Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Avila Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Avila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,368 in Madrid versus $1,486 in Avila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,435 in Madrid versus $2,268 in Avila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,502 in Madrid versus $3,050 in Avila.

Living in Madrid is roughly 59% more expensive than in Avila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 72% above, Avila 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 €16.20

$17.73 €15.29

5.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 €59.1

$64.8 €55.9

5.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 €10.33

$11.76 €10.14

1.87%

Cappuccino

$3.22 €2.78

$2.20 €1.90

46.36%

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

$3.37 €2.91

$3.44 €2.97

-2.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.99 €1.71

15.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 €3.43

$3.53 €3.05

12.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 €4.39

$4.56 €3.93

11.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.19 €1.03

13.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 €1.41

$0.80 €0.69

105.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 €1.50

$1.55 €1.33

11.61%

Eggs

$4.42 €3.81

$2.98 €2.57

48.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.22 €14.86

$26.70 €23.03

-35.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 €8.47

$4.34 €3.74

126.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.22 €15.71

$10.48 €9.04

73.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.36

$2.86 €2.47

-4.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.30 €1.12

81.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 €2.24

$2.36 €2.03

9.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 €2.31

$5.05 €4.35

-46.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.15 €1.86

6.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.94 €1.67

17.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.32 €1.14

19.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.96

$0.50 €0.43

124.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.86

$6.24 €5.39

8.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$3.24 €2.79

157.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.06

$0.99 €0.86

24.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.34 €2.02

-3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.32 €1.14

29.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.94 €32.72

$34.27 €29.56

10.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 €3.42

$4.65 €4.01

-14.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.36

$2.31 €1.99

-31.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.36 €26.19

$23.65 €20.39

28.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.80 €1.55

2.22%

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

$37.0K €31.9K

$37.4K €32.3K

-1.26%

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

$34.1K €29.4K

$30.0K €25.9K

13.57%

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

$195 €168

$80.0 €69.0

143.29%

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

$19.08 €16.45

$17.29 €14.92

10.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.32 €31.33

$26.48 €22.84

37.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 €44.18

$41.42 €35.72

23.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.35 €16.69

$16.11 €13.89

20.11%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 €9.82

$9.21 €7.94

23.67%

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

$696 €600

$187 €161

273.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K €15.6K

$6,302 €5,435

186.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.1 €76.9

$88.6 €76.5

0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 €38.45

$37.53 €32.37

18.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €93.2

$83.8 €72.2

29.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 €97.4

$98.6 €85.1

14.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 €1,366

$850 €733

86.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 €1,057

$623 €538

96.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,813 €2,426

$1,100 €949

155.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 €1,613

$875 €755

113.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,303 €8,024

$2,489 €2,147

273.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,251 €3,667

$1,846 €1,592

130.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,584 €2,229

$2,590 €2,234

-0.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

3.1

-0.32%

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

Last update for Madrid: August 30, 2026

Last update for Avila: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,583 in Madrid and $850 in Avila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Avila pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Madrid vs $65.0 in Avila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $266 per month, with Avila 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 Avila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Avila wins on cost – living expenses run 59% lower than in Madrid. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Avila the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Avila. 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: $1,583 in Madrid versus $850 in Avila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,368 per month in Madrid versus $1,486 in Avila – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Avila runs roughly 11% less than in Madrid. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,486 in Avila versus $2,368 in Madrid, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Avila but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Avila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Avila delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,486 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Avila hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Madrid and Avila 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 Avila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.