Destinations / Spain / Elche
Elche, Spain
Data grade A: official records Updated Oct 2026
Palm-grove city minutes from Alicante airport, with some of the region’s lowest big-city prices.
On this page: What it buys · Where to look · All-in costs · Visas · Healthcare · Properties
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
asking price per m2
about 1,500 euros/m2 (approx)
gross rental yield
6 to 7% approx
population
about 240,000
sunshine
about 2,800 h/year
nearest airport
Alicante airport, 15 min
Elche is the value play nobody abroad has heard of: Spain’s third-largest palm grove (UNESCO-listed), a proper economy, a university, and city-center prices that undercut the coast by a wide margin, 10 minutes from the airport and 20 from the beaches of Arenales del Sol.
What your money buys here
Typical buys at each band, drawn from current local asking prices. Use the price per square metre in the bar above as your anchor: multiply it by the size you need and you will spot an overpriced listing in seconds. Figures are approximate, lean to the cautious side, and get refreshed as our data passes land.
$200k
A 3-bed city apartment near the center
$350k
A large renovated flat by the palm groves, or a townhouse
$500k
A villa with land on the city’s edge or near the coast at Arenales
Santa Pola, Gran Alacant and Crevillente: Santa Pola adds the beach Elche itself lacks, at similar money. Going one town over usually buys a size or quality upgrade on the same budget, and these smaller markets are where patient buyers find the mispriced gems. Fewer listings means more waiting, so set the alert and be ready to travel when the right one appears.
Where to look
1. Center and Palmeral: daily Spain beside the palm forest
2. Arenales del Sol: Elche’s own beach quarter
3. Altabix: university side, newer blocks, best rental demand
All-in cost at $350k
Property price: $350,000
Transfer tax (ITP, resale, varies by region): 6 to 11%
Notary and registry: roughly 1,500 to 2,500 euros
Independent lawyer (recommended): roughly 1% of price
Rule of thumb: budget 10 to 13% on top (about $385,000 to $395,000 all-in)
Figures approximate; exact rate depends on region and property. New builds pay IVA instead of ITP.
Visas for a US passport
Digital nomad visa: Yes. Remote income requirement (roughly 2,800 euros/month), family can join, path to long-term residency.
Non-lucrative visa: Yes, for savings or passive income. No work in Spain.
Buy-to-reside: No. Spain’s golden visa ended in 2025.
90-day rule: Without a visa, 90 days in any 180 in Schengen.
Healthcare and insurance
Public system access once resident and registered with the padron. Private insurance (required for most visas) typically runs 150 to 300 euros/month for a family of four. English-speaking GPs are common on the coasts.
Schools and family
Free public schooling for residents; places assigned after padron registration. International schools cluster on the coasts and in the big cities, typically 6,000 to 15,000 euros/year.
Serious about Elche?
Talk it through with a relocation and buying advisor. Visas, timing and the buying process, in one call.
Sources: Idealista price reports, official sale records (Registradores, notaries), regional tax tables, Spanish government visa pages. Figures marked approx are indicative and verified in our monthly data pass. Guidance, not legal or financial advice.