Top 3 laptop-friendly cafés in Málaga for digital nomads

Published 11 November, 2024

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Are you spending some time in Málaga and looking for laptop and work-friendly cafes? I’m a digital nomad and spent 10 days exploring this beautiful city in the south of Spain. My mission on this trip was to try out different laptop-friendly cafés in Málaga that are suitable for digital nomads getting their work done. Here are my top picks, with details on Wi-Fi, sockets, seating options, and atmosphere to help you decide where to settle in and get productive. Of course, I also included photo of their coffee!

Are you new to the nomad world? Read more about my nomad life!

Why choose these laptop-friendly cafés in Málaga?

Before arriving in Málaga, I did some online research and read about a few popular spots known to be digital nomad-friendly. However, in this blogpost, I only listed the places where I genuinely felt comfortable working for extended periods. After all, some cafes might be too small or busy to accommodate laptop users for several hours. Remember that digital nomads ordering only a coffee or two aren’t always the most profitable customers for a café, so it’s good to be mindful and respectful of each cafés vibe. We should show some understanding for the businesses, and maybe move on if there is not enough space for incoming customers to sit down.

Málaga – a Digital Nomad destination?

Málaga has become an attractive destination for digital nomads, especially during the European winter, with its warm climate, scenic coastline, and vibrant city atmosphere. With a population just under 600,000, Málaga offers enough variety to keep things interesting yet remains small enough to be explored comfortably on foot or by bike. In fact, you can’t really do anything else but walk around in the city centre as most of the streets are for pedestrians only.

Accommodation here is relatively affordable compared to other European cities, with monthly rents for a one-bedroom apartment averaging between 500 € and 700 €, depending on location and season. Meals are also reasonably priced, with a standard meal costing around 10 € to 15 €. The prices in supermarkets are quite similar to those in Germany, and especially fruits and vegetable shops (fruterias) offer fresh produce at great pices. What I also really liked is Málaga’s public transport system. It’s very easy to navigate with Google Maps, and to get to different places within the city or along the coast by bus. I was also positively surprised, that most payments can be made with just a tap of your phone – even for bus tickets! I didn’t use any cash in Málaga, can you believe that?!

Overall, I experienced Málaga as a great city for digital nomads looking for a balance of work-friendly spaces, and a relaxed lifestyle. I didn’t socialize a lot on this trip, but I saw that there are a few different Facebook groups and Meetup events where you can meet like-minded people and become part of the community. You can get around by speaking English, but I really enjoyed using my little Spanish skills to communicate. The locals often reply in Spanish, which creates a great opportunity to learn something new day by day. If I stayed for longer I’d definitely join a language class to improve my skills even more. It creates a different connection to the city and its locals.

BUENO Café

BUENO Café is tucked away in a quiet side street in Málaga. It opens daily from midday to 9 pm and offers a variety of cakes, toasts, and snacks, along with hot and cold drink options. The café has a modern, welcoming atmosphere, featuring a cozy interior with large and small wooden tables. Most of the tables are equipped with sockets, ideal for working on a laptop. I found that the atmosphere at BUENO Café was very relaxed and allowed to focus on working. Due to it’s rather quiet location it attracts a local crowd, students and remote workers, rather than tourists.

To access the Wi-Fi, you’ll receive a code upon ordering. It says they internet is limited to an hour but in reality you could reuse it. However, I would avoid blocking a table for hours and only ordering a coffee. Overall I really enjoyed working from BUENO due to the quiet atmosphere and welcoming interior.

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Price for a cappuccino: 2,40 €

round wooden table in foreground with large wooden table and chairs in the background — BUENO café main area

round table with laptop cover and wooden tray serving a cappuccino and glass of water with a big window in the background — Lovely wooden interior & bright atmosphere

Santander Work Café

The Santander Work Café in Malága positively surprised me! It’s a co-working space and coffee shop integrated into the bank building. The location in Málaga is therefore super central! The co-working space is open during regular bank hours from 8.30 AM to 7 PM (closed on weekends). The café itself serves coffee, some snacks and sweet treats – if you have a Santander bank card you even get a 10 % discount. When I was at the Santander café they only served coffee in paper cups, which ruined the overall coffee experience a little bit. But: the coworking space itself is fantastic!

There are multiple seating options at large tables, all equipped with sockets to charge your devices. Communal tables, individual spots and even private rooms to host meetings are available as well. The private rooms need to be booked in advanced. The atmosphere is more like a library or even an office than a typical café, which makes it so nice to work at. You’re surrounded by other remote workers rather than the ones who are interested in having a coffee. This very much reflects in the overall atmosphere and made it super easy to stay productive for hours.

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Price for a cappuccino: around 2 € (10 % off with Santander bank card)

big work space with wooden floor and modern interior — The workspace at Santander

cappuccino with latte art served in paper cup standing on a wooden desk in a work space — Pretty coffee in a not so pretty cup

Recyclo Bike Café

Recyclo Bike Café came up a few times in my research, so I decided to give it a try. It’s located in the center of Málaga. The café has a few tables equipped with sockets, offering enough space to set up your laptop. There is also a ‘sofa work area‘ tucked away in the back of the café. Keep in mind, that at Recyclo Bike Café you’re only allowed to work in the main café before 1 pm and after 5 pm; during the afternoon rush (1-5pm), you’re limited to the sofa zone. I really appreciate their clear policy and transparent communication – as you also know that you’re welcome to work there.

This café is laptop-friendly, but to leave my personal experience: Recyclo wouldn’t be my top choice for working. The atmosphere was too vibrant and lively, the music and coffee machine too loud, making it hard to focus on work. I like the concept of having the dedicated work sofa zone for remote workers, but personally I found it too dark and isolated from windows and fresh air. Overall, Recyclo Bike Café is a decent option, especially in the mornings, but it may not be the best choice for long, focused work sessions.

Speed Test: Download 180 Mbps | Upload 127 Mbps
Price for a cappuccino: around 2,20 €

long wooden tables with chairs and a brick wall in the back — the main café

Recyclo Bike Café Málaga sofas work zone in the back of the cafe — Sofa work zone

cappuccino and orange juice standing on wooden table in recyclo bike cafe malaga

Conclusion

All in all these four laptop-friendly cafés in Málaga are great places to get some work done. The best spot to be productive is definitely the Santander coworking space, as their focus is offering a work space rather than coffee business only. My second favourite is the BUENO café, due to the relaxed coffee shop atmosphere. I would only feel comfortable spending 2-3 hours there though, as their focus is coffee business, if you know what I mean.

Here are five ways to meet people when travelling alone!

If your work is mostly about calls and meetings, none of the options above are a good choice. Doing a short call or two is fine, but these places are not really made to have big meetings and talk to your laptop for a long time in my opinion.