Altea: a hill town of artists above the Costa Blanca
About 24,600 people, a blue-domed church at the top of the old town, pebble beaches at the bottom, and a coast train that reopened in January 2025.
- 24,592
- Population (2025)
- $2,100/mo
- Monthly budget · single
- 64°F / 18°C
- Avg temperature
One person can live well in Altea on about $2,100 a month in U.S. dollars, and most people's budgets fall somewhere between $1,700 and $2,500. A couple should plan on about $3,000 and a family of four about $4,500. Rent is the big swing: a one-bedroom averages about $950 a month in the center and about $750 farther out (2026 figures).
Altea suits people who want a small Mediterranean town, not a resort. Around 24,600 people live here. The old town of white houses climbs to a church with a blue-tiled dome, there's an artists' quarter that has been part of the town for decades, and Miguel Hernández University teaches its fine arts degree here. Retirees and remote workers who want to walk to the market and the sea are the natural fit.
Here's the catch: Altea is hilly, the beaches are stones rather than sand, and it's a quiet place on purpose. Benidorm's towers sit just down the coast, and that contrast is exactly why people choose Altea. If you need local jobs or a big-city scene, this isn't the town for it.
Reviewed and updated September 30, 2026 · 3 min read
At a glance
$2,100
Monthly budget · single person
$950/mo 1-bed rent, center
78/100
Safety index
$35
Internet / month
64°Fannual average
Jan 52° · Aug 80°
Climate
24,592
Population (2025)
Expatsi estimates, updated Aug 2026, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Cost of living
What it costs to live in Altea
Single person
$1,700–$2,500/mo
about 30% below Austin, TX
Couple
$2,500–$3,500/mo
about 35% below Austin, TX
Family of four
$3,500–$5,500/mo
about 45% below Austin, TX
Compared with Austin, TX (Expatsi estimate, 2026).
- $15 −25%
- Inexpensive meal
- $800–$1,100/mo −51%
- 1-bed rent, center
- $600–$900/mo −44%
- 1-bed rent, outside
- $35/mo −46%
- Internet
- $297/sq ft −54%
- Buy price, center
Expatsi estimates, updated Aug 2026, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Daily life
How Altea lives
- B- grade, 27th percentile among the cities we track
- Dining & caféstypical
- C grade, 12th percentile among the cities we track
- Arts & culturemodest
- B- grade, 27th percentile among the cities we track
- Parks & outdoorstypical
- C grade, 13th percentile among the cities we track
- Schools & educationmodest
- C+ grade, 18th percentile among the cities we track
- Healthcare accessmodest
- B- grade, 30th percentile among the cities we track
- Bike infrastructuretypical
- C+ grade, 15th percentile among the cities we track
- Public transitmodest
- A- grade, good physical accessibility
- Accessibilitygood
Graded on OpenStreetMap amenity density relative to the 152 cities we track. Accessibility is the exception: it's graded against a fixed standard (terrain steepness and sidewalk surfaces), not a curve.
Climate
Weather through the year
Annual average 64°F (18°C) · 20 in of rain a year · Source: Open-Meteo Historical Weather API (temps: ERA5-Land 0.1°; precip/sunshine: ERA5 best-match; 1991-2020 normals)
On the ground
Scenes from Altea
Getting around
Transport in Altea
Daily life in central Altea happens on foot. The flat streets behind the seafront hold most of the shops and cafes, and the promenade runs along the water. The old town sits above all of it, up steep cobbled lanes that are lovely on a Sunday and a workout with a week of groceries.
For trips along the coast, the TRAM's Line 9 stops in Altea on its run between Benidorm and Dénia. The line reopened on January 28, 2025, after a long modernization, with new trains that run on both electric and diesel power. For Alicante, you can change trains at Benidorm, but many people take the coach instead: Alsa runs more than eight a day between Altea and Alicante, and the ride takes about an hour.
Alicante-Elche airport is about 40 miles away. That's roughly 45 minutes by car, or about an hour and 35 minutes on one of Alsa's four direct buses a day.
Whether you need a car comes down to your address. In the town center you can get by without one. If you rent in the hillside developments outside the center or in Altea la Vella, the older village inland, plan on driving for everyday errands.
