Earlier this year I decided I wanted to spend a month in beautiful Southern Spain, while relaxing and spending my days working online. I chose Malaga due to its relatively low cost of living for Europe (unfortunately the economic crisis has really taken a toll on it,) and its proximity to the ocean.
This ended up being a great choice financially, but if I were to do it again, I would chose to stay in April instead of March. There are very few apartments in Southern Spain with any form of heat for the cooler months, and March was still chilly enough that I spent most days wrapped head-to-toe in a massive comforter while working at my desk.
Here are my tips on things to do in Malaga Spain on a budget of only $600 per month:
Step 1: Stay slightly outside of the city
I chose to stay outside of the center of Malaga for two reasons; clearly I wanted to save money but I also wanted fewer distractions so I could focus on some online projects before starting my 3-month tour of Europe. Staying outside of the center means you´re not constantly inundated with offers for tempting tourist excursions, prices are lower, and life is generally more relaxed.
We stayed in the San Isidro neighborhood, which turned out to be a perfect choice. We could walk to the beach in 5 minutes, there was plenty to do in the area, and we were able to be more productive by saving the temptations of exploring Malaga for the weekends. When we did choose to head into the center of Malaga we either took a bus for $1.50 USD or we walked the entire beachside path, which only took about an hour walking at a slow pace.
Staying outside of the center will save your sanity and your money.
Step 2: Book a room in a shared apartment via an apartment booking site like Airbnb.
Obviously your accommodation costs will vary depending on whether you´re traveling alone or with a partner. I was traveling with a partner at the time so we chose to rent one room for both of us within a shared flat.
The cost of the room was $542USD for the month, including the Airbnb service fee, so we each ended up paying $271USD for the entire month. We shared the kitchen and the common space with an amazing older Spanish woman who was eager to offer suggestions on what to do in the area or to help us out with any issues. She even helped us plan our upcoming trip to Morocco, so it was like having our own live-in local travel guide available 24/7.
Cost: $271 per person
Step 3: Plan ahead to save on transportation
Obviously it´s also a smart move to search for your flights to Malaga in advance, and depending on where you´re coming from, you could find a decent deal. There are flights to Spain from almost every bigger city in Europe, covering a number of destinations on the Spanish mainland and the islands.
Using public buses can sometimes be a daunting task, especially on your first day in a new city. But taking a taxi from the airport to your apartment will likely rob you of at least 70 euros ($89 USD!)
Make sure you plan ahead so you know exactly where you´re going in the Malaga area, and write down the directions for using the express bus from the airport.
Learn from my experience: don´t plan to look up directions on your phone when you arrive, regardless of what city you´re in, because WiFi might be impossible to find or your phone might decide it hates you and refuse to turn on. I know we live in a digital world, but Write. Your. Directions. Down.
You can find more info on the express airport bus here and here.
Cost: $1-2.50 per bus ride. Flight costs depend on your location and dates.
Step 4: Eat cheap, healthy meals at home
Buying groceries and cooking for yourself is way cheaper than eating tapas or a menu del dia every day, and if you do it right, it´s also significantly healthier. In Malaga and most cities in Spain you should plan to get most of your basic necessities at a supermarket (things like bread, crackers, sauces, dairy, meat, etc.), but you´ll often find that the produce at a fruteria will be cheaper and higher quality, so make sure to shop around.
If you focus on consuming mainly whole foods like veggies, fruits, meat (if you´re not vegetarian!) and stay away from all of the packaged temptations, your wallet and waistband will be better for it. If you don´t have a problem with gluten then a baguette, pasta and olive oil will go a really long way.
Cost: Varies based on your planning/appetite, but $200 USD should be enough.
Step 5: Pack a picnic
On the weekends and especially on Sundays, Malaga´s boardwalk fills up with people looking to soak up some sunshine and socialize with their families and friends. There are hundreds of stalls along the beach offering fried seafood, tapas, wine and beer, as well as jewelry and accessories vendors.
Strolling along the boardwalk is an essential weekend activity for the Malagueños, and something you definitely don´t want to miss out on just because you´re trying to save money!
The best way to reconcile your desire to experience Malagan culture with your need to save cash is to pack yourself a picnic (something cheap like a 2 euro bottle of wine, a baguette, and some Spanish ham), wander the boardwalk for a couple of hours, and keep walking past where all of the stalls end. Eventually you´ll come to a gorgeous section of beach with benches and picnic tables where you can socialize, drink and feast guilt-free while listening to the ocean.
Cost: Assuming you can actually refrain from buying souvenirs from the vendors, this should only cost about 5 euros per person. Keep in mind that the boardwalk I´m referring to is actually the portion near the location on the map (above), and not the main strip in the heart of Malaga. You can definitely do the same there, however, it´s much more crowded and the prices are significantly higher because they are catering to tourists (so if you do end up splurging on something, you´ll certainly pay more for it!). Stick to the out-lying area, and you´ll find lower prices, fewer people, and hardly any other tourists. The locals always know best!
