City in Spain
Marbella
Marbella is a Costa del Sol town of about 160,000 registered residents, where the town hall counts about a third of its residents as foreign. A British international school and an InterNations expat community are there. [N1] [B1] [M1] [Marbella S1] [I1]
- Country
- Spain
- Region
- Andalusia (province of Málaga)
- Population
- 159,786 in 2025. Marbella municipality, Municipal Register (padrón) at 1 January 2025. The town hall counted 173,420 at the start of 2026 (see the migration-data evidence). [N1]
- Settings
- By the sea [B1]
- Weather
- Four seasons [Marbella W1]
Why it is here
Why Marbella is on the list.
A city is listed when there is evidence that people move there. This is the evidence.
- InterNations, a private expat network, runs a Marbella community of 13,872 members whose DinnerNations group has 1,232 members from 102 nationalities. [I1]
- Aloha College Marbella, a British international school in Nueva Andalucía, Marbella, reports IGCSE, IB and A-Level results. [Marbella S1]
- A news roundup reports that on the town hall padrón Marbella had 173,420 registered residents at the start of 2026, of whom 63,206 were foreign (about 36%), and that foreign residents made up most of the 2025 growth. This is a secondary report of town hall figures. [M1]
The Fernshore Index
How it grades, factor by factor.
Each grade is against a published measure, with its source and the date we checked it. It is research information, not advice. Where we have no figure, the row says Unknown.
Cost of living
47 of 100MixedCountry figure
Price level 0.645 of United States prices (2025).
Source: Price level index (GDP), Spain. Checked 15 October 2026.
Climate
33 of 100WeakCountry figure
Zaragoza, the main city: 5 comfortable months a year (April, May, June, September and October).
Source: Climate normals 1991–2020, Zaragoza airport (WMO 8160). Checked 15 October 2026.
Safety
66 of 100MixedCountry figure
Global Peace Index 2026: 27th of 163.
Source: Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank. Checked 15 October 2026.
Healthcare
79 of 100StrongCountry figure
WHO UHC service coverage index 84 (2023).
Source: UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1). Checked 15 October 2026.
Schools
UnknownCountry figure
Our research doesn't cover schools yet.
Community
78 of 100StrongCountry figure
Expat Insider 2026 Ease of Settling In: 6th of 31.
Source: Expat Insider 2026: Ease of Settling In. Checked 15 October 2026.
Lifestyle
87 of 100StrongCountry figure
Expat Insider 2026 Quality of Life: 1st of 31.
Source: Expat Insider 2026: Quality of Life. Checked 15 October 2026.
Work and career
85 of 100StrongCountry figure
Strong: both tests hold. The telework visa and the residence permit after it are a route for people who work remotely for companies or clients outside Spain, and fixed broadband is 39.2 per 100 people (2024), over the 30 line.
Source: Telework (digital nomad) visa; Ley 14/2013, articles 74 bis to 76 (international telework); Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Spain. Checked 15 October 2026.
Retirement
85 of 100StrongCountry figure
Strong: the non-lucrative residence visa is for people who live on their means without working (400% of the 2026 IPREM, EUR 28,800 a year), and Spanish law gives long-term residence after five continuous years of temporary residence.
Source: Non-working (non-lucrative) residency visa; Real Decreto 1155/2024, articles 61 and 64 (temporary non-lucrative residence); Ley Orgánica 4/2000, article 32 (long-term residence). Checked 15 October 2026.
Internet
88 of 100StrongCountry figure
39.23 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people (2024).
Source: Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Spain. Checked 15 October 2026.
English
60 of 100MixedCountry figure
EF EPI 2025 score 540 (36th of 123), between the 499 and 550 lines.
Source: EF English Proficiency Index 2025: Spain. Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, United States passport
85 of 100StrongCountry figure
The telework visa lasts up to one year and is followed by a residence permit of up to three years, renewable in two-year periods (Law 14/2013). It needs no job offer from a Spanish employer, has no age minimum and asks for no deposit or investment. The income test is 200% of the 2026 minimum wage, about EUR 2,400 a month (Washington consulate), about US$32,800 a year at the ECB rate of 15 October 2026 (1.1208 US dollars per euro), under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than EUR 2,500 a month. It needs a degree or three years of experience and a foreign employer or clients.
Source: Telework (digital nomad) visa; Ley 14/2013, articles 74 bis to 76 (international telework); Real Decreto 126/2026, minimum wage for 2026; Euro foreign exchange reference rate, US dollar. Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, Canada passport
85 of 100StrongCountry figure
The telework visa lasts up to one year and is followed by a residence permit of up to three years, renewable in two-year periods (Law 14/2013). It needs no job offer from a Spanish employer, has no age minimum and asks for no deposit or investment. The income test is 200% of the 2026 minimum wage, about EUR 2,400 a month (the figure the Washington consulate prints; Ottawa states only the percentage; a private law firm reads it as about EUR 2,800 a month, about US$38,300 a year), about US$32,800 a year at the ECB rate of 15 October 2026 (1.1208 US dollars per euro), under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than EUR 2,500 a month. It needs a degree or three years of experience and a foreign employer or clients.
