Between Saint-Raphaël and Saint-Tropez, we’re not talking about the same market. We’re not even talking about the same world. Less than 50 kilometers separate these two towns, and yet the price difference can be as high as a 1-to-4 ratio. An apartment purchased for €5,200 per square meter in Saint-Raphaël would cost more than €11,000 per square meter in Saint-Tropez for an equivalent size.

It’s not just a matter of prestige. It’s a matter of strategy. Depending on whether you’re looking to buy a primary residence, a second home, or a rental property, these four municipalities don’t offer the same opportunities, the same returns, or the same buyer profiles.

Here are the updated prices per square meter for 2026, town by town, along with what they mean in practical terms for your project.

Key Takeaways in 10 Seconds

• Saint-Raphaël: median price around 5,200 €/m², an affordable market up 4% year-over-year
• Sainte-Maxime: median price around €6,200–6,500 per square meter, good balance between appeal and entry price
• Grimaud: median price around €8,400–8,750 per square meter, a tight market with significant variations by neighborhood
• Saint-Tropez: between €15,000 and €20,000 per square meter depending on the source; an ultra-premium market driven by wealth preservation
• All municipalities show a year-over-year increase, a sign that the Var market is holding up well

Price Table by Municipality (August–September 2026)

Municipality	Overall Median Price	Apartments	Houses	1-Year Trend
Saint-Raphaël	~5,200 €/m²	~5,100–5,200 €/m²	~5,400–5,600 €/m²	+3% to +4%
Sainte-Maxime	~€6,200–6,500/m²	~5,550–5,700 €/m²	~7,600–7,900 €/m²	+3.6%
Grimaud	~8,400–8,750 €/m²	~6,740–6,850 €/m²	~9,600–10,250 €/m²	+3.8% to +13%
Saint-Tropez	~15,000–20,400 €/m²	~11,400–12,100 €/m²	~€18,400–21,800/m²	+3.6% to +21%

Sources: MeilleursAgents, SeLoger, PAP, Le Figaro Immobilier, DVF data — August/September 2026. The ranges reflect discrepancies among aggregators; each property must be verified against actual notarial sales records.

1. Saint-Raphaël: The Most Affordable Market, Not the Least Attractive

Saint-Raphaël posted a median price for all property types of around €5,202/m² in August 2026, with a high of around €7,729/m² in the most sought-after areas. It is the most affordable of the four towns, but this description warrants some qualification.

Apartments sell for a median price of around €5,154 per square meter, while houses sell for around €5,609 per square meter. These figures mask very different realities depending on the neighborhood.

Areas driving prices upward

Le Dramont, Agay, Anthéor, and Le Trayas have prices around 6,282 €/m²: these are sought-after seaside areas with a high proportion of second homes and views of the Estérel. The Plateau Notre-Dame Sud and areas near the coast are priced at around 6,213 €/m².

Conversely, more out-of-the-way residential neighborhoods such as Le Peyron or La Péguière remain in the range of 4,200–4,500 €/m², representing a price difference of 30 to 40 percent compared to the premium areas within the same municipality.

What This Means for a Buyer

The trend is clear: a 4.1% increase year-over-year across all property types. Saint-Raphaël isn’t a stagnant market—it’s a dynamic one. Well-located and well-presented properties sell quickly. Overpriced or poorly presented properties linger on the market. This is exactly the type of market where preparing the property before listing it makes a real difference in the final price.

If you’re still unsure about the timing, our comprehensive analysis will help you decide if now is the right time to buy in Saint-Raphaël.

2. Sainte-Maxime: The Balance Between Price and Appeal

Sainte-Maxime stands out as the most attractive option in the region for investors or homebuyers seeking a combination of quality of life, rental returns, and a reasonable entry price.

The overall median price is around €6,166 per square meter in August 2026, with a high of €10,933 per square meter in the most sought-after areas. Apartments are selling for between €5,542 and €5,669 per square meter, while houses are selling for between €7,594 and €7,910 per square meter.

Neighborhoods to Watch

Nartelle, Noyer, Bellevue, and Boulevard des Sardinaux make up the town’s premium area, with prices around 7,263 €/m². The downtown area and the La Saquède and Le Bouillonnet neighborhoods are priced at around 6,846 €/m², which remains an affordable range for a high-quality property.

What This Means for a Buyer

With a year-over-year increase of 3.6%, Sainte-Maxime is following the sector’s upward trend without the exorbitant prices seen in Saint-Tropez. It is a town that attracts both permanent residents and buyers seeking second homes, which supports both the long-term and seasonal rental markets. For an investor, this is the area that offers the best balance between potential returns and asset appreciation over the medium term.

3. Grimaud: A Tight Market, with Widening Gaps

Grimaud encompasses Port-Grimaud, La Foux, and the hills overlooking the Gulf. The market features a wide variety of property types, which partly explains the significant discrepancies observed across different sources.

The overall median price ranges from €8,433 to €8,752 per square meter, according to data available in September 2026. Apartments range from €6,740 to €6,850 per square meter, while houses range from €9,600 to €10,250 per square meter.

Price increases should be viewed with caution

The annual trend shows a 3.8% increase according to station data, but some departmental sources report increases of up to 13% for single-family homes. This discrepancy reflects the actual demand for certain properties: villas with ocean views or access to the Gulf are facing strong buyer demand, which occasionally drives up average prices. This is not a uniform trend across the entire municipality.

What This Means for a Buyer

Grimaud is better suited to a mixed strategy: personal use, targeted seasonal rentals, and property appreciation over a 5- to 10-year horizon. The unobstructed view, the outdoor setting, and the proximity to the Gulf often justify a significant premium at purchase, but these factors directly translate into higher rental rates during peak season. This is a market where the specific location matters more than the town as a whole.

