Getting a Mortgage to Retire in Girona: How Age Affects Approval

If you are planning your later years around a home in Girona, the question of age comes up early. Spanish banks do not refuse an application simply because a buyer is over sixty or seventy — but the age at which the loan is expected to end does shape how long the term can run, and therefore how the monthly repayment is calculated. This is true whether you are looking at a flat near the coast or a village house further inland.

For a British buyer, the practical starting point is the same as for any non-resident: you will need a Spanish tax number (NIE) and a Spanish bank account before a bank will study your file. From there, age becomes one factor among several — alongside income, existing debts and the property itself — that the bank weighs when deciding what it can offer.

Girona province covers the Costa Brava coastline as well as inland countryside toward the Pyrenees, offering both beach towns and rural stone villages. Its proximity to France draws French, Belgian and Dutch buyers, alongside others wanting a quieter alternative to busier Spanish coasts.

Girona-Costa Brava airport serves the coast directly, with Barcelona airport also within reach for wider connections. Coastal areas see strong summer activity, while inland towns remain calmer, and property types range from apartments and townhouses near the sea to farmhouses further inland.

What follows are measured, dated figures for Girona (province) — who lives there, what homes are advertised for, how to get there and the climate — each one sourced. They help you build a realistic picture of Girona (province) as you work out the budget for a Spanish mortgage.

The province of Girona as a whole, not merely its capital city, had 830,429 registered residents on 1 January 2025, according to the INE annual census. This figure covers every municipality within the province, from its largest towns to its smallest villages. In the province of Girona, 181,899 residents hold a foreign nationality, about 22 of every 100 people registered there. That is a significant but not dominant share, and it varies considerably from one town to another within the province.

Only 3,372 British nationals appear in INE's register for the whole province of Girona on 1 January 2025, a small number of compatriots. The padrón only counts people living there most of the year, so second-home owners in the province are not included. The following table shows the leading foreign nationalities registered in Girona (province) on 1 January 2025, according to the municipal-level data INE makes available.

For nationalities the census groups together rather than listing them individually, such as Germans, Italians, Dutch, Belgians or Scandinavians, we turn to the detailed INE register for Girona province. Unlike the table above, this count dates from 1 January 2022, the most recent detailed edition.

In our own price bank, the 3,863 homes currently advertised for sale across the province of Girona show a median asking price of €2,910/m² and a median ticket of €299,000. That places the province in the middle of the range, close to the €3,210/m² median across the 127 towns we track across Spain. Half of the properties currently listed are priced between €2,050 and €3,870 per square metre, with cheaper and more expensive homes on either side of that middle band.

On the median asking price in Girona (province) of €299,000, transfer tax at the regional rate of 10 % comes to about €29,900, plus roughly €3,600 for notary, registry and gestoría fees. The total of about €33,500 must come from the buyer's own savings, not the mortgage. All prices shown are asking prices from adverts active on 2026-10-05, not completed sales. The price eventually paid is always a matter of negotiation, shaped by condition, precise location and orientation.

Below is a comparison of the towns we follow in Girona, covering inhabitants, foreign residents per 100 inhabitants and median asking prices per square metre across the province.

INE's experimental statistic, based on listings from the main holiday-rental platforms, counted 20,821 holiday-let homes in Girona (province) in 05/2026 (116,320 bed places), about 25 per 1,000 residents. That is a moderate presence, and tourist letting still requires a regional licence.

Before booking, confirm that Aeropuerto de Girona-Costa Brava (GRO), the one commercial airport serving Girona (province), has a connection from your home airport at the time of year you intend to fly, as this changes seasonally. These weather readings come from Girona, the capital of the province, so inland areas, higher ground or other islands within the same province can show noticeably different conditions. January brings a mean of just 7.1 °C and lows around 1.1 °C, against an August mean of 23.4 °C and highs near 29.8 °C, making this one of the colder corners of Spain in winter. Insulation and heating costs deserve close attention before buying. This is a relatively wet part of Spain, with about 728 mm of rain a year falling on roughly 66 days. Buyers should pay attention to damp when inspecting any home. Climate data come from AEMET's 1981-2010 normals, recorded at its Girona Aeropuerto station around 9 km away; the actual spot may vary a little, particularly further inland or higher up.

