Holiday rental returns in Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola and Málaga: what a tourist flat really earns
How it is calculated, a worked example, the official INE figures, what changes compared with a long-term let, and a calculator that shows your property’s net annual profit in 30 seconds.
- 2,721holiday rental homes in Torremolinos (INE, May 2026)
- 10,929advertised bed places; 4 guests per home on average
- 6%of all holiday rental homes in Málaga province are in Torremolinos
- 15% + VATour fee, published and with no lock-in
How the returns on a holiday rental are calculated
The most common mistake is to stop at gross income. The real return is what reaches your pocket after five deductions.
- Gross income
Average price per night × nights booked over the year. On the Costa del Sol occupancy swings a lot between July–August and the rest of the year, so the average price matters as much as occupancy.
- What the platform keeps
Airbnb charges 15.5% and Booking around 16.3%, plus VAT on that commission. What they pay out to you is the basis for everything else.
- Running costs
Utilities, internet, community fees, IBI property tax, waste fee, insurance, linen and small repairs. Cleaning between guests is paid by the guest with the booking.
- Management
If you delegate, the management company’s fee. Ours is 15% + VAT on what the platform pays you, with no set-up fees and no lock-in.
- Taxes
Income tax on the net yield (or the non-resident return, form 210, if you live abroad). What is left is your net annual profit.
2-guest flat, €90 net per night, 70% occupancy
| Gross income€90 × 255 nights booked | €22,995.00 |
| Utilities€150 a month | − €1,800.00 |
| Full-service management15% of income | − €3,449.25 |
| Taxes15% of net yield, as a guide | − €2,661.86 |
| Net annual profitabout €1,257.00 a month | €15,083.89 |
Six factors that decide the returns on your holiday flat
Two identical flats in the same building can differ by thousands of euros a year. It is almost always down to one of these.
- The area
A flat in La Carihuela, La Malagueta or Los Boliches, right on the beach, does not perform like one in Los Álamos or El Pinillo. Each neighbourhood has its own guests, prices and season; we explain it for every area we work in.
- The price of each night
A fixed price all year gives money away in high season and leaves the flat empty in low season. Adjusting the rate every day to demand is what moves the result most: that is revenue management.
- Occupancy outside summer
July and August fill themselves. The difference between a profitable flat and a mediocre one is made from October to May: longer stays, weekly discounts and northern European guests who winter on the coast.
- Capacity and size
A flat for 4 or 6 guests commands higher rates than a studio, but also spends more on linen, cleaning and wear. According to the INE, the typical Torremolinos home is advertised for 4 guests.
- Reviews and response time
With more than 2,700 properties competing in Torremolinos alone, the platforms show first whoever replies fast and is well rated. Reviews decide the price you can ask.
- Fixed costs
Community fees, IBI, waste fee, insurance and utilities do not depend on bookings. The lower they are and the more months the flat is occupied, the less they weigh on each night sold. We have a guide to taxes and the waste fee.
Long-term let or holiday rental
Both options make sense depending on what you are after. This is what changes, with no spin.
Long-term let
- Fixed income, the same every month, whatever the season.
- Lower costs: the tenant pays the utilities and wear is lower.
- Income tax reduction for a tenant’s main home (50% as a rule, more in some cases).
- Risk of non-payment and a long eviction if the tenant stops paying.
- The flat is not yours while the contract lasts: not to use, and not to sell unencumbered.
Holiday rental with management
- Higher gross income, and normally a higher net figure too if the price is adjusted daily and occupancy holds up outside summer.
- Paid up front: the platform charges the guest before arrival. No unpaid rent, no squatters.
- The flat is yours whenever you need it: block the dates and that is it.
- More costs and no income tax reduction: utilities, linen, repairs, waste fee and the platforms’ commission.
- It takes work: messages, keys, cleaning and prices every day. That is what we do for 15% + VAT.
If what you want is to compare management fees, we have a page on what holiday rental agencies charge and another on what our 15% includes.
Holiday rentals in Torremolinos in numbers (INE, 2026)
The latest figures published by Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE) in its May 2026 measurement of holiday rental homes. Worth knowing before deciding how to use your flat.
