Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaga and Badajoz Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaga and Badajoz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,802 in Malaga versus $1,327 in Badajoz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,698 in Malaga versus $1,909 in Badajoz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,593 in Malaga versus $2,492 in Badajoz.

Living in Malaga is roughly 36% more expensive than Badajoz, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Malaga is 34% above, Badajoz is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.88 €11.95

$13.84 €11.92

0.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$43.10 €37.11

50.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.06 €7.80

$10.23 €8.81

-11.44%

Cappuccino

$2.26 €1.95

$1.89 €1.63

19.58%

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

$2.37 €2.04

$2.11 €1.82

12.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.63

$1.44 €1.24

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 €3.07

$2.36 €2.03

51.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 €3.82

$3.44 €2.96

29.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.04

$1.14 €0.98

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.20 €1.03

15.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.61 €1.39

6.83%

Eggs

$2.68 €2.31

$2.77 €2.39

-3.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.29 €13.17

$13.96 €12.02

9.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 €6.38

$8.00 €6.89

-7.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.87 €11.94

$12.21 €10.51

13.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 €2.21

$2.35 €2.03

8.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$2.16 €1.86

-12.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.79 €1.54

-12.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 €2.08

$2.53 €2.18

-4.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.80 €1.55

2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.83 €1.57

8.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 €0.99

$0.88 €0.76

30.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 €0.62

$0.53 €0.46

35.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 €5.41

$5.94 €5.11

5.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.13 €5.28

$6.85 €5.90

-10.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.34 €1.15

-8.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.37 €2.04

3.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.43 €1.23

11.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 €25.57

$29.49 €25.40

0.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.50 €3.87

$3.33 €2.87

35.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 €0.88

$1.06 €0.91

-2.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.82 €24.82

$21.69 €18.67

32.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.75 €1.51

5.14%

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

$39.1K €33.6K

$26.7K €23.0K

46.44%

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

$30.7K €26.4K

$24.2K €20.8K

26.68%

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

$134 €115

$108 €93.4

23.17%

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

$17.64 €15.19

$23.93 €20.61

-26.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.28 €25.21

$36.44 €31.38

-19.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.13 €40.58

$42.04 €36.20

12.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.76 €14.44

$4.50 €3.87

272.44%

Cinema Ticket

$10.48 €9.02

$8.54 €7.36

22.72%

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

$461 €397

$369 €318

24.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,996 €8,607

$4,720 €4,064

111.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.4 €69.2

$84.4 €72.7

-4.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.19 €34.61

$32.01 €27.56

25.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 €77.4

$58.9 €50.7

52.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €101

$73.3 €63.1

60.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 €1,020

$625 €538

89.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$873 €752

$495 €427

76.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 €1,797

$942 €811

121.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 €1,323

$687 €592

123.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,222 €4,497

$1,747 €1,505

198.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,014 €2,596

$1,374 €1,183

119.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,954 €1,683

$1,509 €1,299

29.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

3.02

14.57%

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

Last update for Malaga: May 31, 2026

Last update for Badajoz: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,185 in Malaga and $625 in Badajoz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Malaga pays 30% 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: $65.0 in Malaga vs $43.00 in Badajoz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $248 per month, with Badajoz 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

Malaga vs Badajoz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Badajoz is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Malaga pays 30% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,185 in Malaga versus $625 in Badajoz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,802 per month in Malaga versus $1,327 in Badajoz – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Badajoz runs roughly 1% less than in Malaga. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,327 in Badajoz versus $1,802 in Malaga, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Badajoz but tight or insufficient in Malaga. The gap between the two cities makes Badajoz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Badajoz 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, Malaga and Badajoz 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 Badajoz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Malaga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.