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Side by side

Málaga or Sevilla?

Each place uses its own local data. National rules (economy, geopolitical stability, governance, tax & finance) are the same for both, so they cannot separate them. Neither wins everywhere; the tradeoffs below are what matter.

All about MálagaAll about SevillaChange a place

Data as of

City · Andalucía

Málaga

Winter sun, a beach in the city and a growing scene of museums and tech offices on the Costa del Sol.

Quality of life49average
Momentum41average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Beach cityPort cityMild wintersTourist-heavy centreMuseum cityPleasant weatherGlobal airport

124th of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

City · Andalucía

Sevilla

Orange-tree squares, flamenco and long warm evenings in the grand old capital of Andalucía.

Quality of life51average
Momentum53average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Regional capitalHistoric centreUniversity townHot summersMild wintersWatch your pocketsFast internetScorching summers

108th of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

Why Málaga

  • Stronger on climate (72 vs 47)
  • Stronger on connectivity (70 vs 46)
  • Airport passengers: 26.7 million a year vs 9.7 million a year
  • Days above 35 °C: 0 a year vs 74 a year
  • Frost days: 0 a year vs 3 a year
  • Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry): 189 a year vs 109 a year
  • Mild winters with sea and mountains within an hour
  • An airport on the city edge and a high-speed rail link to Madrid

Watch out: A crowded housing market with tourist-flat rules still changing; Tourist and cruise-ship crowds in the historic centre.

Why Sevilla

  • Stronger on digital (71 vs 46)
  • Stronger on prosperity (53 vs 35)
  • Stronger on jobs (43 vs 29)
  • Stronger on housing (40 vs 18)
  • Nights above 20 °C: 53 a year vs 95 a year
  • Rents, change in a year: 3.5% vs 5.2%
  • Price of an 80 m² flat: €212,184 vs €265,640
  • Buying price per m²: €2,652 vs €3,320

Watch out: Long hot summers that move daily life indoors in the afternoon; Festival weeks that fill the city and the hotels.

Of 40 figures both publish in the same unit, Málaga is better on 10 and Sevilla on 15; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

72 · above averageClimate47 · average
70 · above averageConnectivity46 · average
55 · averageTransport56 · average
46 · averageDigital71 · above average
35 · below averageProsperity53 · average
29 · below averageJobs43 · average
29 · below averageSafety20 · weak
18 · weakHealthcare24 · weak
18 · weakHousing40 · average

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureMálagaSevillaDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€9.6 a month2024€9.2 a month2024Málaga 4% higher
Rent for a 70 m² flat€669 a month2024€642 a month2024Málaga 4% higher
Typical rent, existing lease€718 a month2024€668 a month2024Málaga 7% higher
Rents, change in a year5.2%20243.5%2024Málaga 1.7 pts higher
Buying price per m²€3,320Q2 2026€2,652Q2 2026Málaga 25% higher
Price of an 80 m² flat€265,640Q2 2026€212,184Q2 2026Málaga 25% higher
House prices, change in a year14.8%Q2 202614.7%Q2 2026about the same
Money & work
Household income per person€14,753 a year2024€15,925 a year2024Málaga 7% lower
Net income per household€38,950 a year2024€40,115 a year2024about the same
Unemployment12.4%202511.2%2025Málaga 1.1 pts higher
Safety
Recorded crime63.1 per 1,000 people202474.4 per 1,000 people2024Málaga 15% lower
Sexual offences0.52 per 1,000 people20240.46 per 1,000 people2024Málaga 13% higher
Homicides1.17 per 100k people20251.31 per 100k people2025Málaga 10% lower
Robberies with violence149 per 100k people2025253 per 100k people2025Málaga 41% lower
Home burglaries82 per 100k people2025143 per 100k people2025Málaga 43% lower
Thefts without violence2,144 per 100k people20252,068 per 100k people2025about the same
Vehicle thefts136 per 100k people2025206 per 100k people2025Málaga 34% lower
Health
Life expectancy82.1 years202382.5 years2023about the same
Hospital beds5.4 per 1,000 people20255.8 per 1,000 people2025Málaga 6% lower
Climate
Days above 35 °C0 a year2015–202474 a year2015–2024Sevilla Infinity×
Days above 30 °C9 a year2015–2024132 a year2015–2024Sevilla 15.2×
Nights above 20 °C95 a year2015–202453 a year2015–2024Málaga 80% higher
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)189 a year2015–2024109 a year2015–2024Málaga 74% higher
Rainfall434 mm a year2015–2024427 mm a year2015–2024about the same
Rainy days (≥1 mm)58 a year2015–202457 a year2015–2024about the same
Frost days0 a year2015–20243 a year2015–2024Sevilla Infinity×
Getting around
Average commute (one way)41 min202143 min2021Málaga 4% lower
Commute by public transport17% of commuters202118% of commuters2021Málaga 1.5 pts lower
Commute by car56% of commuters202153% of commuters2021Málaga 2.7 pts higher
Distance to the main airport8 km20269 km2026about the same
Airport passengers26.7 million a year20259.7 million a year2025Málaga 2.8×
Internet
Homes that can get gigabit internet98%202599%2025Málaga 0.9 pts lower
Homes with fibre to the door98%202599%2025about the same
Education
Adults with a university degree42%202448%2024Málaga 6.4 pts lower
People
Population599,0632025689,4232025Málaga 13% lower
Median age45.1 years202546.9 years2025about the same
Residents aged 65+19.5%202520.9%2025Málaga 1.4 pts lower
Who lives here
Residents born abroad16.8%202511.7%2025Málaga 5.1 pts higher
Residents with a foreign nationality11.0%20248.0%2024Málaga 3.0 pts higher
Foreign residents, change in 5 years2.3 points20242.2 points2024about the same

Who each suits, 0–100

84Beach, mountains and the outdoors61
55Remote workers54
53Retirees42
46Founders and self-employed52
43High earners and investors46
36Culture, food and nightlife40
35Students44
33Young professionals41
26Families with children31
20Budget-conscious movers32

Weather through the year

0°20°40°JFMAMJJASOND
Solid: average daily high · dashed: average nightly low, °C.

Our read of each

Málaga

  • Some English, but learn Spanish early
  • Air-conditioning is not a luxury
  • Keep an eye on your phone
  • Easy to fly home
  • Ready for remote work
  • Public waiting lists are long

Sevilla

  • Some English, but learn Spanish early
  • Air-conditioning is not a luxury
  • Keep an eye on your phone
  • Ready for remote work
  • Public waiting lists are long

Data through Jun 2026 (Málaga) and Jun 2026 (Sevilla). Figures are compared only when both places publish them in the same unit; a dot marks the better value where better is clear.

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