Guide · Holiday rentals
Holiday Rental Occupancy on the Costa Blanca 2026: 16 Towns Compared
By Kamila Bukowska, CASA READY · As of October 2026 · Reading time approx. 8 minutes
In short
Actively rented holiday homes on the Costa Blanca are booked 61 to 70% of the time (AirDNA, October 2025 to September 2026). For a newly launched two-bedroom apartment we plan with 53 to 62% in the first year, i.e. around 175 to 205 rented nights a year. The city of Alicante leads with 70%, but new licences are currently suspended there. Benidorm, Calpe, Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa offer good prospects with open licensing.
All 16 holiday towns at a glance
For each town, the table shows the measured market occupancy, our plan value for the first rental year and the market level reached by established properties with good reviews. Nights refer to around 330 marketable nights a year, i.e. after own use and maintenance.
| Town | Market | Plan value | Market level | Nights | Rate (market) | Rate (2-bed) | Licence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DéniaCosta Blanca North | 62 % | 54 % | 62 % | 178 | 152 € | 135 € | restricted |
| Jávea / XàbiaCosta Blanca North | 62 % | 54 % | 62 % | 178 | 248 € | varies | restricted |
| Moraira (Teulada)Costa Blanca North | 65 % | 57 % | 65 % | 188 | 238 € | varies | open |
| Calpe / CalpCosta Blanca North | 66 % | 58 % | 66 % | 191 | 166 € | 150 € | open |
| AlteaCosta Blanca North | 63 % | 55 % | 63 % | 182 | 171 € | 155 € | suspended |
| BenidormCosta Blanca North | 66 % | 58 % | 66 % | 191 | 149 € | 135 € | open |
| VillajoyosaCosta Blanca North | 62 % | 54 % | 62 % | 178 | 131 € | 120 € | restricted |
| El CampelloCosta Blanca North | 66 % | 58 % | 66 % | 191 | 162 € | 145 € | suspended |
| Alicante / Playa San JuanCosta Blanca South | 70 % | 62 % | 70 % | 205 | 118 € | 105 € | suspended |
| Gran Alacant / Santa PolaCosta Blanca South | 65 % | 57 % | 65 % | 188 | 123 € | 110 € | open |
| Guardamar del SeguraCosta Blanca South | 62 % | 54 % | 62 % | 178 | 111 € | 100 € | restricted |
| TorreviejaCosta Blanca South | 65 % | 57 % | 65 % | 188 | 96 € | 85 € | open |
| Orihuela CostaCosta Blanca South | 63 % | 55 % | 63 % | 182 | 124 € | 110 € | open |
| Pilar de la Horadada / Mil PalmerasCosta Blanca South | 61 % | 53 % | 61 % | 175 | 129 € | 115 € | open |
| Rojales (Ciudad Quesada)Costa Blanca South | 64 % | 56 % | 64 % | 185 | 150 € | varies | unconfirmed |
| San Miguel de SalinasCosta Blanca South | 61 % | 53 % | 61 % | 175 | 135 € | 120 € | unconfirmed |
Market = AirDNA occupancy of all active listings in the municipality, Oct 2025 to Sep 2026. Plan value = market − 8 percentage points (first year without reviews). Nights = plan value × 330. Rate (market) = average nightly rate actually paid across all sizes (USD 1.12 per euro); rate (2-bed) = 10% lower. “Varies”: in Jávea, Moraira and Rojales villas drive the average rate.
Which town suits which goal?
Year-round rentals: Benidorm
Benidorm has the most even demand on the coast. According to official statistics, tourist apartments there are 40 to 50% occupied even in winter, well above the Costa Blanca average. Market occupancy is 66%, new licences are granted, and the town strictly enforces the rules against illegal letting.
Affordable entry and the largest market: Torrevieja
With around 4,500 active listings, Torrevieja is the largest holiday rental market in the province. Studios in the centre start at around €120,000. Occupancy is 65%, the nightly rate of around €96 is at the lower end. Small apartments and studios in the centre work particularly well here.
