Living in Churriana, Málaga (2026)

What does it cost to live in Churriana? The key numbers

What is it like to live in Churriana?

Churriana is a former village that Málaga swallowed on its south-west edge, between the airport and the sea. It has a small old centre, garden houses and terraces, and newer estates with pools, plus the Guadalmar beach. Families live here because homes are bigger and parking is easy, and the airport is 5 minutes away.

Who is Churriana for?

How much is rent in Churriana in 2026?

A one-bedroom flat in Churriana is advertised at about 770 to 940 EUR a month, and a three-bedroom at about 1,280 to 1,560 EUR. That is 14.2 EUR per square metre (idealista price report, Churriana district average, September 2026) on a 60 m² and a 100 m² flat, plus or minus 10%.

A room in a shared flat costs about 450 EUR a month across Málaga (idealista room-rental report, June 2026).

Is rent capped in Churriana?

No. Málaga is not a declared stressed housing market ("zona tensionada").

Only the Junta de Andalucía can declare one under the state housing law, Ley 12/2023, and its housing councillor said in September 2026 that the government has no intention of declaring any. So the caps on new contracts do not apply here, and a landlord can set the starting rent freely. Once you have signed, the yearly increase is limited: for contracts signed since 26 May 2023 it follows the INE's rental index (IRAV), not inflation, and only once a year on the contract anniversary.

How much does it cost to buy in Churriana?

Homes in Churriana are advertised at about 2,862 EUR per square metre (Fotocasa price index, September 2026), the 17th most expensive of the 18 places we compare. On the same benchmark sizes:

• One bedroom, 60 m²: 155,000 to 189,000 EUR
• Three bedrooms, 100 m²: 258,000 to 315,000 EUR

That figure covers the whole Churriana district, up 1.7% in a year. Guadalmar, by the beach, is 3,953 EUR/m2.

What do you pay on top of the price when buying in Churriana?

Budget roughly 7.7% to 8.8% on top of the price. On a typical 287,000 EUR three-bedroom flat in Churriana that is about 20,000 EUR of ITP plus 2,000 to 5,150 EUR in fees, before any mortgage.

Buying a resale home in Andalucía carries a transfer tax, ITP, of 7% of the price, under Decreto Legislativo 1/2018 of the Junta de Andalucía (Agencia Tributaria de Andalucía, October 2026). A main home worth up to 150,000 EUR pays 6%. Buyers under 35, and a few other groups, pay 3.5% on a main home up to 150,000 EUR, and large families and people with a disability of 33% or more pay 3.5% up to 250,000 EUR, provided you live in it for at least three years. Almost every home on these pages costs more than 150,000 EUR. A new build pays no ITP: it pays IVA at 10% plus AJD at 1.2%. On top come notary, land registry, gestoría and a lawyer.

On a 287,000 EUR three-bedroom flat in Churriana, the middle of the band above:

• ITP: about 20,000 EUR
• Notary, registry, gestoría and a lawyer: roughly 2,000 to 5,150 EUR
• Buying outright: about 309,000 EUR in total
• With a non-resident mortgage at 70%: about 108,000 EUR of your own money

So the costs on top come to roughly 7.7% to 8.8% of the price. Non-resident lenders generally lend 60–70% of value.

The tax is self-assessed on form 600 with the Agencia Tributaria de Andalucía within two months of the day after the deed, a rule that has applied since 2022. Many websites still quote 30 working days or one month, which are older or national figures. Rates checked October 2026. This is market information and not tax, legal or financial advice. Confirm anything here with a lawyer before you sign.

How do you get around from Churriana?

Churriana is by the airport, so it is 25 to 40 minutes from the centre by bus or 15 minutes by car. The Cercanías C1 line serves the airport and Guadalmar, with trains into María Zambrano and the coast.

You will want one. Churriana has a train or bus link to Málaga, so commuting works without a car, but shopping, schools and weekends get easier with one.

Is Churriana good for families?

Yes. Churriana is one of the areas families actually choose. Green space: plenty of green space. Noise: calm most of the time.

International schools nearby: Novaschool Sunland International (Cártama, about 15 to 20 minutes by car).

Can you live in Churriana in English?

Mostly. Churriana has a sizeable international community, so English speakers are easy to find, but shops, doctors and landlords default to Spanish.

How does Churriana compare with Teatinos or Ciudad Jardín?

The value districts north and west of the centre, where flats are newer and bigger and asking rent is lowest of the districts we checked.

Asking rent: idealista price report, September 2026, district averages inside the city; for the towns idealista, September 2026, named on each town's page. Declared rent: SERPAVI, the Ministry of Housing rent index, 2024 tax returns. Sale: Fotocasa price index, September 2026. Minutes: our estimate, door to Plaza de la Constitución by public transport. Exact source and date for each figure are on each area's page.

Churriana or Teatinos?

Teatinos is modern flats with the metro and the university next door; Churriana is a village-style suburb by the airport and the sea, with more houses and parking, cheaper to buy in (2,862 EUR/m2 against 4,162) and car-dependent. Living in Teatinos →

Churriana or Ciudad Jardín?

Both are cheap and quiet. Churriana is by the airport and the beach and has more houses and a small old centre; Ciudad Jardín is a more compact residential district closer to the city, with lower asking rent (13.0 EUR/m2 against 14.2). Living in Ciudad Jardín →

What should you know before moving to Churriana?

• Málaga-Costa del Sol airport is in the Churriana area, and the Cercanías C1 train links it to the centre in about 10 minutes. (AENA)
• Fotocasa put Guadalmar at 3,953 EUR/m2 and the Churriana village zone at 2,690 EUR/m2 in September 2026. (Fotocasa)
• Rents on contracts whose deposit was lodged with the Junta averaged 7.50 EUR per built square metre in the Churriana district in Q3 2023, against 7.52 for the whole city. That register stopped taking new deposits in January 2026. (Ayuntamiento de Málaga (IMV), from AVRA)

How does Churriana rate on noise, transport, space and the rest?

The same twelve measures on all 18 Málaga pages, so two can be read side by side. Our own ratings, not official statistics.

Where can you read news about Churriana in English?

Málaga Expat Daily summarises Málaga's local press in English every day: rent rules, transport changes, works and closures, and what is on in each barrio. Read today's edition, or get it by email for free below.

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