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Living in Málaga

Málaga is a city in Spain, with a population of 599,063 at the start of 2025. The unemployment rate was 12.3% in 2024. Monthly precipitation was 62.1 mm in January and 0.1 mm in July. Gigabit broadband availability was 98.3% in 2025.

Pricier rent than 95% of Spanish cities that publish it, higher unemployment than 96% of Spanish cities that publish it and more recorded crime than 92% of Spanish cities that publish it.

Which Spain-wide rules apply when you move to Málaga?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in SpainNational rates and thresholds that apply in Málaga.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

A city-level estimate placed average net cold rent at €9.6 per m² per month in 2024.

How much does it cost to rent in Málaga?

Average net cold rent is 9.6 EUR/m² per month (2024), excluding heating and operating charges.

Published average over existing tenancies; a specific flat can sit either side of it. Asking-rent series, where present, are separate rows in the table.

  • Average net rent (nettokalt): 9.6 EUR/m²/month · SERPAVI 2026 — Tabla 2, Málaga22
What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Málaga recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Private kindergarten€355
Utilities, 85 m² flat€121
Fitness club€44
Internet, 60 Mbps€33
Transport pass€24
Mobile plan, 10 GB€16

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

Net rent across major citiesMálaga highlighted among comparable cities
Net rent across major cities with Málaga highlighted

net rent, € / m² / month

Madrid€14.00
Barcelona€13.70
Bilbao€11.50
Málaga€9.60
Córdoba€6.60
Murcia€5.80
Show the other 6 cities
Palma€9.80
Sevilla€9.20
Valencia€8.20
Zaragoza€7.70
Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las€7.30
Alacant/Alicante€7.10
MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly43.87 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v224Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited32.97 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v224Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly354.5 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v224Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant9.95 EUR31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v224Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB15.79 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Numbeo — Cost of Living in Malaga (Wayback capture 20250113101601)25Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass23.95 EUR/month26 Jul 2026Obtención y recarga de la tarjeta bus mensual (EMT)18Official
Basic utilities, 85 m² home121.3 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v224Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings261,858 dwellings31 Dec 2021Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Spain13Official
G05 Main Residential Dwellings218,247 dwellings31 Dec 2021Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Spain13Official
G05 Secondary Seasonal Vacant Dwellings43,611 dwellings31 Dec 2021Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Spain13Official
Average net rent (nettokalt)9.6 EUR/m²/monthcountry median €5.1031 Dec 2024SERPAVI 2026 — Tabla 2, Málaga22Official

Worked out from these numbers

What does a 60 m² flat cost?

About 576 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 9.6 EUR/m² per month, before heating and operating charges.

Heating, water and operating charges come on top, and a specific flat can sit either side of an average.

Source period: 2024

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Málaga?

The unemployment rate is 12.3 % (2024). Source: INE Urban Indicators — unemployment rate by city8

Unemployment across cities in SpainUnemployment in Málaga is 12.3%. Of 1,361 cities with data, 844 have unemployment of 0 to under 5%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Spain per band844 cities: 0% to under 5%8440–5437 cities: 5% to under 10%4375–1044 cities: 10% to under 15%4410–15Málaga 12.3%23 cities: 15% to under 20%2315–209 cities: 20% to under 25%920–254 cities: 25% to under 30%425–30

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Gigabit broadband availability98.34 %30 Jun 2025SETELECO Cobertura Banda Ancha España 2021-202523Official
People in employment206,367 people31 Dec 2021Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Spain13Official
Median gross salary (regional)1,796 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE)9Official · regional context
Salary Net Avg Eur Month1,687 EUR/month31 Aug 2026Numbeo city cost-of-living page — /cities/es/malaga/26Community estimate · Supplemental context
Unemployment rate12.3 %country median 4.4%31 Dec 2024INE Urban Indicators — unemployment rate by city8Official
Unemployment rate over time10 published observations, 2015–2024
Unemployment rate in Málaga by year, %11.2%16.4%21.5%26.7%2015201720192021202412.3%%

Unemployment rate fell 52.0% between 2015 and 2024, from 25.6% to 12.3%.

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Málaga. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal — Public employment service

Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (SEPE)

Job SearchUnemployment ClaimTraining
Search jobs
Open the Spain service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Málaga. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
Hospital Beds Per 100k548 beds per 100,00031 Dec 2025Ministerio de Sanidad – Catálogo Nacional de Hospitales 202515Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Málaga under the national coverage rules.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Hospital Beds Per 100k548 beds per 100,000Verified 2026-08-03
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Safety

How safe is Málaga?

