Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calella and Madrid

For one person, living is cheaper in Calella: $1,596 a month against $2,265 in Madrid, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Calella, Spain
Madrid, Spain
Calella
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,596
/mo nomad
Madrid
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,265
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,596 per month in Calella vs $2,265 in Madrid, rent included.

  • Calella $1,596
  • Madrid $2,265

A couple spends around $2,366 per month in Calella vs $3,311 in Madrid, rent included.

  • Calella $2,366
  • Madrid $3,311

A family of three spends $3,137 per month in Calella vs $4,356 in Madrid, rent included.

  • Calella $3,137
  • Madrid $4,356

Calella is about 30% cheaper than Madrid, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Calella and Madrid sit above the global median – Calella by 18%, Madrid by 67%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calella
Madrid
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.73 €13.13
$18.06 €16.09
-18.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.4 €50.3
$66.5 €59.3
-15.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.03 €7.15
$11.40 €10.16
-29.56%
Cappuccino
$2.49 €2.22
$3.03 €2.70
-17.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 €2.08
$3.25 €2.89
-28.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 €1.59
$2.32 €2.07
-22.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.46 €3.08
$3.85 €3.43
-10.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.95
$4.82 €4.30
-31.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calella
Madrid
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 €0.99
$1.32 €1.18
-15.91%
White Bread (500g)
$2.09 €1.86
$1.61 €1.44
29.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.88 €2.57
$1.75 €1.56
64.57%
Eggs
$3.03 €2.70
$4.06 €3.62
-25.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.61 €13.03
$16.34 €14.57
-10.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.31 €7.41
$9.61 €8.56
-13.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.33 €13.66
$17.43 €15.53
-12.05%
Apples (1kg)
$2.48 €2.21
$2.63 €2.34
-5.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$2.18 €1.94
-9.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.58 €1.41
$2.50 €2.23
-36.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 €2.15
$2.60 €2.32
-6.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 €1.60
$2.25 €2.01
-20.44%
Onion (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$2.08 €1.85
-10.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.56 €1.39
-11.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 €0.55
$1.08 €0.97
-42.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.96 €6.21
$6.70 €5.97
3.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.56 €4.96
$7.82 €6.97
-28.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 €0.95
$1.22 €1.09
-12.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 €2.17
$2.25 €2.00
8.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Calella
Madrid
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.46 €1.30
$1.63 €1.45
-10.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$31.71 €28.26
$37.72 €33.62
-15.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.77 €3.36
$3.81 €3.40
-1.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.24 €1.11
$1.49 €1.33
-16.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.51 €12.93
$29.99 €26.73
-51.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.83 €1.63
$1.79 €1.60
2.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.4K €35.1K
$33.7K €30.0K
17.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.0K €27.6K
$33.3K €29.6K
-6.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calella
Madrid
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 €104
$190 €170
-38.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52 €12.05
$17.57 €15.66
-23.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.05 €22.32
$35.34 €31.50
-29.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calella
Madrid
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.23 €41.20
$49.52 €44.13
-6.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.63 €15.71
$18.20 €16.22
-3.13%
Cinema Ticket
$8.35 €7.44
$11.09 €9.89
-24.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calella
Madrid
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$560 €499
$684 €610
-18.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,945 €8,864
$18.2K €16.2K
-45.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calella
Madrid
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.6 €55.8
$87.8 €78.2
-28.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.12 €18.82
$42.06 €37.49
-49.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 €101
$111 €98.5
2.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$160 €143
$113 €101
41.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calella
Madrid
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$904 €805
$1,509 €1,345
-40.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$684 €610
$1,162 €1,036
-41.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,356 €1,208
$2,804 €2,499
-51.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,011 €901
$1,867 €1,664
-45.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,081 €2,746
$9,017 €8,037
-65.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,932 €1,722
$4,294 €3,827
-54.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calella
Madrid
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,725 €1,537
$2,495 €2,224
-30.87%
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 Calella: October 17, 2026

Last update for Madrid: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calella
$684
Madrid
$1.2K 69.9% $478
Groceries & Markets
Calella
$273
Madrid
$308 12.7% $35
Eating Out
Calella
$212
Madrid
$266 25.4% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Calella
$161
Madrid
$159 1.2% $2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calella
$155
Madrid
$243 56.4% $88
Sport & Entertainment
Calella
$63
Madrid
$72 14% $8.8
Getting Around
Calella
$48
Madrid
$56 16.7% $8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $904 in Calella versus $1,509 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 45% higher in Madrid. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56 in Calella versus $66 in Madrid. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $308 – making Calella the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Calella
🇪🇸 Madrid
🕒 Local time
08:39 8:39 AM
08:39 8:39 AM
Same time as Calella
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
19,862
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 26, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calella Madrid 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Calella
  • 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
Calella vs Madrid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Calella cheaper than Madrid?
Yes – Madrid is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,394 per month in Calella and $3,398 in Madrid. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Calella, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $904 there versus $1,509 in Madrid.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 16% less in Calella. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $560 per month in Calella and $684 in Madrid. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 enough to cover costs in Calella or in Madrid?
$1,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,596 in Calella and $2,265 in Madrid. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Calella or Madrid more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Calella – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Calella or Madrid?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Calella. 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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