Character and buyers
With around 90,000 residents and a very large territory, Mijas is above all a municipality of villas and townhouses on generous plots, spread across urbanisations without a continuous town centre. According to our local partners, prices per square metre are roughly 14 to 18% below the coastal average, partly because larger homes cost less per m².
Buyers are often European retirees, particularly from Scandinavia, the UK and Belgium, golfers looking for a winter base and families who want more peace and outdoor space than the coastal towns offer. The international community is large and well established.
Areas worth knowing
Mijas Pueblo sits at just over 400 metres on the slopes of the sierra: a classic white village and one of the most visited in the province. Here you will find renovated village houses, villas and townhouses on larger plots with distant sea views. Buyers come for character and views rather than a beach within walking distance.
Mijas Costa is the coastal strip between Fuengirola and Marbella and behaves as a market in its own right: - La Cala de Mijas: a former fishing village with a pedestrianised centre, a renovated promenade and life all year round; new-build activity is considerable. - Calahonda: one of the largest and oldest urbanisations, dating from the 1970s and 1980s, with many apartments around communal pools, a strong British community and plenty of comparable supply. - Riviera del Sol: an established residential area between Fuengirola and La Cala with villas, townhouses and plenty of greenery. - El Chaparral and El Faro: villas and townhouses on generous plots around the golf course of the same name.
Las Lagunas, next to Fuengirola, is in practice the urban core of Mijas, with shops, services and the most affordable flats in the municipality.
Property types and price level
Across the municipality as a whole, about a third of supply consists of villas; on the coast, apartments dominate. Indicative averages based on estimates from our local partners (third quarter of 2026):
| Type | Mijas overall | Mijas Costa |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment | €286,000 (80 m²) | €331,000 (85 m²) |
| Penthouse | €416,000 (100 m²) | €497,000 (115 m²) |
| Townhouse | €456,000 (140 m²) | €449,000 (150 m²) |
| Villa | €625,000 (200 m²) | €734,000 (240 m²) |
| Building plot | €209,000 (600 m²) | €248,000 (550 m²) |
Apartments in La Cala, Riviera del Sol or Calahonda typically start at around €180,000 to €220,000. Villas with sea views or on a golf course range from roughly €400,000 to well over €2 million.
Rental market
Our local partners estimate gross rental yields at around 5.9% for the municipality as a whole and 6.0% for Mijas Costa, before community fees, IBI (the annual local property tax), taxes and vacancy. The coast has the most active holiday-letting market, and Calahonda, with its large supply, is a common choice for seasonal lets. Golf tourism brings demand outside the summer months too. Mijas Pueblo relies less on rental income and more on the medium-term value of villas. For holiday letting, check for each property whether it holds a VFT registration (vivienda con fines turísticos, the tourist rental licence). Our article on golf properties covers this segment in more detail.
Access and amenities
Depending on the area, the airport is 25 to 35 minutes away; from La Cala and Calahonda it is about 30 minutes via the AP-7 motorway, and the village adds another five to ten minutes. The A-7 connects the coastal districts with one another. Services are concentrated in Las Lagunas, La Cala and the village, while the larger urbanisations have their own shops and restaurants.
Points to watch
- A car is essential. Outside the village and the centres with services, you will need a car for daily life.
- Which side of the motorway? Many urbanisations lie on the inland side of the A-7. Check whether you can reach the beach comfortably on foot; in Calahonda some phases are far from the sea and prices vary widely with elevation and views.
- Longer sale periods. Supply is scattered and is absorbed more slowly than in the compact coastal towns, especially for inland villas.
CostaVista guides you in choosing between the Pueblo and the Costa and in assessing specific properties, working with our local partners. View the current listings or contact us.
