Marbella is where many buyers start their search on the Costa del Sol. Mijas lies east of Marbella, with coastal neighbourhoods extending towards the Marbella boundary and inland communities around Mijas Pueblo and the golf courses. Both use Málaga airport and share the same general purchase-tax rates, and they differ in price, in size and in pace. Rome2Rio lists its Mijas-to-Marbella driving route at 34 km and about 26 minutes (checked October 2026); the journey from an individual property will vary.
Mijas had 95,104 registered residents on 1 January 2025 (INE (opens in a new tab)).
The price difference
| Area | Asking price per m² | €300,000 buys about |
|---|---|---|
| Campo de Mijas | €2,943 | 102 m² |
| Mijas Golf | €3,094 | 97 m² |
| Las Lagunas, Mijas | €3,323 | 90 m² |
| Mijas Pueblo | €3,570 | 84 m² |
| Mijas, municipality | €3,711 | 81 m² |
| La Cala de Mijas | €4,593 | 65 m² |
| San Pedro de Alcántara, Marbella | €4,600 | 65 m² |
| Elviria-Cabopino, Marbella | €4,623 | 65 m² |
| Marbella Pueblo | €5,170 | 58 m² |
| Marbella, municipality | €5,956 | 50 m² |
| Nueva Andalucía, Marbella | €6,239 | 48 m² |
| Nagüeles-Milla de Oro, Marbella | €8,336 | 36 m² |
Mijas’s municipal asking-price index was €3,711 per m² in August 2026, about 38% below Marbella’s €5,956: the same budget corresponds to about 60% more illustrative floor area in Mijas. Applying the two municipal indices to an illustrative 90 m² home gives €333,990 in Mijas and €536,040 in Marbella, a difference of €202,050 before taxes and fees. All eleven published Mijas district indices were below Marbella’s seven published district indices; the closest comparison was La Cala de Mijas at €4,593 per m² and San Pedro de Alcántara at €4,600.
Same general purchase-tax rates
Mijas and Marbella are both in Andalucía, so the general purchase-tax rates are the same: 7% transfer tax (ITP) on a resale home, or 10% VAT plus 1.2% Andalusian stamp duty (AJD) on a typical new home bought from a developer. Non-resident income tax (Modelo 210) is national. Local property taxes and municipal rules can differ. On an illustrative 90 m² resale home at the two municipal averages, the 7% transfer tax would be about €23,380 in Mijas against about €37,520 in Marbella, assuming the purchase price is the taxable base and no reduced rate applies.
A lower IBI rate. The published ordinary urban IBI rate is 0.4826% in Mijas, against 0.65% in Marbella’s 2026 ordinance (Mijas (opens in a new tab); Marbella (opens in a new tab)). The annual bill depends on the individual property’s taxable cadastral base and any applicable reliefs.
General information, not advice. Confirm your position with a Spanish lawyer or tax adviser.
What Mijas offers
More space for the money. At the August 2026 indices, €300,000 equates to about 81 m² across Mijas against 50 m² in Marbella, and about 102 m² in Campo de Mijas.
A shorter drive to Málaga airport. Rome2Rio’s driving estimates, checked in October 2026, were about 18 minutes from Las Lagunas, 20 from Mijas Pueblo and 25 from La Cala, against 32 minutes from Marbella; actual journeys depend on the address, route and traffic. Neighbouring Fuengirola also offers the direct C1 train to the airport, about 34 minutes according to Aena (Aena (opens in a new tab)).
Village, beach and golf in one municipality. A white Andalusian village on the hillside, five Blue Flag beaches in 2026 and twelve golf courses counted by the town hall in May 2026. See Which area suits you.
Nordic schools in neighbouring municipalities. Swedish and Finnish schools in neighbouring Fuengirola and the Norwegian school in Benalmádena, alongside St Anthony’s College, a British school for ages 3 to 18 in Mijas. See Schools and family.
What Marbella offers
Glamour and nightlife. Puerto Banús, whose operator lists 915 berths (Puerto Banús (opens in a new tab)), the Golden Mile and the beach clubs, restaurants and nightlife that made Marbella’s name. If that is the life you want on your doorstep, Marbella is the natural choice.
A more populous municipality. Marbella had 159,786 registered residents on 1 January 2025, about 1.7 times Mijas’s 95,104.
Specialist hospital care and international schools. Marbella is home to Hospital Universitario Costa del Sol, whose public hospital area also serves Mijas (Agencia Sanitaria Costa del Sol (opens in a new tab)), and to international schools including Aloha College and Swans, both offering the IB Diploma.
Who each place suits
Marbella suits buyers who want Puerto Banús, the Golden Mile and the nightlife on their doorstep, and a more populous municipality.
Mijas suits buyers who want more space for their budget, a lower IBI rate, shorter airport journeys, a choice of village, coastal and golf settings, and Marbella within driving reach.
Asking-price figures: idealista, August 2026. Population: INE, 1 January 2025. Distances: route planner (Rome2Rio), October 2026. Prices and tax rules change; confirm current figures before deciding.