Two-bedroom apartments: Orihuela Costa and Pilar de la Horadada
Here more than every second holiday home has two bedrooms (61% and 55%). They are popular with families above all, and licensing is open. Occupancy is 63% and 61%, with nightly rates above Torrevieja.
Higher nightly rates: Calpe, Altea, Dénia
In the north guests pay considerably more per night (Calpe around €166, Altea €171, Dénia €152). Calpe has no moratorium, Altea has suspended new licences, and in Dénia it depends on the district.
Villa markets: Jávea and Moraira
More than 60% of listings have three or more bedrooms, and average rates are above €230 per night. These values are not meaningful for apartments. In Jávea a new cap limits the number of holiday lets.
Why occupancy rose in 2026
In all 16 municipalities the number of active listings fell by 20 to 50% within a year, while occupancy rose by 3 to 18%. The reason is the new registration requirement: since 2025 holiday rentals in Spain need a registration number, and the platforms have removed listings without one.
For legal landlords this is good news: less competition, more bookings per property. For planning it also means that today's top values are mainly achieved by established properties with many reviews. That is why we set the first year 8 percentage points lower.
For comparison: the official statistics (INE) show an occupancy of 44% for all registered tourist apartments on the Costa Blanca in 2025. They also include poorly marketed properties. The difference shows how much professional letting makes.
Seasonality month by month
Demand on the Costa Blanca is highly seasonal: August brings about 2.7 times as much as January. The official INE monthly figures show the pattern for the whole Costa Blanca and for the four towns that INE reports separately.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| INE Costa Blanca | 26 % | 35 % | 34 % | 40 % | 42 % | 49 % | 61 % | 71 % | 52 % | 48 % | 41 % | 33 % |
| Seasonal factor | 0.59 | 0.78 | 0.77 | 0.91 | 0.95 | 1.11 | 1.38 | 1.59 | 1.17 | 1.08 | 0.93 | 0.74 |
| Plan value 57% | 34 % | 44 % | 44 % | 52 % | 54 % | 63 % | 79 % | 91 % | 67 % | 62 % | 53 % | 42 % |
Example: with an annual plan value of 57%, an apartment is about 90% occupied in August and about 34% in January. If you want to use the property yourself, November to March is the best time, as you forgo the least rental income.
Licensing by municipality
Since Decree-Law 9/2024, every holiday let in the Valencia region needs a certificate from the town hall confirming that the use is permitted at exactly this address.
Since April 2025, an owners' association can prohibit holiday letting in the building or attach conditions to it with a 3/5 majority.
Since 2025 a nationwide registration number is also mandatory. Airbnb and Booking.com remove listings without one.
| Town | Licence | Status October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Dénia | restricted | No new compatibility certificates in the town centre; a plan from June 2026 gradually reduces holiday lets there (from 639 to about 344). Les Marines, Les Rotes and Montgó are exempt. |
| Jávea / Xàbia | restricted | Amendment 41 to the zoning plan (initially approved on 28 May 2026): a cap of 4,584 holiday lets, leaving only about 359 free places. |
| Moraira (Teulada) | open | No moratorium; the town council rejected a proposal for one. The general procedure of the Valencia region applies. |
| Calpe / Calp | open | No general moratorium. Only the conversion of commercial premises into holiday lets is suspended (two years). |
| Altea | suspended | New licences suspended since January 2024 while a new municipal ordinance is being drafted. |
| Benidorm | open | No moratorium. Since 2025 the town has carried out its own inspections and fines unregistered holiday lets. |
| Villajoyosa | restricted | A moratorium was considered but had not been approved by October 2025. Please check the current status with the town hall before buying. |
| El Campello | suspended | New licences suspended since September 2024, extended until at least September 2026. Only terraced bungalows without communal areas are exempt. |
| Alicante / Playa San Juan | suspended | City of Alicante: moratorium since 13 January 2025, upheld in court in February 2026, until January 2027 at the latest. Sant Joan d'Alacant: suspension since summer 2025. |
| Gran Alacant / Santa Pola | open | No moratorium (as of October 2025). There are political motions to limit supply. |
| Guardamar del Segura | restricted | Conflicting information: the press (10/2025) reports a moratorium for apartment blocks, an agency source (08/2026) reports further approvals. Please check with the town hall before buying. |
| Torrevieja | open | No moratorium known; licences are still being granted. |
| Orihuela Costa | open | No moratorium known. |
| Pilar de la Horadada / Mil Palmeras | open | No moratorium known. |
| Rojales (Ciudad Quesada) | unconfirmed | No moratorium found, but not officially confirmed. Please check with the town hall before buying. |
| San Miguel de Salinas | unconfirmed | No moratorium found, but not officially confirmed. Please check with the town hall before buying. |
“Open” means we found no moratorium. It is not a guarantee for a specific address. Before every purchase we check the situation for the specific property.
