Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Badalona and Madrid

For one person, living is cheaper in Badalona: $1,645 a month against $2,265 in Madrid, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Badalona
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,645
/mo nomad
Madrid
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,265
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Badalona 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 Badalona and in Madrid actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,645 per month in Badalona vs $2,265 in Madrid, rent included.

  • Badalona $1,645
  • Madrid $2,265

A couple spends around $3,148 per month in Badalona vs $3,296 in Madrid, rent included.

  • Badalona $3,148
  • Madrid $3,296

A family of three spends $4,652 per month in Badalona vs $4,328 in Madrid, rent included.

  • Badalona $4,652
  • Madrid $4,328

Badalona is about 27% cheaper than Madrid, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Badalona and Madrid sit above the global median – Badalona by 22%, Madrid by 68%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Badalona
Madrid
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.14 €15.25
$18.20 €16.19
-5.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.6 €49.43
$68.1 €60.5
-18.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.12 €9.89
$11.24 €9.99
-1.07%
Cappuccino
$2.41 €2.14
$3.15 €2.80
-23.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 €2.30
$3.36 €2.99
-23.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.72
$2.36 €2.10
-18.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.36 €2.99
$3.83 €3.40
-12.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42 €3.93
$4.92 €4.38
-10.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Badalona
Madrid
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 €0.98
$1.32 €1.17
-15.91%
White Bread (500g)
$2.09 €1.86
$1.61 €1.43
29.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 €1.57
$1.65 €1.47
7.27%
Eggs
$3.88 €3.45
$4.07 €3.62
-4.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.46 €12.87
$15.82 €14.07
-8.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.93 €7.95
$9.49 €8.44
-5.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.02 €13.36
$17.52 €15.59
-14.27%
Apples (1kg)
$2.49 €2.22
$2.56 €2.27
-2.73%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$2.09 €1.86
-3.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.58 €1.41
$2.47 €2.19
-36.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.50 €2.22
$2.49 €2.22
0.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.83 €1.63
$2.26 €2.01
-19.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.73
$2.15 €1.91
-9.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.56 €1.39
$1.57 €1.40
-0.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 €0.51
$1.07 €0.95
-45.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.95 €6.18
$6.55 €5.82
6.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.51 €4.90
$7.65 €6.81
-27.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 €0.95
$1.17 €1.04
-9.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 €2.20
$2.22 €1.97
11.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Badalona
Madrid
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.60 €1.42
$1.63 €1.45
-1.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.42 €39.52
$36.42 €32.39
21.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 €2.69
$3.73 €3.32
-19.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 €1.35
$1.54 €1.37
-1.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.79 €13.15
$29.17 €25.95
-49.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.78 €1.58
$1.78 €1.58
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.1K €31.3K
$35.5K €31.6K
-0.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.0K €26.7K
$33.2K €29.6K
-9.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Badalona
Madrid
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$116 €103
$189 €168
-38.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.67 €12.16
$17.48 €15.55
-21.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.78 €22.04
$34.32 €30.53
-27.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Badalona
Madrid
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$69.7 €62.0
$48.62 €43.25
43.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.64 €13.91
$18.44 €16.40
-15.18%
Cinema Ticket
$8.20 €7.30
$11.04 €9.82
-25.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Badalona
Madrid
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$561 €499
$693 €617
-19.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.0K €8,905
$17.8K €15.8K
-43.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Badalona
Madrid
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 €55.9
$84.6 €75.3
-25.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.54 €19.16
$42.50 €37.80
-49.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.6
$110 €98.1
-4.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 €106
$112 €99.9
6.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Badalona
Madrid
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,386 €1,233
$1,506 €1,339
-7.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$686 €611
$1,170 €1,041
-41.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,333 €1,186
$2,756 €2,451
-51.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,435 €2,166
$1,845 €1,641
32.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,357 €2,986
$9,168 €8,155
-63.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,202 €1,959
$4,234 €3,766
-47.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Badalona
Madrid
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,875 €1,668
$2,483 €2,209
-24.47%
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 Badalona: October 13, 2026

Last update for Madrid: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Badalona
$686
Madrid
$1.2K 70.4% $483
Groceries & Markets
Badalona
$275
Madrid
$303 10.3% $28
Eating Out
Badalona
$243
Madrid
$269 10.6% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Badalona
$154
Madrid
$241 56.3% $87
Clothing & Footwear
Badalona
$139
Madrid
$157 13.1% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Badalona
$86
Madrid
$71 17.9% $15
Getting Around
Badalona
$61
Madrid
$54 11.5% $7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,386 in Badalona 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 Badalona versus $68.0 in Madrid. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $303 – making Badalona the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Badalona
🇪🇸 Madrid
🕒 Local time
17:47 5:47 PM
17:47 5:47 PM
Same time as Badalona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
225,957
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
  • Badalona Madrid 510 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Badalona
  • 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
Badalona vs Madrid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Badalona and in Madrid compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,645 in Badalona, $2,265 in Madrid – roughly 38% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Badalona compared to Madrid?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,468 per month in Badalona 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 Badalona and Madrid?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Badalona, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Badalona or Madrid?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,645 in Badalona and $2,265 in Madrid. That's a gap of about 38%.
How do commuting costs compare in Badalona and in Madrid?
Public transport costs about 22% less in Badalona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Badalona, where all-in costs run around $1,645, than in Madrid at $2,265. In Badalona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Badalona and Madrid?
It depends on your priorities. Madrid has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,645 in Badalona to $2,265 in Madrid. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Badalona 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 Badalona and Madrid?
If budget matters most, go with Badalona. 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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