Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Alcala de Guadaira Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Alcala de Guadaira

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,273 in Madrid versus $1,588 in Alcala de Guadaira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Madrid versus $2,365 in Alcala de Guadaira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,505 in Madrid versus $3,141 in Alcala de Guadaira.

Living in Madrid is roughly 43% more expensive than Alcala de Guadaira, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 70% above, Alcala de Guadaira 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.64 €15.10

$13.83 €11.84

27.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 €60.3

$58.1 €49.72

21.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 €9.98

$10.56 €9.04

10.42%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.65

$2.24 €1.91

38.39%

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

$3.06 €2.62

$2.04 €1.75

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.66 €1.42

26.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 €3.48

$2.34 €2.00

73.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.87

$3.54 €3.03

27.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.15 €0.98

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.55 €1.32

9.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.41

$1.76 €1.51

-6.25%

Eggs

$3.35 €2.87

$3.42 €2.93

-2.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.57 €12.47

$13.57 €11.62

7.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 €7.80

$9.46 €8.09

-3.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.67 €14.27

$17.02 €14.57

-2.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 €2.28

$2.38 €2.04

11.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.89

$1.78 €1.52

24.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 €2.11

$1.07 €0.92

130.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.32

$1.87 €1.60

44.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.77 €1.51

19.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.83

$1.22 €1.04

75.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.20

$1.11 €0.95

27.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.83

$0.61 €0.52

59.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 €6.06

$6.54 €5.60

8.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 €6.95

$5.97 €5.11

36.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.38 €1.18

0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.92

$2.15 €1.84

4.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.52

$1.64 €1.41

8.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.86 €41.82

$34.34 €29.40

42.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.56

$2.25 €1.92

84.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.06 €0.90

30.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 €24.50

$14.03 €12.01

103.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.61

$1.83 €1.57

2.73%

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

$38.3K €32.8K

$38.2K €32.7K

0.20%

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

$34.4K €29.4K

$29.5K €25.3K

16.47%

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

$192 €164

$118 €101

62.45%

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

$21.59 €18.48

$23.59 €20.19

-8.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.26 €30.19

$36.62 €31.35

-3.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 €45.71

$47.95 €41.05

11.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.72 €15.17

$15.27 €13.07

16.04%

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 €10.08

$9.02 €7.72

30.60%

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

$674 €577

$392 €335

71.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K €10.5K

$6,517 €5,579

87.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 €81.9

$86.1 €73.7

11.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.61 €35.61

$41.00 €35.09

1.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.4

$75.5 €64.6

38.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €114

$108 €92.2

23.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 €1,365

$855 €732

86.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 €949

$698 €597

58.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,858 €2,446

$1,326 €1,135

115.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 €1,618

$1,013 €867

86.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,394 €8,042

$3,464 €2,965

171.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,583 €3,923

$2,353 €2,014

94.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,602 €2,227

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.51

-2.28%

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

Last update for Madrid: April 26, 2026

Last update for Alcala de Guadaira: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Madrid and $855 in Alcala de Guadaira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Madrid vs $58.0 in Alcala de Guadaira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $265 per month, with Alcala de Guadaira 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 Alcala de Guadaira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madrid and Alcala de Guadaira differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($2,273 vs $1,588 including rent). Alcala de Guadaira is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,409 in Madrid and $2,382 in Alcala de Guadaira to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,595 in Madrid versus $855 in Alcala de Guadaira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Madrid. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Alcala de Guadaira – a meal for two runs $58.0 versus $70.0 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,588 in Alcala de Guadaira versus $2,273 in Madrid, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alcala de Guadaira but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Alcala de Guadaira 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 Alcala de Guadaira 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 Alcala de Guadaira gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.