- 2,721holiday rental homes advertised on the main platforms in Torremolinos
- 10,929bed places in total: the typical home is advertised for 4 guests (4.02 places on average)
- 6%of the 45,176 holiday rental homes in Málaga province are in Torremolinos
- Málaga, 1stprovince in Andalusia: half of the region’s 90,649 and 13% of Spain’s 341,001
What does it mean for you? That your flat competes with 2,700 other properties in Torremolinos alone. With that competition, the price per night, the photos, the reviews and how fast guests get a reply decide occupancy, and managing them by guesswork costs money. In a market like this, the gap in income between a well-managed listing and a mediocre one far exceeds the cost of management.
And the price per night? The INE does not publish it by municipality. To follow it month by month, see the Torremolinos holiday apartment price index from Mi Piso Turístico: the cheapest night for each month of stay, measured weekly on Booking.com, with downloadable data.
Source: INE, Measurement of the number of holiday rental homes in Spain and their capacity, May 2026 (data by municipality, table 39363).Work out your property’s net annual profit
Move the sliders to your property’s figures and see at once what you keep each year with utilities, management and taxes already deducted. Free, no sign-up, no personal details.
Indicative estimate based on the properties we manage in Torremolinos. Each guest above 2 adds 6% to the price per night. If you want the real figure for your home, we will work it out for free.
Would you rather we did it? Send us the address, the capacity and a few photos and we will reply with an income estimate for your flat, no strings attached. You also have the calculator explained variable by variable and a guide on how much a holiday flat earns in Torremolinos.
What the tax office takes from a holiday rental
The calculator uses an indicative withholding of 15% to 25%. This is how it actually works, in four lines.
- Spanish residents: if you provide no hotel-type services, the income counts as property income and is taxed at the general income tax scale. You deduct expenses (utilities, community fees, IBI, insurance, repairs, depreciation, platform and management fees with their VAT) in proportion to the days let.
- Empty days are not free: the tax office imputes a notional income for them (1.1% or 2% of the cadastral value, pro rata).
- No main-home reduction: the income tax relief for long-term residential lets does not apply to holiday rentals.
- Non-residents: form 210. 19% with deductible expenses if you live in the EU or EEA; 24% on gross income, no expenses, elsewhere. The platforms report your income to the Spanish tax office (form 179), so it pays to declare everything.
Torremolinos also charges holiday rental homes its waste fee. We explain it in our guide to taxes and the waste fee. For your own case, always check with a tax adviser.
What we charge to manage your property, with no small print
On what the platforms pay you for bookings. If there are no bookings, we charge nothing. The only fixed fee is for the bed, bath and kitchen linen.
Airbnb, Booking and the rest pay you directly. On the 1st of each month, a single invoice covering the previous month’s check-outs.
Leave with 7 days’ notice and keep your listings, reviews, photos and future bookings. Read the contract.
Frequently asked questions about holiday rental returns
How much does a holiday flat in Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola or Málaga earn a year?
It depends above all on the average price per night you achieve and the nights booked, and then on costs. Using the same formula as the calculator on this page, a flat earning €90 net per night at 70% occupancy keeps about €15,100.00 net a year after utilities, management and taxes. Move the sliders to your property’s figures to see yours; if you want the real number for your flat, we will give you a free personalised estimate.
What counts as a good return on a holiday apartment?
Net return is the annual profit after costs divided by the price of the property. In these four cities a well-run flat usually clearly beats what it would make on a long-term let, but the exact figure depends on the area, the size and what the home cost. The key is to compare net, not gross: a holiday rental has more costs and more tax than a long-term let.
Is holiday renting more profitable than a long-term let on the Costa del Sol?
In gross income, almost always; in net terms, usually too, although with more costs and without the income tax reductions that a long-term residential let enjoys. In return, the flat is yours when you need it, the platforms charge the guest in advance, and there is no risk of unpaid rent or squatting. The comparison on this page sets out the differences point by point.
What costs does a holiday flat have that a long-term let does not?
Utilities at your expense (electricity, water, internet), bed linen and towels, more frequent small repairs, the holiday-use waste fee, suitable insurance and the platforms’ commission. Cleaning between guests is paid by the guest as a supplement on the booking. With us, full-service management is 15% + VAT on what the platforms pay you, and the only fixed fee is for the bed, bath and kitchen linen.
How is holiday rental income taxed in Spain?
If you are a Spanish resident and provide no hotel-type services, it is property income under personal income tax: taxed at the general scale, with expenses deductible in proportion to the days let and a notional income imputed for empty days. The reduction for long-term residential lets does not apply. If you are a non-resident you file form 210: 19% with deductible expenses if you live in the EU or EEA, 24% with no expenses elsewhere. We have a guide to taxes and the waste fee, and for your specific case it is worth checking with a tax adviser.