Police recorded about 6,342 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: MIR 2024 Q4 exact III. TOTAL INFRACCIONES PENALES, enero-diciembre 2024; INE 29005 denominator.16

Recorded crime across major citiesMálaga highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Málaga highlighted5,338Orihuela5,289Murcia5,095Córdoba4,916Vitoria-Gasteiz4,578Cartagena4,104Castelló de la Plana/Castellón de la Plana4,023Ciudad Real3,831Molina de Segura3,706Lorca3,690Logroño3,628Burgos2,712Vila-realrecorded incidents per 100k residents
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents6,342 incidents per 100,000country median 4,27631 Dec 2024MIR 2024 Q4 exact III. TOTAL INFRACCIONES PENALES, enero-diciembre 2024; INE 29005 denominator.16Official

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport115 count13 Jun 2026OpenFlights — routes.dat20Official
Nearest airportAGP13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv21Official
Distance to nearest airport8.7 km13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv21Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Málaga. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas — public language education network — State Language Course

Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports / autonomous education authorities

For adult language learners, residents.

In Person, Online, Hybridvaries
Open official information
Open the full Spain section
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Málaga.

Climate and air quality

Monthly mean temperatures were 12.5°C in January and 26.1°C in July. Annual PM2.5 was 6.4 µg/m³ at the end of 2024.

Is the air quality good in Málaga?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 6.4 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: MITECO Evaluación de la calidad del aire en España 2024 — Table 16 PM2.517

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Málaga average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C0°10°20°30°40°JFMAMJJASOND32°8°Daytime highNight-time low
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Málaga average monthly precipitation, mm0255075100625666412340325617788JFMAMJJASONDmm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Málaga average monthly sunshine, hours051015206778101111109765JFMAMJJASONDhours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Málaga annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit5256.4PM2.5154024.0PM10104022.0NO₂µg/m³

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in SpainAnnual PM2.5 in Málaga is 6.4 µg/m³. Of 269 cities with data, 57 have annual PM2.5 of 8 to under 9 µg/m³.
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in Spain per band1 city: 3 µg/m³ to under 4 µg/m³13–46 cities: 4 µg/m³ to under 5 µg/m³64–512 cities: 5 µg/m³ to under 6 µg/m³125–628 cities: 6 µg/m³ to under 7 µg/m³286–7Málaga 6.433 cities: 7 µg/m³ to under 8 µg/m³337–857 cities: 8 µg/m³ to under 9 µg/m³578–941 cities: 9 µg/m³ to under 10 µg/m³419–1035 cities: 10 µg/m³ to under 11 µg/m³3510–1130 cities: 11 µg/m³ to under 12 µg/m³3011–1214 cities: 12 µg/m³ to under 13 µg/m³1412–134 cities: 13 µg/m³ to under 14 µg/m³413–146 cities: 14 µg/m³ to under 15 µg/m³614–151 city: 16 µg/m³ to under 17 µg/m³116–171 city: 19 µg/m³ to under 20 µg/m³119–20

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
NO₂ — annual mean22 µg/m³31 Dec 2024EEA air quality statistics — ES NO2 annual mean 2024 (station CARRANQUE)3Official · nearest-station reading
PM10 — annual mean24 µg/m³31 Dec 2024EEA air quality statistics — ES PM10 annual mean 2024 (station CARRANQUE)4Official · nearest-station reading
PM2.5 — annual mean6.4 µg/m³country median 8.731 Dec 2024MITECO Evaluación de la calidad del aire en España 2024 — Table 16 PM2.517Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 17.2 · Feb 17.9 · Mar 19.7 · Apr 21.8 · May 24.7 · Jun 28.5 · Jul 31 · Aug 31.5 · Sep 28.4 · Oct 24.3 · Nov 20.3 · Dec 17.8 °C31 Dec 2020AEMET climate normal — mean monthly maximum air temperature, MÁLAGA/AEROPUERTO, 1991-20201Official
Average night-time low by monthJan 7.9 · Feb 8.4 · Mar 10.1 · Apr 11.9 · May 14.9 · Jun 18.6 · Jul 21.2 · Aug 22 · Sep 19.2 · Oct 15.4 · Nov 11.4 · Dec 9.1 °C31 Dec 2020AEMET climate normal — mean monthly minimum air temperature, MÁLAGA/AEROPUERTO, 1991-20201Official
Average temperature by monthJan 12.5 · Feb 13.2 · Mar 14.9 · Apr 16.9 · May 19.8 · Jun 23.5 · Jul 26.1 · Aug 26.7 · Sep 23.8 · Oct 19.9 · Nov 15.8 · Dec 13.4 °C31 Dec 2020AEMET climate normal — mean monthly air temperature, MÁLAGA/AEROPUERTO, 1991-20201Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 62.1 · Feb 56.1 · Mar 66 · Apr 41.3 · May 23.1 · Jun 4.4 · Jul 0.1 · Aug 2.7 · Sep 25.2 · Oct 60.6 · Nov 77.1 · Dec 87.7 mm31 Dec 2020AEMET climate normal — mean monthly total precipitation, MÁLAGA/AEROPUERTO, 1991-20201Official
Average sunshine by monthJan 5.9 · Feb 6.7 · Mar 7.3 · Apr 8.3 · May 9.7 · Jun 11.2 · Jul 11.4 · Aug 10.4 · Sep 8.7 · Oct 7.1 · Nov 5.9 · Dec 5.3 hours31 Dec 2020AEMET climate normal — mean monthly sunshine duration, MÁLAGA/AEROPUERTO, 1991-20201Official

