Living in Alfaz del Pi: 2026 area guide
Alfaz del Pi is a small Mediterranean town of 21,080 registered residents (INE, 2025) between Benidorm and Altea, where six in ten residents are foreign nationals. It combines a quiet town centre, the beach and promenade of L'Albir and the Serra Gelada natural park, all within an hour of Alicante airport.
Key points
- Population: 21,080 registered residents on 1 January 2025 (INE), 61.9% of them foreign nationals.
- Prices: average asking price of €3,543/m² in October 2026 (fotocasa), 13.2% more than a year earlier; L'Albir is the most expensive area.
- Services: three state primary schools, a Norwegian school, a local health centre and the Marina Baixa hospital 17 minutes away by car.
Alfaz del Pi in figures
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,080 (1/1/2025), +4.6% in a year | INE |
| Foreign residents | 61.9% (January 2025) | INE |
| Average asking price (sale) | €3,543/m² (October 2026), +13.2% in a year | fotocasa |
| L'Albir beach | 4 km, 8 min by car | OSRM |
| Benidorm | 8 km, 13 min by car | OSRM |
| Alicante-Elche airport | 63 km, 48 min by car | OSRM |
| Sunshine | About 2,850 hours a year | AEMET (Alicante) |
The population has moved between roughly 18,400 and 21,700 residents over the last decade. The 2025 figure is the highest since 2016.
Where it is and how to get there
Alfaz del Pi sits in the Marina Baixa district of Alicante province, between Benidorm and Altea. The municipality runs from the inland town centre, at the foot of the Sierra Helada, down to the coast at L'Albir. The AP-7 motorway and the N-332 road cross the area, and the TRAM line 9 (Benidorm–Dénia) stops at L'Albir.
| Destination (from the town centre) | Distance | Time by car |
|---|---|---|
| L'Albir beach | 4 km | 8 min |
| La Nucía | 5 km | 7 min |
| Benidorm | 8 km | 13 min |
| Altea | 9 km | 11 min |
| Marina Baixa Hospital (Villajoyosa) | 15 km | 17 min |
| Alicante (city) | 50 km | 44 min |
| Alicante-Elche airport | 63 km | 48 min |
| Valencia (city) | 143 km | 1 h 41 min |
Approximate driving times without traffic, calculated with OpenStreetMap/OSRM on 14/11/2026. Tolls and summer traffic can change them.
Climate
The climate is dry and mild. The nearest official AEMET series (Alicante, 1981–2010) gives an average high of 17 °C in January and 31 °C in August, around 2,850 hours of sunshine a year (7.8 hours a day on average) and just 311 mm of rain, concentrated in autumn. The Alicante station is about 43 km south-west of Alfaz del Pi, so treat the figures as a guide.
Climate normals 1981–2010, Alicante station (about 43 km away)
Who lives here
Alfaz del Pi is one of the most international towns in Spain: 61.9% of its registered residents are foreign nationals (INE, January 2025). The Norwegian community has been here for decades, which explains the Norwegian school, the Scandinavian names of some urbanisations and the many Nordic shops and clubs. British, Belgian, Dutch and other European residents complete the picture, and many of them live here all year, not only in winter. Day-to-day life works well in English, although Spanish (and Valencian in official matters) is still useful.
Neighbourhoods and urbanisations
The municipality has three clearly different types of area:
- Town centre (el Poble): streets of low-rise houses and apartments around the church and the town hall, with shops, the Friday market and the culture house. Good for living without a car.
- L'Albir: the coastal area, with the pebble beach, the promenade, restaurants and the start of the Serra Gelada lighthouse walk. Apartments and villas close to the sea, and the highest prices in the municipality.
- Urbanisations (Escandinavia, El Cautivador, Arabí and others): villas with gardens and pools around the town, with Escandinavia and El Cautivador to the north and Arabí on the way down to L'Albir, many with sea or mountain views. A car is usually needed.
Our separate guide to L'Albir covers the coastal area in more detail.
Main areas of Alfaz del Pi. Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
The coast at L'Albir
Property prices and trends
According to fotocasa, the average asking price in Alfaz del Pi was €3,543/m² in October 2026, 13.2% higher than a year earlier (€3,194/m² in November 2025). Prices differ a lot by area: L'Albir is at €4,111/m², Escandinavia–Cautivador at €3,263/m² and the town centre and urbanisations at €2,663/m².
These are portal asking prices, not the prices at which homes actually sell. Final prices depend on the condition of the property, the views, the plot and how long it has been on the market. For a reliable figure on a specific home, ask for a valuation with recent comparable sales.
Annual running costs of a home
- Property tax (IBI): the urban rate in Alfaz del Pi is 0.90% of the cadastral value (Ministry of Finance data). The cadastral value is usually well below the market price.
- Rubbish collection charge: set each year by the town hall; check the amount on the latest bill.
- Community fees: they depend on each building or urbanisation (pool, gardens, lifts).
