The answer lives in this podcast
Is it better to rent or buy first when relocating to the Costa del Sol?
If you can afford to buy, buy. Rental prices on the Costa del Sol are currently very expensive, and finding a suitable long-term rental within a reasonable budget has become increasingly difficult. Relocators who start by renting risk getting trapped in a costly cycle that delays — or derails — their move entirely.
How the advice shifted: from "rent first" to "buy if you can"
Ten years ago, when Warner and his co-host made the move from Ireland to the Costa del Sol with two young children, they started by renting. At the time, that cautious approach made sense — it gave them time to learn the area before committing to a purchase.
The rental market on the Costa del Sol today looks nothing like it did a decade ago. Prices have risen sharply, and the stock of long-term rental properties suitable for relocating families or individuals on a sensible budget has shrunk considerably. What was once a sensible soft-landing strategy has become a financial pressure point for many new arrivals.
Warner addresses this directly in The Costa Property Podcast: the old "rent to test the water" playbook no longer holds as a default recommendation. Buying — if financially accessible — is now the sounder starting point.
The numbers that make renting the riskier bet
Spanish banks lend between 60% and 70% of loan-to-value for foreign buyers. That means buyers need to bring a meaningful deposit to the table — but it also means that purchasing is a realistic path for many people who assume it isn't.
On top of the property's list price, buyers should budget an additional 10% to 12% to cover taxes, legal fees, and purchase costs. For a 350,000-euro property, that's roughly 35,000 to 42,000 euros in additional outgoings. It's a real number — but so is the cost of an overpriced rental that adds up month after month while you wait to find the right property to buy.
These figures are broken down clearly in this episode of The Costa Property Podcast, giving prospective buyers a concrete framework to assess their own financial position before making any decisions.
"We knew that the life that we had in Ireland wasn't sustainable for the growth of our family and our children and we just made that decision."
Warner — Co-host & Relocation and Property Expert, WL Costa Properties.
Warner relocated from Ireland to the Costa del Sol a decade ago alongside his partner, bringing two young children with them. Since then, he and his co-host have built hands-on expertise buying, flipping, and renovating investment properties across the region. They now run WL Costa Properties, a property and relocation advisory business dedicated to helping international buyers navigate the move — drawing directly on the decisions, mistakes, and hard-won lessons from their own journey. Warner describes himself as the dreamer in the partnership; his co-host handles the planning. Together, they have guided numerous families and individuals through the relocation process, including those who first visited on a holiday and left knowing they wanted to make it permanent.
That decision — made without a safety net, with two babies and a one-way commitment — is precisely what gives Warner's advice on the rent-or-buy question its weight. He isn't theorising. He has lived both sides of it, and the rental market he navigated then is categorically different from the one that greets newcomers today.
For anyone weighing up their options before making the leap, The Costa Property Podcast treats this not as a philosophical debate but as a practical, budget-driven calculation — one that increasingly points toward buying sooner rather than later.
It's also worth noting that relocation is rarely just a financial decision. Warner and his co-host acknowledge that one partner should expect to focus on family integration for approximately three months before returning to full employment after arriving on the Costa del Sol. Factoring that runway into your budget — whether renting or buying — is part of an honest financial plan. This broader relocation context is explored at length in this episode.
See also
What are the visa priorities for non-EU citizens wanting to move to the Costa del Sol?
For anyone coming from outside Europe, understanding visa eligibility is Priority One before taking any other steps. Post-Brexit UK buyers also face specific requirements that need to be understood before planning a move.
Can foreign buyers get a mortgage in Spain on the Costa del Sol?
Foreign buyers can access Spanish mortgages, but banks will typically lend between 60% to 70% of the loan-to-value ratio. Buyers need to understand their borrowing ceiling before starting the property search in earnest.
How much deposit do you need beyond the property price when buying on the Costa del Sol as a foreign buyer?
Beyond the list price of the property, buyers should budget an additional 10% to 12% on top of the purchase price to cover taxes and costs. For example, a 350,000-euro property requires roughly 35,000 to 42,000 euros in additional funds.
Key takeaways
- Renting first was the hosts' own approach 10 years ago, but they no longer recommend it as the default — the Costa del Sol rental market has changed significantly since then.
- Long-term rentals on the Costa del Sol are now expensive and hard to find at a comfortable budget, making the rental-first strategy a potential financial trap rather than a soft landing.
- Foreign buyers can access Spanish mortgages (60–70% loan-to-value), and purchase costs run 10–12% on top of the list price — figures that make buying a calculable, not speculative, decision.
- The honest recommendation is clear: if you can afford to buy, buying is the better option from day one on the Costa del Sol.
Hear the full episode on Listenly
Warner and his co-host walk through every question that comes after a life-changing Costa del Sol holiday — step by step, with real numbers.