I spent two months in Malaga as a digital nomad, and here are the reasons why I think you should consider this destination too.
It’s affordable
Madrid and Barcelona have more to offer in terms of culture and entertainment, but you pay a premium for this. According to nomadlist the average monthly cost for a nomad in September 2022 in different cities in Spain is:
- $4,570 in Barcelona
- $4,170 in Madrid
- $3,896 in Marbella
- $3,108 in Seville
- $3,205 in Malaga
From my own experience, I think Malaga is much more affordable than these figures suggest. I spent $3,000 a month in Malaga without keeping. an eye on my budget, and could easily have reduced that to $2,500 if I had cooked in my apartment instead of eating out every day.
There are plenty of places to work
There are a couple of decent coworking options in Malaga if that’s your kind of thing. And if not, you’ll find heaps of cafes and coffee shops in Malaga that you can work from. I also found the wifi in my Airbnb to be strong enough for video calls or streaming videos.
There’s an abundance of great food
I ate so incredibly well during my time in Malaga. It wasn’t just tapas – although there are so many excellent tapas restaurants that you’re spoilt for choice. I also enjoyed South American cuisine, a platter of sushi for under £10, Mexican tacos, brunch food, poke bowls, and more.
There are also a few ‘health food’ options that had some gluten-free. sandwiches and delicious salads or grain bowls.
It was easy to stick to a balanced diet, even when eating out twice a day, thanks to the range of options. But if you prefer to cook, the Mercado has a heap of fresh produce and there are plenty of mini Carrefour shops for snacks etc.
It’s by the sea
Another reason to consider heading to Malaga is its location beside the sea. I was staying in the heart of the old town and could reach the beach within 20 minutes of walking. It took less than 10 minutes to hit the sea, and I often spent lunch breaks walking along the promenade and enjoying the fresh air.
After work, I would go for a jog along the shoreline or take a walk up past the lighthouse to unwind from my day. At weekends, I would sometimes walk up to the next town and enjoy some freshly cooked fish for lunch.
There’s a small network of nomads
You won’t find a heap of nomads in Malaga, but there are some. And thanks to Facebook groups, they’re pretty easy to find.
I was really lucky and made two really good friends while I was in Malaga. One friend was there for the entire duration of my trip, so we spent a fair bit of time hanging out on the weekends or grabbing a mid-week dinner.
Generally speaking, the Facebook groups have a WhatsApp group as well. If you find a group you like the look of, don’t be shy to ask if there’s a WhatsApp group, as that tends to be more active.
If you crave community and like to have a big network to tap into, then Malaga won’t be the best option. However, if you’re happy with some alone time and you don’t mind putting in a lot of effort to meet people, you should be able to make a few quality connections during your stay.
It’s a great base for Andalucia
Malaga has a great location, with exciting destinations just a few hours away. For example:
- Marbella is accessible via a local bus
- Cordoba is a short train ride away
- Seville is only a couple of hours by train
- Grenada is a two-hour bus ride away
- Ronda is just two and a half hours by train
If you want to head further afield, the airport flies to 25 countries and it’s just a half an hour uber ride from the historic town.
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