Before buying, ask the seller for the latest IBI bill, the rubbish charge receipt and the community fee statement: they show the real annual cost of that specific home.
Schools
- State primary schools (ages 3–12): CEIP Santísimo Cristo del Buen Acierto, CEIP Veles e Vents and CEIP Racó de l'Albir (town hall enrolment guide).
- State secondary school: IES L'Arabí.
- International: Den Norske Skole Costa Blanca, the Norwegian school, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023. Other international schools are in Altea, La Nucía and Benidorm, within 15 minutes by car.
Places in state schools are allocated by the Valencian education authority; registration on the padrón is required to apply.
Healthcare
Primary care is provided at the Alfaz del Pi health centre. The reference public hospital is the Marina Baixa Hospital in Villajoyosa, about 17 minutes away by car. There are also private hospitals and clinics in Benidorm, around 13 minutes away. Residents registered on the padrón can apply for their SIP health card at the health centre.
Leisure and daily life
The cliffs of the Serra Gelada natural park
- Serra Gelada natural park: the walk from L'Albir to the lighthouse, along the cliffs, is the most popular outing in the area.
- Beach: L'Albir beach and promenade, with terraces and restaurants along the seafront.
- Culture: the Alfaz del Pi Film Festival, held every summer (38th edition in July 2026), and open-air cinema at the Roman villa museum of L'Albir.
- Nearby: Altea's old town and Benidorm's beaches, theme parks and shows, all within 15 minutes.
Evenings by the sea are calm
Nightlife: the atmosphere at night is calm. In the evenings, life centres on the restaurants and bars of the L'Albir promenade and the town centre, busiest in summer. For clubs and late-night venues, most residents go to Benidorm, 13 minutes away. If you are looking for peace and quiet, check how far the home is from the promenade in summer.
Market and shopping: the weekly market is held on Fridays from 7:00 to 15:00 on Avenida Constitución. In summer there is also an evening market in L'Albir. Supermarkets, Nordic shops and services are spread along the main roads, and the large shopping centres are in Benidorm and Finestrat.
Sport: hiking and cycling in the Serra Gelada and the Puig Campana area, water sports on the coast and the La Nucía sports city 7 minutes away.
Mediterranean tapas
What it means for you
Alfaz del Pi suits buyers who want a quiet, international place to live all year, with the beach close by and Benidorm's services a few minutes away. If you want to be by the sea, L'Albir is the most expensive area; the town centre and the urbanisations offer more space for the same budget. If you are selling, the steady demand from northern European buyers and the price rise of the last year are good news, but the right price depends on comparable sales, not on portal averages.
Related: How much does it cost to buy a home in Alicante in 2026? · Living in Benidorm: 2026 area guide
Costa Prime Properties specialises in Alfaz del Pi, Albir, La Nucía, Altea, Benidorm and Finestrat, with its office in Albir. Contact us for a free consultation.
Frequently asked questions
How many people live in Alfaz del Pi?
21,080 people were registered on 1 January 2025 (INE), and 61.9% of them are foreign nationals.
How much does a square metre cost in Alfaz del Pi?
The average asking price was €3,543/m² in October 2026 (fotocasa): €4,111/m² in L'Albir and €2,663/m² in the town centre and urbanisations. These are asking prices, not sale prices.
Is there an international school in Alfaz del Pi?
Yes. Den Norske Skole Costa Blanca, the Norwegian school, is in Alfaz del Pi, and there are more international schools in Altea, La Nucía and Benidorm.
Cover photo: Faro de l'Albir, Jesús Alenda (Wikimedia Commons), CC BY 2.0.
Sources
- INE — Cifras oficiales de población de los municipios, Alicante (tabla 2856, padrón a 1 de enero 2014–2025)
- euribor.com.es — Los 20 municipios con mayor porcentaje de población extranjera en España según el INE (05/05/2026)
- fotocasa — Índice de precios de la vivienda en venta, L'Alfàs del Pi (octubre 2026)
- AEMET — Valores climatológicos normales, Alicante (1981–2010)
- OpenStreetMap / OSRM — rutas en coche desde el centro de Alfaz del Pi (consultado 14/11/2026)
- Ministerio de Hacienda, vía ibi.com.es — Tipos de IBI de l'Alfàs del Pi
- Ayuntamiento de l'Alfàs del Pi — Guía práctica de matriculación (colegios públicos)
- AQUÍ Medios — Finalizan los actos del 50 aniversario del Colegio Noruego Costa Blanca (26/01/2023)
- Comunitat Valenciana Turismo — Mercadillo semanal de los viernes, l'Alfàs del Pi
- El Periòdic — Eduard Fernández completa el trío de Faros de Plata del 38 Festival de Cine de l'Alfàs (2026)
- El Periòdic — Cine bajo las estrellas regresa al Museo Villa Romana de l'Albir (2026)
- mercadillos.org — Mercadillo nocturno de El Albir
Image gallery
