Is Estepona the most expensive city in Spain?

The answer to this question, for Monopoly players, is yes. The city of Estepona is the most expensive city in Monopoly Spain. In 2018 Hasbro, the company that owns the game put the different squares of the board out to tender and Estepona became the most desired. In the traditional game, the most valuable square belongs to Paseo de la Castellana, but in the Spain version, the most valuable card is Estepona, illustrated with the Plaza de las Flores and the Casa de las Tejerinas in the background. To acquire it you will have to pay M400. The second highest value (and color pair with Estepona) corresponds to Alcobendas.

Factors to take into account to determine the cost of living in Estepona:

Beyond the anecdote, how expensive is it to live in Estepona? To answer this question we have to put on the table several factors ranging from the prices of renting and buying and selling apartments to the main jobs and the remuneration received for them.

Estepona is the seventh city with the highest rents in the rental market.

Estepona is among the Spanish municipalities with the highest average rent, at 1,417 euros per month. In third position is Marbella, with 1,981 euros. In the top 1, Benahavís reaches an average of 2,359 euros.

Data: Idealista 2Q, 2021.

Estepona, among the municipalities where it is most expensive to buy a home.

Estepona occupies the 14th position in the buying and selling ranking. That is to say, it is among the most expensive places in Spain as far as the real estate market is concerned, with an average of 435,380 euros. To put it in context, that price is practically half that of Marbella, with an average of 914,069 euros. However, it is above Madrid (409,706 euros) and Barcelona (351,765 euros).

Data: Idealista 2Q, 2021.

Average salary by autonomous community.

In Andalusia the average salary is 1,558 euros, the average for the whole country being 1,751 euros per month. If we compare with the 27 countries of the European Union, where the average salary is 2,194 euros, we are even further away. On the positive side, this gap has narrowed over the past five years. And for those who want to get a little depressed, a Spanish worker has to work a little more than 20 months to earn an income similar to what a German worker earns in a year.

Data: Adecco Salary Monitor

What can I work as in Estepona?

Estepona’s labor supply is, of course, closely related to the service and construction sectors. Tourism is a very important part of the GDP of Andalusia and in a destination as visited as Estepona is a key driver.

The province of Malaga and especially its coastal strip is particularly dynamic and although in physical space it occupies a very small part of the total of the province, it does concentrate a good part of the income.

Another major factor that generates employment in Estepona and in general on the Costa del Sol is construction. The municipalities of many localities in the area have a budget that is closely linked to the amount of taxes related to this sector (the famous IBI).

Most wanted jobs in Estepona:

Below we present the most demanded positions in Estepona and highlight the average salaries received for them.

1- Waiter/waitress

2- Floor waiter/waitress

3- Bricklayer

4- Cleaning operator

5- Nurse

How much does a waiter in Estepona charge?

The position of waiter, being Estepona a tourist oriented city, is one of the most sought after. The average salary of a waiter in Estepona is 1,423 euros per month. This means a salary 13% above the Spanish average. In the province, the lowest average is in the city of Malaga, with 1,200 euros per month. The highest, in Benalmádena, where you can reach an average of 1,796 euros per month.

How much does a chambermaid in Estepona earn?

Estepona has an important hotel offer. It is not unusual that during the tourist season, offers for floor waiters appear. The average compensation for this position is 1,288 euros per month for a full-time position. This salary is in line with the national average.

What is the salary of a bricklayer in Estepona?

Construction is one of the engines on which the economy of Estepona is based and one of the most important sources of income for the City Council. Therefore, all jobs related to this sector are often in demand. The average salary for this position is 1,184 euros per month, 20% below the national average.

What is the average salary of a cleaning operator in Estepona?

The service sector needs a large number of professionals dedicated to cleaning, both for hotels and for restaurants and stores. In addition, there is also demand in the private sector and for individuals. One of the problems of workers in this sector is that conditions are not the best and there are many cases in which they are paid in the black. That said, the average salary of a cleaning operator is 1,115 euros per month.

How much does a nurse in Estepona earn per month?

A nurse in Estepona takes 1,461 euros per month on average, 21% less than the national average. Although healthcare in Estepona is improving with the recent opening of a hospital, many treatments are still referred to Marbella or Malaga. In Malaga the average salary is much higher: 2,370 euros per month. In Marbella, the average figure is 1,838 euros per month.

Data: Indeed (October 2022)

The shopping basket.

Another important factor in understanding the cost of living is to know the price of things. Below, we present the cost of some of the products we consume on a daily basis. The price we show is the one indicated by the specialized website: cuantocuestavivir.com

A beer in a bar: 2,44€.
A dozen eggs: €1.92
A cappuccino: 2,02€.
Soft drink in a bar: 1,81€.
Brick of milk: 0,91€.
1kg of rice: 1,14€.
Menu in a cheap restaurant: 10,99€.
Meal for 2 in an average restaurant: 36,65€.
Loaf of bread: 1€.
1kg of cheese: 11,40€.
1kg of potatoes: 1€.
1 lettuce: 1,22€.
1 month gym membership: 48,86€.
Day care for one child per month: 244,32€.
Running shoes: 73,29€.

Conclusions:

Estepona is not a cheap city. On the contrary. The purchase of a primary residence is an important barrier to entry and can represent a very significant percentage of the salary. In addition, the rent is not affordable either. Rental prices are increased by the demand of both domestic and foreign tourists and in high season they can double. Airbnb-type platforms, which allow rentals by the day and take some properties off the market for long term rentals, do not help either.

On the other hand, average salaries are somewhat below the national average and the most sought-after jobs are also not the best paid.

What do you think? Is Estepona the most expensive city in Spain? If you are one of those who think so, go to jail, without going through the starting gate or collecting the M200,000 🙂

