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: $2,368 in Madrid versus $1,709 in Alcala la Real.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,435 in Madrid versus $2,510 in Alcala la Real.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,502 in Madrid versus $3,312 in Alcala la Real.

Living in Madrid is roughly 39% more expensive than in Alcala la Real, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 72% above, Alcala la Real 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 €16.20

$17.58 €15.16

6.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 €59.1

$58.9 €50.8

16.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 €10.33

$13.96 €12.04

-14.18%

Cappuccino

$3.22 €2.78

$2.44 €2.11

31.97%

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

$3.37 €2.91

$2.06 €1.77

63.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.53 €1.32

49.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 €3.43

$3.15 €2.71

26.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 €4.39

$4.69 €4.04

8.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.27 €1.09

6.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.44 €1.24

13.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 €1.50

$1.44 €1.24

20.14%

Eggs

$4.42 €3.81

$3.27 €2.82

35.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.22 €14.86

$16.42 €14.16

4.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 €8.47

$9.63 €8.30

1.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.22 €15.71

$14.26 €12.30

27.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.36

$3.01 €2.60

-9.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.88 €1.62

25.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 €2.24

$1.51 €1.30

71.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 €2.31

$3.33 €2.87

-19.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.99 €1.72

15.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.97 €1.70

15.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.41 €1.22

12.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.12 €0.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.86

$5.80 €5.01

17.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$6.29 €5.43

32.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.21 €1.05

1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.79 €1.54

25.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.70 €1.47

0.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.94 €32.72

$34.02 €29.35

11.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 €3.42

$4.14 €3.57

-4.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.40 €1.20

12.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.36 €26.19

$35.38 €30.52

-14.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.72 €1.49

6.98%

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

$37.0K €31.9K

$36.9K €31.9K

0.09%

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

$34.1K €29.4K

$30.1K €25.9K

13.45%

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

$195 €168

$138 €119

40.90%

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

$19.08 €16.45

$16.88 €14.56

13.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.32 €31.33

$27.87 €24.04

30.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 €44.18

$46.38 €40.00

10.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.35 €16.69

$16.09 €13.87

20.26%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 €9.82

$10.29 €8.88

10.69%

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

$696 €600

$412 €356

68.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K €15.6K

$7,409 €6,391

143.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.1 €76.9

$77.0 €66.4

15.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 €38.45

$38.69 €33.37

15.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €93.2

$106 €91.8

1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 €97.4

$125 €108

-9.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 €1,366

$926 €799

70.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 €1,057

$697 €601

75.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,813 €2,426

$1,402 €1,210

100.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 €1,613

$1,037 €895

80.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,303 €8,024

$3,451 €2,977

169.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,251 €3,667

$2,268 €1,957

87.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,584 €2,229

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

3.18

-2.83%

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

Last update for Madrid: August 30, 2026

Last update for Alcala la Real: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,583 in Madrid and $926 in Alcala la Real. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Madrid vs $59.0 in Alcala la Real for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $286 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 39% in total monthly costs ($2,368 vs $1,709 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 $3,552 in Madrid and $2,563 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: $1,583 in Madrid versus $926 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 12% less than in Madrid. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $696 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 $1,709 in Alcala la Real versus $2,368 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 39% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.