Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaga and Cadiz Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaga and Cadiz

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,802 per month in Malaga vs $1,819 in Cadiz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,698 per month in Malaga vs $2,372 in Cadiz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,593 per month in Malaga vs $2,925 in Cadiz, rent included.

Malaga is about 1% cheaper than Cadiz, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Malaga and Cadiz sit above the global median – Malaga by 34%, Cadiz by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.88 €11.95

$13.87 €11.94

0.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$40.62 €34.98

59.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.06 €7.80

$9.16 €7.89

-1.09%

Cappuccino

$2.26 €1.95

$2.14 €1.85

5.61%

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

$2.37 €2.04

$2.19 €1.89

8.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.63

$1.63 €1.40

15.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 €3.07

$3.44 €2.96

3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 €3.82

$3.57 €3.07

24.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.04

$1.10 €0.94

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.37 €1.18

1.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.31 €1.13

31.30%

Eggs

$2.68 €2.31

$2.16 €1.86

24.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.29 €13.17

$14.91 €12.84

2.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 €6.38

$7.45 €6.41

-0.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.87 €11.94

$13.90 €11.97

-0.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 €2.21

$2.13 €1.84

20.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.89 €1.63

0.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.66 €1.43

-5.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 €2.08

$1.66 €1.43

45.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.00 €0.86

85.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.89 €1.62

4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.21 €1.04

-4.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 €0.62

$0.71 €0.61

1.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 €5.41

$6.43 €5.54

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.13 €5.28

$6.00 €5.16

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.23 €1.06

-0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.34 €2.01

5.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.29 €1.11

24.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 €25.57

$55.4 €47.71

-46.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.50 €3.87

$2.94 €2.53

53.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 €0.88

$1.01 €0.87

1.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.82 €24.82

$20.72 €17.84

39.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.82 €1.56

1.10%

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

$39.1K €33.6K

$29.6K €25.5K

32.13%

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

$30.7K €26.4K

$30.6K €26.3K

0.36%

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

$134 €115

-0.43%

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

$17.64 €15.19

$9.41 €8.10

87.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.28 €25.21

$29.49 €25.40

-0.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.13 €40.58

$45.48 €39.17

3.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.76 €14.44

$7.04 €6.06

138.07%

Cinema Ticket

$10.48 €9.02

$9.25 €7.96

13.30%

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

$461 €397

$309 €266

49.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,996 €8,607

$4,140 €3,565

141.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.4 €69.2

$81.8 €70.4

-1.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.19 €34.61

$39.47 €33.98

1.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 €77.4

$85.3 €73.5

5.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €101

$116 €100

0.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 €1,020

$870 €749

36.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$873 €752

$941 €810

-7.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 €1,797

$1,119 €964

86.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 €1,323

$903 €777

70.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,222 €4,497

$3,413 €2,939

53.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,014 €2,596

$3,943 €3,396

-23.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,954 €1,683

$2,194 €1,889

-10.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

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

Last update for Malaga: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cadiz: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,185 in Malaga versus $870 in Cadiz. 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 12% higher in Cadiz, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Malaga versus $41.00 in Cadiz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $242 – making Cadiz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cadiz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cadiz costs about 1% more than Malaga, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,703 per month in Malaga and $2,728 in Cadiz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Cadiz – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Malaga and $41.00 in Cadiz. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Malaga, where all-in costs run around $1,802, than in Cadiz at $1,819. In Malaga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cadiz it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malaga costs $1,802 versus $1,819 in Cadiz. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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