Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuengirola and Santa Cruz de Tenerife Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuengirola and Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,679 per month in Fuengirola vs $1,861 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,609 per month in Fuengirola vs $2,614 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,539 per month in Fuengirola vs $3,366 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, rent included.

Fuengirola is about 10% cheaper than Santa Cruz de Tenerife, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Fuengirola and Santa Cruz de Tenerife sit above the global median – Fuengirola by 25%, Santa Cruz de Tenerife by 39%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.65 €11.65

$17.08 €14.59

-20.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 €53.8

$58.3 €49.78

8.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.23 €8.74

$10.47 €8.94

-2.29%

Cappuccino

$2.29 €1.95

$2.02 €1.72

13.37%

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

$2.47 €2.11

$1.75 €1.49

41.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.58

$1.02 €0.87

81.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 €2.91

$2.95 €2.52

15.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 €3.75

$3.16 €2.70

39.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.23 €1.05

-4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.73 €1.47

-12.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.41

$1.52 €1.29

8.55%

Eggs

$2.82 €2.40

$3.12 €2.67

-9.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.17 €12.95

$17.30 €14.77

-12.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 €7.64

$8.38 €7.15

6.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.95 €15.33

$14.36 €12.26

25.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.09

$2.42 €2.07

1.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 €1.79

$1.75 €1.50

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.59 €1.36

12.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.33

$2.55 €2.18

7.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.51

$1.56 €1.34

13.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 €1.61

$1.76 €1.51

7.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.53 €1.30

-18.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.66

$0.71 €0.61

9.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 €5.52

$5.12 €4.37

26.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 €5.12

$8.37 €7.14

-28.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.04

$1.54 €1.32

-20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 €2.06

$1.73 €1.48

39.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.71 €1.46

6.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 €9.91

$34.74 €29.67

-66.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 €4.03

$4.71 €4.03

0.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 €0.91

$1.29 €1.10

-17.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.84 €21.21

$17.39 €14.85

42.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.62 €1.38

12.35%

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

$39.3K €33.6K

$37.9K €32.4K

3.59%

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

$30.7K €26.2K

$30.1K €25.7K

1.77%

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

$134 €115

$90.1 €76.9

48.90%

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

$21.56 €18.41

$21.19 €18.09

1.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.81 €28.02

$30.60 €26.13

7.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 €43.46

$51.0 €43.55

-0.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 €24.80

$11.16 €9.53

160.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 €8.39

$10.05 €8.59

-2.19%

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

$401 €343

$343 €293

16.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,534 €5,580

$8,372 €7,150

-21.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.7 €68.9

$83.8 €71.6

-3.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.09 €34.23

$33.82 €28.89

18.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 €77.3

$87.2 €74.5

3.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €99.7

$69.5 €59.4

67.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 €849

$1,157 €988

-14.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$777 €663

$954 €815

-18.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 €1,655

$1,628 €1,390

19.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 €1,108

$1,298 €1,108

-0.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,687 €3,148

$3,933 €3,359

-6.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,778 €2,373

$2,283 €1,950

21.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,862 €1,590

$1,926 €1,645

-3.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

3.5

-1.14%

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

Last update for Fuengirola: April 27, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz de Tenerife: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Fuengirola versus $1,157 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. 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 3% higher in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 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 $58.0 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $277 – making Santa Cruz de Tenerife the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,679 in Fuengirola, $1,861 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife – roughly 11% apart. Santa Cruz de Tenerife costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,518 per month in Fuengirola and $2,791 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. 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 $401 per month in Fuengirola and $343 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Santa Cruz de Tenerife – 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 $1,679, than in Santa Cruz de Tenerife at $1,861. In Fuengirola it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Cruz de Tenerife it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Fuengirola – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Santa Cruz de Tenerife makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.