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Pilar de la Horadada
The southernmost town on the Costa Blanca: a working Spanish town inland, with the beaches of Torre de la Horadada and Mil Palmeras on the coast and Murcia's airport close by.
Suited to: Families · Retirees · Second-home owners
- Costa
- Costa Blanca
- Province
- Alicante
- Population
- 24,316
- registered residents
- British Community
- 2,762
- Airport
- Murcia Corvera
- ~40 km
- Train
- None
- no rail or TRAM in Pilar de la Horadada
Updated 12 Oct 2026 · Facts checked against INE and the padrón · How we check
Decide
Is Pilar de la Horadada right for you?
Who it suits
- FamiliesGood
A real town with public schools that teach mainly in Spanish, sports facilities and beaches. El Limonar International School (British curriculum) is in Villamartín, Orihuela Costa, a short drive north.
- RetireesGood
Year-round town life, flat coastal districts and an English-speaking community. The public health centre is in town with clinics at Torre de la Horadada, Mil Palmeras and Pinar de Campoverde, but the hospital is in Torrevieja, about 20 km away.
- Remote workersModerate
A year-round town rather than a summer-only resort, and Murcia Corvera airport is about 40 km away. Little coworking locally. Check fibre coverage by street.
- Second-home ownersGood
Two airports within an hour's drive: Murcia Corvera (~40 km) and Alicante–Elche (~60 km). Coastal apartments in Torre de la Horadada and Mil Palmeras are easy to lock up and leave.
- Holiday-rental investorsModerate
Good summer demand on the coast, but the season is short and prices are higher than inland. Valencian VUT registration, a town hall planning report and community approval in shared buildings are needed.
The trade-offs
What works
- A real Spanish town that stays busy all year, not just a summer resort.
- Two airports within reach: Murcia Corvera (~40 km) and Alicante–Elche (~60 km).
- Beaches and a small marina at Torre de la Horadada and Mil Palmeras.
- Easy access to both the Costa Blanca and the Murcia region, including Cartagena (~40 km).
- A British-curriculum school a short drive away in Villamartín.
What to weigh up
- The public hospital is in Torrevieja, about 20 km away, even though Murcian hospitals are closer.
- No train or tram, and limited buses, so you will need a car.
- Asking prices are among the highest in the Vega Baja, especially near the sea.
- The coastal districts are quiet outside summer.
- Less English spoken in the town centre than in Torrevieja or Orihuela Costa, so some Spanish helps.
Costs
What it costs in Pilar de la Horadada
Typical figures, each with its source and date. Prices move, so check before you commit.
- Asking price
- ~€3,140–3,240/m²
- Municipality-wide monthly asking prices, March to August 2026
- Source: idealista, Aug 2026
- Coastal districts
- ~€3,155–3,585/m²
- Torre de la Horadada to Mil Palmeras, August 2026
- Source: idealista, Aug 2026
- Rent
- ~€12.2/m² a month
- Average asking rent
- Source: idealista, Aug 2026
- Typical rent
- ~€890 a month
- 70 m² flat, Alicante province average (€12.7/m²)
- Source: idealista, September 2026
Housing in Pilar de la Horadada →Cost of living in Pilar de la Horadada →
Guides
The Pilar de la Horadada guides
The place
About Pilar de la Horadada
Pilar de la Horadada is the most southerly municipality in Alicante province, on the border with the Region of Murcia. It had 24,316 registered residents on 1 January 2025 (INE), about 40% of them foreign nationals. The town itself sits a few kilometres inland, while the coastal districts of Torre de la Horadada, Mil Palmeras and El Mojón hold the beaches.
The town centre is a working Spanish town with shops, bars and schools that stays busy all year. Torre de la Horadada has a small marina with 525 moorings and sandy coves. Inland, Pinar de Campoverde is a pine-wooded urbanisation popular with northern Europeans.
For British movers it offers a more Spanish everyday life than Orihuela Costa or Torrevieja, with an established English-speaking community nearby. The catch is hospital access: the public hospital for the area is in Torrevieja, and the town has asked for residents to be able to use the closer Murcian hospital instead.
Practicalities
Practicalities
Getting there
- Southernmost municipality of the Costa Blanca, bordering San Pedro del Pinatar in the Region of Murcia. The town is inland; Torre de la Horadada, Mil Palmeras and El Mojón are on the coast.
