Cost of Living Comparison Between Castello de la Plana and Malaga Cost of Living Comparison Between Castello de la Plana and Malaga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,524 per month in Castello de la Plana vs $1,786 in Malaga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,185 per month in Castello de la Plana vs $2,728 in Malaga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,847 per month in Castello de la Plana vs $3,669 in Malaga, rent included.

Castello de la Plana is about 15% cheaper than Malaga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Castello de la Plana and Malaga sit above the global median – Castello de la Plana by 14%, Malaga by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.26 €13.06

$14.00 €11.98

9.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.4 €50.0

$64.7 €55.4

-9.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 €7.13

$9.37 €8.02

-11.10%

Cappuccino

$2.51 €2.15

$2.37 €2.03

5.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 €1.92

$2.44 €2.09

-8.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.91 €1.64

-7.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 €2.52

$3.42 €2.93

-14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.94

$4.25 €3.64

-19.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €0.99

$1.17 €1.00

-0.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.77

$1.38 €1.18

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.64

$1.67 €1.43

14.97%

Eggs

$2.97 €2.54

$2.83 €2.42

4.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.02 €12.86

$15.45 €13.22

-2.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.60 €7.36

$7.66 €6.56

12.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.54 €13.30

$13.82 €11.83

12.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 €2.14

$2.59 €2.22

-3.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.91 €1.63

-9.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.64 €1.40

1.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 €2.13

$2.37 €2.03

5.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 €1.60

$1.88 €1.61

-0.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.95 €1.67

-8.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.20 €1.02

22.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.51

$0.72 €0.61

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.07 €6.05

$6.38 €5.46

10.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 €4.42

$6.01 €5.15

-14.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.18 €1.01

-11.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 €1.98

$2.35 €2.01

-1.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.60 €1.37

-11.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.68 €15.14

$29.29 €25.08

-39.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 €3.90

$4.73 €4.05

-3.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 €0.86

$1.05 €0.90

-4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.03 €12.86

$29.00 €24.83

-48.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.83 €1.57

-4.92%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.7K €33.1K

$38.1K €32.6K

1.52%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.3K €27.6K

$29.6K €25.3K

9.08%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$135 €115

$138 €118

-2.06%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$19.62 €16.80

$17.50 €14.98

12.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.25 €23.33

$29.94 €25.63

-8.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.69 €39.11

$47.75 €40.87

-4.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.29 €13.09

$16.71 €14.30

-8.50%

Cinema Ticket

$8.24 €7.05

$10.40 €8.90

-20.77%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$588 €504

$447 €383

31.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,999 €6,847

$10.1K €8,631

-20.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 €55.0

$80.2 €68.7

-19.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.67 €18.55

$40.26 €34.46

-46.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.0

$88.2 €75.5

16.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €100

$116 €99.0

1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 €630

$1,194 €1,022

-38.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 €519

$888 €760

-31.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 €862

$2,049 €1,754

-50.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 €678

$1,562 €1,337

-49.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,882 €1,611

$5,265 €4,507

-64.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 €1,251

$3,050 €2,611

-52.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,869 €1,600

$1,838 €1,573

1.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

3.46

-7.51%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Castello de la Plana: April 27, 2026

Last update for Malaga: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $736 in Castello de la Plana versus $1,194 in Malaga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Castello de la Plana, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Castello de la Plana versus $65.0 in Malaga. Groceries tell a different story – $271 in Castello de la Plana vs $258 in Malaga – so Malaga wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Castello de la Plana vs Malaga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,524 in Castello de la Plana, $1,786 in Malaga – roughly 17% apart. Malaga costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,286 per month in Castello de la Plana and $2,679 in Malaga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Castello de la Plana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 66% less in Castello de la Plana. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $588 per month in Castello de la Plana and $447 in Malaga. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Castello de la Plana, where all-in costs run around $1,524, than in Malaga at $1,786. In Castello de la Plana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malaga it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Malaga has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,524 in Castello de la Plana to $1,786 in Malaga. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Castello de la Plana. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Malaga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.