Málaga
Rental yield in La Merced
La Merced is an expensive area for Málaga, with an average rental yield and a Total Return above the city average. Here is what a typical flat in La Merced costs to buy and rent, and the Total Return (IRR) it delivers, compared with the other areas of Málaga.
Sale price
4,370
€/m² · second-hand homes
Rent
19.1
€/m² per month · market rate
Gross yield
5.2%
annual rent ÷ price
Total Return
11.5%
10-year IRR · typical flat
Appreciation
+6.5%
a year, 10-15 year history
Cash flow
-€130
per month, year 1, after tax
What the data says
La Merced is an area of Málaga. The reference sale price is €4,370/m², based on the Fotocasa index adjusted to transaction prices: 22% above the Málaga median (€3,573/m²). It ranks 13 of 75 neighbourhoods in Málaga by price.
The achievable market rent is around €19.1/m² per month (district figure adjusted to the neighbourhood's rent structure; idealista asking rents adjusted to achievable rent): about €1,719 a month for a typical 90 m² flat, with no legal cap. The gross yield (annual rent ÷ price) comes to 5.2%, in line with the city median (5.1%): rank 36 of 75 by gross yield.
With a 70% mortgage at 3.80% over 25 years and a sale after 10 years, the estimated Total Return (IRR) for that typical flat is 11.5%, above the Málaga median (11.1%). It takes about €147,911 of cash (deposit, taxes and costs), and first-year cash flow after tax is -€130 a month.
Asking prices in its district have grown by an average of 6.5% a year over the last 10 and 15 years (idealista, December 2025), capped at the 6.5% we apply in the IRR. Historical, not a forecast: it is the appreciation the modelled sale assumes.
A typical flat in La Merced
The same standard assumptions as the CasaROI map: change the mortgage, term or tax profile in your account and the Total Return is recalculated for your case.
- Size
- 90 m²
- Purchase price
- €393,300
- Monthly rent
- €1,719
- Cash needed · deposit + transfer tax + costs
- €147,911
- Monthly cash flow (year 1)
- -€130
- Total Return (IRR)
- 11.5%
Assumptions: 70% mortgage over 25 years at 3.80%, sale after 10 years, Spanish tax resident at a 37% marginal rate, no renovation.
Nearest areas, ranked by gross yield
| Area | €/m² | Rent €/m² | Gross | IRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cristo de la Epidemia | 3,412 | 16.9 | 5.9% | 12.4% |
| El Ejido | 3,481 | 16.2 | 5.6% | 11.9% |
| La Merced | 4,370 | 19.1 | 5.2% | 11.5% |
| Capuchinos | 3,954 | 16.7 | 5.1% | 11.2% |
| La Victoria | 4,140 | 16.8 | 4.9% | 10.9% |
| La Goleta | 4,377 | 17.8 | 4.9% | 10.9% |
| El Molinillo | 3,954 | 16.0 | 4.9% | 10.9% |
| San Felipe Neri | 4,377 | 17.1 | 4.7% | 10.6% |
| Centro Historico | 5,705 | 18.6 | 3.9% | 9.5% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a square metre cost in La Merced?
€4,370/m² on average, based on the Fotocasa index adjusted to transaction prices. A typical 90 m² flat costs about €393,300, 22% above the Málaga median.
How much is rent in La Merced?
Around €19.1/m² per month at market rates: €1,719 a month for a 90 m² flat, with no legal cap.
Is La Merced a good buy-to-let investment?
The gross yield is 5.2% (Málaga median: 5.1%). With a 70% mortgage and a sale after 10 years, the estimated Total Return (IRR) is 11.5% against a city median of 11.1%. It depends on your financing and tax residency: with your own profile the number can change.
Is La Merced in a stressed rental zone?
No. Málaga is not a declared stressed rental zone: rents are set by the market, with no legal cap.
Buying in La Merced?
Paste the listing and we tell you whether it holds up at that price: legal rent, taxes, red flags and a verdict.
Sources and method
- Sale: Fotocasa · zone sale-price index (June 2026) · ÷1,13 a precio de transacción (calibrado vs registral Madrid/BCN)
- Rent: idealista · informe de alquiler por district (June 2026), ajustado a renta alcanzable (×0,95); estructura SERPAVI por neighbourhood (AEAT 2024)
- Appreciation: average of the 10- and 15-year rates of the area's asking price — historical, not a forecast