Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maspalomas and Malaga

For one person, living is cheaper in Maspalomas: $1,910 a month against $2,055 in Malaga, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Maspalomas, Spain
Malaga, Spain
Maspalomas
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,910
/mo nomad
Malaga
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,055
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maspalomas and in Malaga

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Maspalomas and in Malaga actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,910 in Maspalomas versus $2,055 in Malaga.

  • Maspalomas $1,910
  • Malaga $2,055

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,575 in Maspalomas versus $2,939 in Malaga.

  • Maspalomas $2,575
  • Malaga $2,939

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,240 in Maspalomas versus $3,823 in Malaga.

  • Maspalomas $3,240
  • Malaga $3,823

Living in Maspalomas costs roughly 7% less than in Malaga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Maspalomas 40% above, Malaga 51% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maspalomas
Malaga
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.54 €12.16
$16.82 €15.11
-19.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.1 €65.7
$68.1 €61.2
7.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.51 €9.44
$12.06 €10.83
-12.85%
Cappuccino
$2.49 €2.24
$2.64 €2.37
-5.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 €1.87
$2.69 €2.42
-22.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 €1.46
$2.09 €1.88
-22.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.14 €2.82
$3.42 €3.07
-8.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70 €3.33
$4.42 €3.97
-16.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maspalomas
Malaga
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 €0.99
$1.22 €1.10
-9.84%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 €1.54
$1.42 €1.28
21.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 €1.47
$1.81 €1.63
-9.39%
Eggs
$3.62 €3.25
$3.42 €3.07
5.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.28 €11.03
$15.35 €13.79
-20.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.07 €8.14
$7.84 €7.04
15.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.72 €15.92
$15.02 €13.49
17.98%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 €2.35
$2.49 €2.24
4.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$1.96 €1.76
0.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.29 €2.06
$1.76 €1.58
30.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.70 €1.53
$2.42 €2.17
-29.75%
Potato (1kg)
$2.31 €2.08
$1.55 €1.39
49.03%
Onion (1kg)
$2.37 €2.13
$2.05 €1.84
15.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 €1.03
$1.21 €1.08
-4.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 €0.75
$0.71 €0.64
18.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.36 €3.92
$6.64 €5.96
-34.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.74 €6.05
$6.52 €5.86
3.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 €1.58
$1.14 €1.02
53.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 €2.41
$2.26 €2.03
18.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Maspalomas
Malaga
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.29 €2.95
$1.55 €1.39
112.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$55.6 €49.98
$26.32 €23.64
111.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.41 €3.06
$1.90 €1.71
79.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.23 €2.00
$1.22 €1.10
82.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.05 €25.20
$21.91 €19.68
28.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 €1.52
$1.77 €1.59
-4.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K €27.3K
$33.5K €30.1K
-9.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.9K €28.7K
$31.6K €28.4K
1.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maspalomas
Malaga
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$115 €103
$162 €146
-29.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.46 €14.79
$10.59 €9.51
55.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.67 €24.85
$24.04 €21.60
15.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maspalomas
Malaga
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$39.73 €35.69
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.81 €16.00
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.71 €7.83
$9.73 €8.74
-10.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maspalomas
Malaga
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$473 €425
$864 €776
-45.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,604 €5,932
$9,940 €8,929
-33.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maspalomas
Malaga
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.8 €76.2
$89.5 €80.4
-5.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.06 €19.82
$38.99 €35.02
-43.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.3 €82.0
$84.3 €75.8
8.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.0 €71.0
$107 €96.0
-26.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maspalomas
Malaga
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 €1,255
$1,439 €1,293
-2.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,037 €931
$1,101 €989
-5.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,366 €1,227
$2,373 €2,132
-42.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,129 €1,014
$1,602 €1,439
-29.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,071 €5,453
$5,065 €4,550
19.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,063 €4,548
$3,151 €2,830
60.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maspalomas
Malaga
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,429 €1,284
$1,902 €1,708
-24.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.15
3.3
-4.55%

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

Last update for Maspalomas: October 25, 2026

Last update for Malaga: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Maspalomas
$1K
Malaga
$1.1K 6.2% $64
Groceries & Markets
Maspalomas
$281
Malaga
$266 5.2% $15
Eating Out
Maspalomas
$208
Malaga
$247 19.2% $40
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maspalomas
$159
Malaga
$197 24% $38
Clothing & Footwear
Maspalomas
$125
Malaga
$144 15.4% $19
Getting Around
Maspalomas
$83
Malaga
$41 51.4% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Maspalomas
$17 *
Malaga
$59 240% $42

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,397 in Maspalomas and $1,439 in Malaga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Malaga pays 33% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $73 in Maspalomas vs $68 in Malaga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $266 per month, with Malaga cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Maspalomas
🇪🇸 Malaga
🕒 Local time
22:15 10:15 PM
23:15 11:15 PM
1 h ahead of Maspalomas
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
33,000
586,384
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Maspalomas Malaga 1,450 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Maspalomas
  • Malaga

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Maspalomas and in Malaga?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,910 in Maspalomas and $2,055 in Malaga, so Maspalomas is about 7% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Maspalomas. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Maspalomas and in Malaga?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,397 in Maspalomas versus $1,439 in Malaga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Maspalomas or Malaga?
All in, you’ll spend $1,910 per month in Maspalomas versus $2,055 in Malaga – Maspalomas is about 7% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How do commuting costs compare in Maspalomas and in Malaga?
A monthly transit pass in Malaga runs roughly 53% less than in Maspalomas. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How does quality of life compare between Maspalomas and Malaga?
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.
Is Maspalomas or Malaga safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Maspalomas and Malaga are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Maspalomas and Malaga?
It comes down to priorities – Maspalomas wins on affordability, Malaga on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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