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: $1,802 in Malaga versus $1,909 in Castelldefels.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,698 in Malaga versus $2,799 in Castelldefels.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,593 in Malaga versus $3,689 in Castelldefels.

Living in Malaga costs roughly 6% less than in Castelldefels, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Malaga 34% above, Castelldefels 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.88 €11.94

$17.20 €14.80

-19.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$69.6 €59.9

-6.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.06 €7.79

$12.75 €10.97

-28.94%

Cappuccino

$2.26 €1.95

$2.68 €2.30

-15.67%

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

$2.37 €2.04

$2.52 €2.17

-5.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.63

$2.04 €1.76

-7.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 €3.07

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 €3.82

$3.50 €3.01

26.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.04

$1.14 €0.98

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.29 €1.11

7.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.69 €1.45

1.78%

Eggs

$2.68 €2.31

$2.81 €2.42

-4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.29 €13.15

$11.25 €9.68

35.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 €6.38

$8.43 €7.25

-12.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.87 €11.93

$14.13 €12.16

-1.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 €2.20

$2.56 €2.21

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.86 €1.60

2.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 €1.35

$2.05 €1.76

-23.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 €2.07

$2.36 €2.03

2.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.86 €1.60

-0.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.84 €1.58

7.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.47 €1.26

-21.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 €0.62

$0.76 €0.66

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 €5.40

$6.70 €5.77

-6.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.13 €5.27

$5.67 €4.88

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.41 €1.21

-13.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.02 €1.73

21.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.89 €1.62

-15.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 €25.55

$33.66 €28.96

-11.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.50 €3.87

$3.57 €3.07

26.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 €0.88

$2.13 €1.83

-51.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.82 €24.79

$25.05 €21.55

15.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.82 €1.57

1.10%

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

$39.1K €33.6K

$34.3K €29.5K

13.94%

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

$30.7K €26.4K

$32.1K €27.6K

-4.39%

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

$134 €115

$190 €163

-29.58%

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

$17.64 €15.18

$22.48 €19.33

-21.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.28 €25.18

$36.38 €31.30

-19.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.13 €40.54

$47.35 €40.73

-0.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.76 €14.42

$15.13 €13.02

10.77%

Cinema Ticket

$10.48 €9.01

$10.92 €9.40

-4.03%

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

$461 €396

$637 €548

-27.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,996 €8,598

$12.6K €10.8K

-20.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.4 €69.1

$87.4 €75.2

-8.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.19 €34.57

$36.67 €31.54

9.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 €77.3

$97.8 €84.1

-8.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €101

$117 €100

0.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 €1,019

$1,058 €910

11.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$873 €751

$926 €796

-5.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 €1,795

$1,891 €1,627

10.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 €1,321

$1,386 €1,192

10.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,222 €4,492

$3,502 €3,012

49.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,014 €2,593

$2,311 €1,988

30.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,954 €1,681

$4,561 €3,923

-57.16%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Castelldefels: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,185 in Malaga and $1,058 in Castelldefels. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelldefels pays 133% 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 $70.0 in Castelldefels. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $251, 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Castelldefels earns 133% less. 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: $1,185 in Malaga versus $1,058 in Castelldefels. 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 $1,909 in Castelldefels – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Malaga runs roughly 13% less than in Castelldefels. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,802 in Malaga versus $1,909 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 6% less than in Castelldefels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.