Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuenlabrada and Malaga Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuenlabrada and Malaga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,748 in Fuenlabrada versus $1,802 in Malaga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,562 in Fuenlabrada versus $2,698 in Malaga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,376 in Fuenlabrada versus $3,593 in Malaga.

Living in Fuenlabrada costs roughly 3% less than in Malaga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fuenlabrada 30% above, Malaga 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.15

$13.88 €11.94

26.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.2 €58.6

$64.8 €55.7

5.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.24 €8.81

$9.06 €7.79

13.02%

Cappuccino

$2.45 €2.11

$2.26 €1.95

8.41%

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

$3.24 €2.79

$2.37 €2.04

36.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.89 €1.63

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.92

$3.57 €3.07

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 €3.92

$4.44 €3.82

2.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.20 €1.04

-2.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.39 €1.20

-23.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.72 €1.48

-1.16%

Eggs

$2.65 €2.28

$2.68 €2.31

-1.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.07 €12.96

$15.29 €13.15

-1.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.04 €7.77

$7.41 €6.38

22.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.24 €14.83

$13.87 €11.93

24.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 €2.39

$2.56 €2.20

8.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 €1.93

$1.90 €1.63

17.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 €1.64

$1.57 €1.35

21.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$2.41 €2.07

12.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.85 €1.59

-0.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.98 €1.70

2.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.15 €0.99

21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 €0.58

$0.72 €0.62

-6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.96 €5.99

$6.28 €5.40

10.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 €7.11

$6.13 €5.27

34.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.22 €1.05

2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 €1.89

$2.46 €2.12

-10.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.60 €1.38

-5.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 €29.48

$29.70 €25.55

15.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 €3.95

$4.50 €3.87

2.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 €0.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.91 €20.57

$28.82 €24.79

-17.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.84 €1.58

4.35%

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

$37.4K €32.2K

$39.1K €33.6K

-4.14%

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

$34.4K €29.6K

$30.7K €26.4K

12.27%

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

$193 €166

$134 €115

44.54%

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

$20.99 €18.06

$17.64 €15.18

18.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.17 €29.39

$29.28 €25.18

16.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.97 €40.40

$47.13 €40.54

-0.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.19 €13.06

$16.76 €14.42

-9.37%

Cinema Ticket

$11.72 €10.09

$10.48 €9.01

11.83%

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

$258 €222

$461 €396

-44.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K €10.5K

$9,996 €8,598

22.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.3 €83.7

$80.4 €69.1

21.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.68 €32.41

$40.19 €34.57

-6.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.4

$89.9 €77.3

2.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 €80.3

$117 €101

-20.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 €744

$1,185 €1,019

-26.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 €589

$873 €751

-21.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 €1,115

$2,087 €1,795

-37.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 €875

$1,536 €1,321

-33.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,222 €4,492

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,014 €2,593

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,762 €1,516

$1,954 €1,681

-9.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

3.46

-2.31%

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

Last update for Fuenlabrada: June 1, 2026

Last update for Malaga: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $865 in Fuenlabrada and $1,185 in Malaga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Malaga pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Fuenlabrada vs $65.0 in Malaga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $257 per month, with Malaga cheaper across the board.

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

Fuenlabrada vs Malaga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fuenlabrada is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Malaga earns 11% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $865 in Fuenlabrada versus $1,185 in Malaga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fuenlabrada – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $65.0 in Malaga. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,748 per month in Fuenlabrada versus $1,802 in Malaga – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,748 in Fuenlabrada versus $1,802 in Malaga, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fuenlabrada but tight or insufficient in Malaga. The gap between the two cities makes Fuenlabrada the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fuenlabrada is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Malaga, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Fuenlabrada and Malaga are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Fuenlabrada gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Malaga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.