Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Alcala la Real Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Alcala la Real

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,253 in Madrid versus $1,670 in Alcala la Real.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,329 in Madrid versus $2,406 in Alcala la Real.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,404 in Madrid versus $3,142 in Alcala la Real.

Living in Madrid is roughly 35% more expensive than Alcala la Real, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 68% above, Alcala la Real 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.05 €14.66

$16.91 €14.55

0.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 €59.0

$49.98 €42.99

37.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.73 €10.09

$12.21 €10.50

-3.93%

Cappuccino

$3.06 €2.63

$2.26 €1.94

35.40%

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

$3.21 €2.76

$1.93 €1.66

66.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.58 €1.36

37.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 €3.39

$2.29 €1.97

72.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.02

$3.57 €3.07

30.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.30 €1.12

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 €1.45

$1.44 €1.24

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.51 €1.30

11.92%

Eggs

$3.34 €2.88

$3.04 €2.61

9.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.91 €12.83

$16.18 €13.92

-7.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.93 €7.68

$9.51 €8.18

-6.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.84 €14.49

$14.16 €12.18

18.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.34

$2.89 €2.48

-5.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.59 €1.37

32.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$1.50 €1.29

69.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$3.22 €2.77

-17.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.83 €1.58

17.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.04 €1.75

2.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.43 €1.23

-5.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.84

$1.08 €0.93

-10.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.87

$5.69 €4.89

19.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 €7.01

$6.32 €5.43

28.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.24 €1.07

12.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.78 €1.53

23.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.65 €1.42

7.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.07 €42.21

$33.88 €29.14

44.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 €3.45

$5.40 €4.65

-25.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.14

$0.99 €0.85

34.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.19 €25.11

$28.83 €24.80

1.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.80 €1.54

7.22%

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

$37.2K €32.0K

$38.6K €33.2K

-3.54%

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

$34.4K €29.6K

$30.1K €25.9K

13.96%

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

$195 €167

$133 €115

46.02%

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

$21.66 €18.64

$20.42 €17.57

6.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.51 €30.54

$27.41 €23.58

29.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 €46.26

$46.88 €40.33

14.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.95 €15.44

$15.28 €13.14

17.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 €9.94

$8.37 €7.20

37.99%

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

$676 €582

$412 €354

64.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K €10.4K

$9,632 €8,286

25.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.2 €81.1

$70.8 €60.9

33.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 €36.79

$41.06 €35.32

4.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €90.9

$97.8 €84.1

8.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €116

$119 €102

13.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 €1,347

$843 €725

85.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 €988

$700 €602

64.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,826 €2,431

$1,344 €1,156

110.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 €1,621

$1,022 €879

84.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,077 €7,808

$2,945 €2,534

208.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,511 €3,880

$2,353 €2,024

91.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,626 €2,259

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.62

-5.25%

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

Last update for Madrid: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alcala la Real: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,566 in Madrid and $843 in Alcala la Real. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Madrid vs $50.0 in Alcala la Real for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $281 per month, with Alcala la Real 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 la Real: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madrid and Alcala la Real differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($2,253 vs $1,670 including rent). Alcala la Real is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,380 in Madrid and $2,505 in Alcala la Real 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: $1,566 in Madrid versus $843 in Alcala la Real. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Alcala la Real runs roughly 45% less than in Madrid. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $676 in Madrid versus $412 in Alcala la Real. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,670 in Alcala la Real versus $2,253 in Madrid, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Alcala la Real but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Alcala la Real 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 la Real 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 la Real gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.