Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuengirola and Malaga Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuengirola and Malaga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,713 per month in Fuengirola vs $1,802 in Malaga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,629 per month in Fuengirola vs $2,698 in Malaga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,544 per month in Fuengirola vs $3,593 in Malaga, rent included.

Fuengirola is about 5% cheaper than Malaga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Fuengirola and Malaga sit above the global median – Fuengirola by 28%, Malaga by 34%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.79 €11.87

$13.88 €11.94

-0.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €54.4

$64.8 €55.7

-2.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.27 €8.84

$9.06 €7.79

13.36%

Cappuccino

$2.28 €1.96

$2.26 €1.95

0.88%

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

$2.45 €2.11

$2.37 €2.04

3.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.89 €1.63

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$3.57 €3.07

-3.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 €3.69

$4.44 €3.82

-3.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.20 €1.04

1.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.39 €1.20

7.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 €1.45

$1.72 €1.48

-2.33%

Eggs

$2.79 €2.40

$2.68 €2.31

4.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.45 €13.29

$15.29 €13.15

1.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 €7.81

$7.41 €6.38

22.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.64 €15.17

$13.87 €11.93

27.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 €2.07

$2.56 €2.20

-5.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.90 €1.63

14.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.57 €1.35

10.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$2.41 €2.07

9.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.85 €1.59

-7.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.98 €1.70

-4.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.15 €0.99

7.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 €0.66

$0.72 €0.62

6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 €5.41

$6.28 €5.40

Wine (Bottle)

$5.88 €5.06

$6.13 €5.27

-4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.05

$1.22 €1.05

0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 €2.08

$2.46 €2.12

-1.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.60 €1.38

13.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.73 €10.09

$29.70 €25.55

-60.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 €4.02

$4.50 €3.87

3.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 €0.91

$1.03 €0.88

2.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.60 €21.16

$28.82 €24.79

-14.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.84 €1.58

-5.43%

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

$37.9K €32.6K

$39.1K €33.6K

-2.93%

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

$31.8K €27.4K

$30.7K €26.4K

3.82%

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

$138 €118

$134 €115

3.00%

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

$21.60 €18.58

$17.64 €15.18

22.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.09 €28.46

$29.28 €25.18

13.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 €43.42

$47.13 €40.54

7.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.61 €24.61

$16.76 €14.42

70.70%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 €8.54

$10.48 €9.01

-5.25%

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

$394 €339

$461 €396

-14.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,728 €5,788

$9,996 €8,598

-32.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.0 €69.7

$80.4 €69.1

0.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.74 €34.18

$40.19 €34.57

-1.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 €75.6

$89.9 €77.3

-2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.6

$117 €101

-1.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 €830

$1,185 €1,019

-18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 €656

$873 €751

-12.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,958 €1,684

$2,087 €1,795

-6.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 €1,125

$1,536 €1,321

-14.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,707 €3,189

$5,222 €4,492

-29.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,813 €2,420

$3,014 €2,593

-6.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,872 €1,610

$1,954 €1,681

-4.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

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

Last update for Fuengirola: June 2, 2026

Last update for Malaga: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $965 in Fuengirola versus $1,185 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 4% higher in Malaga, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Fuengirola versus $65.0 in Malaga. Groceries tell a different story – $281 in Fuengirola vs $257 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

Fuengirola vs Malaga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,713 in Fuengirola, $1,802 in Malaga – roughly 5% apart. Malaga costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,570 per month in Fuengirola and $2,703 in Malaga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $394 per month in Fuengirola and $461 in Malaga. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Malaga – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Fuengirola, where all-in costs run around $1,713, than in Malaga at $1,802. In Fuengirola 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 $1,713 in Fuengirola to $1,802 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 Fuengirola. 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.