What a holiday home can earn
Two examples from Torrevieja, calculated with the plan value (first year) and market level, all running costs and 19% Spanish tax:
New-build studio in the centre
Purchase price 125.000 € · 80 € per night
- Rental income per year
- 15.040–17.120 €
- Net after tax
- 7.679–8.942 €
- Gross rental yield
- 12.0 %–13.7 %
- Net yield after tax
- 5.4 %–6.3 %
Two-bedroom apartment
Purchase price 175.000 € · 85 € per night
- Rental income per year
- 15.980–18.190 €
- Net after tax
- 7.440–8.782 €
- Gross rental yield
- 9.1 %–10.4 %
- Net yield after tax
- 3.8 %–4.4 %
Costs: 25% for management and platforms, fixed costs €1,800 (studio) and €2,800 (2-bed), 19% tax for EU citizens. Net yield based on purchase price plus 13% buying costs, excluding financing and appreciation.
On top of that comes your own holiday: around 35 days a year remain free for you. With the yield calculator you can work through any property from our selection with your own figures.
Free location report
All 16 towns in detail, as a PDF
The full 18-page report: a profile for every town, monthly curve, supply by bedrooms, licensing status and worked examples. Kamila will send it to you personally by email.
- 16 town profiles with plan values
- Seasonality from official data
- Licensing traffic light and pre-purchase checklist
- On request: a personal yield check of your property
Frequently asked questions about occupancy
What is the average occupancy of holiday rentals on the Costa Blanca?
According to AirDNA, actively rented holiday homes achieve 61 to 70% of the nights offered (October 2025 to September 2026). For a new property in its first year we recommend a plan value of 53 to 62%.
How many nights a year is a holiday home on the Costa Blanca rented out?
With around 330 marketable nights and a plan value of 53 to 62%, it is about 175 to 205 nights. Established properties at market level reach 200 to 230 nights.
Which town on the Costa Blanca has the highest occupancy?
The city of Alicante with 70%, but new licences there are suspended until January 2027 at the latest. Among towns with open licensing, Benidorm and Calpe lead with 66% each, followed by Torrevieja and Santa Pola/Gran Alacant with 65%.
Do I need a licence for holiday letting in the Valencia region?
Yes. You need a certificate from the town hall for the specific address, registration in the Valencia region's tourism register and the nationwide registration number. In addition, the owners' association must not have prohibited holiday letting.
How much of the rental income is left net?
In our Torrevieja examples, after management, fixed costs and 19% tax, the net yield is 5.4 to 6.3% for the studio and 3.8 to 4.4% for the two-bedroom apartment, based on purchase price plus buying costs.
All questions before buying in Spain →
Method and sources
Market data: AirDNA, public market pages for the province of Alicante, updated 6 October 2026, period October 2025 to September 2026, covering Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com. Values per municipality: Gran Alacant is included in Santa Pola, Moraira in Teulada, Orihuela Costa in Orihuela, Mil Palmeras in Pilar de la Horadada, Ciudad Quesada in Rojales and Playa San Juan in Alicante.
Seasonality: INE, Encuesta de Ocupación en Apartamentos Turísticos, monthly figures 2025.
Licensing: press and municipal sources, as of 12 October 2026. This information does not replace confirmation from the town hall for a specific address.
Plan values are our assumptions for a newly launched property, not measured values. There are no public occupancy figures for two-bedroom apartments only. This guide is not investment, legal or tax advice.