Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaga and Fuengirola Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaga and Fuengirola

Name: Fuengirola
Address: Fuengirola, ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,802 per month in Malaga vs $1,713 in Fuengirola, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,698 per month in Malaga vs $2,629 in Fuengirola, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,593 per month in Malaga vs $3,544 in Fuengirola, rent included.

Malaga costs about 5% more than Fuengirola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malaga and Fuengirola sit above the global median – Malaga by 34%, Fuengirola by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.88 €11.94

$13.79 €11.87

0.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$63.2 €54.4

2.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.06 €7.79

$10.27 €8.84

-11.78%

Cappuccino

$2.26 €1.95

$2.28 €1.96

-0.88%

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

$2.37 €2.04

$2.45 €2.11

-3.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.63

$1.82 €1.56

3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 €3.07

$3.43 €2.95

4.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 €3.82

$4.29 €3.69

3.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.04

$1.22 €1.05

-1.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.50 €1.29

-7.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.68 €1.45

2.38%

Eggs

$2.68 €2.31

$2.79 €2.40

-3.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.29 €13.15

$15.45 €13.29

-1.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 €6.38

$9.08 €7.81

-18.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.87 €11.93

$17.64 €15.17

-21.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 €2.20

$2.41 €2.07

6.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$2.18 €1.87

-12.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.73 €1.49

-9.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 €2.07

$2.65 €2.28

-9.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.72 €1.48

7.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.90 €1.63

4.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.24 €1.06

-7.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 €0.62

$0.77 €0.66

-6.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 €5.40

$6.28 €5.41

Wine (Bottle)

$6.13 €5.27

$5.88 €5.06

4.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.23 €1.05

-0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.42 €2.08

1.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.82 €1.56

-12.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 €25.55

$11.73 €10.09

153.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.50 €3.87

$4.67 €4.02

-3.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 €0.88

$1.06 €0.91

-2.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.82 €24.79

$24.60 €21.16

17.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.74 €1.49

5.75%

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

$39.1K €33.6K

$37.9K €32.6K

3.01%

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

$30.7K €26.4K

$31.8K €27.4K

-3.68%

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

$134 €115

$138 €118

-2.91%

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

$17.64 €15.18

$21.60 €18.58

-18.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.28 €25.18

$33.09 €28.46

-11.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.13 €40.54

$50.5 €43.42

-6.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.76 €14.42

$28.61 €24.61

-41.42%

Cinema Ticket

$10.48 €9.01

$9.93 €8.54

5.54%

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

$461 €396

$394 €339

16.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,996 €8,598

$6,728 €5,788

48.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.4 €69.1

$81.0 €69.7

-0.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.19 €34.57

$39.74 €34.18

1.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 €77.3

$87.9 €75.6

2.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €101

$116 €99.6

1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 €1,019

$965 €830

22.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$873 €751

$763 €656

14.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 €1,795

$1,958 €1,684

6.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 €1,321

$1,307 €1,125

17.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,222 €4,492

$3,707 €3,189

40.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,014 €2,593

$2,813 €2,420

7.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,954 €1,681

$1,872 €1,610

4.37%

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 Fuengirola: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,185 in Malaga versus $965 in Fuengirola. 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 Malaga, 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 $63.0 in Fuengirola. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Malaga vs $281 in Fuengirola – 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 Fuengirola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,802 in Malaga, $1,713 in Fuengirola – roughly 5% apart. Malaga costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,703 per month in Malaga and $2,570 in Fuengirola. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $461 per month in Malaga and $394 in Fuengirola. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Malaga – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Fuengirola, where all-in costs run around $1,713, than in Malaga at $1,802. In Fuengirola 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 $1,713 in Fuengirola to $1,802 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 Fuengirola. 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.