Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuenca and Madrid Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuenca and Madrid

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,466 per month in Cuenca vs $2,253 in Madrid, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,080 per month in Cuenca vs $3,329 in Madrid, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,693 per month in Cuenca vs $4,404 in Madrid, rent included.

Cuenca is about 35% cheaper than Madrid, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cuenca and Madrid sit above the global median – Cuenca by 9%, Madrid by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.63 €14.30

$17.05 €14.66

-2.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.85 €40.30

$68.6 €59.0

-31.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 €8.10

$11.73 €10.09

-19.69%

Cappuccino

$2.28 €1.97

$3.06 €2.63

-25.49%

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

$2.04 €1.75

$3.21 €2.76

-36.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 €1.30

$2.18 €1.87

-30.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 €2.01

$3.94 €3.39

-40.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.96

$4.67 €4.02

-26.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 €0.88

$1.20 €1.03

-15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.68 €1.45

-17.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.69 €1.45

-14.79%

Eggs

$2.61 €2.25

$3.34 €2.88

-21.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.47 €14.17

$14.91 €12.83

10.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.55 €8.21

$8.93 €7.68

6.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.09 €12.12

$16.84 €14.49

-16.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 €2.53

$2.73 €2.34

8.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 €1.34

$2.11 €1.82

-26.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 €1.35

$2.54 €2.19

-38.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 €2.87

$2.65 €2.28

26.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.58

$2.15 €1.85

-14.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.10 €1.81

-5.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.35 €1.17

1.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.96

$0.97 €0.84

15.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.89 €5.07

$6.82 €5.87

-13.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.68 €4.03

$8.15 €7.01

-42.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.39 €1.20

-12.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.53

$2.19 €1.88

-18.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 €1.08

$1.77 €1.52

-28.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.52 €28.83

$49.07 €42.21

-31.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 €3.91

$4.01 €3.45

13.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 €0.86

$1.33 €1.14

-24.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.06 €25.00

$29.19 €25.11

-0.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.55

$1.93 €1.66

-6.22%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$37.2K €32.0K

3.79%

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

$30.2K €26.0K

$34.4K €29.6K

-12.12%

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

$134 €115

$195 €167

-31.14%

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

$19.32 €16.62

$21.66 €18.64

-10.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.30 €23.48

$35.51 €30.54

-23.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.04 €39.60

$53.8 €46.26

-14.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.34 €12.34

$17.95 €15.44

-20.11%

Cinema Ticket

$8.57 €7.37

$11.55 €9.94

-25.80%

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

$344 €296

$676 €582

-49.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,730 €8,370

$12.1K €10.4K

-19.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 €59.4

$94.2 €81.1

-26.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 €34.54

$42.77 €36.79

-6.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 €85.4

$106 €90.9

-6.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.5

$134 €116

-14.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$701 €603

$1,566 €1,347

-55.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 €440

$1,149 €988

-55.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 €710

$2,826 €2,431

-70.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 €550

$1,884 €1,621

-66.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,408 €2,931

$9,077 €7,808

-62.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,256 €1,940

$4,511 €3,880

-50.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,444 €1,242

$2,626 €2,259

-45.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.62

3.43

5.54%

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

Last update for Cuenca: June 1, 2026

Last update for Madrid: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $701 in Cuenca versus $1,566 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 82% 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 $47.00 in Cuenca versus $69.0 in Madrid. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $294 – making Cuenca 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

Cuenca vs Madrid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,466 in Cuenca, $2,253 in Madrid – roughly 54% apart. Madrid costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,199 per month in Cuenca and $3,380 in Madrid. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $344 per month in Cuenca and $676 in Madrid. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Madrid, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cuenca, where all-in costs run around $1,466, than in Madrid at $2,253. In Cuenca 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 $1,466 in Cuenca to $2,253 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 Cuenca. 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.