Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alcoy and Madrid

For one person, living is cheaper in Alcoy: $1,558 a month against $2,265 in Madrid, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Alcoy
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,558
/mo nomad
Madrid
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,265
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Alcoy and in Madrid

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Alcoy and in Madrid actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,558 per month in Alcoy vs $2,265 in Madrid, rent included.

  • Alcoy $1,558
  • Madrid $2,265

A couple spends around $2,293 per month in Alcoy vs $3,296 in Madrid, rent included.

  • Alcoy $2,293
  • Madrid $3,296

A family of three spends $3,028 per month in Alcoy vs $4,328 in Madrid, rent included.

  • Alcoy $3,028
  • Madrid $4,328

Alcoy is about 31% cheaper than Madrid, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Alcoy and Madrid sit above the global median – Alcoy by 15%, Madrid by 68%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Alcoy
Madrid
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.08 €8.97
$18.20 €16.19
-44.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.3 €50.1
$68.1 €60.5
-17.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.03 €11.59
$11.24 €9.99
15.93%
Cappuccino
$1.83 €1.63
$3.15 €2.80
-41.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 €1.51
$3.36 €2.99
-49.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 €1.12
$2.36 €2.10
-46.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.34 €2.97
$3.83 €3.40
-12.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 €2.16
$4.92 €4.38
-50.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Alcoy
Madrid
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.03 €0.92
$1.32 €1.17
-21.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 €1.32
$1.61 €1.43
-7.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.65 €1.47
-17.58%
Eggs
$3.37 €3.00
$4.07 €3.62
-17.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.46 €11.97
$15.82 €14.07
-14.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.34 €7.42
$9.49 €8.44
-12.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.73 €13.99
$17.52 €15.59
-10.22%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 €2.32
$2.56 €2.27
1.95%
Banana (1kg)
$2.08 €1.85
$2.09 €1.86
-0.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.84 €1.64
$2.47 €2.19
-25.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.29
$2.49 €2.22
3.21%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$2.26 €2.01
-18.14%
Onion (1kg)
$2.03 €1.81
$2.15 €1.91
-5.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 €1.18
$1.57 €1.40
-15.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
$1.07 €0.95
-46.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.24 €5.55
$6.55 €5.82
-4.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.75 €5.11
$7.65 €6.81
-24.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 €1.09
$1.17 €1.04
5.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 €1.24
$2.22 €1.97
-37.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Alcoy
Madrid
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.65 €1.47
$1.63 €1.45
1.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.06 €29.41
$36.42 €32.39
-9.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.11 €3.66
$3.73 €3.32
10.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.43 €1.27
$1.54 €1.37
-7.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.58 €20.09
$29.17 €25.95
-22.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.60
$1.78 €1.58
1.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K €31.4K
$35.5K €31.6K
-0.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.4K €26.2K
$33.2K €29.6K
-11.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alcoy
Madrid
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$146 €130
$189 €168
-22.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.03 €16.04
$17.48 €15.55
3.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.72 €26.44
$34.32 €30.53
-13.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Alcoy
Madrid
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.74 €39.80
$48.62 €43.25
-7.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.66 €13.93
$18.44 €16.40
-15.08%
Cinema Ticket
$8.99 €8.00
$11.04 €9.82
-18.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Alcoy
Madrid
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$473 €421
$693 €617
-31.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,402 €7,474
$17.8K €15.8K
-52.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Alcoy
Madrid
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.5 €75.1
$84.6 €75.3
-0.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.40 €32.37
$42.50 €37.80
-14.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.1 €81.0
$110 €98.1
-17.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 €97.9
$112 €99.9
-2.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Alcoy
Madrid
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$903 €804
$1,506 €1,339
-40.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$670 €596
$1,170 €1,041
-42.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,332 €1,185
$2,756 €2,451
-51.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$998 €887
$1,845 €1,641
-45.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,340 €2,971
$9,168 €8,155
-63.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,198 €1,955
$4,234 €3,766
-48.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Alcoy
Madrid
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,883 €1,675
$2,483 €2,209
-24.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.3
3.14
5.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Alcoy: October 11, 2026

Last update for Madrid: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Alcoy
$670
Madrid
$1.2K 74.6% $500
Groceries & Markets
Alcoy
$261
Madrid
$303 16% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alcoy
$193
Madrid
$241 24.4% $47
Eating Out
Alcoy
$175
Madrid
$269 53.7% $94
Clothing & Footwear
Alcoy
$145
Madrid
$157 8.6% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Alcoy
$63
Madrid
$71 12.7% $8
Getting Around
Alcoy
$51
Madrid
$54 6.8% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Alcoy versus $1,506 in Madrid. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 32% higher in Madrid, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Alcoy versus $68.0 in Madrid. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $303 – making Alcoy the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Alcoy
🇪🇸 Madrid
🕒 Local time
18:40 6:40 PM
18:40 6:40 PM
Same time as Alcoy
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
59,493
3,332,035 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Alcoy Madrid 340 km
From you
  • Alcoy
  • Madrid

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Alcoy vs Madrid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Alcoy and in Madrid compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,558 in Alcoy, $2,265 in Madrid – roughly 45% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Alcoy compared to Madrid?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,338 per month in Alcoy and $3,398 in Madrid. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Alcoy and Madrid?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Alcoy, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 16% more in Madrid, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Alcoy and $68.0 in Madrid. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Alcoy, where all-in costs run around $1,558, than in Madrid at $2,265. In Alcoy it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Alcoy and Madrid?
It depends on your priorities. Madrid has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,558 in Alcoy to $2,265 in Madrid. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Alcoy or Madrid safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Alcoy and Madrid?
If budget matters most, go with Alcoy. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Madrid makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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