Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaga and Alicante 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Alicante is 5.2% lower than in Malaga (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Alicante is 10.1% lower than in Malaga | |
| Rent Prices in Alicante are 21.2% lower than in Malaga | |
| Restaurant Prices in Alicante are 7.6% lower than in Malaga | |
| Groceries Prices in Alicante are 3.3% higher than in Malaga | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Alicante is 29.3% higher than in Malaga | |
Restaurants | Malaga Edit |
Alicante Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 15.00 € | 15.00 € | 0.0 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 60.00 € | 50.00 € | -16.7 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 8.25 € | 9.00 € | +9.1 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 3.00 € | 2.50 € | -16.7 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 4.00 € | 3.00 € | -25.0 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 2.13 € | 1.81 € | -15.0 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.12 € | 2.02 € | -4.5 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 1.74 € | 1.31 € | -24.4 % |
Markets | Malaga Edit |
Alicante Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.09 € | 1.21 € | +11.6 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 1.21 € | 1.32 € | +9.2 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 0.72 € | 0.76 € | +4.6 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 2.44 € | 2.75 € | +12.5 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 7.01 € | 6.48 € | -7.6 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 3.17 € | 3.74 € | +17.7 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 5.10 € | 5.75 € | +12.6 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 0.97 € | 1.03 € | +5.5 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.79 € | 0.79 € | +0.5 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 0.62 € | 0.57 € | -7.4 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 0.96 € | 0.98 € | +1.5 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 0.64 € | 0.71 € | +10.4 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 0.79 € | 0.69 € | -12.2 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 1.02 € | 0.96 € | -5.6 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 0.62 € | 0.67 € | +7.2 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 5.00 € | 4.00 € | -20.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 1.04 € | 0.95 € | -8.8 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 1.95 € | 1.58 € | -18.7 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 5.60 € | 5.38 € | -4.0 % |
Transportation | Malaga Edit |
Alicante Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 1.40 € | 1.45 € | +3.6 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 20.00 € | 22.00 € | +10.0 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 1.66 € | 2.10 € | +26.5 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 1.72 € | 1.93 € | +12.1 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 19.96 € | 15.00 € | -24.8 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.54 € | 1.53 € | -0.7 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 33,365.00 € | 33,365.00 € | 0.0 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 26,000.00 € | 26,000.00 € | 0.0 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Malaga Edit |
Alicante Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 119.11 € | 107.51 € | -9.7 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 12.15 € | 15.30 € | +25.9 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 24.50 € | 27.50 € | +12.2 % |
Sports And Leisure | Malaga Edit |
Alicante Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 42.14 € | 40.33 € | -4.3 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 14.25 € | 15.00 € | +5.3 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 10.00 € | 8.25 € | -17.5 % |
Childcare | Malaga Edit |
Alicante Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 456.67 € | 616.67 € | +35.0 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 9,440.00 € | 9,150.00 € | -3.1 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Malaga Edit |
Alicante Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 77.50 € | 70.00 € | -9.7 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 35.00 € | 26.25 € | -25.0 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 83.33 € | 85.83 € | +3.0 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 97.50 € | 92.00 € | -5.6 % |
Rent Per Month | Malaga Edit |
Alicante Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 1,100.00 € | 869.19 € | -21.0 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 792.86 € | 712.72 € | -10.1 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 1,790.91 € | 1,303.33 € | -27.2 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 1,368.75 € | 1,096.15 € | -19.9 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Malaga Edit |
Alicante Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 497.70 € | 240.51 € | -51.7 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 430.45 € | 157.93 € | -63.3 % |
Salaries And Financing | Malaga Edit |
Alicante Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 1,481.69 € | 1,721.43 € | +16.2 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 3.42 | 3.58 | +4.8 % |
| Last update: | 4 November 2025 | 25 October 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 89 | 67 |
Moving to Malaga? Explore:
Moving to Alicante? Explore:
Cities near Malaga: | Cost of Living in Motril | 57.64 miles |
| Cost of Living in Écija, Andalucía | 91.96 miles |
| Cost of Living in Águilas, Región de Murcia | 214.82 miles |
Cities near Alicante: | Cost of Living in Elche | 16.47 miles |
| Cost of Living in Murcia | 52.26 miles |
| Cost of Living in Cieza, Región de Murcia | 67.85 miles |
| Cost of Living in Albacete | 104.99 miles |
| Cost of Living in Valencia | 105.81 miles |
| Cost of Living in Águilas, Región de Murcia | 107.08 miles |
| Cost of Living in Sagunto | 122.96 miles |
| Cost of Living in Castello de la Plana | 151.94 miles |
| Cost of Living in Cuenca | 191.88 miles |
| Cost of Living in Manzanares | 206.93 miles |