Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Albacete Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Albacete

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,253 in Madrid versus $1,615 in Albacete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,329 in Madrid versus $2,306 in Albacete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,404 in Madrid versus $2,997 in Albacete.

Living in Madrid is roughly 40% more expensive than Albacete, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 68% above, Albacete 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.05 €14.66

$13.65 €11.74

24.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 €59.0

$42.14 €36.25

62.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.73 €10.09

$11.85 €10.19

-1.01%

Cappuccino

$3.06 €2.63

$1.94 €1.67

57.73%

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

$3.21 €2.76

$2.16 €1.86

48.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.70 €1.46

28.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 €3.39

$2.86 €2.46

37.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.02

$4.56 €3.92

2.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.03

$0.93 €0.80

29.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 €1.45

$0.79 €0.68

112.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.47 €1.27

14.97%

Eggs

$3.34 €2.88

$2.90 €2.50

15.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.91 €12.83

$14.77 €12.71

0.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.93 €7.68

$6.72 €5.78

32.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.84 €14.49

$17.12 €14.73

-1.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.34

$2.75 €2.37

-0.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.19 €1.89

-3.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$2.68 €2.31

-1.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.14 €1.84

0.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.15 €1.85

-2.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.39 €1.20

-2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.84

$0.86 €0.74

12.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.87

$5.67 €4.88

20.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 €7.01

$5.37 €4.62

51.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.38 €1.19

0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.88

$2.18 €1.87

0.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.36 €1.17

30.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.07 €42.21

$17.21 €14.80

185.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 €3.45

$4.16 €3.58

-3.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.31 €1.13

1.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.19 €25.11

$29.38 €25.27

-0.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.84 €1.59

4.89%

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

$37.2K €32.0K

$38.1K €32.8K

-2.38%

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

$34.4K €29.6K

$32.0K €27.5K

7.50%

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

$195 €167

$190 €163

2.58%

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

$21.66 €18.64

$21.72 €18.68

-0.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.51 €30.54

$34.81 €29.95

2.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 €46.26

$51.7 €44.43

4.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.95 €15.44

$4.59 €3.95

291.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 €9.94

$7.30 €6.28

58.22%

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

$676 €582

$657 €565

2.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K €10.4K

$11.8K €10.2K

2.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.2 €81.1

$97.5 €83.9

-3.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 €36.79

$40.19 €34.57

6.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €90.9

$102 €87.8

3.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €116

$114 €97.7

18.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 €1,347

$803 €690

95.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 €988

$639 €550

79.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,826 €2,431

$1,171 €1,008

141.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 €1,621

$903 €776

108.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,077 €7,808

$2,470 €2,125

267.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,511 €3,880

$2,078 €1,787

117.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,626 €2,259

$2,104 €1,810

24.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

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

Last update for Madrid: May 31, 2026

Last update for Albacete: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,566 in Madrid and $803 in Albacete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Madrid vs $42.00 in Albacete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $263 per month, with Albacete cheaper across the board.

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

Madrid vs Albacete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madrid and Albacete differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($2,253 vs $1,615 including rent). Albacete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Madrid pays 25% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,566 in Madrid versus $803 in Albacete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Albacete – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $69.0 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,253 per month in Madrid versus $1,615 in Albacete – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,615 in Albacete versus $2,253 in Madrid, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Albacete but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Albacete the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Madrid and Albacete are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Albacete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.