Is Alicante Right for You? Beaches, Prices and Expat Life Explained

It took many travelers a while to get to Alicante. With Málaga already winning hearts and Valencia casting its own spell, this small city on the Costa Blanca wasn’t always at the top of the list. But once you arrive, it quickly makes its case.

Alicante is consistently ranked as one of the most affordable and comfortable cities for expats and retirees. It offers palm-lined promenades, a castle over the skyline, golden beaches in the city center, and a laid-back rhythm that makes you want to slow down and stay.

Many now see this part of the Costa Blanca as the “next Costa del Sol” – a successor to Spain’s original expat hotspot, but with more reasonable prices and a slightly calmer energy.

Before arriving in Alicante, our travelers spent time in Valencia during Las Fallas – a week-long street party filled with fireworks and huge papier-mâché sculptures as tall as buildings. At the end, the city burns these elaborate figures, symbolically letting go of the past year’s problems. Only after that intense festival did they head south to see if Alicante could be a place to live, not just to visit.

Getting There and Getting Around: Trams, Buses and a Busy Airport

From Valencia, they took the bus to Alicante. The ride took about three hours and cost less than the train, while still being comfortable and straightforward.

On arrival, they immediately noticed how practical Alicante’s transport is:

• A central train station (Alicante Terminal) for regional and long-distance trains
• A main bus station close enough to walk from their hotel
• A tram system that runs up and down the coast all the way to Dénia, with fares from around €1.50 – ideal for day trips to San Juan Playa or El Campello
• City buses and taxis for local journeys

Uber is available, but they found it noticeably more expensive than in their home base of Lisbon, so it was not their first choice.

The Alicante–Elche airport sits about 8.5 miles from the city center. During the summer months, it is actually the busiest airport in the entire Valencian Community, even busier than Valencia’s. Plans are underway to connect the airport to the train network in the future, which will make arrivals even smoother.

Where They Stayed: City Hall, Castle Views and a Bit of Bad Timing

Their hotel was right on the main avenue in Plaza del Ayuntamiento, directly across from Alicante’s City Hall. The staff were friendly, the room was spacious, and the highlight was a terrace with direct views of Castillo de Santa Bárbara perched above the city.

The timing was less ideal. They visited in mid-March, it was around 51°F (about 11°C), a bit rainy and windy, and both travelers were sick with colds. Even so, it wasn’t enough to keep them from exploring.

Despite the weather and the illness, Alicante made a strong first impression: compact, walkable and easy to navigate on foot.

Walkability and Vibe: A Compact Mediterranean City

For this couple, walking is always the default way to get around – and Alicante rewards that.

The city center is wonderfully compact and mostly flat, making it ideal for pedestrians. They could stroll from their hotel to the marina and along the Explanada de España, a famous waterfront promenade decorated with more than six and a half million red, cream and black marble tiles arranged in a wave pattern. It stretches roughly a third of a mile and gives newcomers that “wow” moment as they approach the sea.

Alicante feels lively and structured at the same time. There are busy avenues, polished plazas and plenty of people out and about. At moments, one of the travelers felt it was a little more polished and urban than expected for a coastal town, almost reminiscent of a smaller downtown in a capital city.

On the positive side, the city balances this urban feel with green spaces where people relax, walk their dogs and enjoy the sun. On the less glossy side, there is a visible homeless population, just like in many larger cities. Alicante isn’t a postcard fantasy; it’s a real urban environment with all the layers that come with it.

Everyday Costs: How Affordable Is Alicante Really?

From a day-to-day perspective, Alicante came across as quite affordable, especially compared with bigger European cities or more famous Spanish coastal areas.

They noticed:

• Prices for basics like wine and fresh produce similar to Portugal
• Plenty of choice from cheap tapas and menu del día deals to more upscale dining

Based on their research, a couple can expect monthly living costs around €2,500 in Alicante, and possibly less if they are careful with spending. That figure includes rent or mortgage, food, utilities and normal daily expenses.

Alicante offers both ends of the spectrum – you can live fairly modestly or indulge in higher-end options, particularly in food, housing and leisure.

Eating in Alicante: From Market Tapas to Tasting Menus

One of the best ways to judge a city is by its market, and Alicante passes that test easily.

They spent time at Mercado Central, a cornerstone of local life. Spread over two floors, it hosts hundreds of stands:

• Upstairs: mostly meat and cured products
• Downstairs: fruits, vegetables and fresh fish
• Outside: flower stalls adding color to the entrance

Inside the market, they found a small kiosk (Erin Perido in the transcript) serving excellent tacos and margaritas at very reasonable prices – a great first taste of the city’s food scene.