To learn more about the sector’s profitability, read our analysis on investing in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.

4. Saint-Tropez: A Market of Its Own, With Its Own Logic

Saint-Tropez cannot be compared to other towns in the area. Prices there follow a different logic—one driven by absolute scarcity and an international clientele.

Depending on the source, the overall median price is projected to range between €15,073 and €20,430 per square meter in 2026—a discrepancy that reflects the different calculation methods used by various data aggregators. Apartments are selling for between €11,378 and €12,100 per square meter, while houses are selling for between €18,379 and €21,800 per square meter. Exceptional villas in the most exclusive areas regularly exceed €50,000 per square meter.

Spectacular price increases in certain segments

The annual trend shows a 3.6% increase according to station data, but some departmental sources report increases of up to 21% for homes. This discrepancy can be explained by the impact of exceptional transactions on the averages: a handful of sales at very high price points automatically drive the figures upward.

What This Means for a Buyer

In Saint-Tropez, people don’t buy property for traditional rental returns. Data shows gross returns of around 1.3 to 1.8 percent over the long term, which doesn’t justify a purchase on that basis alone. People buy for wealth preservation, for the international clientele, and for the scarcity of a property in an area that cannot expand. It’s as much a pleasure investment as it is a financial one, and it should be approached as such.

5. Apartments vs. Houses: The Gap Widens as You Head East

One overarching trend is worth highlighting: the closer you get to Saint-Tropez, the wider the price gap between apartments and houses becomes.

In Saint-Raphaël, this gap is about 8%. In Sainte-Maxime, it rises to 35–40%. In Grimaud, it exceeds 40%. In Saint-Tropez, the median price of houses is nearly 90% higher than that of apartments.

Why? Because the closer you get to the heart of the Gulf, the more the villa with a pool, garden, and ocean view becomes the benchmark property. Apartments remain in demand there, but it is the single-family home that attracts the most buyer interest and is the most scarce.

For a buyer on a limited budget who wants to enter this market, apartments in Grimaud or Sainte-Maxime offer the best entry point, with real potential for appreciation in the medium term.

6. How to Interpret These Prices Before Buying or Selling

These figures are medians and averages. They provide a general trend, not an absolute truth.

Before buying, you should also consider whether renovations might increase the property’s value: Is renovating before selling really worth it?

A property that is poorly presented in a high-end neighborhood will sell for less than the median price. A well-prepared property—with a 2D/3D rendering that showcases its potential, targeted renovations, and a carefully crafted marketing strategy—can sell for more than the median price in its area.

This is precisely the analysis that La Crèmerie conducts before every sales assignment: cross-referencing market data with the property’s true potential, identifying areas for enhancement, and developing a pricing strategy consistent with what the market is willing to pay today. A seller with a well-prepared property isn’t competing against the median price. They’re competing against the other properties currently on the market. And that’s where presentation, marketing, and strategy make all the difference.

To plan your financing, check out our guide on mortgage rates and terms for 2026.

Conclusion: Which market should you choose based on your goal?

These four towns appeal to different types of buyers. Saint-Raphaël is ideal for entering the Var market with the best value for money. Sainte-Maxime offers a balance between appeal and return on investment. Grimaud is suited for a strategy combining personal and seasonal use. Saint-Tropez is best for a pure investment strategy, without expectations of immediate returns.

In any case, the listed price per square meter is just a starting point. What really matters is what the property is worth after a careful assessment of its potential, its condition, its exact location within the municipality, and how it is presented on the market.

FAQ

What is the average price per square meter in Saint-Raphaël in 2026?
The median price for all property types is around 5,200 €/m² in August 2026. Apartments are selling for around €5,100–5,200 per square meter, and houses for around €5,400–5,600 per square meter. Seaside areas such as Le Dramont and Agay exceed €6,200 per square meter.

Where are prices highest in Sainte-Maxime?
The Nartelle, Noyer, and Bellevue neighborhoods, as well as Boulevard des Sardinaux, have the highest prices, at around 7,263 €/m². Prices in the city center are around 6,846 €/m².

Will real estate prices continue to rise in the Var in 2026?
All of the municipalities analyzed show a year-over-year increase, ranging from +3.6% to +4.1% based on local market data. Certain segments, particularly houses in Grimaud and Saint-Tropez, are seeing more pronounced increases according to some sources. The Var market remains structurally supported by the scarcity of land and steady demand.

What will the price per square meter be in Grimaud in 2026?
The overall median ranges from 8,400 to 8,750 €/m², depending on the source. Apartments range from €6,740 to €6,850 per square meter, while houses range from €9,600 to €10,250 per square meter. Port-Grimaud and areas with ocean views are driving up the averages.

Is Saint-Tropez still the most expensive real estate market in the Var?
Yes, by a wide margin. The overall median price ranges from 15,000 to 20,400 €/m² depending on the data aggregators. The median price for houses exceeds €18,000 per square meter, and exceptional properties can reach €50,000 per square meter or more.

Is it better to buy in Sainte-Maxime or Grimaud?
It depends on your goals. Sainte-Maxime offers a more affordable entry point and a more diverse rental market. Grimaud is better suited for a strategy combining personal use with high-end seasonal rentals. Your budget and investment horizon are the primary criteria for making this decision.

What additional costs should you expect beyond the price per square meter when buying a home?
The price per square meter does not represent the total cost of the transaction. Notary fees, real estate agent fees, and potential renovation costs: check out our comprehensive guide on the costs to expect when buying a home to budget without any unpleasant surprises.