Estepona has public and private hospital care within the municipality.
Public care. Primary care is provided at the Estepona and La Lobilla health centres, open Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm, and at the Cancelada clinic, open weekday mornings (SAS, Estepona (opens in a new tab); La Lobilla (opens in a new tab); Cancelada (opens in a new tab)).
The town also has its own public hospital, the Hospital de Alta Resolución de Estepona, part of the Hospital Universitario Costa del Sol network, whose main hospital is in Marbella. It recorded 40,163 emergency attendances in 2025, has run its laboratory and diagnostic imaging around the clock since December 2025, and started surgical activity in March 2026 (Hospital Costa del Sol (opens in a new tab), March 2026). In November 2025 the Andalusian health service announced 58 additional staff posts as part of its expansion (SAS (opens in a new tab)). For specialist care, check whether it is provided in Estepona or in Marbella.
Private care. Hospiten Estepona provides round-the-clock general emergency care (Hospiten (opens in a new tab)). A paediatrician is on site daily from 9am to 9pm and on call outside those hours (Hospiten (opens in a new tab)). Marbella, about 25 minutes away, adds Hospital Quirónsalud Marbella and HC Marbella International Hospital.
How international residents get cover
Eligible pensioners may register an S1 form issued by the country responsible for their healthcare, after which they are treated on the same terms as someone insured in Spain. This can include EU, EEA and Swiss pensioners and people receiving a UK State Pension; eligibility depends on your circumstances, so check with the issuing authority before moving (Your Europe, European Commission (opens in a new tab); GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)).
The EHIC is not the route for a permanent move: it covers medically necessary treatment during temporary stays. This is one of the most common misunderstandings among people moving abroad.
Non-lucrative residence holders need qualifying public or private health insurance with an insurer authorised in Spain (Ministerio de Inclusión (opens in a new tab)). Check the detailed requirements published by your Spanish consulate before you apply.
Private premiums depend on age, family composition, pre-existing conditions and level of cover, so ask insurers for quotes for your own profile.