Other food highlights from their stay included:

• A popular breakfast spot offering a gourmet morning menu for around €13.50
• La Taberna del Gourmet, where a wine-pairing menu delivered a Mediterranean tasting experience
• A no-frills tapas bar with tapas from as low as €0.70 – perfect for eating on a budget
• Artisana, a Peruvian restaurant on the pricier side; they ordered generously, and while ceviches felt expensive for lime-marinated fish, the overall experience was excellent
• Lizarran, a national chain serving pinchos: you pay based on the length of the toothpick, and they sampled plenty, including memorable huevos cabreados

Food in Alicante can be as affordable or as indulgent as you want it to be, with plenty of Spanish and international options.

Santa Bárbara Castle and Barrio de Santa Cruz: History Above the Sea

No serious look at Alicante is complete without the hilltop fortress of Castillo de Santa Bárbara.

Instead of riding the elevator, they chose to walk up. The climb is steep but rewarding: the castle offers panoramic views over the city, marina, beach and the open Mediterranean. Inside, it functions as an open-air museum, with rotating art exhibitions and historical displays, including Roman-era artifacts dating back to the first century BC.

On the way back down, they were glad they stayed on foot. Descending through the hillside led them into Barrio de Santa Cruz, one of Alicante’s most picturesque quarters.

Santa Cruz feels like a traditional Mediterranean village tucked inside the city:

• Narrow, winding lanes
• Whitewashed houses
• Bright flower pots hanging from balconies and windowsills
• Decorative ceramic tiles and religious symbols

Despite its calm atmosphere, this neighborhood has a lively soul. During Holy Week, Santa Cruz becomes the heart of Alicante’s religious processions, with dramatic parades winding through the tiny streets.

Nature and Outdoor Life: Beyond the Beach

Alicante isn’t just about terraces and city beaches. For those who like hiking, trail running or climbing, there are natural “gyms” right next door:

• Sierra San Julián
• Serra Grossa

These areas offer rugged terrain, viewpoints and a chance to quickly escape the urban environment without going far.

Beaches and Climate: Why So Many People Choose the Costa Blanca

One of Alicante’s biggest advantages is how integrated the beaches are with city life.

Playa del Postiguet, the main urban beach, sits right in the center. You can hop off a bus or tram, walk a couple of minutes and find yourself on soft sand with a drink in hand – no car required.

Locals and visitors like to say there are beaches, and then there are Alicante beaches. The coastline around the city consistently earns Blue Flag awards for cleanliness, water quality and safety. For families, retirees and expats, that’s a big reassurance.

The climate backs this up:

• Around 300–320 sunny days a year
• Mild, spring-like winters with daytime temperatures around 50°F (10–12°C)
• Hot summers, often intense in July and August, especially with the coastal humidity

Even in October, you’ll still see people swimming and sunbathing comfortably. This is a major reason many expats pick Alicante over cooler European destinations.

Costa Blanca vs Costa del Sol: Why Some Buyers Look East

The transcript also compares the Costa Blanca (Alicante’s region) with the Costa del Sol around Málaga and Marbella.

The Costa del Sol enjoys a glam reputation. It has a well-established high-end property market, a limited supply of top-tier homes and huge international name recognition. Those factors keep prices elevated and can make it harder for value-driven buyers to find solid deals.

The Costa Blanca, by contrast, is beautiful and increasingly popular but still slightly under the radar in some markets. As a result:

• Property prices are generally more accessible
• The market is seen as more stable and less speculative
• It attracts more budget-conscious buyers who still want sun and sea

Foreign interest is already strong. In 2022, the Costa Blanca was the most popular choice for international property buyers in Spain. In the first half of 2024, foreign purchasers accounted for roughly 43% of all property transactions in the area. Experts expect Alicante’s property prices to rise by around 3–7% in 2025, suggesting there’s still room for growth.

Real Estate Snapshot: Prices and Areas, According to a Local Agent

To get a closer look at housing options, the couple met Gary Lewis from Complete Spanish Property, a real estate agent who has lived and worked on the Costa Blanca since 2003. He specializes in helping expats buy or even build homes across Costa Blanca and the neighboring Costa Cálida.

