Most British expats live in the south and southeast regions of Spain, particularly in areas such as the Costa del Sol, Alicante, and the Balearic Islands.
Detailed response to the query
According to recent studies, the majority of British expats in Spain reside in the southern and southeastern regions of the country. The most popular destinations for British expats are the Costa del Sol, Alicante, and the Balearic Islands.
Mark Stucklin, a real estate analyst, explains the appeal of these regions to British retirees: “The south of Spain is attractive for one very simple reason: it is very cheap to live there.” In addition, the sunny climate, beautiful beaches, and relaxed lifestyle make it an attractive place for many British residents.
Some interesting facts about British expats in Spain include:
- According to the Office for National Statistics, there were around 300,000 British nationals living in Spain in 2020.
- The majority of British expats in Spain are retirees, but there is also a growing number of young professionals and families.
- Spain is the most popular destination for British retirees in Europe.
- Despite concerns over Brexit, many British expats in Spain have chosen to stay and apply for residency.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the British expat community in Spain, with many choosing to return to the UK due to health concerns and travel restrictions.
Here is a table summarizing the most popular areas for British expats in Spain:
| Region | Popular areas |
|---|---|
| Costa del Sol | Marbella, Torremolinos, Fuengirola, Estepona |
| Alicante | Benidorm, Alicante, Calpe, Denia, Jávea, Torrevieja |
| Balearic | Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca |
Video response to your question
The video discusses the ranking of the top places in Spain for British expats and highlights Benidorm as the top location with 3,389 British residents and over 40 British businesses. Orihuela, Benalmádena, and Mijas ranked 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively. The speaker expresses his surprise at Benidorm being ranked first and suggests that it might be based on the number of British businesses instead of the number of British expats. Viewers are invited to share where they live in Spain in the comments section.
Here are some additional responses to your query
While British expats can be found in multiple cities across Spain, they are especially drawn to Costa de Sol, Barcelona, Madrid, and Serville.
The ranking reveals that:
- The Costa Blanca town of Benidorm is the most British city in Spain!
- The Costa del Sol dominates the ranking, with 5 towns in the top 10.
- Brits prefer to settle in popular tourist destinations, staying in areas that are already well-known and avoiding inland cities.
In addition, people are interested
As arguably the most famous holiday destination in Spain, it shouldn’t surprise us that Benidorm takes the title of most British city in Spain.
Other autonomous communities with a sizeable British population are Catalonia with 24,689, the Balearic Islands with 19,569, Murcia with 17,562 and the Spanish capital of Madrid with 11,831.
The also coastal Andalusia ranked first, with 92,180 British residents making this southern area their homes in 2022. The number of British citizens that lived in Spain was slightly over under 293,171 as of January 2022.
- Australia – 1,262,204.
- USA – 716,260.
- Canada – 531,584.
- Spain – 302,020.
- Ireland – 293,061.
- New Zealand – 272,436.
- France – 176,672.
- South Africa – 131,310.