Benidorm vs Altea: which suits British movers?
The facts British movers weigh up, next to each other. Every figure comes from our town guides, with its source and date.
- Costa and region
- Population
- Benidorm77,22177,221 residents (INE, 1 Jan 2025). Swells to 200,000+ in peak summer.Altea~24,592
- British residents
- Benidorm~3,500Altea~1,500
- Nearest airport
- BenidormAlicante–Elche (~65 km); Valencia (~150 km)AlteaAlicante–Elche (~70 km); Valencia (~140 km)
- Nearest hospital
- BenidormHospital Clínica Benidorm (private)AlteaHospital Marina Baixa (public, Villajoyosa, ~20 km) for major care
- Train
- BenidormTRAM-train (Alicante Metropolitan Tram) connects to Alicante and DeniaAlteaTRAM light rail to Alicante and Dénia. No high-speed train.
- Sunshine
- Benidorm2,851 hrsCosta-wide figure · a year · AEMET Alicante, 1981–2010Altea2,851 hrsCosta-wide figure · a year · AEMET Alicante, 1981–2010
- 2-bed rent
- Benidorm~€890/monthCosta-wide figure · ≈70 m² at €12.7/m² · idealista asking rents, Sep 2026, Alicante provinceAltea~€890/monthCosta-wide figure · ≈70 m² at €12.7/m² · idealista asking rents, Sep 2026, Alicante province
- Renting and buying
- Benidorm~€2,800–3,500/m² (2025–2026). Range from budget studios to premium seafront apartments. High rental yields. 11.5% price increase in 2025. Strong investor interest.Altea—
- Who it suits
- BenidormRetireesHoliday-rental investorsSecond-home ownersBeach lovers
- Families: Good (off-season)
- Retirees: Excellent
- Remote workers: Moderate
- Second-home owners: Excellent
- Holiday-rental investors: Excellent
AlteaRetireesArtistsSecond-home ownersRemote workersFamilies- Affluent retirees: Excellent
- Artists and creatives: Excellent
- Second-home owners: Good
- Remote workers: Moderate
- Families: Moderate
- What works
- Benidorm—Altea—
- What to weigh up
- Benidorm—Altea—
- Town guide and topic pages
- English-speaking businesses
| BenidormSpain's original skyscraper resort — two beaches, year-round tourism and the most famous British holiday destination in the country. | AlteaA whitewashed artist haven on the Costa Blanca — cobbled old town, international community and the highest property prices outside Marbella. | |
|---|---|---|
| Costa and region | Costa BlancaAlicante · Valencian Community | Costa BlancaAlicante · Valencian Community |
| Population | 77,22177,221 residents (INE, 1 Jan 2025). Swells to 200,000+ in peak summer. | ~24,592 |
| British residents | ~3,500 | ~1,500 |
| Nearest airport | Alicante–Elche (~65 km); Valencia (~150 km) | Alicante–Elche (~70 km); Valencia (~140 km) |
| Nearest hospital | Hospital Clínica Benidorm (private) | Hospital Marina Baixa (public, Villajoyosa, ~20 km) for major care |
| Train | TRAM-train (Alicante Metropolitan Tram) connects to Alicante and Denia | TRAM light rail to Alicante and Dénia. No high-speed train. |
| Sunshine | 2,851 hrsCosta-wide figure · a year · AEMET Alicante, 1981–2010 | 2,851 hrsCosta-wide figure · a year · AEMET Alicante, 1981–2010 |
| 2-bed rent | ~€890/monthCosta-wide figure · ≈70 m² at €12.7/m² · idealista asking rents, Sep 2026, Alicante province | ~€890/monthCosta-wide figure · ≈70 m² at €12.7/m² · idealista asking rents, Sep 2026, Alicante province |
| Renting and buying | ~€2,800–3,500/m² (2025–2026). Range from budget studios to premium seafront apartments. High rental yields. 11.5% price increase in 2025. Strong investor interest. | — |
| Who it suits | RetireesHoliday-rental investorsSecond-home ownersBeach lovers
| RetireesArtistsSecond-home ownersRemote workersFamilies
|
| What works | — | — |
| What to weigh up | — | — |
| Town guide and topic pages | Benidorm guide →HealthcareAdminHousingCost of LivingCommunityIntegratingDaily LifeThings to DoSchools | Altea guide →HealthcareAdminHousingCost of LivingCommunityIntegratingDaily LifeThings to DoSchools |
| English-speaking businesses | 55 listed in Benidorm → | 33 listed in Altea → |
Figures come from each town guide and are checked against official sources (INE padrón, AEMET, idealista). Costa-wide rows apply to the whole costa, not the town alone. A dash means we don't hold a checked figure yet.
Compare different towns
Popular comparisons
Towns people often weigh up against each other, grouped by costa.