Brits in Spain

Almeria is home to one of the biggest communities of Brits in Spain

With more than 17,200 residents from the United Kingdom registered according to the INE, the province surpasses Madrid and is one of the top destinations for British citizens in Spain

Map published by a social media profile specialising in statistics and data.

E. Gabriel Llanderas

Almería

28/05/2026 a las 13:16h.

A social media site specialising in statistical data and geogrpahy, Estadísticas, gráficos y mapas bizarros (bizarre statistics, graphics and maps) has published an infographic based on Spain's national statistics institute (INE) 2023 municipal register which places Almeria province among the Spanish provinces with the highest concentration of British residents ... .

The map, which includes only those places with more than 500 registered Brits, gives a total figure of approximately 293,000 British nationals residing in Spain, a statistic that has continued to grow despite Brexit.

Almeria ahead of Madrid

Alicante tops the list with more than 76,000 British residents, a position it has held for decades and which makes the eastern province the great attraction for people from the UK to live. Benidorm, which is in Alicante province, is probably the favourite place for thousands of Brits to go on holiday every year.

At a considerable distance behind is Malaga, with 56,000 registered Brits, also established for years as the second favourite destination, something that is helped by the good connections between Malaga and UK airports. After Malaga comes Majorca, with 19,500 British residents, ahead of Barcelona and Murcia, with around 17,500 each.

The infographic shows a significant British presence in the Canary Islands and in particular in Tenerife and Gran Canaria, which are just behind Almeria province, with 15,100 and 14,400 UK residents respectively. They are followed by Madrid, with 11,800, Valencia, with 9,500, Cadiz, with 6,800, and Seville, with 2,300.

The most recent data from the INE

The data in the infographic corresponds to the 2023 census, but the INE has already published more up-to-date figures: according to the register as of 1 January 2024, Spain was home to 272,402 UK citizens, with Andalucía as the region with the highest number of British residents, accounting for 31 per cent of the total, followed by Valencia (or which Alicante forms part) with more than 81,000 residents.

This figure represents a decrease compared to the 293,000 reflected in the 2023 census cited in the infographic, which could indicate a slight correction after years of sustained growth, although experts point out that the British collective has maintained a fairly stable presence despite Brexit, concentrating mainly in Alicante, Malaga and the islands.

The British presence in Almería is concentrated in certain municipalities, especially on the eastern coast and the Almanzora areas. It is a settled community, mostly linked to residential tourism and retirement, which has turned some towns in the province into enclaves with a notable level of foreign population.