Cities of a similar size in Spain

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Spain cities
Sevilla689,423 residentsZaragoza693,091 residentsMurcia479,405 residentsPalma434,786 residentsValencia840,792 residentsPalmas de Gran Canaria, Las381,868 residents

Population and city profile

How many people live in Málaga?

The published population was 599,063 people in January 2025. Source: Málaga - official stats14

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Málaga residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport89.2%Foreign residents 10.8%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents430.5 cars per 1000 people31 Dec 2024Eurostat5Official
City area395.2 km²31 Dec 2024Eurostat GISCO, European Commission7Official
Foreign-resident share10.9 %31 Dec 2024Eurostat6Official
Foreign residents64,587 people1 Jan 2024Official INE municipal population by country of nationality; foreign total derived as Total nationality minus España.19Official
Population density1,499 people/km²31 Dec 2024Eurostat GISCO / Eurostat Urban Audit7Official
Population Female305,119 people31 Dec 2023Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE)10Official
Population Male281,265 people31 Dec 2023Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE)10Official
Population599,063 people1 Jan 2025Málaga - official stats14Official
Population over time34 published observations, 1991–2025
Population in Málaga by year, residents515,952545,708575,463605,21919911998200620122025599,063residents

Population rose 14.7% between 1991 and 2025, from 522,108 to 599,063.

Foreign residents over time14 published observations, 2012–2025
Foreign residents in Málaga by year, residents39,91250,64661,37972,11320122018202569,892residents

Foreign residents rose 42.7% between 2012 and 2025, from 48,966 to 69,892.

International community in Málaga

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Population resident in Spain; both sexes; official INE Census 2021 municipal table · 2021 Census

Published groupPeopleShare
TOTAL578,063100.0%
Spain504,09887.2%
South America24,5514.2%
Africa20,2653.5%
European Union (without Spain)11,1421.9%
Rent of Europe8,5231.5%
Asia4,8650.8%
Central America and Caribbean3,2860.6%
North America1,2360.2%
Oceania970.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source11

Citizenship

Population resident in Spain; both sexes; official INE Census 2021 municipal table · 2021 Census

Published groupPeopleShare
TOTAL578,063100.0%
Spanish528,23091.4%
Africa12,5982.2%
South America12,1352.1%
European Union (without Spain)9,9111.7%
Rent of Europe7,3001.3%
Asia4,9930.9%
Central America and Caribbean2,0290.4%
North America7980.1%
Statelens370.0%
Oceania320.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source12

Is Málaga a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker57%strong on work, weak on safety · range 49–65%
Skilled employee58%strong on work, weak on education · range 50–66%
Student56%strong on cost, weak on education · range 47–65%
Family43%strong on family, weak on education · range 35–51%
Retirement55%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 46–64%
Foreign residents64,587 people1 Jan 2024Official source · Official INE municipal population by country of nationality; foreign total derived as Total nationality minus España.
Population599,063 people1 Jan 2025Official source · Málaga - official stats
Average net rent (nettokalt)9.6 EUR/m²/month31 Dec 2024Official source · SERPAVI 2026 — Tabla 2, Málaga
Dwellings261,858 dwellings31 Dec 2021Official source · Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Spain
Gigabit broadband availability98.34 %30 Jun 2025Official source · SETELECO Cobertura Banda Ancha España 2021-2025
People in employment206,367 people31 Dec 2021Official source · Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Spain
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-09-05

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Households218,244 households31 Dec 2021Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Spain13Official
Labour Supply Count275,748 people31 Dec 2021Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Spain13Official
Private Clinic Presenttrue31 Dec 2025Catálogo Nacional de Hospitales 20252Official

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Málaga?

