Cost of Living Comparison Between Maspalomas and Malaga Cost of Living Comparison Between Maspalomas and Malaga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,741 in Maspalomas versus $1,802 in Malaga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,426 in Maspalomas versus $2,698 in Malaga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,111 in Maspalomas versus $3,593 in Malaga.

Living in Maspalomas costs roughly 3% less than in Malaga, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Maspalomas 30% above, Malaga 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.21 €10.50

$13.88 €11.94

-12.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 €39.72

$64.8 €55.7

-28.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.46 €9.00

$9.06 €7.79

15.45%

Cappuccino

$2.22 €1.91

$2.26 €1.95

-1.77%

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

$2.21 €1.90

$2.37 €2.04

-6.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.89 €1.63

-36.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 €2.43

$3.57 €3.07

-20.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 €3.79

$4.44 €3.82

-0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.20 €1.04

4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.39 €1.20

51.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.72 €1.48

-20.93%

Eggs

$3.33 €2.87

$2.68 €2.31

24.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 €10.16

$15.29 €13.15

-22.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 €8.87

$7.41 €6.38

39.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 €14.68

$13.87 €11.93

23.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.56 €2.20

-23.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.90 €1.63

-16.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 €1.89

$1.57 €1.35

40.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.41 €2.07

-26.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 €1.93

$1.85 €1.59

21.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 €2.35

$1.98 €1.70

37.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.15 €0.99

31.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 €0.67

$0.72 €0.62

6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 €3.07

$6.28 €5.40

-43.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.86 €5.90

$6.13 €5.27

11.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.34

$1.22 €1.05

27.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 €3.26

$2.46 €2.12

54.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.60 €1.38

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.71 €29.00

$29.70 €25.55

13.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 €3.05

$4.50 €3.87

-21.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 €1.77

$1.03 €0.88

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.40 €20.13

$28.82 €24.79

-18.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.84 €1.58

-10.33%

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

$38.4K €33.0K

$39.1K €33.6K

-1.78%

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

$30.3K €26.0K

$30.7K €26.4K

-1.33%

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

$80.4 €69.2

$134 €115

-39.76%

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

$20.50 €17.63

$17.64 €15.18

16.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 €25.61

$29.28 €25.18

1.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.32 €14.90

$47.13 €40.54

-63.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 €14.85

$16.76 €14.42

2.98%

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 €7.08

$10.48 €9.01

-21.47%

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

$533 €458

$461 €396

15.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,493 €5,585

$9,996 €8,598

-35.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.4 €59.7

$80.4 €69.1

-13.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.70 €19.52

$40.19 €34.57

-43.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.8

$89.9 €77.3

14.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.0 €66.2

$117 €101

-34.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 €1,146

$1,185 €1,019

12.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$923 €794

$873 €751

5.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 €1,175

$2,087 €1,795

-34.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 €1,038

$1,536 €1,321

-21.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,274 €5,397

$5,222 €4,492

20.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,326 €4,581

$3,014 €2,593

76.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,646 €1,415

$1,954 €1,681

-15.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.46

-0.87%

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

Last update for Maspalomas: May 30, 2026

Last update for Malaga: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,332 in Maspalomas and $1,185 in Malaga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Malaga pays 19% 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: $46.00 in Maspalomas vs $65.0 in Malaga. Groceries flip the comparison at $284 vs $257, with Malaga 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

Maspalomas vs Malaga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maspalomas and Malaga differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,741 vs $1,802 including rent). Maspalomas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Malaga earns 19% 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: $1,332 in Maspalomas versus $1,185 in Malaga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,741 per month in Maspalomas versus $1,802 in Malaga – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Maspalomas runs roughly 14% less than in Malaga. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,741 in Maspalomas versus $1,802 in Malaga, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maspalomas but tight or insufficient in Malaga. The gap between the two cities makes Maspalomas 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, Maspalomas and Malaga 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 Maspalomas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Malaga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.