- Murcia Corvera airport is about 40 km by road, roughly 35 minutes. Alicante–Elche airport is about 60 km, roughly an hour. The AP-7 motorway and the N-332 coast road both run through the municipality.
- No railway or TRAM. The nearest Renfe station is Balsicas–Mar Menor (~20 km). Buses run to Torrevieja and Alicante (Avanza/Costa Azul), Murcia (Interbus) and Cartagena (Busbam), and the town runs a local bus service.
Renting and buying
Prices are high for the southern Costa Blanca. idealista asking prices ran from €3,140 to €3,241/m² between March and August 2026. In August 2026 Mil Palmeras was the dearest district (€3,587/m²), with El Mojón at €3,462/m², Torre de la Horadada at €3,156/m² and Pinar de Campoverde at €2,944/m². Rents were about €12.2/m² a month. Tourist lets need a VUT registration.
Looking for an estate agent, lawyer or gestor? Browse local businesses in Pilar de la Horadada
First admin steps
- Padrón: register at Pilar de la Horadada town hall with your passport, TIE or NIE and proof of address.
- NIE/TIE: extranjería in Alicante; TIE fingerprinting at a National Police office by appointment. Local gestors can help.
- Healthcare: register at your public health centre once on the padrón. Your hospital is the public Hospital Universitario de Torrevieja, not the nearer Murcian hospitals, unless you are sent there.
- Tourist rental: Valencian registration (5-year validity), a favourable municipal planning-compatibility report, and since April 2025 a 3/5 community vote in shared buildings. Whole-home lets only.
- Language: Spanish in administration. The Vega Baja is an officially Spanish-speaking area of the bilingual Valencian Community.
Not sure which visa or residency route fits? Compare the routes for British movers
Map
Pilar de la Horadada on the map
Pins show the town, its nearest airport and the towns nearby. Positions are approximate.
Stay
Where to stay in Pilar de la Horadada
Hotels, apartments and holiday lets for a scouting trip, with live prices. Zoom out to see the towns nearby.
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Get help
Get help in Pilar de la Horadada
English-speaking businesses and the offices you will deal with.
Local businesses
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Town finder
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Questions
Pilar de la Horadada: common questions
Is Pilar de la Horadada a good place to retire from the UK?
Good. Year-round town life, flat coastal districts and an English-speaking community. The public health centre is in town with clinics at Torre de la Horadada, Mil Palmeras and Pinar de Campoverde, but the hospital is in Torrevieja, about 20 km away.
Is Pilar de la Horadada good for families?
Good. A real town with public schools that teach mainly in Spanish, sports facilities and beaches. El Limonar International School (British curriculum) is in Villamartín, Orihuela Costa, a short drive north.
How much does property cost in Pilar de la Horadada?
Prices are high for the southern Costa Blanca. idealista asking prices ran from €3,140 to €3,241/m² between March and August 2026. In August 2026 Mil Palmeras was the dearest district (€3,587/m²), with El Mojón at €3,462/m², Torre de la Horadada at €3,156/m² and Pinar de Campoverde at €2,944/m². Rents were about €12.2/m² a month. Tourist lets need a VUT registration.
Which airport is closest to Pilar de la Horadada?
Murcia Corvera (~40 km); Alicante–Elche (~60 km)
Can you get to Pilar de la Horadada by train?
None — no rail or TRAM in Pilar de la Horadada. Nearest Renfe station is Balsicas–Mar Menor (~20 km) in the Region of Murcia, on the Murcia–Cartagena line. Buses: Avanza/Costa Azul to Torrevieja and Alicante, Interbus to Murcia and Busbam to Cartagena.
How big is the British community in Pilar de la Horadada?
Established, but a smaller share of the population than in Rojales or Torrevieja. The padrón recorded 2,762 UK-born residents in 2022 (INE data by country of birth, via foro-ciudad). No more recent dated count of British nationals was found. British residents are spread across the town, the coastal districts and Pinar de Campoverde, alongside other northern Europeans.
How do I register on the padrón in Pilar de la Horadada?
register at Pilar de la Horadada town hall with your passport, TIE or NIE and proof of address.
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Last updated: 12 Oct 2026