The published population was 599,063 people in January 2025. Source: Málaga - official stats.

How much does it cost to rent in Málaga?

Average net cold rent is 9.6 EUR/m² per month (2024), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 672 EUR a month before utilities. Source: SERPAVI 2026 — Tabla 2, Málaga.

Is the air quality good in Málaga?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 6.4 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: MITECO Evaluación de la calidad del aire en España 2024 — Table 16 PM2.5.

How safe is Málaga?

Police recorded about 6,342 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: MIR 2024 Q4 exact III. TOTAL INFRACCIONES PENALES, enero-diciembre 2024; INE 29005 denominator..

What is the unemployment rate in Málaga?

The unemployment rate is 12.3 % (2024). Source: INE Urban Indicators — unemployment rate by city.

What is the typical salary around Málaga?

The median gross salary is 1,796 EUR/month. Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE).

Is Málaga a good place to live?

Málaga may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Africa live in Málaga?

The official country of birth distribution records 20,265 people (3.5%) in the source-defined population for 2021 Census. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Málaga, Spain: rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/es/malaga/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_malaga-spain-rent-salary-cost-of-living_9a21edb491ae,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Málaga, Spain: rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/es/malaga/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Málaga, Spain: rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/es/malaga/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. AEMET climate normal — mean monthly maximum air temperature, MÁLAGA/AEROPUERTO, 1991-2020 AEMET climate normal · aemet.es · checked 2026-07-27
  2. Catálogo Nacional de Hospitales 2025 sanidad.gob.es · checked 2026-07-16
  3. EEA air quality statistics — ES NO2 annual mean 2024 (station CARRANQUE) EEA air quality statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-31
  4. EEA air quality statistics — ES PM10 annual mean 2024 (station CARRANQUE) EEA air quality statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-31
  5. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
  6. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
  7. Eurostat GISCO, European Commission gisco-services.ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
  8. INE Urban Indicators — unemployment rate by city INE Urban Indicators · servicios.ine.es · checked 2026-07-26
  9. Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) servicios.ine.es · checked 2026-08-06
  10. Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) ine.es · checked 2026-08-07
Show 16 more sources
  1. Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Spain servicios.ine.es · checked 2026-08-30
  2. Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Spain servicios.ine.es · checked 2026-08-30
  3. Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Spain ine.es · checked 2026-08-07
  4. Málaga - official stats ine.es · checked 2026-07-14
  5. Ministerio de Sanidad – Catálogo Nacional de Hospitales 2025 sanidad.gob.es · checked 2026-08-03
  6. MIR 2024 Q4 exact III. TOTAL INFRACCIONES PENALES, enero-diciembre 2024; INE 29005 denominator. estadisticasdecriminalidad.ses.mir.es · checked 2026-07-16
  7. MITECO Evaluación de la calidad del aire en España 2024 — Table 16 PM2.5 MITECO Evaluación de la calidad del aire en España 2024 · miteco.gob.es · checked 2026-07-26
  8. Obtención y recarga de la tarjeta bus mensual (EMT) sede.malaga.eu · checked 2026-07-26
  9. Official INE municipal population by country of nationality; foreign total derived as Total nationality minus España. ine.es · checked 2024-01-01
  10. OpenFlights — routes.dat OpenFlights · raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-07-14
  11. OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
  12. SERPAVI 2026 — Tabla 2, Málaga SERPAVI 2026 · publicaciones.transportes.gob.es · checked 2026-07-26
  13. SETELECO Cobertura Banda Ancha España 2021-2025 digital.gob.es · checked 2025-06-30
  14. Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2 Global Cost of Living · kaggle.com · checked 2026-07-27
  15. Numbeo — Cost of Living in Malaga (Wayback capture 20250113101601) Numbeo · web.archive.org · checked 2026-08-01
  16. Numbeo city cost-of-living page — /cities/es/malaga/ Numbeo city cost-of-living page · de.numbeo.com · checked 2026-09-05

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.