Gary highlighted a few key points about the region:

• Towns like Los Alcázares, San Pedro and other communities around the Mar Menor in Costa Cálida still have a strong Spanish feel but also established expat pockets.
• On the Costa Blanca South, Orihuela Costa – with areas such as La Zenia, Playa Flamenca and Punta Prima – became very popular during the 2003–2004 property boom. Many people bought holiday homes there, and the area still feels more like a holiday zone than a purely residential one.
• For a two-bedroom apartment in Orihuela Costa, you might find older units around €110,000 that may need renovation, while more modern two-bed, two-bath apartments are closer to €220,000.
• Town further north like Moraira, Calpe and Dénia are historically more expensive, especially for villas with sea views. Expect something on the order of €350,000 for a seaview property there, sometimes more.
• As a general rule, beachfront usually means apartments. If you are willing to drive 20 minutes inland, the same budget might get you a detached villa with a private pool.

The takeaway: there’s something for nearly every budget, but you need to decide if you want pure beach lifestyle, year-round Spanish atmosphere, or a quieter residential setup inland.

San Juan Playa and El Campello: Two Very Different Beach Neighbors

From central Alicante, they used the tram to explore two nearby coastal towns: San Juan Playa and El Campello.

San Juan Playa

About five miles northeast of the city, San Juan Playa is a long sandy beach backed by mostly modern apartment blocks, green communal areas and a strip of restaurants and cafés.

Locals from Alicante often have second homes here, and many families and professionals live in the area year-round. In the off-season, San Juan feels like a calm, residential neighborhood by the sea rather than a tourist trap.

For them, it ticked a lot of boxes:

• Easy tram ride from the city
• Relaxed promenade for long walks
• Sea views
• Housing that is still relatively affordable compared with many other Mediterranean beach zones

El Campello

A bit further north, around eight miles from Alicante, they visited El Campello. The difference was immediate: El Campello feels like a small, tidy town built for people who want quiet.

The streets are clean and well maintained. You have everything you need for daily life – shops, cafés, basic services – but at a slower pace. At first, they thought the low-key atmosphere was just due to the season, but a waiter explained that El Campello is officially treated as a “quiet zone.”

That means:

• Many retirees live there, especially from France and England
• By law, the town hall does not allow late, loud bars
• It’s designed to stay peaceful, especially at night

Twenty years ago, the narrator says, that would have been a deal-breaker. At 50, it suddenly sounded pretty appealing.

For anyone considering a relaxed retirement near the beach, El Campello offers a very different option from the city buzz of Alicante or the family energy of San Juan.

The Expat Community: Who Actually Lives in Alicante?

For people moving abroad, the local expat community is a big piece of the puzzle. Alicante makes this part easier than many places.

More than 20% of the population consists of foreign residents. The Costa Blanca is one of Spain’s top destinations for British, Dutch, German and Scandinavian retirees.

Alicante province has:

• The highest total number of British residents in Spain – just under 77,000
• An estimated 3,000 U.S. citizens living in the area

If you’re British and want fish and chips, a pint of beer and football on TV, you’ll feel at home quickly. But you’ll also find more international niches scattered across the region.

For anyone worried about making friends or not yet speaking fluent Spanish, there are many ways to connect:

• Facebook expat groups
• Meetup events
• InterNations and similar networking communities

These networks help newcomers build a social circle faster and smooth out the cultural adjustment.

Gary’s Story: From UK Rat Race to Costa Blanca Life

Gary Lewis, the agent they met, isn’t just selling the region – he’s living proof of the lifestyle.

He moved to Spain in 2003 for two main reasons:

• Better schooling options for his daughter
• Property prices that were much more accessible than in other coastal hotspots like the Costa del Sol

He also wanted a complete lifestyle change, away from the “rat race” in the UK. More than two decades later, he’s still on the Costa Blanca and has no plans to leave.

He points to:

• The weather
• The pace of life
• The Spanish approach to enjoying time, family and social life

For him, the balance between work and daily enjoyment is simply better in Spain, and he considers the trade-off more than worth it.

So… Is Alicante a Place to Live or Just a Great Holiday Spot?

After a full visit, the couple’s verdict is nuanced. Alicante has:

• Sunshine almost all year
• Sea views and beaches on your doorstep
• A strong food scene with both local and international options
• A cost of living that is still reasonable by Western European standards
• A large, established expat community and easy ways to connect
• Multiple nearby towns that offer different lifestyles, from lively to ultra-quiet

At the same time, it’s a bit bigger and busier than what they personally might choose for their long-term home. For others, that size and urban energy will be exactly the right mix.

If you’re thinking about Alicante or the wider Costa Blanca, this snapshot helps you see beyond the glossy photos: how you’ll move around, what you’ll pay, where you might live and what kind of people you’ll meet.

The final question is simple: can you picture yourself walking along the Explanada, hopping on the tram to San Juan Playa, or watching the sunset from Santa Bárbara Castle – not as a tourist, but as a resident?

If the answer is yes, then Alicante is worth a serious look.