Car Hire in Malaga

Why hire a car in Malaga?

Malaga is a great city for hiring a car. Full of history, surrounded by beautiful beaches, and with many other interesting destinations nearby, it’s a great place to explore for days.

Top ways to enter Malaga

• Malaga Airport: The fourth-busiest in Spain (and first in Andalucia), Malaga Airport serves flights to and from destinations not only in Europe, but also North Africa and the Middle East.
• Granada Airport: About one-and-a-half hour’s drive northeast, Granada Airport is popular with low-cost carriers like Vueling and easyJet, and has connections to other Spanish cities, as well as Germany, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom.
• Gibraltar La Linea Airport: Located about 135 km (84 mi) southeast of Malaga, Gibraltar Airport hosts flights to and from the United Kingdom and nearby Morocco.

City facts

• The main language spoken in Malaga in Spanish of Andalusian variety. English is also widely understood, and there are many expats along the wider Costa del Sol region who also speak French, German, Dutch, and other languages.
• Malaga is made up of 11 districts that are further divided into barrios. Keep in mind that not all of the districts are located right on the coast.
• Malaga’s climate is subtropical and gets about 300 sunny days per year. Even in winter, the average temperatures are between 13 to 20 °C (55 to 68 °F) during the day. The summers are very hot, so keeping hydrated at all times is important.

Top sights and activities

• Beaches. For most travelers, Malaga is all about the Mediterranean. The Malagueta Beach is the most famous one and located in the city, but nearby beaches like Burriana, Mijas Costa, and beaches in next-door Marbella can be just as fun and are easy to reach by a rental car.
• Picasso Museum. The famous Spanish painter Pablo Picasso was a native of Malaga, and the Picasso Museum, also known as the Birthplace Museum, has many of his artworks on exhibition, as well as works by other world-famous artists like Francis Bacon, Marc Chagall, and many others.
• Alcazaba. The castle, first built by moors in the 11th century, overlooks the city and is one of the most best-preserved and impressive sites in Spain. The next-door Roman Theater tells the story of an even older chapter in Malaga’s history.
• Malaga Cathedral. Malaga is home to many beautiful Catholic churches, but Basílica de la Encarnación is arguably the standout among them. The cathedral took about 250 years to finish and therefore encompasses elements of Gothic, Baroque, Neoclassicism, and other styles, but that only makes it more impressive. It is located near Alcazaba, as well as the Castle of Gibralfaro, another architectural landmark.

Traffic and parking

• Speed limits - 50km/h (31mph) in built-up areas, 90km/h (56mph) on most standard roads, 100km/h (62mph) on standard roads that are either one-way roads, roads with more than two lanes for at least one direction of traffic and roads with shoulders more than 1.5m wide, and 120km/h (74mph) on motorways (called autovías in Spain).
• The car documentation and insurance always has to be inside a vehicle.
• The driver and all passengers are required to wear seatbelts.
• Children up to the age of 12 and measuring less than 135cm travelling on the front seat of a car must be seated in a child restraint system adapted to their size and weight.
• Unnecessary use of audible warning devices (horns) is prohibited.
• The legal alcohol limit is 0.05% for experienced drivers and 0.02% for novice drivers.
• The emergency number is 112.

Toll roads

Most of the roads in Spain are toll-free. Toll roads are called ‘carretera de peaje’. On maps and road signs, all toll roads have to include a letter P after the road type. The payment method may vary depending on the road, but most will accept cash. Regardless of the region, the average estimated price is €9.5 ($11.25) per 100km by car. See the official website for prices and more information.

Ideas for day trips

• Granada. With Alhambra and other Islamic-era architectural monuments and sites preserved better than anywhere else, Granada is a timeless place with a very special atmosphere.
• Gibraltar. Technically part of the United Kingdom and just 6.7 square kilometers large, Gibraltar is a great place to visit. Climbing the Europa Point will let you see Africa across the Mediterranean while entering the Gibraltar rock will reveal a labyrinthine network of caves and tunnels.  On your way to Gibraltar or coming back to Malaga you can also visit beautiful natural parks like Sierra de las Nieves or Los Alcornocales. 
• El Chorro. Just 50 minutes drive from Malaga, El Chorro gorge and the nearby village of the same name is a fun place to explore. The truly adventurous ones will try to walk over the hanging walkway that’s known as Caminito del Rey (the King's Pathway).
• Acinipo. The beautiful and tranquil nature of Andalusia means that many Spaniards and other Europeans choose to retire in the area, but this tradition has surprisingly ancient roots. Even more than 2,000 years ago, the area of Malaga was popular with retiring Roman soldiers returning from battles in far-off lands. It was probably them who built the now-abandoned city of Acinipo with its baths and impressive Roman theater which has now been turned into a heritage site. Located some 100 km (62 miles) west of Malaga, the ruins are well worth a visit to have a glimpse into another time. Very rich in archaeology, artifacts, and related museums, Andalusia is also home to many Phoenician, Celtic, Moorish sites. 

Most popular cars

The most hired car in Spain is the Ford Fiesta, but travelers tend to also choose the Fiat 500 and the Ford Focus a lot. The most popular car types are economy, compact and mini.

Further destinations

For more about traveling around Spain with a hired car, check out our complete guide.

• Algarve. Andalusia’s next door neighbor, the Portuguese region of Algarve is just four hour drive from Malaga and offers wild beaches, friendly towns, and distinct culture in equal measure. Do ask your car provider in advance if they permit you crossing the border.
• Cordoba. Although its inland location means that it is perhaps not as famous as Malaga or Seville, the city of Cordoba is one of the jewels of this part of Spain. As historic as Granada, it is home to landmarks like the Roman Bridge, the well-preserved Jewish Quarter, and the Alive Museum of Al-Andalus, as well as a special atmosphere that is only aided by the relatively smaller number of visitors. Cordoba is also right next door to the beautiful Sierra de Hornachuelos Nature Park. The trip from Malaga takes less than two hours.
• Morocco. While you cannot pick up a car in Malaga and take it to Morocco, you can drop it of in Spain, take a ferry across the Gibraltar Strait and hire a new one in the Moroccan city of Tangier, the fascinating entry point of Africa.

Car hire prices in Malaga

• Small cars - starting at US$4 per day
• Medium cars - starting at US$9 per day
• Large cars - starting at US$12 per day
• People Carriers - starting at US$13 per day
• SUVs - starting at US$9 per day
• Convertibles - starting at US$12 per day
• Station wagons - starting at US$13 per day
• Premium cars - starting at US$52 per day

Money-saving and other tips

There are many things you can do to get a good car hire deal in Malaga:

• Compare rates of different car providers
• Book your car well in advance
• Plan your route before you go
• Know your fuel and mileage requirements
• Visit on the month when the prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Malaga is the cheapest in June when hiring a car is about 41% cheaper than the yearly average and about 54% than hiring a vehicle in July.