Where should you live as a family on the Costa Blanca?

On the Costa Blanca, you have to pick a side: the town that puts you close to the airport (San Juan de Alicante and El Campello, cheaper, but with no international school on the spot) or the one that puts you close to an international school (Javea, which has one within its own borders; Altea and Alfaz del Pi, which rely on a cluster of nearby schools), at the cost of a longer drive to the airport and a higher property budget. Within 45 minutes, you cannot have both at once. Here is how to weigh it up, town by town, when settling in as a family.

Why do people talk about "two Costa Blancas" for a family?

Because this is not a compact urban area like the one north of Valencia, but a string of towns spread over 60 to 100 km of coastline. The airport (Alicante-Elche) sits right at the southern end. The strongest English-language international schools tend to be further north, around the Marina Alta and Marina Baixa. The result: the further north you go to be near a school, the longer the airport run gets and the higher the price per square metre climbs. The further south you stay near the airport, the less you pay, but you have no international school in your own town. That is the real family trade-off here, and it shapes everything else.

Javea, Altea, El Campello, San Juan: the comparison table

Except for Javea (August 2025 index), the idealista prices are recorded between March and June 2026. These are averages of listed asking prices, so they show sellers' order of magnitude, not actually completed sale prices. For reference, Alfaz del Pi, next to Altea, comes out at 2,998 euros/sqm (idealista, March 2026 index), the best value in the northern half.

Javea (Xabia): the only one with an international school on the spot?

Yes, and it is its trump card for a family. Xabia International College (ages 2 to 18, founded in 1994, English curriculum) is based within the town itself: you can enrol your child without depending on a neighbouring town. Javea also has 30,642 residents (INE, register as of 1 January 2025) and three Blue Flag beaches for 2026 (Arenal, Granadella, La Grava). The downside: it is the most expensive in this comparison, averaging 3,958 euros/sqm (idealista, August 2025 index; villas 3,609 euros/sqm, flats 4,078 euros/sqm), and, above all, the furthest from the airport, around 98 km and 1h08 by road (order of magnitude). If you fly often, that journey becomes a genuine source of fatigue.

Altea and Alfaz del Pi: betting on a cluster of nearby schools?

Here, there is no international school within Altea itself, but a genuine bouquet of schools within a short radius: Victorious International British School (in Altea), AIS Altea International School (British curriculum with Waldorf pedagogy), Elian's British School in La Nucia (ages 1 to 18, International Baccalaureate) and Sierra Bernia School on the edge of Alfaz del Pi (ages 3 to 18). For a family, that is an interesting compromise: you do not have a school on your own street, but you have choice within a few minutes, and the airport stays reasonable (Altea ~66 km / 43 min, Alfaz del Pi ~64 km / 45 min).

On quality of life, Altea (24,592 residents, INE 2025) has four Blue Flag beaches for 2026 (Cap Blanch, El Bol, La Roda, l'Espigo) and averages 3,611 euros/sqm (idealista, June 2026). Neighbouring Alfaz del Pi (21,080 residents, INE 2025) is more affordable at 2,998 euros/sqm (idealista, March 2026). A point often cited locally: the foreign community there is said to exceed 50 percent of residents (Norwegians, British, Dutch, Belgian, French). Treat that figure with caution, it is a local community estimate circulating on the ground, not official INE data.

El Campello: close to everything, without an international school?

This is the good compromise for a family that does not need an international school on the doorstep. El Campello (31,419 residents, INE as of 1 January 2025) is the closest to Alicante city and the airport among the northern towns (excluding San Juan): around 29 km, 20 to 26 minutes. No international school identified within the town, but you are within reach of Alicante for schooling options, services and work. The 2026 Blue Flag covers Cala Lanuza (new this year), Carrer de la Mar and Mutxavista. Average price: 3,389 euros/sqm (idealista, March 2026), cheaper than Javea and Altea, pricier than San Juan.

San Juan de Alicante: closest to the airport and the cheapest?

Yes to both. San Juan de Alicante (26,834 residents, INE 2025) is the closest to the airport in this comparison (around 23 km, 17 to 21 minutes) and the cheapest per square metre: 2,521 euros/sqm (idealista, May 2026). It is the logical choice if budget comes first and you want to minimise trips to the plane, with no need for an international school in the town itself.

One nuance worth knowing before you dream of a beach at the foot of your building: the well-known "Playa de San Juan" beach administratively belongs to the city of Alicante, not to the municipality of San Juan de Alicante. San Juan de Alicante is a residential town just inland, next to Alicante, not a seaside resort in the strict sense. Do not buy there thinking the beach comes with your address.

What about Denia or Finestrat, why not?

Two names come up often, but they fall outside the "airport plus school" family framework here. Denia has lovely beaches, but it is the furthest from the airport (~105 km, ~68 min), and its international school (Lady Elizabeth School) is not in Denia itself but in Poble Nou de Benitatxell. Finestrat is set aside for lack of recent, reliable population data (the only figure available dated back to 2019). Better to decide on up-to-date numbers.

What about safety and quality of life in these towns?

Let's be straightforward: we could not verify reliable crime statistics for these towns, so we do not put forward any. What genuinely differentiates these towns for a family is not a safety figure, it is geography: in the south (San Juan, El Campello), you gain proximity to the airport and a lower budget; in the north (Javea, Altea, Alfaz del Pi), you gain a choice of international schools and a seaside setting, at the cost of paying more and driving longer to the plane. Before you decide, settle the schooling question first, since it drives everything else, including your international school budget and how often you will be making the airport run.

Once you have a shortlist, compare rental prices in our guide to renting a flat on the Costa Blanca.

Frequently asked questions about where to live as a family on the Costa Blanca

Which town should you choose if the international school comes first?
Javea, the only one in this comparison with an international school (Xabia International College) within the town itself. If you accept a cluster of schools a few minutes away rather than on the spot, Altea and Alfaz del Pi open up the choice (Victorious, AIS Altea, Elian's in La Nucia, Sierra Bernia).

Which town should you choose if you fly often?
San Juan de Alicante (~23 km, 17 to 21 min) then El Campello (~29 km, 20 to 26 min). These are the two closest to Alicante-Elche airport, and also the cheapest per square metre (2,521 and 3,389 euros/sqm, idealista, May and March 2026).

Can you have the airport 20 minutes away and an international school in your own town?
Not really. The towns close to the airport have no international school on the spot, and those that have one (or a cluster nearby) sit further north, 45 minutes or more from the plane. That is the central family trade-off on the Costa Blanca.

Does San Juan de Alicante really have a beach?
Watch out for this trap: the "Playa de San Juan" beach administratively belongs to the city of Alicante, not to the municipality of San Juan de Alicante, which is a residential town just inland. Before you rent, check out the area properly by reading up on renting a flat on the Costa Blanca.

Sources: INE (populations, register as of 1 January 2025); idealista (property indices: Javea August 2025, Altea June 2026, El Campello and Alfaz del Pi March 2026, San Juan de Alicante May 2026); official 2026 Blue Flag lists; profiles of the schools mentioned (Xabia International College, Victorious, AIS Altea, Elian's, Sierra Bernia, Lady Elizabeth School); order-of-magnitude driving distances to Alicante-Elche airport. The proportion of foreign residents in Alfaz del Pi is a local community estimate, not official.

Information verified in August 2026. The Daily Costa Blanca is an AI-assisted publication with human review.