Money · 2 July 2026 · 5 min read
What it costs to own: the annual bills.
The purchase costs get all the attention, and we have covered those in the calculator. But the question that decides whether ownership stays a pleasure is smaller and yearly: what does the place cost you every year you own it? Here is the honest list for a typical €350,000 two-bed apartment in a community with a pool.
The list
| Annual cost | Typical range |
|---|---|
| IBI (local property tax) | €400 – €900 |
| Community fees (pool, lifts, gardens) | €1,200 – €3,000 |
| Non-resident income tax (imputed) | €300 – €700 |
| Home insurance | €250 – €450 |
| Utilities and internet (part-time use) | €900 – €1,500 |
| Rubbish charge (basura) | €80 – €200 |
| Realistic total | €3,100 – €6,700 a year |
The two that surprise people
Community fees are the big variable and the one to check hardest before you buy: a modest block might charge €80 a month while a resort-style community with gardens, security and three pools can pass €250. The community's accounts and minutes tell you where fees are heading and whether a special levy is coming, and your lawyer gets both.
The non-resident tax surprises everyone: Spain taxes non-resident owners on a notional rental value even if the property is never let, calculated from the cadastral value. It is small money, a few hundred euro for most apartments, but it needs an annual filing (Modelo 210) that many owners hand to a gestor for a modest fee. Let the property for real and the actual rental income gets taxed at 19% for the periods it's let, with EU residents able to deduct expenses; if you live in the UK, Northern Ireland included, both the notional and the rental tax are at 24%, and the rent is taxed gross; a decree published on 7 October 2026 may also change how the notional income is worked out (see the tax for UK-resident owners); the imputed charge still applies to the rest of the year. From 2026 income, rental income goes on a grouped annual return filed 1 to 20 April the following year.
The planning rule
Budget roughly 1 to 2% of the property's value per year for running costs, and you will rarely be caught out. If letting income is part of the plan, run the full sums in our holiday lets guide before assuming the apartment covers itself.
Spending part of the year here?
Our free Wintering in Spain guide covers the tax days, pensions, healthcare, running costs and the car, checked against the official sources.
