Thinking of moving to Málaga and making it your new home? Here, we break down all the costs so you can find out exactly how much living in the Andalusian city will cost you in 2025.
Málaga is one of Andalusia and Spain’s most popular cities for foreign residents. Although it’s most definitely cheaper than Madrid and Barcelona, prices have shot up in the southern city over the last couple of years, especially rental costs.
So, how much does it really cost to live in the coastal city in terms of rent, transport, groceries and other costs?
Málaga is Spain’s sixth biggest city. According to the latest National Institute of Statistics (INE) census of 2024, the population of the city 591,637. The capital of the Costa del Sol, it’s both a popular holiday destination and a great place to live, known for its excellent weather and coastal location.
More than just a beach destination though, Málaga is a thriving arts and business hub with a range of excellent art museums and has been voted as one of the best cities in the world for foreign residents.
READ ALSO: Spain’s Málaga crowned favourite city in Europe for executive digital nomads
How do costs in Málaga compare with other cities in Spain?
Málaga is fast becoming a tech hub and as a result, is attracting digital nomads and more Airbnbs. All this, along with inflation, is driving costs up at a rapid rate.
According to a study by comparison site Kelisto, Málaga is the sixth most expensive city to live in Spain in 2025. To work this out, it looked at 17 different costs and services across six categories including housing, taxes, household bills, public and private transport, shopping, and leisure.
According to Expatistan cost of living website, a single person would need €1,897 per month to live in Málaga, while a family four would need €3,556 per month.
The site states that the cost of living in Málaga is 11 percent less expensive than in Barcelona and 13 percent less than in Madrid, two of the most expensive cities in Spain.
On another cost of living website, Numbeo, Málaga scores less than both Madrid and Barcelona for rent, eating out and groceries, although local purchasing power is 11.4 percent less in Málaga than in Barcelona.
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Rental prices in Málaga
One of the biggest costs is of course accommodation, whether you’re renting or you decide to buy. Rental prices in Málaga have been increasing rapidly over the last few years.
According to the property portal Idealista, Málaga is one of the cities in Spain where rental prices have risen the most. The average rental price in Málaga in October 2025 was €15.4 /m2. Prices have increased by 3.8 percent in the last year.
Another property website, Fotocasa states that percentage of salary spent on rent in Málaga is 49 percent, making it the eighth province with the highest rent relative to income.
READ ALSO: Where in Spain are rent prices rising the most?
Buying a property in Málaga
Buying a property in Málaga is also the most expensive it’s ever been at €3,652 /m2 according to Idealista data in October 2025, which is the highest on record.
Six of the 10 most expensive streets to buy property in Spain are all located in the Málaga province, the website has also revealed.
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Groceries
Supermarket prices have shot up significantly in recent years in Spain due to the rise in inflation and Málaga is no different, however, like in most cities, prices depend on where you choose to shop.
According to the latest data available from Spain’s Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU) Cash Fresh, Supeco and Maskom are the cheapest supermarkets in Málaga.
Numbeo shows that a loaf of fresh white bread in Málaga costs €1.13, while a dozen eggs will set you back €2.52 and a block of local cheese is €6.11.
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Eating out
Málaga is a great city for dining out on local tapas bites, as well as its signature espetos de sardinas (skewers of grilled sardines) on the beaches in summer, but it has some great international restaurants too. While you can spend a lot on going out to eat in Málaga, there are still many affordable spots in the city.
You can still find places that will serve a menu of the day (menú del día), a three-course meal at lunchtime on weekdays for €12. According to Numbeo, a meal at an inexpensive restaurant will cost around €15, while for a meal for two for three courses in a mid-range restaurant, you’ll have to shell out €60. And if you just want to go out for coffee, you’ll be paying around €2.13 at a coffeeshop, but less in a local bar.
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Transport
A one-way ticket on a local bus costs around €1.40, while a monthly pass is €20 on average.
If you live in the centre, however, you’ll find that Málaga is a very walkable city, saving you transport costs. It also has lots of cycle lanes so you can bike down to the beaches.
For the Cercanías local trains to take you to other coastal towns on the Costa del Sol, it costs €1.80 for a one-way ticket for zones 1-2 and €2.05 for zone 3.
