New Build vs Resale Property in Girona: Costs, Pros and Cons

For a UK buyer looking at Girona, the first fork in the road isn't the postcode — it's whether to buy something finished and untouched, or something with history and negotiating room. Both routes are common in Girona, and both lead to the same notary and Land Registry, but the tax bill on day one, and the maintenance bill in year five, can look quite different.

This guide sets out, fact by fact, what you actually pay on top of the price, what condition to expect, and which option tends to suit buyers who want to live in the property, rent it out, or take on a managed renovation project.

Girona province covers the Costa Brava coastline as well as inland countryside toward the Pyrenees, offering both beach towns and rural stone villages. Its proximity to France draws French, Belgian and Dutch buyers, alongside others wanting a quieter alternative to busier Spanish coasts.

Girona-Costa Brava airport serves the coast directly, with Barcelona airport also within reach for wider connections. Coastal areas see strong summer activity, while inland towns remain calmer, and property types range from apartments and townhouses near the sea to farmhouses further inland.

What follows are measured, dated figures for Girona (province) — who lives there, what homes are advertised for, how to get there and the climate — each one sourced. They help you form a realistic picture of Girona (province) before deciding whether to buy there, to live, for holidays or to let out.

On 1 January 2025 the INE recorded 830,429 residents across the entire province of Girona, a figure that includes every municipality, not just the capital that shares its name. These official population data set the context for the local market figures below. In the province of Girona, 181,899 residents hold a foreign nationality, about 22 of every 100 people registered there. That is a significant but not dominant share, and it varies considerably from one town to another within the province.

On 1 January 2025, the province of Girona had just 3,372 British nationals on its register, a modest figure. Because registration only counts year-round residents, it leaves out second-home owners who spend part of the year in the province. The following table shows the leading foreign nationalities registered in Girona (province) on 1 January 2025, according to the municipal-level data INE makes available.

For nationalities the census groups together rather than listing them individually, such as Germans, Italians, Dutch, Belgians or Scandinavians, we turn to the detailed INE register for Girona province. Unlike the table above, this count dates from 1 January 2022, the most recent detailed edition.

In our own price bank, the 5,315 homes currently advertised for sale across the province of Girona show a median asking price of €2,840/m² and a median ticket of €290,000. That places the province in the middle of the range, close to the €3,135/m² median across the 130 towns we track across Spain. Half of the properties currently listed are priced between €1,930 and €3,820 per square metre, with cheaper and more expensive homes on either side of that middle band.

Girona (province)'s median asking price of €290,000 carries a transfer tax bill of about €29,000 at the regional 10 % rate, plus an estimated €3,500 for notary, registry and gestoría work. The resulting total of around €32,500 sits outside the mortgage and needs to be covered from the buyer's own funds. All prices shown are asking prices from adverts active on 2026-11-01, not completed sales. The price eventually paid is always a matter of negotiation, shaped by condition, precise location and orientation.

The table below brings together the towns we track across Girona (province), listing inhabitants, foreign residents per 100 people and median asking price per square metre, to show how much these markets differ.

INE's experimental statistic, based on listings from the main holiday-rental platforms, counted 20,821 holiday-let homes in Girona (province) in 05/2026 (116,320 bed places), about 25 per 1,000 residents. That is a moderate presence, and tourist letting still requires a regional licence. According to the Ministry of Housing's reference system, the median rent for a flat in Girona (province) under long-term contracts in 2024 was €550 a month, from 43,826 tax-declared rentals. It is a past figure for long-term lets, not a forecast or holiday-let income, and rents can rise or fall. Long-term rents for flats in the official register typically range from €450 to €680 a month for the middle half of the market.

Before booking, confirm that Aeropuerto de Girona-Costa Brava (GRO), the one commercial airport serving Girona (province), has a connection from your home airport at the time of year you intend to fly, as this changes seasonally. Because Girona is where these climate figures were measured, other parts of the province, further inland, at higher altitude or on separate islands, can feel quite different. January brings a mean of just 7.1 °C and lows around 1.1 °C, against an August mean of 23.4 °C and highs near 29.8 °C, making this one of the colder corners of Spain in winter. Insulation and heating costs deserve close attention before buying. Rainfall is comparatively high for coastal or central Spain: about 728 mm a year, spread over roughly 66 days with measurable rain. Damp is something worth checking in any home here. These figures are the official climate normals (1981-2010) from AEMET, Spain's state weather agency, at its Girona Aeropuerto station, about 9 km away; conditions at the exact property can differ slightly, especially inland or at altitude.

