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: $2,273 in Madrid versus $1,649 in Alcorcón.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Madrid versus $2,470 in Alcorcón.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,505 in Madrid versus $3,291 in Alcorcón.

Living in Madrid is roughly 38% more expensive than Alcorcón, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 70% above, Alcorcón 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.64 €15.10

$17.16 €14.69

2.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 €60.3

$57.0 €48.82

23.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 €9.98

$10.61 €9.08

9.90%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.65

$2.19 €1.87

41.55%

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

$3.06 €2.62

$3.04 €2.61

0.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.80

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 €3.48

$4.43 €3.79

-8.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.87

$3.94 €3.37

14.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.40 €1.20

-10.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.41 €1.21

19.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.41

$1.48 €1.27

11.49%

Eggs

$3.35 €2.87

$2.69 €2.30

24.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.57 €12.47

$16.76 €14.34

-13.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 €7.80

$8.80 €7.53

3.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.67 €14.27

$17.21 €14.73

-3.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 €2.28

$2.65 €2.27

0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.89

$2.12 €1.82

4.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 €2.11

$2.56 €2.19

-3.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.32

$3.55 €3.04

-23.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.07 €1.77

1.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.83

$2.36 €2.02

-9.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.20

$1.35 €1.16

4.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.83

$0.79 €0.68

22.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 €6.06

$6.30 €5.39

12.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 €6.95

$8.40 €7.19

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.23 €1.05

13.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.92

$2.52 €2.16

-10.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.52

$1.63 €1.40

9.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.86 €41.82

$33.60 €28.76

45.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.56

$2.46 €2.11

69.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.96 €0.83

43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 €24.50

$28.87 €24.71

-0.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.61

$1.78 €1.53

5.62%

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

$38.3K €32.8K

$37.7K €32.3K

1.49%

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

$34.4K €29.4K

$30.3K €25.9K

13.42%

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

$192 €164

$116 €99.2

65.80%

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

$21.59 €18.48

$20.57 €17.61

4.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.26 €30.19

$36.27 €31.05

-2.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 €45.71

$47.09 €40.31

13.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.72 €15.17

$14.98 €12.82

18.29%

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 €10.08

$9.89 €8.46

19.11%

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

$674 €577

$513 €439

31.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K €10.5K

$8,036 €6,879

52.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 €81.9

$73.9 €63.3

29.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.61 €35.61

$42.32 €36.23

-1.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.4

$90.8 €77.7

15.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €114

$113 €97.1

17.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 €1,365

$855 €732

86.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 €949

$698 €597

58.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,858 €2,446

$1,299 €1,112

120.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 €1,618

$1,022 €875

84.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,394 €8,042

$3,542 €3,032

165.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,583 €3,923

$2,356 €2,017

94.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,602 €2,227

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Alcorcón: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $70.0 in Madrid vs $57.0 in Alcorcón. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $298, with Madrid cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,409 in Madrid and $2,473 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: $1,595 in Madrid versus $855 in Alcorcón. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,273 per month in Madrid versus $1,649 in Alcorcón – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,649 in Alcorcón versus $2,273 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 38% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.