Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Badalona Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Badalona

Name: Badalona
Address: Badalona, ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,368 per month in Madrid vs $1,666 in Badalona, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,435 per month in Madrid vs $3,253 in Badalona, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,502 per month in Madrid vs $4,840 in Badalona, rent included.

Madrid costs about 42% more than Badalona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Madrid and Badalona sit above the global median – Madrid by 72%, Badalona by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 €16.20

$17.20 €14.84

9.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 €59.1

$59.4 €51.3

15.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 €10.33

$11.50 €9.92

4.17%

Cappuccino

$3.22 €2.78

$2.49 €2.15

29.32%

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

$3.37 €2.91

$2.68 €2.31

25.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.88 €1.62

21.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 €3.43

$3.53 €3.04

12.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 €4.39

$4.75 €4.10

7.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.14 €0.98

18.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 €1.41

$2.23 €1.92

-26.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 €1.50

$1.80 €1.55

-3.89%

Eggs

$4.42 €3.81

$3.10 €2.67

42.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.22 €14.86

$15.42 €13.30

11.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 €8.47

$9.49 €8.18

3.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.22 €15.71

$15.56 €13.42

17.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.36

$2.57 €2.21

6.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$2.10 €1.81

12.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 €2.24

$1.72 €1.49

50.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.56 €2.21

4.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.81 €1.56

26.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 €1.95

$2.00 €1.73

13.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.51 €1.30

4.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.96

$0.65 €0.56

72.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.86

$7.25 €6.25

-6.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$5.68 €4.90

46.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.11 €0.96

10.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.47 €2.13

-8.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.66 €1.43

3.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.94 €32.72

$46.57 €40.17

-18.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 €3.42

$3.45 €2.97

15.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.84 €1.58

-14.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.36 €26.19

$15.11 €13.04

100.93%

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

$36.3K €31.3K

1.73%

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

$34.1K €29.4K

$31.9K €27.5K

6.92%

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

$195 €168

$119 €102

63.94%

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

$19.08 €16.45

$16.33 €14.08

16.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.32 €31.33

$26.15 €22.55

38.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 €44.18

$61.2 €52.8

-16.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.35 €16.69

$16.43 €14.17

17.77%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 €9.82

$9.28 €8.01

22.74%

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

$696 €600

$587 €507

18.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K €15.6K

$10.5K €9,015

72.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.1 €76.9

$65.3 €56.3

36.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 €38.45

$22.15 €19.10

101.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €93.2

$109 €94.0

-0.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 €97.4

$123 €106

-8.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 €1,366

$1,431 €1,234

10.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 €1,057

$706 €609

73.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,813 €2,426

$1,385 €1,195

103.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 €1,613

$2,587 €2,232

-27.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,303 €8,024

$3,465 €2,989

168.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,251 €3,667

$2,258 €1,947

88.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,584 €2,229

$2,059 €1,776

25.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

3.3

-6.36%

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

Last update for Madrid: August 30, 2026

Last update for Badalona: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,583 in Madrid versus $1,431 in Badalona. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Madrid, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Madrid versus $59.0 in Badalona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $284 – making Badalona the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Badalona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,368 in Madrid, $1,666 in Badalona – roughly 42% apart. Madrid costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,552 per month in Madrid and $2,499 in Badalona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Badalona, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,368 in Madrid and $1,666 in Badalona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 23% less in Badalona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Badalona, where all-in costs run around $1,666, than in Madrid at $2,368. In Badalona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Madrid has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,666 in Badalona to $2,368 in Madrid. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Badalona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Madrid makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.