Source: Remote work (digital nomad) visa, Ottawa; Telework (digital nomad) visa; Ley 14/2013, articles 74 bis to 76 (international telework); Real Decreto 126/2026, minimum wage for 2026; Euro foreign exchange reference rate, US dollar. Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, Australia passport
85 of 100StrongCountry figure
The telework visa lasts up to one year and is followed by a residence permit of up to three years, renewable in two-year periods (Law 14/2013). It needs no job offer from a Spanish employer, has no age minimum and asks for no deposit or investment. The income test is 200% of the 2026 minimum wage, about EUR 2,400 a month (the Washington consulate figure for 2026) or about EUR 2,800 a month if Canberra applies the annual minimum wage over 12 months; the Canberra page still shows 2025 figures, about US$32,800 to US$38,300 a year at the ECB rate of 15 October 2026 (1.1208 US dollars per euro), under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than EUR 2,500 a month. It needs a degree or three years of experience and a foreign employer or clients.
Source: Visa for digital nomads, Canberra; Telework (digital nomad) visa; Ley 14/2013, articles 74 bis to 76 (international telework); Real Decreto 126/2026, minimum wage for 2026; Euro foreign exchange reference rate, US dollar. Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, New Zealand passport
85 of 100StrongCountry figure
The telework visa lasts up to one year and is followed by a residence permit of up to three years, renewable in two-year periods (Law 14/2013). It needs no job offer from a Spanish employer, has no age minimum and asks for no deposit or investment. The income test is 200% of the 2026 minimum wage, about EUR 2,400 a month (the Washington consulate figure for 2026), or about EUR 2,800 if Wellington applies the annual minimum wage over 12 months, about US$32,800 to US$38,300 a year at the ECB rate of 15 October 2026 (1.1208 US dollars per euro), under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than EUR 2,500 a month. It needs a degree or three years of experience and a foreign employer or clients.
Source: Remote work visa, Wellington; Telework (digital nomad) visa; Ley 14/2013, articles 74 bis to 76 (international telework); Real Decreto 126/2026, minimum wage for 2026; Euro foreign exchange reference rate, US dollar. Checked 15 October 2026.
The country
More on Spain.
Questions about Marbella.
How much does it cost to rent in Marbella?
Fotocasa’s own rent index (a private portal, updated 7 October 2026) puts Marbella at €18.78 per m² a month, or €1,502.40 for an 80 m² home, against €14.10 per m² for Spain as a whole. These are averages, not quotes for one flat. Utilities, groceries and other living costs are unknown here.
How big is Marbella, and how international is it?
Marbella had 159,786 registered residents on 1 January 2025. A news roundup citing the town hall says 173,420 were registered at the start of 2026, 63,206 of them foreign (about 36%); we have not opened the town hall’s own figures. InterNations, a private expat network, lists 13,872 Marbella members.
Are there international schools in Marbella?
Aloha College Marbella, in Nueva Andalucía, calls itself a British international school and refers to its IGCSE, IB and A-Level results. Fees, places, results and any other schools are unknown here, because our research does not cover schools yet.
What is the weather like in Marbella?
We have no published 1991–2020 normals for Marbella. The nearest station, Málaga airport about 40 km east, has average daily highs from 17.4 °C in January to 31.4 °C in August and 512 mm of rain a year. These are not Marbella’s own figures.
Is Marbella safe?
Fernshore has no Marbella-specific safety measure. The Global Peace Index 2026 ranks Spain 27th of 163, a national score. Canada’s travel advice says violent crime is rare but occurs, burglaries are more common in larger cities and coastal areas, and theft from rental and parked cars is a high threat.
Sources
Where each figure comes from.
Every figure on this page links to the page we read, with the date we checked it.
- [N1] Población por municipios y sexo, Málaga (INE table 2882), Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Padrón. Checked 15 October 2026. Marbella: 159,786 registered residents at 1 January 2025 (official population figures from the Municipal Register), the municipality only; read from the INE Tempus API on 15 October 2026.
- [B1] Marbella, Wikipedia (secondary). Checked 15 October 2026. Coordinates 36.5167 N, 4.8833 W from the infobox; part of the Costa del Sol.
- [M1] 9 in 10 new residents on the padrón in Marbella are foreign, The Local Spain (news site, secondary). Checked 15 October 2026. 5 February 2026 roundup: Marbella grew by 6,830 in 2025 to 173,420 on the town hall padrón; Spanish residents 110,214 (up 504); foreign residents 63,206 (up 6,326). Cites the town hall; the original publication was not opened.
