Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaga and Badalona Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaga and Badalona

Name: Badalona
Address: Badalona, ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,037 per month in Malaga vs $1,666 in Badalona, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,968 per month in Malaga vs $3,245 in Badalona, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,899 per month in Malaga vs $4,823 in Badalona, rent included.

Malaga costs about 22% more than Badalona, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Malaga and Badalona sit above the global median – Malaga by 49%, Badalona by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.14 €14.66

$17.44 €14.92

-1.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.0

$56.6 €48.42

23.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.77

$11.43 €9.78

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$2.88 €2.46

$2.47 €2.11

16.60%

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

$2.75 €2.35

$2.73 €2.34

0.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.89 €1.61

15.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 €3.03

$3.47 €2.97

2.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.94

$4.57 €3.90

0.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 €1.08

$1.18 €1.01

6.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 €1.32

$2.20 €1.88

-30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 €1.60

$1.86 €1.59

0.54%

Eggs

$3.43 €2.93

$3.06 €2.62

12.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.17 €12.98

$14.97 €12.81

1.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.46 €7.24

$9.23 €7.90

-8.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 €12.70

$15.35 €13.13

-3.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 €2.17

$2.59 €2.22

-2.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 €1.72

$2.03 €1.73

-0.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 €1.61

$1.62 €1.39

16.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 €2.13

$2.47 €2.11

0.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 €1.36

$1.86 €1.59

-14.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.87

$1.90 €1.63

15.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.12

$1.56 €1.34

-16.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 €0.55

$0.60 €0.51

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.64 €5.68

$7.08 €6.05

-6.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.17 €5.28

$5.90 €5.05

4.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.04 €0.89

16.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.28

$2.50 €2.14

6.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.70 €1.45

-2.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.47 €23.50

$46.28 €39.59

-40.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 €1.67

$3.41 €2.91

-42.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 €1.08

$1.80 €1.54

-30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.08 €19.75

$14.85 €12.70

55.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.45

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

$36.9K €31.6K

$35.7K €30.5K

3.51%

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

$30.3K €25.9K

$31.4K €26.9K

-3.64%

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

$162 €138

$120 €103

35.09%

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

$11.45 €9.79

$16.13 €13.79

-29.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.24 €23.30

$25.67 €21.96

6.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.07 €40.26

$60.4 €51.6

-22.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €15.99

$16.22 €13.88

15.23%

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 €8.55

$9.32 €7.97

7.30%

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

$832 €712

$572 €490

45.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,895

$10.3K €8,797

1.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.2 €80.6

$64.4 €55.1

46.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.73 €33.13

$21.58 €18.46

79.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 €76.9

$110 €93.8

-18.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €97.2

$124 €106

-8.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,507 €1,289

$1,395 €1,193

8.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 €902

$714 €610

47.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 €2,140

$1,367 €1,169

83.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,664 €1,423

$2,551 €2,183

-34.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,034 €4,306

$3,427 €2,931

46.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,971 €2,542

$2,211 €1,891

34.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,987 €1,700

$2,072 €1,772

-4.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.31

3.3

0.30%

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

Last update for Malaga: August 16, 2026

Last update for Badalona: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,507 in Malaga versus $1,395 in Badalona. 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 4% higher in Badalona, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Malaga versus $57.0 in Badalona. Groceries tell a different story – $272 in Malaga vs $279 in Badalona – so Malaga wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Badalona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,037 in Malaga, $1,666 in Badalona – roughly 22% apart. Malaga costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,056 per month in Malaga and $2,499 in Badalona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Badalona, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,037 in Malaga and $1,666 in Badalona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 68% less in Badalona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Badalona, where all-in costs run around $1,666, than in Malaga at $2,037. In Badalona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malaga it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Malaga has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,666 in Badalona to $2,037 in Malaga. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Badalona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Malaga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.