Idealista: the province of Alicante overtook Málaga and Barcelona in the number of cities with the highest housing demand pressure.

On May 13, the research unit idealista/data published a ranking of Spanish cities with the highest demand pressure relative to supply for the first quarter of 2026. In the national top 10, Madrid remains the leader, followed by Zaragoza and Valencia. However, by the number of cities in the overall list of 84 localities, the province of Alicante ranks first with 16 entries.

The list includes: Alicante itself, Elche, Santa Pola, Dénia, Benidorm, Torrevieja, Altea, Jávea, and Calpe. For the foreign buyer, who traditionally views the Costa Blanca as a "free" market with ample supply, this data signifies a fundamental shift in negotiation logic: in the province's most sought-after locations, competition for properties is comparable to that seen in Spain's major cities.

Málaga ranks second by the number of cities on the list — 8, including Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Mijas, Fuengirola, Estepona, Manilva, Marbella, and Benahavís. Barcelona and Murcia share third place with six municipalities each.

Methodologically, the ranking is important to understand correctly. idealista/data includes only localities with more than 1,300 sale listings per quarter — that is, markets with real supply volume. Demand pressure is measured not by the absolute number of inquiries, but by the ratio of inquiries to available listings. This is why L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and Valladolid have overtaken Barcelona and Vitoria this quarter: with more affordable prices, they attract a comparable number of buyers with lower supply.

What does this mean in practice for buyers on the Costa Blanca? According to Tecnocasa Group – UPF data, which idealista reported in March, the negotiation margin between buyer and seller across Spain at the end of 2025 stood at a historically low 6.2%. In the most competitive zones — Torrevieja, Dénia, Calpe — this figure is even lower. The average sales price in the province of Alicante, according to property registrars' data analyzed by Sonneil, continues to rise. Seven potential buyers for each available property — this is not a marketing thesis, but a recorded ratio for the Spanish market as a whole.

For a foreign buyer from Russia or other CIS countries considering Torrevieja or Benidorm as an entry point, the situation means one thing: decision-making time is shrinking, and a discount off the asking price under current competition is exceptional, not the norm.

Property in Spain — Alicante, Torrevieja, Benidorm: discount-house.com/spain