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: $2,039 in Malaga versus $1,342 in Badajoz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,024 in Malaga versus $2,001 in Badajoz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,010 in Malaga versus $2,661 in Badajoz.

Living in Malaga is roughly 52% more expensive than in Badajoz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Malaga is 49% above, Badajoz is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.32 €15.01

$14.92 €12.93

16.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 €59.4

$51.2 €44.40

33.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.90

$11.63 €10.08

-1.81%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.39

$1.90 €1.65

45.26%

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

$2.81 €2.44

$2.85 €2.47

-1.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 €1.94

$1.40 €1.22

59.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 €2.96

$2.26 €1.95

51.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 €3.93

$3.57 €3.09

27.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.11 €0.96

18.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 €1.27

$1.33 €1.15

9.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 €1.63

$1.65 €1.43

13.94%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.98

$2.99 €2.59

15.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.21 €13.18

$15.17 €13.15

0.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.30

$8.10 €7.02

3.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.37 €13.32

$12.56 €10.89

22.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 €2.30

$2.24 €1.94

18.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 €1.68

$2.77 €2.40

-29.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$2.13 €1.85

-17.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.23

$2.50 €2.16

3.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 €1.34

$1.94 €1.68

-20.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 €1.93

$1.87 €1.62

18.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 €1.12

$0.99 €0.86

31.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 €0.55

$0.57 €0.49

12.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.70 €5.80

$5.78 €5.01

15.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 €5.52

$7.08 €6.13

-10.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.06

$1.73 €1.50

-29.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.04

$2.42 €2.09

-2.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 €1.39

$1.37 €1.19

17.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.33 €23.68

$25.86 €22.41

5.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.84 €2.46

-32.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.46 €1.27

-13.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.50 €20.36

$22.01 €19.07

6.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.54

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

$37.0K €32.1K

$26.1K €22.7K

41.60%

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

$30.1K €26.1K

$28.4K €24.7K

5.99%

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

$158 €137

$135 €117

17.65%

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

$10.53 €9.13

$18.48 €16.02

-43.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.90 €23.31

$34.33 €29.75

-21.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.31 €40.13

$42.34 €36.69

9.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.52 €16.05

$4.61 €3.99

301.74%

Cinema Ticket

$9.80 €8.49

$8.81 €7.63

11.24%

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

$852 €738

$365 €316

133.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K €9,269

$6,210 €5,382

72.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.8 €78.7

$99.4 €86.1

-8.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.12 €34.77

$31.67 €27.45

26.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 €73.4

$60.1 €52.1

40.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.9

$73.2 €63.5

47.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 €1,319

$610 €528

149.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 €921

$481 €417

120.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,570 €2,228

$879 €762

192.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,650 €1,430

$715 €620

130.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,027 €4,356

$1,818 €1,575

176.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,032 €2,627

$1,450 €1,256

109.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,929 €1,672

$1,549 €1,342

24.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.31

2.77

19.49%

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

Last update for Malaga: September 13, 2026

Last update for Badajoz: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,521 in Malaga and $610 in Badajoz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Malaga pays 25% 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: $69.0 in Malaga vs $51.0 in Badajoz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $263 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 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Malaga, 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: $1,521 in Malaga versus $610 in Badajoz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,039 per month in Malaga versus $1,342 in Badajoz – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Badajoz runs roughly 6% less than in Malaga. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,342 in Badajoz versus $2,039 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 52% less than in Malaga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.