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: $2,253 in Madrid versus $1,561 in Avila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,329 in Madrid versus $2,202 in Avila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,404 in Madrid versus $2,842 in Avila.

Living in Madrid is roughly 44% more expensive than Avila, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 68% above, Avila 16% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.05 €14.66

$16.44 €14.14

3.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 €59.0

$63.9 €54.9

7.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.73 €10.09

$10.29 €8.85

13.99%

Cappuccino

$3.06 €2.63

$2.15 €1.85

42.33%

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

$3.21 €2.76

$3.12 €2.68

2.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.91 €1.64

14.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 €3.39

$3.42 €2.94

15.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.02

$4.56 €3.93

2.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.18 €1.01

1.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 €1.45

$1.11 €0.95

51.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.02 €0.87

65.69%

Eggs

$3.34 €2.88

$2.65 €2.28

26.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.91 €12.83

$22.71 €19.53

-34.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.93 €7.68

$5.34 €4.59

67.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.84 €14.49

$23.55 €20.25

-28.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.34

$2.70 €2.32

1.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.94 €1.67

8.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$1.89 €1.62

34.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$4.31 €3.70

-38.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.84 €1.58

16.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.98 €1.71

6.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.26 €1.08

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.84

$0.36 €0.31

169.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.87

$5.86 €5.04

16.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 €7.01

$3.13 €2.69

160.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.14 €0.98

21.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.72 €1.48

27.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.13 €0.97

56.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.07 €42.21

$34.11 €29.34

43.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 €3.45

$2.29 €1.97

75.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.14

$0.82 €0.70

62.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.19 €25.11

$22.80 €19.61

28.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.64 €1.41

17.68%

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

$37.2K €32.0K

$38.4K €33.0K

-3.13%

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

$34.4K €29.6K

$25.5K €21.9K

34.81%

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

$195 €167

$104 €89.3

87.44%

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

$21.66 €18.64

$17.24 €14.83

25.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.51 €30.54

$30.70 €26.41

15.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 €46.26

$36.15 €31.10

48.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.95 €15.44

$15.77 €13.57

13.82%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 €9.94

$8.01 €6.89

44.19%

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

$676 €582

$261 €224

159.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K €10.4K

$6,877 €5,916

76.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.2 €81.1

$70.4 €60.6

33.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 €36.79

$23.01 €19.79

85.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €90.9

$81.1 €69.7

30.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €116

$89.4 €76.9

50.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 €1,347

$863 €743

81.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 €988

$682 €586

68.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,826 €2,431

$958 €824

195.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 €1,621

$670 €576

181.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,077 €7,808

$2,412 €2,075

276.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,511 €3,880

$1,845 €1,587

144.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,626 €2,259

$2,661 €2,289

-1.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.38

1.48%

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

Last update for Madrid: May 31, 2026

Last update for Avila: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,566 in Madrid and $863 in Avila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Avila pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Madrid vs $64.0 in Avila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $291 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 44% 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, Avila earns 1% less. 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: $1,566 in Madrid versus $863 in Avila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,253 per month in Madrid versus $1,561 in Avila – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Avila runs roughly 44% less than in Madrid. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,561 in Avila versus $2,253 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 $1,561 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 44% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.