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: $2,293 in Madrid versus $1,585 in Albacete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,370 in Madrid versus $2,277 in Albacete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,447 in Madrid versus $2,968 in Albacete.

Living in Madrid is roughly 45% more expensive than in Albacete, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 72% above, Albacete 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.33 €15.14

$13.94 €12.18

24.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €60.0

$42.20 €36.87

62.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.95 €10.44

$11.99 €10.48

-0.33%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.71

$1.87 €1.63

65.78%

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

$3.21 €2.80

$2.14 €1.87

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 €1.87

$1.71 €1.50

25.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 €3.58

$2.91 €2.54

40.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 €3.98

$4.61 €4.03

-1.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.04

$0.88 €0.77

35.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.80 €0.70

113.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 €1.50

$1.42 €1.24

21.13%

Eggs

$3.52 €3.07

$2.99 €2.61

17.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.98 €13.09

$15.09 €13.18

-0.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 €7.72

$6.66 €5.82

32.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.75 €14.63

$16.68 €14.57

0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$2.69 €2.35

-3.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 €1.94

$2.12 €1.85

4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$2.54 €2.22

-3.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 €2.32

$2.75 €2.40

-3.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.06 €1.80

0.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 €1.88

$2.14 €1.87

0.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 €1.17

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.86

$0.83 €0.73

19.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.99 €6.10

$5.65 €4.93

23.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.77 €6.79

$5.32 €4.65

46.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.39 €1.21

2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.90

$2.28 €1.99

-4.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.56

$1.36 €1.19

30.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.79 €42.62

$17.53 €15.32

178.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.60

$4.00 €3.50

3.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 €1.21

$1.36 €1.19

2.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.50 €24.90

$29.16 €25.48

-2.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.68

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

$37.7K €32.9K

$37.9K €33.1K

-0.73%

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

$34.1K €29.8K

$32.3K €28.2K

5.64%

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

$193 €169

$195 €170

-0.98%

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

$21.55 €18.83

$21.33 €18.64

1.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.97 €31.42

$35.86 €31.33

0.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 €46.04

$51.6 €45.05

2.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.64 €15.42

$4.76 €4.16

270.59%

Cinema Ticket

$11.44 €10.00

$7.65 €6.68

49.54%

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

$669 €584

$661 €578

1.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.4K

$12.3K €10.7K

-3.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.7 €82.7

$94.8 €82.8

-0.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.81 €37.41

$39.96 €34.91

7.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €91.6

$99.9 €87.2

5.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 €115

$116 €101

13.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,607 €1,404

$799 €698

101.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,151 €1,006

$628 €548

83.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,839 €2,480

$1,157 €1,011

145.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,879 €1,642

$892 €779

110.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,038 €7,896

$2,405 €2,101

275.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,262 €3,724

$2,090 €1,826

103.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,464 €2,153

$2,101 €1,836

17.26%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Albacete: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,607 in Madrid and $799 in Albacete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 17% 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 $293 vs $261 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 45% in total monthly costs ($2,293 vs $1,585 including rent). Albacete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 17% higher in Madrid, 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: $1,607 in Madrid versus $799 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 $2,293 per month in Madrid versus $1,585 in Albacete – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,585 in Albacete versus $2,293 in Madrid, a $2,000 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 45% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.