- 1.6/sq mi
- Transit stops
- 1.5/sq mi
- Bike infrastructure
- 2.4/sq mi
- Wheelchair-accessible places
Mapped features per square mile from OpenStreetMap.
Keep exploring
Places like Altea
Community
Community & practical notes
Who lives here: Altea sits between two towns where foreign residents outnumber Spaniards. As of the January 2025 municipal register, l'Alfàs del Pi and Calp each had more foreign residents than Spanish ones. That means English-speaking neighbors, clubs and services are easy to find nearby, while Altea itself keeps a Spanish rhythm. Spanish and Valencian are the local languages, and you'll want working Spanish for paperwork, doctors and landlords.
Healthcare: Altea is part of the Marina Baixa public health area. Everyday care happens at the town's health center, with smaller clinics in Altea la Vella and in the old town. The area's public hospital, Hospital de la Marina Baixa, is in La Vila Joiosa, south of Benidorm. Most Americans come on visas that require private health insurance, so ask any insurer which clinics and hospitals nearby it pays directly.
Limited mobility: The seafront promenade is flat and comfortable in a wheelchair, and several beachfront restaurants have accessible terraces. The old town is the hard part: cobbled, steep streets, though there are gentler routes up to the church and the viewpoints. In summer, three beach access points offer amphibious chairs and assisted bathing, which matters here because the pebble beaches are tough going otherwise. Before you sign a lease, walk the route from the front door to the nearest bus or tram stop.
Getting online: Home internet runs about $35 a month. Speeds vary by street, so ask for a speed test at the exact apartment, especially up the hill.
Retiring here: Altea works well for retirees who want a walkable town, a sea view and a public hospital in the same health area, and who don't mind hills. Spain's non-lucrative visa is the usual route for people living on pensions and savings, and it doesn't allow working in Spain. Read the details on our non-lucrative visa page, compare countries at retirement visa options, and get the full picture in our Spain guide.
Housing
Renting and buying
- 1-bed rent (center)
- $800–$1,100/mo
- 1-bed rent (outside center)
- $600–$900/mo
- Buy price (center)
- $297/sq ft
- Buy price (outside center)
- $232/sq ft
Expatsi estimates, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a car to live in Altea?
Not if you live in the town center. You can walk to shops and the seafront, ride the TRAM's Line 9 along the coast between Benidorm and Dénia, and take Alsa coaches to Alicante, which run more than eight times a day. In the hillside developments and in Altea la Vella inland, a car is close to essential.
How much does it cost to live in Altea, Spain?
Plan on about $2,100 a month in U.S. dollars for one person in Altea, with a typical range of $1,700 to $2,500. A couple spends about $3,000 and a family of four about $4,500. A one-bedroom apartment rents for about $950 a month in the center and about $750 outside it (2026 figures).
Do many foreigners live in Altea?
Many live in and around Altea. As of January 2025, its neighbors l'Alfàs del Pi and Calp each had more foreign residents than Spanish ones, so English-speaking services and social groups are easy to find nearby. Altea itself feels more Spanish day to day, and working Spanish helps a lot with paperwork and healthcare.
How far is Altea from Alicante airport?
Altea is about 40 miles from Alicante-Elche airport, roughly 45 minutes by car. Alsa runs four direct buses a day between Altea and the airport, and the trip takes about an hour and 35 minutes.
What is the weather like in Altea?
Mild. The average temperature over the year is about 64F. In August, average highs sit near 88F and lows near 72F. In January, highs average about 59F and lows about 45F. Altea gets about 20 inches of rain a year, and September through November is the wettest stretch.
Is Altea, Spain safe?
Yes. Altea scores 78 out of 100 on the safety index we track, with a crime index of 22 (2026 figures). It's a small, quiet town, and the usual precautions in busy summer months, like watching your bag at the beach and the market, cover most of what you'll need.
Is Altea a good place to retire?
For many retirees, yes. The town center is walkable, the Marina Baixa public health area runs a health center in town and a hospital in La Vila Joiosa, and the climate is mild most of the year. The drawbacks are the steep old town and pebble beaches. Most Americans retiring to Spain use the non-lucrative visa, which requires private health insurance and doesn't allow work.
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