Costa Blanca Property Types, Spain: Understanding Real Estate Terms Without Confusion
- Bungalows on Costa Blanca: Not What You Think
- Townhouses on Costa Blanca: When You Want a House but Don't Want to Overpay
- Duplex on Costa Blanca: Two Floors of Personal Space
- Finca in Spain: When Urban Hustle Gets Tiresome
- Atico (Penthouse) in Spain: Living on Top
- Semi-Detached House in Spain (Casa Pareada): Spanish-Style Half House
- Villas in Spain: The Crown Jewel of Costa Blanca Real Estate
- Costa Blanca: What Buyers Need to Know in 2025
Buying property on Costa Blanca can turn into a fascinating linguistic puzzle. Local real estate agents effortlessly juggle terms like "bungalow," "townhouse," "finca," and "duplex," while buyers nod along, secretly wondering about the difference between a €200,000 house and a €300,000 house with the same number of rooms. Let's decode Spanish property terminology from Benidorm to Orihuela Costa and understand what each name really means.
Bungalows on Costa Blanca: Not What You Think
When Europeans hear "bungalow," they imagine a single-story house with a garden, like in the UK or Germany. In Spain, everything is completely different. Here, a bungalow is an apartment with a separate entrance in a small residential complex, especially popular in Torrevieja, Guardamar del Segura, and Ciudad Quesada.
Bungalow bajo or ground-floor bungalow in Spain is located on the first floor and has a small plot of land, sometimes with a garden or even a mini-pool. It's like an apartment but with your own courtyard where you can sunbathe or have a barbecue.
Bungalow alto or upper bungalow is on the second floor, accessed by a separate staircase, and instead of a plot, the owner has a roof terrace or solarium. Imagine an apartment with your own personal rooftop for sunbathing under the Mediterranean sun.
Unlike other European countries where bungalow means a detached single-story house, on Costa Blanca a bungalow is simply a housing format between an apartment and a villa.
Townhouses on Costa Blanca: When You Want a House but Don't Want to Overpay
A townhouse on Costa Blanca is practically a full house, just with neighbors behind the wall. While in the Netherlands or Belgium townhouses are usually narrow and tall, on the coast from Benidorm to Finestrat they differ in layout and Mediterranean lifestyle. Spanish townhouses are usually two or three stories, with terraces, small gardens, and definitely parking space. In urbanizations of Orihuela Costa, Ciudad Quesada, and Torrevieja, many have a shared pool and playground in the courtyard.
This is the perfect compromise for families: more space than an apartment but cheaper than a separate villa. In northern Europe, townhouses are often built in dense rows without gaps, but on Costa Blanca they're grouped in small blocks with well-maintained green areas between them and pools.
The Mediterranean climate allows more time outdoors, so terraces and patios here are more important than large interior spaces.
Duplex on Costa Blanca: Two Floors of Personal Space
A duplex on Costa Blanca can be two types: a two-level apartment in a multi-story building or a two-story townhouse. Yes, there's confusion, and even local realtors sometimes use these terms synonymously, especially in Torrevieja and Guardamar.
Most often, duplex refers to an apartment that occupies two floors with an internal staircase. Downstairs is usually the living room and kitchen, upstairs are the bedrooms. This is very convenient for families with children or those working from home: clear separation between shared and private areas.
In the UK or France, duplex more often means a house for two families. A duplex on Costa Blanca is almost always housing for one family on two levels. Prices from €300,000 for new options.
Finca in Spain: When Urban Hustle Gets Tiresome
Finca is perhaps the most exotic type of property for city dwellers. On Costa Blanca, it's a country estate with a large plot of land. You can grow olives, citrus fruits, or simply enjoy the silence away from tourist routes.
Finca rústica is agricultural land. The house there can be quite small (up to 100 square meters), but there are several hectares of land. Communications are often autonomous: own well, solar panels, septic tank.
Finca urbana is a plot within city limits with building permission. On Costa Blanca, this is rarer and more expensive, especially near the coast.
In countries with colder climates, the analog of a finca would be farms or estates, but there it's difficult to enjoy country life year-round. A finca on Costa Blanca can become a permanent home thanks to 320 sunny days per year and mild winters.
Atico (Penthouse) in Spain: Living on Top
Atico on Costa Blanca is an apartment on the top floor with a terrace. In Benidorm, this can be luxury apartments in a modern skyscraper with sea views, in Torrevieja it's usually a regular apartment with a large balcony.
A penthouse on Costa Blanca is a term used for luxury áticos with large terraces and premium finishes. Essentially, it's the same thing, but penthouse sounds more expensive. And of course, it appears more often in advertising and elite property descriptions.
In other European countries, a penthouse is always elite housing. An ático on Costa Blanca can be quite affordable, especially in smaller towns. Thanks to the comfortable climate, the terrace is used year-round, not just in summer. Pretty cool! Breakfasts in the fresh air and dinners with breathtaking sunset views.
Semi-Detached House in Spain (Casa Pareada): Spanish-Style Half House
Casa pareada is a house for two families with a shared wall in the middle. Each half has its own separate entrance and private plot. This is analogous to a semi-detached house in England, but Spanish-style.
Semi-detached houses on Costa Blanca are built considering the climate: spacious terraces, interior courtyards, space for summer kitchen and barbecue areas. In winter, in many European countries such houses look quite dreary, but in Spain they're attractive year-round.
Villas in Spain: The Crown Jewel of Costa Blanca Real Estate
A villa on Costa Blanca is a detached house with its own plot, pool, and complete privacy. Unlike northern Europe, where villas often simply mean large houses, a Spanish villa necessarily implies a lifestyle: sun terraces, barbecue areas, gardens with palm trees and citrus fruits, and of course, a private pool.
Villa independiente — a classic detached villa with a plot from 500 square meters, popular in areas like Calpe, Altea, and Javea. Here you can live year-round, enjoying complete privacy and the Mediterranean climate.
Villa adosada — formally a townhouse, but with a large plot and all villa attributes. A compromise between price and luxury, especially sought after in Orihuela Costa urbanizations.
In cold countries, a villa becomes an expensive burden in winter with heating and garden maintenance. On Costa Blanca, a villa is year-round pleasure, where even in January you can have breakfast by the pool.
Costa Blanca: What Buyers Need to Know in 2025
Property classification on Costa Blanca is more flexible than in northern Europe. The same property can be called differently depending on what the seller wants to emphasize. To understand correctly, always look at the layout, photos, and technical description, not just the name in the listing.
According to 2025 data, property prices have risen 15% compared to last year. Costs start from €70,000 for a studio on the resale market and can reach several million for a front-line villa in areas like Calpe or Altea.
But most importantly, understand which exact house on Costa Blanca suits your purposes: permanent residence, vacation, or investment. Decide on the coastal area where exactly you would like to buy property on Costa Blanca (you can read about the areas here). And remember that the Mediterranean lifestyle with emphasis on open spaces and life under the sun can dramatically differ from the familiar Northern European way.
Ready to navigate the intricacies of Spanish real estate? The Espavista Real Estate team knows every corner of the coast from Benidorm to Orihuela Costa and will help find exactly what you need!