaza de las Monjas is the well-known main square in the city, built in the early 16th century. You can easily explore the city starting from here. It is full of restaurants, cafes, and local shops.

It may be more peaceful to live in this city which is more nature-oriented. You can take nature walks in the fresh air and spend time on the beach.

Córdoba

Cordoba, Mosque-CathedralIt is located in the north-central part of the autonomous community of Andalusian and bordered by the provinces of Málaga, Seville, Jaén, and Granada.

Córdoba was one of the 3 most important culture and learning centers of the world with Baghdad and Cairo in the 10th and 11th centuries. It became the first city with street lighting, a central water supply, and paved streets. Its population, which is 300 thousand today, was 1 million at that time.

Not surprisingly, it is the most important historical place in Andalusia with more than 600 libraries and works in the fields of art, architecture, and philosophy. Here are the top 5 historical places that come to mind:

  • Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba (It is a Mosque-Cathedral, accepted as one of the greatest works of Islamic architecture in the world.)
  • Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (The meaning of the name is Castle of the Christian Monarchs, which is a medieval Alcázar or Palace.)
  • Plaza de la Corredera (The largest and most famous square in Cordoba.)
  • Conjunto Arqueologico Madinat al-Zahra (It is an archaeological site dating back to the Umayyad caliphate, 8 km from Cordoba.)
  • Templo Romano (It consists of the remains of a Roman Temple.)

As you can see, development is in the blood of this city, and still maintaining this skill. If you want to live in the city of firsts in Europe, it is the perfect option for you.

Jaén

It would not be a lie if we say that these 4 elements form the soul of Jaén; olive oil, great mountains, Renaissance architecture, and free tapas.

Jaén is a home of excellent olive oil, offering a dreamlike landscape for visitors passing through the Despeñaperros ravine which leads to the south. There are olive groves covering two-thirds of the cultivated areas in the province. Almost all districts have their own oil co-operatives, organizing fun activities for visitors to learn all about oil production.

Its nature reserves and highland have abundant Mediterranean vegetation and rich and diverse fauna. Here you have the chance to experience a quiet and peaceful life close to nature, rather than ordinary city life.

You can meet your art and cultural values in the towns of Úbeda and Baeza. These are the best places to encounter Renaissance architecture, palaces, chapels, cathedrals, and many more, recognized as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

So, if you are fond of living in a small but attractive city with clean air, here is a candidate to be your home as one of the best towns to live in Andalusia.

Granada

Castle, GranadaGranada is a blessed province with a Moorish heritage that is more than 700 years old. Here your typical weekend activity may start with walking through the medieval streets of the old Moorish city and entering the cave houses of the historic gypsy quarter, famous for its flamenco shows.

Granada is a lively and fun city as one-third of it is students. Tapas bars are brimming with crowded Spanish groups, artists are drawing the Alhambra at panoramic points, and there are locals in every corner who keep up with the rhythms. In short, there is life in the streets.

And there is a fact; If you don't visit the magnificent Alhambra Palace, you haven't experienced Andalusia. The palace was built in the 1200s and 1300s for the Nasrids who ruled the Emirate of Granada. Then, it also became the royal court of Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I and Ferdinand II. You may have a fascinating day by visiting the royal chambers, tranquil courtyards, divine renaissance, and Moorish palaces.

Granada, one of the most preferred places to move out, is very reasonable. There is a wide variety of properties in Granada, from small rustic inner-city flats to modern luxury apartments and larger traditional Spanish villas away from the city center.

The province is particularly suitable for real estate investment. Especially in the summer months, due to the high number of students, rentals are booked very quickly so many of them do not need to be advertised online at all. There is still a need for rental property. So buyers can take advantage of this situation.

Almería

The province of sun, siesta, and sea is located in the southeast of Spain. It is just two hours drive from Malaga and Alicante and a few hours' drive from Granada.

The main thing that distinguishes Almería from the others is to be the driest place in Europe. There is a desert climate here with plenty of sunshine and almost no rain. You can spend your days outside all year round. Therefore, it will be better if you live in a house with a garden or a terrace.

It offers very reasonable property prices and cost of living in Andalusia, Spain. To earn a living, it promises the best chance to find a job since the number of English-speaking people is high, mostly in the retail and hospitality industries. If you run your own business and work from home, you can live here stress-free.

Contact An Expert for Your Dream Home!

Real estate prices can sometimes go up and sometimes down. Working with an expert who knows the ups and downs of the market always leads you to make profitable investments. If you are also considering buying a property in Spain, tell our experts about the property of your dreams, and they will find it for you.

Wait no more, call Spain Homes’ professionals now!