Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaga and Castelldefels Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaga and Castelldefels

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,824 in Malaga versus $1,971 in Castelldefels.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,754 in Malaga versus $2,797 in Castelldefels.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,683 in Malaga versus $3,624 in Castelldefels.

Living in Malaga costs roughly 7% less than in Castelldefels, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Malaga 37% above, Castelldefels 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.72 €12.01

$17.08 €14.95

-19.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.9 €56.7

$69.3 €60.6

-6.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 €8.06

$12.51 €10.94

-26.38%

Cappuccino

$2.27 €1.99

$2.58 €2.26

-12.02%

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

$2.37 €2.08

$2.51 €2.20

-5.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.65

$1.95 €1.71

-3.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.05

$3.39 €2.96

2.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 €3.82

$3.41 €2.98

27.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.01

$1.17 €1.02

-0.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.35 €1.18

-1.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 €1.51

$1.73 €1.52

-0.58%

Eggs

$2.79 €2.44

$2.94 €2.57

-5.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.19 €13.29

$11.38 €9.96

33.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 €6.52

$8.50 €7.44

-12.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.31 €12.52

$14.12 €12.35

1.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 €2.24

$2.59 €2.27

-1.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$1.87 €1.63

4.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 €1.44

$1.98 €1.73

-17.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.83 €1.60

-2.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$1.86 €1.63

6.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.50 €1.31

-23.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.62

$0.74 €0.65

-4.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.41 €5.60

$6.56 €5.74

-2.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 €5.62

$5.81 €5.08

10.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.07

$1.37 €1.20

-10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.16

$2.00 €1.75

23.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 €1.40

$1.86 €1.63

-13.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.04 €26.28

$34.52 €30.20

-12.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 €4.11

$3.44 €3.01

36.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 €0.88

$2.14 €1.87

-52.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.81 €25.21

$24.33 €21.28

18.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.74 €1.52

1.15%

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

$38.9K €34.0K

$35.0K €30.6K

11.18%

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

$30.6K €26.8K

$31.9K €27.9K

-3.95%

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

$138 €120

$188 €164

-26.71%

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

$17.74 €15.52

$22.67 €19.83

-21.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 €25.67

$36.30 €31.76

-19.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.28 €41.37

$48.56 €42.48

-2.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.67 €14.59

$15.26 €13.35

9.24%

Cinema Ticket

$10.58 €9.26

$10.91 €9.54

-3.02%

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

$461 €403

$624 €546

-26.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K €9,003

$12.4K €10.8K

-16.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 €71.1

$87.1 €76.2

-6.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.11 €34.22

$37.28 €32.61

4.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 €78.2

$98.8 €86.5

-9.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €101

$119 €104

-3.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 €1,038

$1,051 €920

12.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$876 €767

$917 €802

-4.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 €1,771

$1,858 €1,625

8.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,335

$1,357 €1,187

12.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,102 €4,463

$3,377 €2,955

51.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,947 €2,578

$2,144 €1,876

37.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,973 €1,726

$4,446 €3,890

-55.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

3.39

2.06%

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

Last update for Malaga: July 11, 2026

Last update for Castelldefels: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,187 in Malaga and $1,051 in Castelldefels. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelldefels pays 125% 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 $69.0 in Castelldefels. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 vs $253, with Castelldefels cheaper for home cooking.

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 Castelldefels: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malaga is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 125% lower in Castelldefels. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,187 in Malaga versus $1,051 in Castelldefels. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,824 per month in Malaga versus $1,971 in Castelldefels – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Malaga runs roughly 15% less than in Castelldefels. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,824 in Malaga versus $1,971 in Castelldefels, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Malaga but tight or insufficient in Castelldefels. The gap between the two cities makes Malaga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Malaga is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Castelldefels, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Malaga and Castelldefels 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 Malaga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Castelldefels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.