It’s a common dilemma for anyone relocating — whether from another part of Spain or abroad. On the Costa Dorada the honest answer is: "it depends".
Rent First:
✅Pro's
Renting can feel safer — a chance to “try before you buy.”
More time to explore the different Costa Dorada towns.
Lower up front investment required compared to buying
⚠️Con's
As in all coastal areas, long-term rentals are extremely scarce. Many homes switch to holiday lets, and without a Spanish work contract you may need to pay a large sum upfront.
Rental contracts are often short-term, so you may find yourself moving more than once before you buy.
Deposits, agency fees, and monthly rent can add up quickly and eat into your home-buying budget.
Buy First:
✅Pro's
Avoids the feeling of “throwing money away” on rent.
Works well if you already know which Costa Dorada town is the right fit for you
Buying gives you immediate stability instead of counting down the months of a rental contract
Alot less paperwork to update - you only register for the padrón once, no need to change your address on your TIE card and set up utility bills again.
⚠️Con's
If you end up buying in the wrong town, resale within less than 5 years can be costly.
What’s Unique About the Costa Dorada
This Costa is less well known even to Spanish people compared to the more famous Costa Brava, Costa del Sol, and Costa Blanca.
There is huge variety in the lifestyle on offer and price per metre for the homes in each town:
Sitges is at the luxury end of the market and very international, but tourist-heavy in summer.
Calafell offers year-round bars and restaurants but feels more Spanish and is 30% less per metre than Sitges.
Miami Platja is dead in winter but offers large, great-value homes with pools and a stunning wide beach with crystal blue waters.
Cambrills is less touristy than it's neighbour Salou but both are over an hour's drive from BCN airport.
👉 Homesmith helps you to make sense of the complexity and reduces the overwhelming volume of considerations
Agents, Portals, and the Missing Piece
On the Costa Dorada, beyond Sitges the agents are local — they only cover one or two towns and focus on selling you what’s in their portfolio. At the other end of the spectrum, portals give you hundreds of houses but absolutely no location context.
That leaves buyers stuck between too narrow and too broad and a lot of costly location scouting trips or time consuming online research to do.
👉 Homesmith bridges that gap. We give you the clarity agents and portals can’t — so you can decide with confidence whether renting first or buying is the right move for you on the Costa Dorada.
Why There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Answer
Everyone’s mix of money (budget, financing, upfront costs) and lifestyle needs (transport, seasonality, kids, pets, services) is completely different.
That’s why for some people renting first makes sense, while for others buying straight away is the smarter move.
👉 The right choice is always the one that fits you. In our 1:1 consult, we uncover your priorities and map them to the reality of Costa Dorada towns, property prices, and availability.
Let's find the right home home together
