Cost of Living Comparison Between Chartres and Madrid Cost of Living Comparison Between Chartres and Madrid

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Chartres vs $2,265 in Madrid, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,438 per month in Chartres vs $3,314 in Madrid, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,256 per month in Chartres vs $4,362 in Madrid, rent included.

Chartres is about 28% cheaper than Madrid, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chartres and Madrid sit above the global median – Chartres by 21%, Madrid by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.13 €14.61

$17.39 €14.84

-1.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 €47.78

$68.5 €58.4

-18.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 €9.28

$11.66 €9.95

-6.69%

Cappuccino

$3.15 €2.69

$3.09 €2.64

1.94%

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

$2.96 €2.53

$3.06 €2.61

-3.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.21 €1.89

-12.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.39 €5.45

$4.01 €3.42

59.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 €4.95

$4.53 €3.86

28.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 €0.96

$1.20 €1.03

-5.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$1.68 €1.43

4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 €2.00

$1.72 €1.47

36.05%

Eggs

$4.05 €3.46

$3.40 €2.90

19.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.69 €19.35

$15.03 €12.82

50.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.39 €11.42

$8.78 €7.49

52.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.62 €15.03

$17.18 €14.66

2.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 €3.22

$2.64 €2.25

42.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 €1.91

$2.15 €1.83

4.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 €2.03

$2.55 €2.17

-6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 €2.72

$2.76 €2.35

15.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.62

$2.12 €1.81

-10.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 €1.01

$2.13 €1.82

-44.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 €0.96

$1.38 €1.18

-18.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 €0.59

$0.97 €0.83

-28.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.50 €9.81

$7.11 €6.07

61.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.19 €6.13

$8.10 €6.91

-11.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.38 €1.18

74.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 €3.68

$2.16 €1.84

99.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 €1.47

$1.69 €1.44

2.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.41 €42.15

$48.75 €41.59

1.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 €3.86

$4.16 €3.55

8.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 €1.56

$1.32 €1.12

38.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.06 €27.34

$28.53 €24.34

12.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.75

$1.92 €1.64

7.29%

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

$17.2K €14.6K

$37.8K €32.3K

-54.64%

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

$25.1K €21.4K

$33.3K €28.4K

-24.53%

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

$197 €168

$188 €161

4.60%

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

$21.77 €18.57

$21.76 €18.56

0.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.83 €25.44

$35.31 €30.12

-15.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.10 €24.83

$52.8 €45.05

-44.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.54 €15.81

$18.10 €15.44

2.43%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 €12.17

$11.60 €9.89

22.93%

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

$573 €489

$677 €578

-15.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,508 €7,257

$12.1K €10.3K

-29.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 €75.7

$94.9 €80.9

-6.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.29 €31.81

$41.98 €35.81

-11.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 €71.6

$104 €89.0

-19.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 €84.0

$135 €115

-27.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$781 €666

$1,578 €1,346

-50.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 €421

$1,115 €951

-55.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 €791

$2,765 €2,359

-66.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$803 €685

$1,879 €1,603

-57.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,281 €3,652

$9,202 €7,849

-53.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,025 €2,580

$4,488 €3,829

-32.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 €2,206

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.69

3.43

7.58%

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

Last update for Chartres: April 22, 2026

Last update for Madrid: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $781 in Chartres versus $1,578 in Madrid. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56 in Chartres versus $68 in Madrid. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Chartres vs $295 in Madrid – so Madrid wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Chartres vs Madrid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madrid costs about 40% more than Chartres, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,431 per month in Chartres and $3,398 in Madrid. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $573 per month in Chartres and $677 in Madrid. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Madrid – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chartres, where all-in costs run around $1,621, than in Madrid at $2,265. In Chartres it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chartres costs $1,621 versus $2,265 in Madrid. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chartres. 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.