Marbella is one of the most popular places on the Costa del Sol of Spain that expats consider moving to.
We interview locals and find out just what living in Marbella is REALLY like.
Should you move to Marbella?
We attempt to answer all your most popular questions to help you decide whether Marbella is the place for you or not.
For other related advice, see our popular moving to Spain page and our jobs & work in Marbella page.
Moving to Marbella
If you are thinking of moving to Marbella, then you must read our interview with El Chorrito Rural Real Estate below:
There are loads of advantages of living in Marbella, among them we can find the perfect weather most of the months in a year, peacefulness, security, multiculturalism, leisure, gastronomy, luxury, golf courses, beaches, great public transport connections, etc.
Would the area not suit certain types of people, i.e. are there any possible downsides?
Bearing in mind the multicultural atmosphere can be found in Marbella, every type of people is accepted and valued.
What proportion of the local population are Spanish?
The percentages of citizens in Marbella (2015) are the following:
– 30.4 percent are foreigners
– 27.88 percent are from Marbella
– 18.05 percent are from Málaga
– 13.45 percent are from Andalusia
– 10.21 percent are from the rest of Spain
In conclusion, the total percentage of Spanish citizens in Marbella is 69.59 percent.
What are your favourite things to do in the area?
In Marbella, there are many things anyone can do, things such as going to a restaurant or bar –as there are loads of them –, taking a boat ride, going to the beach, playing golf or going shopping to La Cañada –the largest and more luxurious shopping mall–.
Another option might be visiting interesting areas such as Marbella Este, Los Monterios, Marbella Centro (casco antigüo), Milla de Oro, Puerto Banús or Nueva Andalucía.
Can you give us some insider tips to the best bars or restaurants?
We have in Marbella a little world of bars and restaurants, for every type of people and of varying prices. We can name some of the most popular: Marbella Club, Marisquería Santiago, La Lonja, La Barca, La Pesquera, Ocen Club, Nikki Beach, La Venencia, El Trocadero.
Are there many facilities such as doctors and dentists, shops etc?
Marbella, like every “big town” has all the facilities a person needs to live fully. We can find public and private health clinics with English-speaking doctors, hospitals, dentists, aesthetic clinics –many people travel there to be operated, as they are well known–, luxury shops in Puerto Banús, La Cañada Shopping Center, El Corte Inglés, etc.
Are there smaller villages nearby that you might also recommend?
Monda and Guaro are highly recommended villages to visit, as they are close to Marbella and they have a lot of things to do in there. Some are Ojén, El Juanar, Estepona, Calahonda, Mijas, among others. In addition, it is important to highlight the fact that Marbella is really close to La Sierra de las Nieves, so it can be interesting to give the option of doing inland tourism.
What are the nearest internationals schools and how good are they?
Colegio Ecos, Las Chapas, Les Roches, The British School of Marbella, Swans International School Marbella, among others.
Is crime an issue for expats?
It is not, Marbella is a really secure city for every citizen.
Coming onto buying property – what is the market like now in terms of prices going up, down or staying the same?
At this point in time, prices are going up again.
Is this a good time to buy and are there any repossessions or very cheap properties still available to buy?
There are some remaining cheap repossessions/properties, the fact is that, on the one hand market opportunities is getting smaller; on the other hand, Marbella is a very fascinating place to live that it is really difficult to find cheap properties or to find prices going down.
What urbanisations are there and can you describe each one and how they might differ from each other?
Urbanisation Tiro de Pichón, Urbanisation Lorea Playa, Urbanisation Las Mimosas, Urbanisation Villa Marina, Urbanisation El Gamonal, Urbanisation San Javier, Urbanisation Ancón Sierra, Urbanisation El Vicario, Urbanisation Santa Petronilla, Urbanisation La Carolina, Urbanisation Cascada de Camojan, Urbanisation La Capellanía, Urbanisation Jardines Colgantes, Urbanisation Lomas Marbella, Urbanisation El Real Panorama, Urbanisation Lindasol, Urbanisation Los Monteros, Urbanisation Bahía Real, Urbanisation Las Brisas, Urbanisation Vistamar, Urbanisation Bosquemar, Urbanisation Los Pinos, Urbanisation Loma de Las Palmas, Urbanisation Belle Epoque, Urbanisation Cerrado de Elviria, Urbanisation Marbella Playa, Urbanisation Real de Zaragoza, Urbanisation Pinos Verdes, Urbanisation Artola Alta, Urbanisation Cabopino, Urbanisation Village de Santa María.
How much are typical property prices in Marbella for apartments, villas etc?
The average price per square meter for Marbella is 3,490 euros. The average price for properties in Marbella is 886,449 euros based on 1,354 properties.
For high standing considered properties, the price has to be a minimum 700,000 euros.
Any tips and advice to people looking to buy in Marbella or surrounding area?
If someone is looking for a property to live in Marbella, the best option is to contact real estates professionals. The reason is that they can mistakenly find properties that are not regularized, due to problems with the city council.
El Chorrito, thank you so much for taking the time to help our readers with your experiences in Spain. If you want to contact El Chorrito, you can find their details below.
El Chorrito Rural Real Estate
Website: elchorrito.es
E-Mail: elchorritorural@gmail.com
Telephone: +34 658 356 696
You can also go to our main Coín page where we have another fantastic interview with El Chorrito.
Contact us to be featured – we want more expat interviews for our newsletter and website. You don’t need to be an estate agent, we want to hear from anyone who lives in Spain whether you are working or retired.
Related Marbella Tourism Pages:
Near to Marbella:
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