Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Alcorcón Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Alcorcón

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,322 in Madrid versus $1,774 in Alcorcón.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Madrid versus $2,606 in Alcorcón.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,456 in Madrid versus $3,438 in Alcorcón.

Living in Madrid is roughly 31% more expensive than in Alcorcón, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 68% above, Alcorcón 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 €16.15

$17.21 €14.84

8.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.5

$57.2 €49.30

22.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 €10.26

$11.43 €9.85

4.11%

Cappuccino

$3.21 €2.76

$2.12 €1.83

51.42%

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

$3.37 €2.91

$2.93 €2.53

15.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.07 €1.79

8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 €3.59

$4.02 €3.47

3.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 €4.60

$3.98 €3.43

33.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.35 €1.17

5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.58 €1.36

2.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.58

$1.61 €1.39

13.66%

Eggs

$4.28 €3.69

$2.98 €2.57

43.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.06 €14.71

$17.10 €14.74

-0.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 €8.30

$9.51 €8.20

1.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.52 €15.96

$17.89 €15.42

3.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.73 €2.36

-3.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.57 €2.22

-10.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 €2.24

$2.56 €2.21

1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$3.28 €2.82

-19.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.01 €1.74

10.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.39 €2.06

-4.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.56 €1.34

1.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.76 €0.66

42.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.91 €5.96

$6.59 €5.68

4.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 €7.00

$8.27 €7.13

-1.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.03 €0.89

18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.29 €1.98

-1.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.72 €1.48

2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.04 €32.79

$34.60 €29.82

9.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 €3.29

$2.47 €2.13

54.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.12 €0.97

36.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.08 €26.79

$30.94 €26.67

0.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.75 €1.51

5.14%

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

$36.1K €31.1K

$36.6K €31.5K

-1.33%

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

$34.2K €29.5K

$30.1K €26.0K

13.69%

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

$191 €165

$169 €146

13.14%

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

$19.07 €16.43

$11.98 €10.32

59.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.93 €30.97

$36.21 €31.22

-0.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 €43.50

$45.62 €39.32

10.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.37 €16.69

$14.72 €12.69

31.59%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 €9.92

$9.19 €7.92

25.14%

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

$719 €620

$526 €453

36.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K €15.8K

$8,172 €7,044

124.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 €77.3

$91.3 €78.7

-1.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.13 €38.90

$40.20 €34.65

12.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.5

$102 €88.3

7.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €98.4

$115 €98.7

-0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 €1,360

$957 €825

64.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 €1,036

$692 €596

73.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,842 €2,450

$1,439 €1,241

97.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,883 €1,623

$1,059 €913

77.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,245 €7,970

$3,473 €2,993

166.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,215 €3,633

$2,320 €2,000

81.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,498 €2,154

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

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

Last update for Madrid: September 7, 2026

Last update for Alcorcón: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,577 in Madrid and $957 in Alcorcón. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Madrid vs $57.0 in Alcorcón for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $308 per month, with Alcorcón 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 Alcorcón: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alcorcón is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,483 in Madrid and $2,661 in Alcorcón 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: $1,577 in Madrid versus $957 in Alcorcón. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,322 per month in Madrid versus $1,774 in Alcorcón – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alcorcón runs roughly 10% less than in Madrid. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,774 in Alcorcón versus $2,322 in Madrid, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Alcorcón but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Alcorcón the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Alcorcón is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Madrid, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Madrid and Alcorcón 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 Alcorcón gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.