- [Marbella S1] Aloha College Marbella, Aloha College Marbella. Checked 15 October 2026. The school's own site: Urbanización El Ángel s/n, Nueva Andalucía, Marbella, Málaga 29660; a British international school; refers to its IGCSE, IB and A-Level results.
- [I1] InterNations expat community: Marbella, InterNations (private expat network, not official). Checked 15 October 2026. Marbella community page: 13,872 members in Marbella; DinnerNations 1,232 members (102 nationalities).
- [Marbella W1] Climate normals 1991–2020, Málaga airport (WMO 8482), Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, AEMET (WMO Climate Normals 1991–2020 via NOAA NCEI). Checked 15 October 2026. Nearest published station, about 40 km east of Marbella; used here only for the weather type (seasons), not as Marbella's own normals.
- [C1] Price level index (GDP), Spain, World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2025: 64.52 (United States = 100), read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026.
- [Spain W1] Climate normals 1991–2020, Zaragoza airport (WMO 8160), Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, AEMET (WMO Climate Normals 1991–2020 via NOAA NCEI). Checked 15 October 2026. Zaragoza, the main city for Spain's climate grade; mean daily highs 11.2 to 32.8 °C; 5 comfortable months (April, May, June, September, October).
- [Spain S1] Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank, Institute for Economics and Peace. Checked 15 October 2026. Spain ranks 27th of 163 countries (score 1.654).
- [H1] UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1), World Health Organization. Checked 15 October 2026. Spain: 84 out of 100 (2023), read from the WHO Global Health Observatory API on 15 October 2026.
- [Q1] Expat Insider 2026: Ease of Settling In, InterNations (Expat Insider survey, private). Checked 15 October 2026. Spain ranks 6th of 31 countries.
- [Q2] Expat Insider 2026: Quality of Life, InterNations (Expat Insider survey, private). Checked 15 October 2026. Spain ranks 1st of 31 countries.
- [V1] Telework (digital nomad) visa, Consular Section, Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C.. Checked 15 October 2026. Written for residents of D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina. 2026: SMI EUR 1,221; 200% = EUR 2,442 a month for an applicant alone; remote work for companies outside Spain, up to 20% of professional activity for Spanish clients; degree or three years of experience; no minimum age stated. Used for the US passport and, for the euro figure, for CA, AU and NZ.
- [V5] Ley 14/2013, articles 74 bis to 76 (international telework), Boletín Oficial del Estado (consolidated text). Checked 15 October 2026. Added by Law 28/2022, in force from 23 December 2022. Long-stay visas valid one year (or the length of the authorisation if shorter); residence authorisation for telework valid up to three years, renewable in two-year periods.
- [K2] Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Spain, International Telecommunication Union, via the World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2024: 39.23 per 100 people, read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026.
- [R1] Non-working (non-lucrative) residency visa, Consular Section, Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C.. Checked 15 October 2026. 2026: annual means of 400% of the IPREM (IPREM EUR 600 a month), EUR 28,800 a year for one applicant; the initial TIE is valid for one year and renewable; no work allowed.
- [R2] Real Decreto 1155/2024, articles 61 and 64 (temporary non-lucrative residence), Boletín Oficial del Estado (consolidated text). Checked 15 October 2026. Temporary residence without work, renewable.
- [R3] Ley Orgánica 4/2000, article 32 (long-term residence), Boletín Oficial del Estado (consolidated text). Checked 15 October 2026. Long-term residence after five continuous years of legal residence.
- [F1] EF English Proficiency Index 2025: Spain, EF Education First (private test-taker index). Checked 15 October 2026. Score 540, 36th of 123 countries and regions, change +2 on the previous score; the 2026 edition was not yet published on 15 October 2026.
- [V6] Real Decreto 126/2026, minimum wage for 2026, Boletín Oficial del Estado. Checked 15 October 2026. EUR 1,221 a month (14 payments), EUR 17,094 a year, from 1 January 2026.
- [V7] Euro foreign exchange reference rate, US dollar, European Central Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 15 October 2026: 1.1208 US dollars per euro, used to convert the income test; EUR 2,442 x 12 = EUR 29,304 = about US$32,800; EUR 2,849 x 12 = EUR 34,188 = about US$38,300.
- [V2] Remote work (digital nomad) visa, Ottawa, Embassy of Spain in Ottawa (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026. In Spanish. For Ottawa and Gatineau; elsewhere Toronto or Montreal. Income of 200% of the minimum wage a month, no euro figure; degree or three years of experience; company at least a year old.
- [V3] Visa for digital nomads, Canberra, Embassy of Spain in Australia (consular section). Checked 15 October 2026. Financial means of at least 200% of the monthly minimum wage; the page still shows 2025 figures (minimum wage EUR 1,184 in 14 payments, EUR 1,381.33 over 12).
- [V4] Remote work visa, Wellington, Embassy of Spain in Wellington (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026. In Spanish. For applicants resident in the Wellington district. Income of 200% of the minimum wage a month, no euro figure; degree or three years of experience.