Cost of Living Comparison Between Castello de la Plana and Madrid Cost of Living Comparison Between Castello de la Plana and Madrid

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,511 per month in Castello de la Plana vs $2,270 in Madrid, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,172 per month in Castello de la Plana vs $3,352 in Madrid, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Castello de la Plana vs $4,434 in Madrid, rent included.

Castello de la Plana is about 33% cheaper than Madrid, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Castello de la Plana and Madrid sit above the global median – Castello de la Plana by 12%, Madrid by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.18 €13.08

$17.07 €14.71

-11.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 €49.22

$69.5 €59.9

-17.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.24 €7.10

$11.92 €10.27

-30.87%

Cappuccino

$2.50 €2.15

$3.09 €2.66

-19.09%

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

$2.25 €1.93

$3.10 €2.67

-27.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.11 €1.82

-17.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 €2.44

$4.14 €3.57

-31.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 €3.05

$4.60 €3.96

-23.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.19 €1.02

-5.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.70 €1.46

22.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.66

$1.70 €1.46

12.94%

Eggs

$2.97 €2.56

$3.48 €3.00

-14.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 €12.79

$14.73 €12.69

0.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.30 €7.15

$9.07 €7.82

-8.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.71 €13.53

$16.75 €14.44

-6.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$2.61 €2.25

-2.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$2.22 €1.91

-21.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.51 €2.16

-31.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.75 €2.37

-6.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 €1.57

$2.14 €1.84

-14.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 €1.58

$2.13 €1.84

-14.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.39 €1.19

7.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 €0.51

$0.97 €0.84

-39.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.92 €5.96

$6.79 €5.85

1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 €4.48

$8.02 €6.91

-35.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 €0.94

$1.44 €1.24

-23.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.25 €1.94

3.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.76 €1.52

-19.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.38 €14.98

$49.48 €42.63

-64.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 €3.83

$4.11 €3.55

8.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 €0.89

$1.39 €1.20

-25.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.03 €12.95

$29.01 €25.00

-48.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.87 €1.61

-6.95%

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

$38.1K €32.8K

$37.6K €32.4K

1.20%

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

$32.0K €27.6K

$34.1K €29.3K

-5.92%

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

$137 €118

$195 €168

-29.48%

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

$19.92 €17.16

$21.25 €18.31

-6.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.88 €24.02

$35.75 €30.80

-22.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.47 €39.18

$52.8 €45.47

-13.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.31 €13.19

$17.91 €15.44

-14.52%

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 €6.92

$11.72 €10.09

-31.48%

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

$578 €498

$680 €586

-15.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,211 €7,075

$12.3K €10.6K

-33.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 €55.8

$95.8 €82.6

-32.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.72 €18.71

$42.50 €36.62

-48.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$106 €91.4

-4.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €101

$137 €118

-14.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 €640

$1,609 €1,386

-53.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$613 €528

$1,138 €980

-46.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$988 €852

$2,792 €2,405

-64.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 €667

$1,915 €1,650

-59.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,892 €1,630

$8,893 €7,662

-78.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 €1,239

$4,347 €3,745

-66.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,824 €1,572

$2,584 €2,226

-29.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

3.43

-6.71%

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

Last update for Castello de la Plana: June 8, 2026

Last update for Madrid: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $743 in Castello de la Plana versus $1,609 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 42% 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 $57.0 in Castello de la Plana versus $69.0 in Madrid. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $295 – making Castello de la Plana 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

Castello de la Plana vs Madrid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,511 in Castello de la Plana, $2,270 in Madrid – roughly 50% apart. Madrid costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,267 per month in Castello de la Plana and $3,406 in Madrid. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Castello de la Plana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 185% less in Castello de la Plana. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $578 per month in Castello de la Plana and $680 in Madrid. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Castello de la Plana, where all-in costs run around $1,511, than in Madrid at $2,270. In Castello de la Plana 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 $1,511 in Castello de la Plana to $2,270 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 Castello de la Plana. 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.