Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaga and Ourense Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaga and Ourense

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,782 in Malaga versus $1,301 in Ourense.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,749 in Malaga versus $1,914 in Ourense.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,715 in Malaga versus $2,527 in Ourense.

Living in Malaga is roughly 37% more expensive than in Ourense, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Malaga is 34% above, Ourense is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.98 €12.11

$17.30 €14.98

-19.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.7 €54.3

$57.5 €49.76

9.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.08 €7.86

$6.55 €5.68

38.63%

Cappuccino

$2.25 €1.95

$1.85 €1.61

21.62%

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

$2.37 €2.05

$2.44 €2.11

-2.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.63 €1.41

12.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.46 €2.99

$2.97 €2.57

16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 €3.85

$3.37 €2.92

32.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.12 €0.97

5.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.06 €0.92

27.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 €1.45

$1.33 €1.15

25.56%

Eggs

$2.84 €2.46

$2.83 €2.45

0.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.96 €12.95

$10.58 €9.16

41.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 €6.77

$7.45 €6.45

4.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.79 €11.94

$12.82 €11.10

7.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 €2.18

$1.80 €1.56

40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 €1.66

$2.23 €1.93

-13.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 €1.36

$1.87 €1.62

-16.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.34 €2.03

$2.29 €1.98

2.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 €1.62

$1.79 €1.55

4.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 €1.63

$2.28 €1.97

-17.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.13 €0.98

2.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 €0.63

$0.75 €0.65

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 €5.59

$5.95 €5.15

8.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.06 €5.24

$8.19 €7.09

-26.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.22 €1.05

-3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 €2.12

$2.55 €2.20

-3.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 €1.39

$1.01 €0.87

58.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.38 €25.44

$29.05 €25.16

1.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 €3.94

$4.75 €4.11

-4.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.93

$0.50 €0.43

114.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.44 €25.49

$57.3 €49.65

-48.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.72 €1.49

2.91%

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

$37.9K €32.8K

$39.1K €33.9K

-3.21%

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

$30.1K €26.0K

$32.0K €27.7K

-5.97%

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

$136 €118

$109 €94.6

24.38%

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

$17.89 €15.49

$21.63 €18.74

-17.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.39 €25.45

$33.27 €28.82

-11.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.55 €42.05

$47.00 €40.70

3.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.62 €14.39

$5.82 €5.04

185.57%

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 €8.88

$8.74 €7.57

17.28%

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

$452 €392

$353 €305

28.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K €8,910

$8,282 €7,173

24.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.0 €70.2

$77.3 €66.9

4.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.88 €33.67

$25.82 €22.36

50.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 €77.0

$85.3 €73.9

4.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €101

$73.9 €64.0

57.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 €1,059

$638 €552

91.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 €767

$472 €409

87.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 €1,806

$785 €679

165.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,517 €1,314

$560 €485

170.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,064 €4,385

$2,692 €2,331

88.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,927 €2,535

$1,847 €1,600

58.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,922 €1,665

$1,513 €1,310

27.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

3.22

7.45%

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

Last update for Malaga: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ourense: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,222 in Malaga and $638 in Ourense. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Malaga pays 27% 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: $63.0 in Malaga vs $57.0 in Ourense for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $256 vs $238 per month, with Ourense cheaper across the board.

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 Ourense: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malaga and Ourense differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,782 vs $1,301 including rent). Ourense is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Malaga, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,222 in Malaga versus $638 in Ourense. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,782 per month in Malaga versus $1,301 in Ourense – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ourense runs roughly 1% less than in Malaga. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,301 in Ourense versus $1,782 in Malaga, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ourense but tight or insufficient in Malaga. The gap between the two cities makes Ourense the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Malaga and Ourense 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 Ourense gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Malaga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.