It is the question we have been asked most often in our more than 50 years building in Moraira and the Marina Alta, and it deserves an honest answer: it depends on the quality, the plot and the project. But “it depends” helps nobody plan, so in this guide we give you the real ranges the Costa Blanca works with today, the costs added on top of the construction price, and realistic timescales.
The price per square metre in 2026
In the province of Alicante, the execution cost of a new build in 2026 moves within these ranges: standard quality starts at 1,300 to 1,600 €/m²; medium quality sits between 1,600 and 1,900 €/m²; medium-high quality, the usual level for villas in Moraira, Jávea or Benissa, runs from 1,900 to 2,500 €/m²; and above 2,500 €/m² we are talking about premium construction, with home automation, high-end aerothermal systems, minimalist window frames and bespoke finishes.
In an area like Moraira, where buyers demand quality and the terrain often adds complexity (slopes, retaining walls, access), the prudent approach is to budget from the medium-high range.
What almost nobody tells you: the costs that get added
The material execution price is not the final price. To that figure you must add the architect’s and technical fees (between 8 and 12% of the budget), the municipal construction tax (ICIO, between 2 and 4% depending on the municipality), the building licence fee, 10% VAT on self-built homes, preliminary studies (geotechnical and topographical), water, electricity and telecom connections, the ten-year structural insurance and a contingency margin we always recommend setting aside. Together, these items usually raise the total budget by 25 to 40% over the pure construction cost.
An example with numbers
A 250 m² villa built to medium-high quality, at around 2,200 €/m², means roughly 550,000 € of material execution. Adding fees, taxes, licences, utility connections and a contingency margin, a realistic total budget sits between 700,000 and 770,000 €, excluding the land. It is an indicative range: every plot and every project moves it up or down, which is why the first step is always a serious preliminary study of the plot.
Realistic timescales: a villa is not built in six months
Between the design and the building licence, 4 to 8 months usually go by, and the execution of a villa takes between 10 and 18 months depending on size and complexity. In total, from the first meeting to the handover of keys, the realistic figure is 18 to 30 months. Be wary of anyone promising much less without even knowing which town hall will process your licence.
The value of building with a local company
Building in Moraira is not like building anywhere else: every town hall has its own regulations, every plot its surprises and every urbanisation its rules. A local builder with decades of delivered work knows the procedures, the municipal technicians, the suppliers and the terrain. At Marzal Promociones we have just celebrated our 50th anniversary: half a century building villas in Moraira, Jávea, Calpe and throughout the Marina Alta, accompanying our clients from the search for the plot to the handover of the keys.
Do you own a plot, or are you looking for one? Tell us about your project and we will prepare an initial assessment with no obligation.