The province of Girona saw 15,239 registered home sales in the year to 07/2026, per INE. A busier market like this generally offers more comparable transactions and greater choice. Bear in mind that these numbers reflect the province of Girona overall; they shift a great deal between towns and between individual properties. Let us know what you have in mind so we can look at your case.

The transfer tax on a resale home is set by each Spanish region. In Girona the general rate is 10 %, and on top of it come notary, land registry and gestoría (roughly one more percent). On a new build you pay 10 % VAT plus stamp duty instead of the transfer tax. This money is not lent by the bank.

New-build homes in Girona are sold directly by developers, so the tax treatment is different from a resale: you pay 10% VAT on the price instead of transfer tax, plus a regional stamp duty on the deed. Because the property is new, you typically inherit builder's guarantees, current energy-efficiency standards and no chain of previous owners to negotiate with — but also little room to haggle on price, since developers rarely discount much off the list.

Off-plan purchases add another layer: staged payments during construction, and a wait of months or longer before you hold the keys. Our partner Colibrí Finances arranges mortgages for non-resident buyers, though we never quote a financing percentage in advance — each bank assesses income, existing commitments and the property itself before making an offer.

Resale properties are taxed differently: instead of VAT, the buyer pays ITP (transfer tax), a rate set by each Spanish region rather than a national figure. Resale stock tends to sit in established neighbourhoods, town centres and coastal areas where new land for development is scarce, and prices are more open to negotiation than with a developer.

Because many resale homes reach our network of roughly 1,000 collaborating agencies before they're publicly advertised, buyers working with us often see options — including renovation projects — that never appear on the main portals. The trade-off is condition: older properties may need rewiring, new plumbing or a full refurbishment, which should be budgeted for alongside the purchase price.

Owning a property in Spain doesn't end at completion. As a non-resident, you'll file an annual Modelo 210 return, declaring rental income if you let the property, or a notional charge if it stands empty for personal use. Municipal property tax (IBI) and community fees, where they apply, are yearly costs to budget for regardless of whether the home is new or resale.

If you eventually sell, the buyer will withhold 3% of the price on account of your Spanish tax, and the local council will charge a municipal capital-gains tax (plusvalía) based on the increase in the land's value during your ownership. A local tax adviser can confirm exactly how rental income or any gain should be declared to HMRC as well as to the Spanish tax office, since Spain and the United Kingdom have a double taxation agreement in place.

If you plan to live in the property or rent it out long-term, either a tidy resale or a modern new build can work — the decision often comes down to location and how much renovation you're willing to manage from the United Kingdom. If your goal is a holiday home you'll use occasionally, a finished new build with lower initial maintenance can simplify life at a distance.

For buyers drawn to a renovation project as an investment, our group's renovation arm has bought, renovated and resold 18 homes since 2022, with a median renovation budget of 22% of the purchase price — past results, not a promise of future returns. In a managed investment, you buy the property in your own name, our team carries out the works, and we sell or rent it out for you for agreed fees; we never pool investors' money, and returns are never guaranteed.

Spain is a relatively short flight away from most UK airports, making regular visits to a Spanish property straightforward for owners based in Britain. Many British buyers are drawn to Spain for its climate, coastal lifestyle and established expatriate communities. One practical point to bear in mind is that Spanish inheritance law differs from UK rules, so it is worth taking specific advice on how it may affect the property and one's estate. Currency movements between sterling and the euro can also affect the overall cost of purchase and ongoing expenses.

Spain and the United Kingdom have a double taxation agreement in place, and a local tax adviser should confirm how rental income or gains from Spanish property must be declared and reported to HMRC.

As the United Kingdom is no longer an EU member state, British citizens may stay in Spain for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and must apply for a visa or residence permit for longer stays.

Since the United Kingdom uses the pound sterling (GBP) rather than the euro, buyers should factor in exchange-rate movements and currency conversion costs when paying for a property or transferring funds to Spain.