Spain attracts younger Swedes

It is no longer just older and retirees who are moving south. Nowadays, it is just as often families with children or young couples who are leaving Sweden for Spain. This is shown by the real estate company Bjurfors Spain Index.

The Bjurfors Spain Index measures the price development in 13 of the most attractive regions among Swedish homebuyers, from Girona in the northeast to Cádiz in the southwest, as well as Mallorca and the Canary Islands. In October, the index rose by 1.6 percent compared to September, which corresponds to an increase of 13.4 percent over the past year.

The largest increases are in Murcia (+3.5%), Granada (+2.6%), and Cádiz (+2.2%).

“Attractive properties are selling quickly. Many potential buyers already have their financing in place, are aware of the limited supply, and know that they need to act quickly. Foreign buyers continue to be very active, such as Germans, Britons, and Poles,” says Irja Amolin, CEO of Bjurfors.

It is no longer mostly retirees who are moving south, today there is a more mixed buying group. The number of people over 65 years old who have emigrated to Spain has decreased by 39 percent in the last five years, while the younger age groups have increased by 57 percent.

“We are seeing a shift in the Spanish housing market. Just a few years ago, it was mainly older people who sought out Spain. Now, we just as often meet families with children who want to exchange darkness for sunlight, or young couples who work remotely and want a better quality of life,” says Irja Amolin.

Remote work

A weekday with more remote work after the pandemic is identified as a contributing factor.

“The distance between Sweden and Spain has practically shrunk, which means that more Swedes dare to take the step to live a life in the sun. Today, there are entire Swedish and Nordic communities where you can live like at home – but with 300 sunny days a year,” says Irja Amolin.

3,000 moves this year

In 2025, a record number of Swedes are expected to move to Spain. In 2011, 1,144 Swedes left Sweden for Spain. In 2024, the number was 2,816.

“That number will increase. It is expected that over three thousand Swedes will move to Spain in 2025,” says Stefan Thomsson at Global Tax Sweden, who holds the Spain seminars at the Buy Property Abroad fairs.