Orihuela Costa vs Los Alcázares: 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
- Orihuela Costa30,17130,171 registered residents in Orihuela Costa; Orihuela municipality ~89,000 (Orihuela padrón, end 2025). British are the largest nationality on the coast.Los Alcázares20,400Approx. 20,400 permanent residents (INE padrón, January 2025).
- British residents
- Orihuela Costa~10,500Los AlcázaresNoticeable for a town of its size. The Mar Menor generally, and Los Alcázares in particular, attracts British retirees and second-home owners, and there is an established English-speaking presence alongside the Spanish community. No confirmed municipal-level UK-national count is available.
- Nearest airport
- Orihuela CostaAlicante–Elche (~60 km); Murcia Corvera (~50 km)Los AlcázaresMurcia–Corvera (~35 km); Alicante–Elche (~100 km)
- Nearest hospital
- Orihuela CostaHospital Universitario de Torrevieja (public, ~15 km)Los AlcázaresHospital care at Hospital General Universitario Los Arcos del Mar Menor in San Javier (~10 km)
- Train
- Orihuela CostaNone direct — nearest at Orihuela or MurciaLos AlcázaresNone. Bus and car only.
- Sunshine
- Orihuela Costa2,851 hrsCosta-wide figure · a year · AEMET Alicante, 1981–2010Los Alcázares2,621 hrsCosta-wide figure · a year · AEMET San Javier, 1981–2010
- 2-bed rent
- Orihuela Costa~€890/monthCosta-wide figure · ≈70 m² at €12.7/m² · idealista asking rents, Sep 2026, Alicante provinceLos Alcázares~€660/monthCosta-wide figure · ≈70 m² at €9.5/m² · idealista asking rents, Sep 2026, Región de Murcia
- Renting and buying
- Orihuela CostaVaried by urbanisation. Apartments from ~€75,000 (Villamartín) to €200,000+. Townhouses ~€150,000+. Villas with pool from ~€300,000. Active new-build market. Strong rental demand.Los Alcázares~€2,150/m² average asking price (Idealista, September 2026), up strongly on the year. Apartments and townhouses dominate; lagoon-front properties carry a premium. Tourist-rental registration required before letting.
- Who it suits
- Orihuela CostaRetireesGolfersSecond-home ownersHoliday-rental investors
- Families: Moderate
- Retirees: Excellent
- Remote workers: Low
- Second-home owners: Excellent
- Golfers: Excellent
Los AlcázaresFamiliesRetireesSecond-home ownersHoliday-rental investors- Families: Excellent
- Retirees: Good
- Second-home owners: Good
- Holiday-rental investors: Good
- What works
- Orihuela Costa—Los Alcázares—
- What to weigh up
- Orihuela Costa—Los Alcázares—
- Town guide and topic pages
- English-speaking businesses
| Orihuela CostaThe British expat capital of southern Costa Blanca — urbanisations, golf courses and arguably the highest British concentration anywhere in Spain. | Los AlcázaresA compact Mar Menor resort town with around 7 km of shallow, calm beaches and a palm-lined promenade — a quieter alternative to La Manga. | |
|---|---|---|
| Costa and region | Costa BlancaAlicante · Valencian Community | Costa CálidaMurcia · Region of Murcia |
| Population | 30,17130,171 registered residents in Orihuela Costa; Orihuela municipality ~89,000 (Orihuela padrón, end 2025). British are the largest nationality on the coast. | 20,400Approx. 20,400 permanent residents (INE padrón, January 2025). |
| British residents | ~10,500 | Noticeable for a town of its size. The Mar Menor generally, and Los Alcázares in particular, attracts British retirees and second-home owners, and there is an established English-speaking presence alongside the Spanish community. No confirmed municipal-level UK-national count is available. |
| Nearest airport | Alicante–Elche (~60 km); Murcia Corvera (~50 km) | Murcia–Corvera (~35 km); Alicante–Elche (~100 km) |
| Nearest hospital | Hospital Universitario de Torrevieja (public, ~15 km) | Hospital care at Hospital General Universitario Los Arcos del Mar Menor in San Javier (~10 km) |
| Train | None direct — nearest at Orihuela or Murcia | None. Bus and car only. |
| Sunshine | 2,851 hrsCosta-wide figure · a year · AEMET Alicante, 1981–2010 | 2,621 hrsCosta-wide figure · a year · AEMET San Javier, 1981–2010 |
| 2-bed rent | ~€890/monthCosta-wide figure · ≈70 m² at €12.7/m² · idealista asking rents, Sep 2026, Alicante province | ~€660/monthCosta-wide figure · ≈70 m² at €9.5/m² · idealista asking rents, Sep 2026, Región de Murcia |
| Renting and buying | Varied by urbanisation. Apartments from ~€75,000 (Villamartín) to €200,000+. Townhouses ~€150,000+. Villas with pool from ~€300,000. Active new-build market. Strong rental demand. | ~€2,150/m² average asking price (Idealista, September 2026), up strongly on the year. Apartments and townhouses dominate; lagoon-front properties carry a premium. Tourist-rental registration required before letting. |
| Who it suits | RetireesGolfersSecond-home ownersHoliday-rental investors
| FamiliesRetireesSecond-home ownersHoliday-rental investors
|
| What works | — | — |
| What to weigh up | — | — |
| Town guide and topic pages | Orihuela Costa guide →HealthcareAdminHousingCost of LivingCommunityIntegratingDaily LifeThings to DoSchools | Los Alcázares guide →HealthcareAdminHousingCost of LivingCommunityIntegratingDaily LifeThings to DoSchools |
| English-speaking businesses | 55 listed in Orihuela Costa → | 11 listed in Los Alcázares → |
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.
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