Let Out Property in Málaga

Let out property in Málaga — the letting market

Looking to let out property in Málaga? Málaga on the Costa del Sol has solid demand for holiday accommodation year round. Letting out property in Málaga provides an ongoing return and covers maintenance and property tax during the periods you are not using it yourself.

Málaga offers excellent letting opportunities — both to tourists and long-term tenants. The Spanish tourist licence (licencia turística) is required for short-term lets and requires registration with the Junta de Andalucía.

Tourist licence and rules in Málaga

To let your property in Málaga on a short-term basis (under roughly 2-3 months per tenant) you need a valid tourist licence. In Andalusia this is issued by the Junta de Andalucía, and you must register the property with a specific licence number that must appear in all listings.

The rules are actively enforced, and fines for illegal letting can run into several thousand euros. It is therefore essential to have the licence sorted before you start advertising the property on Airbnb, Booking.com or similar platforms.

Expected rental income in Málaga

In high season, a property in Málaga can typically be let for 700-1,800 EUR per week in high season for an apartment or smaller villa. Over a full year, with a realistic occupancy rate of 50-70% in the most popular areas, this can provide a solid ongoing return — particularly if the property is also used privately outside the season.

Remember that rental income must be taxed in Spain (typically 19% for EU citizens on net income) and may also need to be declared in your home country — but double taxation treaties typically prevent you from paying full tax twice on the same income.

How to get started letting in Málaga

Start by applying for a tourist licence from the Junta de Andalucía, and make sure the property meets the requirements for safety, fire equipment and signage. Next, you should invest in professional photos — in a market like Málaga, where direct flights from across europe is a big part of the appeal, good photos make a real difference to your booking rate.

Consider whether you want to manage the letting yourself, or use a local property management company that handles key handover, cleaning and guest communication — particularly relevant if you do not live in Spain full time.

Long-term letting as an alternative in Málaga

If you prefer a more stable, less administration-heavy solution, long-term letting (over a year) to locals or expats can be a good alternative to seasonal short-term letting. It does not require the same tourist licence, but is instead governed by the general tenancy law (LAU), which gives the tenant stronger rights.

Life and culture in Málaga

Málaga celebrates Semana Santa (Holy Week) with some of Spain's most moving processions, where heavy religious floats are carried through the streets by hooded brotherhoods (cofradías). In mid-August the city explodes into Feria de Málaga — a week-long festival of flamenco, fairground stalls (casetas) and street parties that run well into the early hours. Málaga is also the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, and the cultural pulse shows in the excellent Museo Picasso and the Spanish branch of the Centre Pompidou down by the harbour.

The historic centre holds the Moorish Alcazaba fortress, a Roman theatre at its foot, and the distinctive cathedral known locally as "La Manquita" ("the one-armed one") because its second tower was never completed. Nightlife clusters around Plaza de la Merced and the colourful Soho district with its street art, while the Teatinos university area draws a younger crowd. Málaga has a lively café and bar culture around the clock, but without quite the same club-heavy scene as Marbella and Puerto Banús.

Location and infrastructure

Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport sits practically inside the city and is one of Spain's busiest, with direct flights to Copenhagen, Billund and Aarhus. That makes Málaga the natural gateway to the whole Costa del Sol.

The Cercanías train (line C1) connects the airport directly to Málaga city centre in under 15 minutes and continues on to Fuengirola — one of the most useful transport links on the entire coast. The city also has a well-developed bus network and a two-line metro. Taxis are easy to find everywhere, and both Uber and Cabify operate here, which is not a given in smaller towns along the coast.

Tourism & leisure

Málaga's beaches — La Malagueta, Pedregalejo, El Palo — are sandy, though with the darker, greyish sand typical of this stretch of coast rather than the white sand found elsewhere. There are a few golf courses nearby (including Parador Málaga Golf and Guadalhorce), but the city is not a golf-centred destination the way Marbella or Sotogrande are — proximity to golf is a nice bonus rather than a defining feature.

The centre, Soho and the areas around the university can be noisy in the evenings and at weekends, while residential neighbourhoods such as El Limonar and Churriana are noticeably quieter. Málaga's climate is among the mildest on mainland Europe — average winter temperatures sit around 13-18°C and summer around 24-29°C, with generally less rain and higher humidity than Madrid, though it's drier than Spain's green north coast (Galicia, Asturias).

Everyday costs & what to know before you let out in Málaga

Eating out in Málaga is generally cheaper than in Marbella or Puerto Banús — a tapas dish typically costs 3-6 EUR, and the local speciality espeto (grilled sardines on a skewer) is a cheap and popular beachside lunch. As a resident, expect realistic rent levels around 700-1,300 EUR/month for a 2-bedroom apartment, though prices are rising fast as the city grows in popularity with digital nomads and tourists.

Before you buy: be aware that the most popular neighbourhoods, such as Soho and the centre, can have limited parking and a fair amount of evening noise from restaurants and bars. Always check whether the property falls within a zone with tourist-licence restrictions, since the city of Málaga has introduced limits on new short-term letting licences in parts of the centre to curb overtourism.