Cost of Living Comparison Between Girona and Madrid Cost of Living Comparison Between Girona and Madrid

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,850 per month in Girona vs $2,293 in Madrid, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,726 per month in Girona vs $3,370 in Madrid, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,602 per month in Girona vs $4,447 in Madrid, rent included.

Girona is about 19% cheaper than Madrid, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Girona and Madrid sit above the global median – Girona by 38%, Madrid by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.57 €14.48

$17.33 €15.14

-4.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 €60.3

$68.7 €60.0

0.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 €7.95

$11.95 €10.44

-23.85%

Cappuccino

$2.16 €1.89

$3.10 €2.71

-30.32%

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

$1.76 €1.54

$3.21 €2.80

-45.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 €1.51

$2.14 €1.87

-19.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 €3.07

$4.10 €3.58

-14.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.95

$4.55 €3.98

-0.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.19 €1.04

6.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 €1.17

$1.71 €1.49

-21.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.47

$1.72 €1.50

-1.74%

Eggs

$2.90 €2.53

$3.52 €3.07

-17.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 €9.60

$14.98 €13.09

-26.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.16 €8.00

$8.83 €7.72

3.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 €7.67

$16.75 €14.63

-47.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 €2.04

$2.60 €2.27

-10.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.22 €1.94

-6.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 €1.80

$2.45 €2.14

-15.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.93 €2.56

$2.65 €2.32

10.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 €1.23

$2.07 €1.81

-31.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 €1.23

$2.15 €1.88

-34.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 €0.85

$1.34 €1.17

-27.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.62

$0.99 €0.86

-28.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.24 €5.45

$6.99 €6.10

-10.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.89 €6.89

$7.77 €6.79

1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.13

$1.43 €1.25

-9.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.18 €1.90

-3.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 €1.45

$1.78 €1.56

-6.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.73 €34.71

$48.79 €42.62

-18.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 €1.98

$4.12 €3.60

-44.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.79

$1.39 €1.21

47.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.75 €19.88

$28.50 €24.90

-20.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.92 €1.68

-8.33%

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

$37.4K €32.7K

$37.7K €32.9K

-0.76%

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

$32.1K €28.0K

$34.1K €29.8K

-5.98%

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

$119 €104

$193 €169

-38.24%

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

$20.43 €17.85

$21.55 €18.83

-5.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.38 €32.66

$35.97 €31.42

3.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 €49.64

$52.7 €46.04

7.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.65 €16.30

$17.64 €15.42

5.73%

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 €9.28

$11.44 €10.00

-7.17%

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

$332 €290

$669 €584

-50.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,713 €8,487

$11.9K €10.4K

-18.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 €79.8

$94.7 €82.7

-3.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.90 €29.62

$42.81 €37.41

-20.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 €79.9

$105 €91.6

-12.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €117

$132 €115

1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 €1,168

$1,607 €1,404

-16.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$883 €772

$1,151 €1,006

-23.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 €1,877

$2,839 €2,480

-24.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,351 €1,180

$1,879 €1,642

-28.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,212 €4,554

$9,038 €7,896

-42.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,124 €2,729

$4,262 €3,724

-26.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,868 €1,633

$2,464 €2,153

-24.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.43

4.37%

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

Last update for Girona: July 14, 2026

Last update for Madrid: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,337 in Girona versus $1,607 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 32% 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 $69.0 in Girona versus $69.0 in Madrid. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $293 – making Girona 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

Girona vs Madrid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madrid costs about 24% more than Girona, 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 $2,776 per month in Girona and $3,439 in Madrid. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 21% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Girona and $69.0 in Madrid. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Girona, where all-in costs run around $1,850, than in Madrid at $2,293. In Girona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Girona costs $1,850 versus $2,293 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 Girona. 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.