Does the calculator take Airbnb’s and Booking’s commission into account?
The calculator starts from the price per night the platform pays you, that is, net of its commission. If you are thinking of the price the guest sees, take off around 19% (Airbnb charges 15.5% and Booking around 16.3%, plus VAT on that commission) and use that figure as the average price per night.
How much do you charge to manage my property?
15% + VAT on what the platforms pay you for bookings, with no lock-in. The only fixed fee is for the bed, bath and kitchen linen, which we supply and renew: from €110 + VAT per half-year, depending on beds and capacity. You get paid first: the platforms pay you directly, and on the 1st of each month we send you a single invoice covering the previous month’s check-outs. You can read the full contract before calling us.
Llevo trabajando con esta empresa desde el año 2022 para la gestión de mi apartamento turístico en Torremolinos y la experiencia está siendo inmejorable. Se encargan absolutamente de todo al 100%: desde el control de las reservas y la atención directa con los huéspedes, hasta la limpieza y el mantenimiento del inmueble. Durante todo este tiempo han demostrado una eficiencia impecable y una total transparencia. El equipo humano es sumamente agradable, atento y profesional, lo que te da una tranquilidad absoluta como propietario. Los recomiendo al 100% sin dudarlo.
Escribo esta reseña porque cuando algo funciona tan bien, hay que decirlo. Tengo un apartamento en Torremolinos centro y desde que lo lleva el equipo de Torremolinos Gestión Vacacional mi vida ha cambiado. Lo que más valoro es que hacen una gestión integral de verdad: se encargan de absolutamente todo. Desde el check-in y la entrega de llaves hasta la limpieza, el mantenimiento y estar pendientes de los huéspedes a cualquier hora. Ana y David son una máquina, están en todo y te dan una tranquilidad increíble porque sabes que tu casa está en buenas manos.
Si tienes una propiedad y buscas despreocuparte por completo, no puedo recomendar más a Torremolinos Gestión Vacacional. Tengo un apartamento en el centro y, sinceramente, es la mejor decisión que he tomado para rentabilizarlo sin volverme loca. Es un alivio saber que ellos controlan todo: desde el posicionamiento en portales y el calendario de reservas, hasta la limpieza a fondo, el mantenimiento y la atención 24/7 a los huéspedes. Son un equipo que funciona como una máquina, muy resolutivos y siempre disponibles cuando surge cualquier imprevisto.
Acabo de empezar con ellos y la verdad que todo muy bien. David atiende siempre de forma rápida, amable y profesional con cualquier duda o problema que pueda surgir, aconsejando en todos los aspectos que necesites. Se encargan de todo y te mantienen informado. Muy recomendables.
Experiencia excepcional en casa de David. Acogida súper cálida y comunicación 10/10 de principio a fin. David es atento, rápido y de una amabilidad increíble, te sientes como en casa desde el minuto uno. El apartamento está impecable, incluso mejor que en fotos: limpio, bien equipado, tranquilo y ubicación perfecta a 5 min de la playa y centro Torremolinos. Como huésped frecuente sé que cualquier propietario que trabaje con David tendrá su piso en las mejores manos.
Magnifique séjour, tout était parfait. L’emplacement est idéal, au cœur de la ville, dans une ruelle très calme. L’hôte est à l’écoute, réactif et toujours disponible en cas de besoin, ce qui rend le séjour encore plus confortable. L’appartement est très bien équipé, on y trouve absolument tout ce qu’il faut pour se sentir comme chez soi. Je recommande sans hésiter !
A wonderful apartment with a beautiful view, managed by wonderful people who are always available and ready to help with anything. Thank you, guys! Our vacation was a success thanks to you. Your hospitality, kindness, and support made our stay truly enjoyable. I highly recommend this place without any hesitation!
Thank you. I am very happy with this apartment, I really liked it. Now I will recommend this place to all my friends.
Reseñas reales publicadas por nuestros clientes en Google. Ver el resto en nuestro perfil.
Where our managed properties are listed
Every property we manage is automatically published — with synced calendars and rates — on the world’s leading booking platforms: Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, Vrbo, Agoda, lastminute.com, KAYAK, momondo, Priceline, HotelsCombined, Trivago, Rumbo, Bravofly, Volagratis, Abritel (France), FeWo-direkt (Germany), Stayz (Australia) and Bookabach (New Zealand). More storefronts, more bookings for your property.
