7 7 schools$1,500/mo avg rentMedium expat community
Teatinos and Limonar districts offer modern residential living with access to Novaschool Sunland and British School of Malaga.
4/5
Safety
4/5
Family Friendly
4/5
Quality of Life
3/5
Expat Friendly
4/5
Healthcare
Medium
Expat Community
7-32°C
Temp Range
Moderate
English Level
☀️ Climate & Weather
Monthly temperatures, rainfall, and sea conditions
32°C
Hottest (Aug)
9°C
Coolest (Dec)
26
Sunny days/mo avg
388mm
Annual rainfall
Avg highAvg lowSea tempRainfall
15°
🌊 Jan
15°
🌊 Feb
15°
🌊 Mar
16°
🌊 Apr
18°
🌊 May
21°
🌊 Jun
24°
🌊 Jul
25°
🌊 Aug
23°
🌊 Sep
21°
🌊 Oct
18°
🌊 Nov
16°
🌊 Dec
💰 Cost of Living
Monthly family budget estimates (USD)
At a Glance
$1,500
Avg. rent /mo
$9.00
Budget meal
$35
Mid-range dinner (2 ppl)
Dining & Drinks
Cappuccino$1.70
Domestic beer$2.20
Imported beer$3.20
Water (1.5L)$0.48
Groceries
Loaf of bread$1.20
Milk (1L)$0.85
Dozen eggs$1.90
Chicken (1 kg)$4.70
Transport
Taxi flag-drop$3.70
Taxi per km$1.10
Monthly transit pass$38
Gasoline (per liter)$1.65
Monthly Bills
Internet$32 /mo
Utilities (avg.)$115 /mo
Gym membership$30 /mo
Domestic help$650 /mo
Preschool / nursery$400 /mo
Comfortable
Family in a 2-3 bedroom apartment in Teatinos or Cruz de Humilladero, children at bilingual state school, using public transport.
$2,800/mo
Rent$1,200
Groceries$500
Lifestyle & leisure$180
Transport$150
Utilities$120
Dining out$320
Healthcare$120
School fees (per child)$150
Domestic help$60
Established
Family in a 3-bedroom apartment in Centro, Soho, or Pedregalejo, children at private or international school, one car.
$5,800/mo
Rent$2,000
Groceries$700
Lifestyle & leisure$500
Transport$280
Utilities$160
Dining out$600
Healthcare$220
School fees (per child)$900
Domestic help$340
Premium
Family in a large city apartment or penthouse in the historic centre or El Limonar, children at British or American school, two cars, housekeeper.
$10,500/mo
Rent$3,800
Groceries$1,100
Lifestyle & leisure$1,000
Transport$600
Utilities$220
Dining out$1,400
Healthcare$450
School fees (per child)$1,500
Domestic help$430
Malaga City is more affordable than Madrid or Barcelona while offering superior climate and increasingly comparable amenities. Rental prices have risen sharply since 2020 due to growing popularity. All costs in EUR.
🌬️ Air Quality
Average monthly AQI (US EPA scale)
30Jan
28Feb
30Mar
32Apr
35May
38Jun
42Jul
43Aug
38Sep
33Oct
30Nov
28Dec
Good (0–50)Moderate (51–100)USG (101–150)Unhealthy (151+)
Yearly average AQI is 34. Best air quality Jan–Dec (best: Dec at 28).
👥 Demographics
14%
Expat Population
middle
Income Level
~590,000 city proper, ~1.1 million metro
Population
Nationalities
Spanish86%
Moroccan3%
Romanian2%
British2%
Chinese1%
Latin American2%
Other EU2%
🏘️ Community & Culture
UNESCO Creative City with Picasso Museum and Centre PompidouGrowing tech hub attracting European digital nomadsThriving food scene with tapas culture and Atarazanas marketDiverse international community across multiple neighbourhoods
A World-Class City Coming Into Its Own
🌳 Parks & Recreation
10km urban beach from Malagueta to El PaloMontes de Malaga Natural Park hiking from the cityCaminito del Rey gorge walk 45 min awayParque de Malaga — one of the finest urban parks in Spain
Parks, Beaches, and Mountain Access
🚗 Getting Around
Malaga Airport 8 min by train from city centreAVE high-speed train to Madrid in 2.5 hoursMetro, Cercanias, and comprehensive bus networkDedicated cycling lanes and public bike scheme
Best-Connected City on the Costa del Sol
🛒 Daily Life
Mercado de Atarazanas — one of the finest covered markets in SpainHospital Regional Universitario — top-tier medical careBritish School and multiple international school optionsOutstanding food scene — fresh seafood and tapas culture
Full European City Amenities
📝 Living with the Climate
300+ sunny days — sunniest city in continental EuropeJanuary average high of 17-18 degrees CSea breeze cools city centre each afternoon in summerFrost essentially unknown in recorded history
