Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Madrid: $2,311 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

112

Cost of Living Index in Madrid
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Madrid Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Madrid

🇪🇸 Spain

$2,311

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Madrid and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Madrid and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,311 in Madrid versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Madrid $2,311
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,324 in Madrid versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Madrid $3,324
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,337 in Madrid versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Madrid $4,337
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Madrid costs roughly 15% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 72% above, Austin, TX 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.11 €16.14

$20.22 $20.22

-10.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 €60.4

$85.0 $85.0

-20.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 €9.95

$12.35 $12.35

-9.64%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.76

$5.47 $5.47

-43.33%

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

$3.25 €2.90

$3.82 $3.82

-14.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €2.01

$2.50 $2.50

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.87 €3.45

$8.06 $8.06

-51.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 €4.44

$8.99 $8.99

-44.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 €1.27

$1.13 $1.13

26.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 €1.43

$3.78 $3.78

-57.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 €1.50

$3.25 $3.25

-48.31%

Eggs

$4.24 €3.78

$4.14 $4.14

2.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.07 €15.22

$13.08 $13.08

30.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 €8.10

$14.31 $14.31

-36.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.61 €15.70

$15.96 $15.96

10.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 €2.24

$4.38 $4.38

-42.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.95

$1.45 $1.45

50.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 €2.31

$4.54 $4.54

-42.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 €2.26

$4.19 $4.19

-39.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.97

$2.63 $2.63

-15.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 €1.94

$2.36 $2.36

-7.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 €1.40

$1.76 $1.76

-10.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.93

$2.16 $2.16

-51.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.93

$9.81 $9.81

-32.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.78 €6.94

$14.72 $14.72

-47.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.04

$2.78 $2.78

-57.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €2.01

$3.48 $3.48

-35.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 €1.52

$1.49 $1.49

14.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.14 €33.11

$40.51 $40.51

-8.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 €3.33

$2.67 $2.67

40.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 €1.33

$1.58 $1.58

-5.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.16 €26.89

$35.29 $35.29

-14.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.64

$0.99 $0.99

85.86%

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

$34.8K €31.1K

$35.8K $35.8K

-2.70%

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

$33.4K €29.7K

$27.2K $27.2K

22.74%

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

$185 €165

$219 $219

-15.45%

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

$18.51 €16.50

$58.0 $58.0

-68.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.78 €31.01

$68.4 $68.4

-49.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 €44.57

$57.9 $57.9

-13.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.11 €16.14

$14.82 $14.82

22.20%

Cinema Ticket

$11.24 €10.03

$14.13 $14.13

-20.45%

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

$666 €594

$1,509 $1,509

-55.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K €16.1K

$21.5K $21.5K

-15.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.5 €76.3

$51.7 $51.7

65.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.61 €38.88

$44.05 $44.05

-1.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €96.8

$85.1 $85.1

27.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 €99.6

$105 $105

6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,359

$1,932 $1,932

-21.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 €1,063

$1,272 $1,272

-6.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 €2,414

$3,670 $3,670

-26.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,799 €1,604

$2,525 $2,525

-28.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,164 €8,171

$7,617 $7,617

20.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,169 €3,717

$3,199 $3,199

30.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,478 €2,209

$5,105 $5,105

-51.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.08

6.79

-54.64%

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

Last update for Madrid: October 6, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Madrid

$1.2K 52.1%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 6.7% $80

Groceries & Markets

Madrid

$308 13.4%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 30.9% $95

Eating Out

Madrid

$267 11.7%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 30.4% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Madrid

$239 10.4%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 44.8% $107

Clothing & Footwear

Madrid

$157 6.9%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 18.1% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Madrid

$72 3.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 18.9% $14

Getting Around

Madrid

$55 2.4%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 3.4% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Madrid and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 106% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Madrid vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $403 per month, with Madrid cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇪🇸 Madrid

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

03:18 3:18 AM

20:18 8:18 PM

7 h behind Madrid

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,332,035 Capital

974,447

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Madrid Austin, TX 8,200 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Madrid
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madrid wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Madrid the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 106% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,524 in Madrid versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,311 per month in Madrid versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Madrid runs roughly 9% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,311 in Madrid versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Madrid but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Madrid the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Madrid delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,311 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Madrid hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Madrid and Austin, TX 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 Madrid gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.