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: $1,755 in Fuenlabrada versus $2,039 in Malaga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,990 in Fuenlabrada versus $3,024 in Malaga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,225 in Fuenlabrada versus $4,010 in Malaga.

Living in Fuenlabrada costs roughly 14% less than in Malaga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fuenlabrada 28% above, Malaga 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.49 €15.15

$17.32 €15.01

0.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 €60.9

$68.5 €59.4

2.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.61 €10.06

$11.42 €9.90

1.66%

Cappuccino

$2.14 €1.85

$2.76 €2.39

-22.46%

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

$3.34 €2.90

$2.81 €2.44

18.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.67

$2.23 €1.94

-13.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 €3.05

$3.42 €2.96

2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 €4.17

$4.54 €3.93

5.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.31 €1.14

-9.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 €0.90

$1.46 €1.27

-28.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 €1.78

$1.88 €1.63

9.04%

Eggs

$3.97 €3.44

$3.44 €2.98

15.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.42 €15.96

$15.21 €13.18

21.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.76 €8.46

$8.42 €7.30

15.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.65 €18.76

$15.37 €13.32

40.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 €2.55

$2.66 €2.30

10.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.94 €1.68

21.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 €2.24

$1.75 €1.52

47.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 €2.48

$2.58 €2.23

10.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.88

$1.54 €1.34

40.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 €1.91

$2.22 €1.93

-0.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 €1.36

$1.30 €1.12

20.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 €0.51

$0.64 €0.55

-7.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.33 €5.49

$6.70 €5.80

-5.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 €6.98

$6.36 €5.52

26.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.98

$1.22 €1.06

-7.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 €1.94

$2.35 €2.04

-4.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.61 €1.39

-8.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.33 €23.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 €3.29

$1.91 €1.66

98.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.37

$1.27 €1.10

24.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.02 €20.82

$23.50 €20.36

2.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 €1.49

$1.78 €1.54

-3.37%

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

$36.5K €31.7K

$37.0K €32.1K

-1.33%

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

$30.0K €26.0K

$30.1K €26.1K

-0.61%

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

$196 €170

$158 €137

24.02%

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

$19.05 €16.51

$10.53 €9.13

80.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.45 €29.86

$26.90 €23.31

28.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.31 €40.13

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.52 €16.05

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 €8.76

$9.80 €8.49

3.16%

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

$183 €158

$852 €738

-78.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,154 €5,333

$10.7K €9,269

-42.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 €65.7

$90.8 €78.7

-16.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 €32.76

$40.12 €34.77

-5.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 €68.5

$84.7 €73.4

-6.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.3 €84.3

$108 €93.9

-10.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 €1,319

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$747 €648

$1,062 €921

-29.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 €1,111

$2,570 €2,228

-50.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,650 €1,430

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,027 €4,356

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,032 €2,627

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,721 €1,492

$1,929 €1,672

-10.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

3.31

-6.65%

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

Last update for Fuenlabrada: September 14, 2026

Last update for Malaga: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Malaga pays 12% 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: $70.0 in Fuenlabrada vs $69.0 in Malaga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $273 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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Malaga. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Malaga pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,755 per month in Fuenlabrada versus $2,039 in Malaga – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,755 in Fuenlabrada versus $2,039 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 16% less than in Malaga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.