Marbella’s population growth is now being driven almost entirely by foreign migration, confirming the town’s transition into one of southern Europe’s most international residential hubs.
Official figures from Marbella Town Hall for 2025 show that of the 6,830 new residents registered on the padrón, just 504 were Spanish nationals. In practical terms, more than nine out of every ten new residents arrived from outside Spain, underlining how decisively international migration is shaping the municipality’s demographic profile.
As a result, Marbella reached a total population of 173,420 residents by the end of 2025, with foreign nationals now accounting for 36.45% of the total population.
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Minimal Growth Among Spanish Residents
At the start of 2025, Marbella recorded 109,710 Spanish residents. One year later, that figure had risen marginally to 110,214, an increase of just 504 people.
By contrast, the foreign population grew by 6,326 residents, reaching a total of 63,206 by the end of the year. These figures make it clear that population growth in Marbella is no longer being driven by domestic migration, but by sustained international inflows.
Colombians Lead Population Growth Among 156 Nationalities
Marbella’s municipal census now records residents from 156 different nationalities, making it one of the most diverse towns in Spain.
The nationality showing the largest increase in 2025 was Colombian, with 831 more residents than a year earlier. This brings the total Colombian population in Marbella to 5,209, making Colombians the fourth-largest foreign nationalityin the town.
The second-largest increase was among residents of Moroccan origin, with 452 additional people, consolidating Morocco as the largest foreign nationality overall, with 6,133 registered residents.
Ukraine and Russia Reflect Global Tensions
International events are also visible in Marbella’s demographic data.
Residents from Ukraine recorded the third-largest increase, with 372 new registrations in 2025. Ukrainians now total 5,226 residents, making Ukraine the third-largest foreign nationality in Marbella.
The Russian population also increased significantly, with 171 additional residents, bringing the total to 3,419. Russia now ranks as the fifth most common non-Spanish nationality on the municipal census.
Strong Growth From Europe and the UK
European countries and former Soviet states accounted for almost 40% of total population growth, adding around 2,700 residents over the course of 2025.
The British population, already one of Marbella’s largest foreign communities, grew from 5,306 to 5,838 residents, an increase of 342 people.
Several EU nationalities also recorded solid gains:
- Swedes: +258 (total 2,033)
- Italians: +240 (total 2,844)
- Germans: +214 (total 2,058)
- French: +185
- Romanians: +125
- Dutch: +118
Poles and Irish residents were close to three-digit growth, with 97 and 94 new residents respectively.
Growth Beyond Europe: Latin America, Asia, and North America
Outside Europe, the most notable increases came from Paraguay (+340) and the Philippines (+339). These groups are now the seventh and eighth largest foreign nationalities in Marbella, with 2,735 and 2,474 residents respectively.
Venezuelan residents also grew sharply, with 264 additional registrations, bringing the total to 1,743.
North American presence expanded as well. US citizens increased by 164, reaching 725 residents, representing a striking 29.23% increase in just one year. Canadian residents grew by 31, reaching 223, bringing the combined North American population close to 1,000 residents.
Among South American countries, Argentina was the only nationality to record a three-digit increase, adding 110 residents to reach a total of 1,553.
A Highly Diverse Population Base
Of the 156 nationalities represented in Marbella’s census, 48 have fewer than ten residents, including six stateless individuals. This highlights not only the scale of international migration, but also the extraordinary diversity of Marbella’s resident population.
What This Means for Marbella’s Future
The 2025 data confirms a clear structural shift: Marbella is no longer growing through internal Spanish migration, but through sustained international relocation.
This has direct implications for:
- Housing demand, particularly for year-round residences
- Long-term rental pressure, driven by permanent residents
- Schools, healthcare, and infrastructure, increasingly oriented toward international communities
- Market resilience, supported by diversified nationalities rather than reliance on a single feeder country
Marbella’s population growth is no longer seasonal or cyclical. It is international, permanent, and deeply embedded, reinforcing the town’s evolution from resort destination to full-scale residential city.
Research enquiries:
James Evans — Managing Partner
📞 +34 643 390 376 | ✉️ james@justrealestate.es
Sales enquiries:
Alina Nouaimeh — Partner
📞 +34 600 689 749 | ✉️ alina@justrealestate.es
Steady population growth is one of the reasons stock in the established areas stays tight. Property for sale in Marbella shows what is actually available right now, and the guide to Marbella sets out how the neighbourhoods differ from one another.
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