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Date Published: 15/01/2025

Orihuela Costa: the driving force behind population growth in the municipality

British expats are still the largest foreign population living in Orihuela Costa

Once a quiet, hidden gem in southern Alicante, Orihuela Costa has become a thriving tourist destination and home from home for foreigners, a veritable melting pot of different nationalities and cultures. Its popularity continues to grow year after year and the population of this sprawling coastal enclave boomed again in 2024, thanks in large part to the British.

On the whole, the number of people residing in the municipality of Orihuela grew by 1.9% last year. But this figure is very modest compared to Orihuela Costa, where the population shot up by an impressive 5%. It’s even more striking when we consider that numbers in Orihuela City increased by just 0.1% and the other districts of the municipality totalled a growth rate of 0.9%.

Spaniards are still in the majority in Orihuela Costa (53,512 residents) but the British, as always, remain an important presence with a population of 9,681. Citizens from the UK are followed by those from Morocco (2,974), Ukraine (2,356), Russia (2,205), Colombia (1,525) and Algeria (1,013).

Things do appear to be shifting, though. Several factors, such as Brexit and a rising cost of living in Spain, mean that the British population in Orihuela Costa actually fell by 7% compared to 2023, while others are thriving.

This is the case with Ukraine, whose population in the municipality has increased by 58%, and Venezuela by 48%. In general terms, the Spanish population has increased by 1.1% in the last 12 months and the foreign population by 3.3%.

Further shifts could also be on the cards if a new proposal from the Spanish government goes through, which aims to heavily tax property buyers from non-EU countries.

Today, foreign residents represent 32% of the population of Orihuela, covering 121 different nationalities.

But Orihuela Costa is definitely the stand-out. In 2024, the number of people calling the coast home increased by 1,333 individuals, with the total population now sitting at 27,929.

It’s worth pointing out that these statistics only take into account those officially registered as residents, so the real numbers are probably much higher.

In other news: Orihuela Costa cliff walk set for major lighting overhaul

Image: Unidos X La Costa

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