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Marina Alta · Costa Blanca
Calp/Calpe is a good choice if you are looking for a lively, international coastal town with every amenity and do not mind the summer crowds around the Peñón, but less suitable if you want peace and quiet and an authentic Spanish village.
Calp/Calpe is one of the best-known names on the Costa Blanca North, and that is no accident. The town has everything that buyers from the Netherlands, Britain and Scandinavia are looking for: a landmark of real stature (the rock of the Peñón de Ifach), kilometres of beach, a marina, a compact old centre and a year-round infrastructure of supermarkets, restaurants and healthcare. Calp is moreover the only large Spanish municipality where foreigners are in the majority, which means you easily find your way into an international community, English and German are spoken everywhere, and daily life is perfectly manageable without fluent Spanish. For anyone looking for a second home or a place to retire with a wide choice of property types — from move-in-ready apartment to detached villa with sea views — Calpe is a logical candidate.
According to the most recent idealista report, the average asking price in Calpe in June 2026 was €3,567/m², a rise of +2.7% year on year (idealista, June 2026). Flats and apartments, at an average of €3,884/m², are dearer than houses and villas (roughly €3,200/m², indication), and there is a considerable spread between neighbourhoods: from roughly €2,886/m² in Oltamar-Cucarres to roughly €5,260/m² on the beach at Playa Arenal-Bol. With a budget of €300,000 you end up, as a guide based on these figures, with an apartment of some 80-100 m² in the centre or a cheaper part of town; with €500,000 you get into the range of a more spacious villa with sea views in neighbourhoods such as Maryvilla or Ortembach, depending on condition and location. Renting costs, according to idealista's valuation data, an average of €14.1/m² per month (April 2026), with apartments around €14.9/m² and villas around €12.2/m². For a complete overview of the additional costs when buying, see the guide to costs.
Outside July and August Calpe is a good deal quieter and there is a wide choice of winter lets, often at considerably lower prices than in high season. Many owners let their property from October to May to winter residents, while using it themselves or letting it to tourists in summer. When searching, note the distinction: lets of up to 10 consecutive days to the same tenant count as tourist lets and require registration in the Registro de Turismo of the Comunitat Valenciana; wintering for several months falls under the tenancy law (LAU) and usually runs through a seasonal tenancy agreement (arrendamiento de temporada), with no tourist licence but with less tenant protection than a permanent tenancy. Always ask about the type of contract before you book or sign — see the guide to lettings for the details.
Calpe has a 24-hour health centre (Centro Sanitario Integrado); the hospital for the region is in Dénia (Hospital de Dénia). There are also several large supermarkets and schools, including international education in the wider region (Altea, Jávea, Benissa). Alicante-Elche airport (ALC) is 76-80 km away, about 50 minutes' drive; the city of Valencia is around 123 km by road, roughly 1 h 20-1 h 25 min. Public transport consists of bus routes to Benidorm, Altea and Valencia, and a stop on TRAM line 9 (Benidorm–Dénia), back in normal service since January 2025; from Alicante you change in Benidorm. The timetable is limited compared with what you may be used to at home. For daily life, shopping outside the centre and visits to, for instance, the hospital in Dénia or Alicante, a car is all but indispensable in practice.
In July and August Calpe, especially around the Peñón de Ifach and the beaches, is considerably busier: full car parks, queues at restaurants and a price peak in bars and restaurants. If you are after peace and quiet, factor that season into your planning or come to view outside the high season. Because of Calpe's fame, the price level is higher than in less well-known neighbouring villages in the Marina Alta. When buying a villa in the hills, check whether the land is registered as urbano (building land) or rústico (rural land), because that determines what may and may not legally be built — check this with the ayuntamiento (certificado urbanístico) and have your lawyer check the nota simple. The Spanish coastal law (Ley de Costas) may also be relevant for properties close to the sea or the rocky coast; if in doubt, have this legally checked before you sign, and see also the guide to pitfalls and the buying process.
According to idealista the average asking price in June 2026 was €3,567/m², with flats and apartments around €3,884/m² and detached houses/villas around roughly €3,200/m² (indication). There is a wide spread between neighbourhoods: Oltamar-Cucarres is the cheapest at roughly €2,886/m², Playa Arenal-Bol the most expensive at roughly €5,260/m².
Yes, Calpe is a popular place to spend the winter: outside the high season there is a wide choice of long-term lets, amenities (supermarkets, GPs, café terraces) are open all year and the atmosphere is calmer than in summer. Do note the distinction: lets of up to 10 consecutive days to the same tenant count as tourist lets and require a licence (registration in the Registro de Turismo); wintering for several months falls under the tenancy law (LAU) and usually runs through a seasonal tenancy agreement (arrendamiento de temporada), with no tourist licence but with less tenant protection — always ask about this.
That depends on what you are looking for. For peace and views, many Dutch and Scandinavian buyers choose Maryvilla or Ortembach on the hills; for walking distance to the beach and bars and restaurants, Playa de Levante or the old centre are more popular; Empedrola, Playa Arenal-Bol and Oltamar are favourites with those seeking a middle way between villa living and proximity to amenities.
Calp is the only large Spanish municipality (over 20,000 inhabitants) where foreigners are in the majority: 53.1% of the population holds a foreign nationality, with Colombians, Britons and Ukrainians as the largest groups. Dutch and Scandinavians are well represented, especially among second-home owners, but do not form a majority in themselves.
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Updated on 11 September 2026. Figures are indicative; always check the latest figures.