Cost of Living Comparison Between Badalona and Madrid Cost of Living Comparison Between Badalona and Madrid

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,666 per month in Badalona vs $2,368 in Madrid, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,253 per month in Badalona vs $3,435 in Madrid, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,840 per month in Badalona vs $4,502 in Madrid, rent included.

Badalona is about 30% cheaper than Madrid, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Badalona and Madrid sit above the global median – Badalona by 21%, Madrid by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.20 €14.84

$18.78 €16.20

-8.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 €51.3

$68.5 €59.1

-13.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.50 €9.92

$11.98 €10.33

-4.01%

Cappuccino

$2.49 €2.15

$3.22 €2.78

-22.67%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$3.37 €2.91

-20.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.62

$2.29 €1.97

-17.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 €3.04

$3.97 €3.43

-11.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 €4.10

$5.10 €4.39

-6.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.35 €1.16

-15.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.64 €1.41

35.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.73 €1.50

4.05%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.67

$4.42 €3.81

-29.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.42 €13.30

$17.22 €14.86

-10.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.18

$9.82 €8.47

-3.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.56 €13.42

$18.22 €15.71

-14.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 €2.21

$2.73 €2.36

-5.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.36 €2.03

-11.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 €1.49

$2.59 €2.24

-33.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 €2.21

$2.68 €2.31

-4.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$2.29 €1.98

-20.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.73

$2.27 €1.95

-11.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.58 €1.36

-4.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 €0.56

$1.12 €0.96

-41.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.25 €6.25

$6.79 €5.86

6.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 €4.90

$8.33 €7.18

-31.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.96

$1.23 €1.06

-9.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.25 €1.94

9.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.71 €1.47

-2.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.57 €40.17

$37.94 €32.72

22.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 €2.97

$3.97 €3.42

-13.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.58 €1.36

16.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.11 €13.04

$30.36 €26.19

-50.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.84 €1.58

-2.17%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.3K €31.3K

$37.0K €31.9K

-1.70%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.9K €27.5K

$34.1K €29.4K

-6.47%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$119 €102

$195 €168

-39.00%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$16.33 €14.08

$19.08 €16.45

-14.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.15 €22.55

$36.32 €31.33

-28.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 €52.8

$51.2 €44.18

19.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.43 €14.17

$19.35 €16.69

-15.09%

Cinema Ticket

$9.28 €8.01

$11.39 €9.82

-18.53%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$587 €507

$696 €600

-15.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K €9,015

$18.0K €15.6K

-42.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 €56.3

$89.1 €76.9

-26.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.15 €19.10

$44.57 €38.45

-50.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €94.0

$108 €93.2

0.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €106

$113 €97.4

9.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 €1,234

$1,583 €1,366

-9.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$706 €609

$1,225 €1,057

-42.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 €1,195

$2,813 €2,426

-50.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,587 €2,232

$1,871 €1,613

38.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,465 €2,989

$9,303 €8,024

-62.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,258 €1,947

$4,251 €3,667

-46.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,059 €1,776

$2,584 €2,229

-20.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

3.09

6.80%

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

Last update for Badalona: September 1, 2026

Last update for Madrid: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,431 in Badalona versus $1,583 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 25% 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 $59.0 in Badalona versus $68.0 in Madrid. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $320 – making Badalona the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,666 in Badalona, $2,368 in Madrid – roughly 42% apart. Madrid costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,499 per month in Badalona and $3,552 in Madrid. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,666 in Badalona and $2,368 in Madrid. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 23% less in Badalona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Badalona, where all-in costs run around $1,666, than in Madrid at $2,368. In Badalona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Madrid has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,666 in Badalona to $2,368 in Madrid. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

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.