INE recorded 15,293 home sales in Girona (province) in the year to 06/2026. That level of activity typically gives buyers more comparables to judge a fair price and a broader pool of properties to choose from. These are province-wide figures for Girona, and they can differ substantially depending on the town and the property in question. Tell us about your plans and we will go through the numbers for your case.

The transfer tax on a resale home is set by each Spanish region. In Girona the general rate is 10 %, and on top of it come notary, land registry and gestoría (roughly one more percent). On a new build you pay 10 % VAT plus stamp duty instead of the transfer tax. This money is not lent by the bank.

Mortgage terms in Spain usually run until the borrower is around 70 to 75 years old. This is a general guideline rather than a fixed rule, and it means that someone applying at fifty may be offered a longer term than someone applying at sixty-eight. In practice, this often results in a higher monthly repayment for older applicants, simply because the same amount is spread over fewer years. It is one of the first things worth discussing before you fall in love with a particular property in Girona.

None of this means retirement plans are impossible to finance. Banks look at the whole picture: pension income, savings, any existing UK mortgage or loan commitments, and the value of the property itself. A comparison across more than twenty banks, which is part of how Colibrí Finances works, often shows real differences in how flexible individual lenders are prepared to be with a retiree's file.

For applicants living in the United Kingdom, Spanish banks typically ask for proof of income such as a recent P60 and payslips or pension statements, the last filed UK tax return under Self Assessment, and bank statements covering the last three to six months. Evidence of any existing loans or mortgage commitments is also requested, together with a valid passport or UK national identity document.

Because these come from outside Spain, most banks will want them in sworn Spanish translation, and sometimes apostilled. The exact list varies by lender, which is one reason it helps to have someone who deals with several banks at once check what a specific file will actually need before documents are gathered and translated.

Buying in Girona involves more than the loan itself. On top of the price, expect transfer tax on resale homes (set regionally) or VAT plus stamp duty on new builds, along with notary, land registry, gestoría and bank valuation fees. These are paid alongside the mortgage, not financed by it in most cases, so they need to be budgeted separately when planning a retirement move.

Since the United Kingdom uses the pound sterling rather than the euro, transferring funds for the deposit, purchase costs or later mortgage repayments means factoring in exchange-rate movements and conversion costs. Spain and the United Kingdom have a double taxation agreement, and a local tax adviser should confirm exactly how rental income or any future gain on the property must be declared in Spain and reported to HMRC.

The Golden Visa route for property investors ended on 3 April 2025 and is no longer an option for anyone planning a move linked to a Spanish purchase. Retirement plans now rest on the ordinary routes: a visa or residence permit for stays beyond 90 days in any 180, arranged separately from the mortgage itself.

Working with more than twenty Spanish banks means finding out, case by case, which lenders are comfortable with a retiree's income profile and which offer a term structure that suits a later-life purchase in Girona.

Spain is a relatively short flight away from most UK airports, making regular visits to a Spanish property straightforward for owners based in Britain. Many British buyers are drawn to Spain for its climate, coastal lifestyle and established expatriate communities. One practical point to bear in mind is that Spanish inheritance law differs from UK rules, so it is worth taking specific advice on how it may affect the property and one's estate. Currency movements between sterling and the euro can also affect the overall cost of purchase and ongoing expenses.

Spain and the United Kingdom have a double taxation agreement in place, and a local tax adviser should confirm how rental income or gains from Spanish property must be declared and reported to HMRC.

As the United Kingdom is no longer an EU member state, British citizens may stay in Spain for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and must apply for a visa or residence permit for longer stays.

Since the United Kingdom uses the pound sterling (GBP) rather than the euro, buyers should factor in exchange-rate movements and currency conversion costs when paying for a property or transferring funds to Spain.