Of all the types of overseas home it is possible to buy, a lock-and-go apartment in Spain is the most typical dream of all. Easy to reach, easy to look after, and the type of property that suits most budgets.
Yet whether you have £90k or £200k to spend, one of the biggest questions we get is: how much does it cost to run? An inheritance or some hard-earned savings might fund the purchase, but every year you will have costs to cover.
Why apartments in Spain are a popular choice
Luckily, these costs can be pretty modest. Jerome and Meik own a two-bedroom apartment in Manilva on the Costa del Sol. It’s in a development close to the castle (Castillo de la Duquesa), an area that has been growing in popularity for its affordability compared to the so-called Golden Mile.
The couple bought the apartment in November 2023, after appearing on A Place in the Sun TV show with Jasmine. The episode aired last month (January 2026).
Where Jerome and Meik bought on the Costa del Sol
“Our choice of area was rather budget dependent,” says Jerome, from Manchester, now living in Berlin with husband Meik, both working in high-end fashion.
“It’s very international, ideally located so we can fly from Gibraltar or Málaga airports, and we just love the year-round festivals and having beach days – there are some fantastic chiringuitos [beach bars] here. We come out as much as possible.”
The apartment, with a lovely covered terrace, cost the couple £139,000. It took just six weeks to purchase (allow around 10% for purchase costs), but how much does it cost to run?
Running costs for an apartment in Spain
Community fees: €220 per quarter
Property tax: €300 per year
Non-residents’ income tax: €480 per year
Utility bills: €30 a month
Household insurance: €30 a month
Bank account fee for non-residents: €35 a month
This works out at €233 (£201) per month.
This sum is well worth the joy that their Spanish bolthole brings them. They have spruced up the property, which now looks super stylish, as you might expect from their line of work (Meik for Louis Vuitton and Jerome for Burberry).
Life in their Spanish bolthole
“Every time we come out, we love to do a bit of DIY or treat ourselves to a little trip to IKEA or some food shopping at one of the markets, like Sotogrande,” says Jerome. They have even got a wonderful couple of neighbours – a retired couple from Düsseldorf, as it happens – on hand to water their plants when they are away.
“Actually, we find it far more social here than when we are in Berlin,” says Meik, whose parents had a place in Nerja at the other end of the Costa. “It’s easy to make friends and when we retire, we’ll spend a longer time away.”
Jerome says he grew up watching A Place in the Sun, which helped persuade them to apply for a screen test – though Meik had never seen it. “We never thought we’d be able to afford something like this. The programme changed everything,” he adds.
Thinking about your own place in the sun?
Whether you’re dreaming of a low-maintenance apartment for regular getaways or a longer-term base in Spain, understanding the running costs is a great place to start.
🔍 Search for apartments for sale in Spain
📘 Explore our Spain buying guide
📺 Apply to be on A Place in the Sun
