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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,253 per month in Madrid vs $2,535 in Badalona, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,329 per month in Madrid vs $3,763 in Badalona, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,404 per month in Madrid vs $4,991 in Badalona, rent included.

Madrid is about 11% cheaper than Badalona, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Madrid and Badalona sit above the global median – Madrid by 68%, Badalona by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.05 €14.66

$17.49 €15.05

-2.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 €59.0

$58.5 €50.3

17.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.73 €10.09

$11.45 €9.85

2.45%

Cappuccino

$3.06 €2.63

$2.68 €2.30

14.18%

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

$3.21 €2.76

$2.78 €2.39

15.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.99 €1.71

9.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 €3.39

$3.43 €2.95

14.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.02

$4.76 €4.09

-1.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.27 €1.09

-5.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 €1.45

$2.02 €1.74

-16.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.66 €1.43

1.81%

Eggs

$3.34 €2.88

$2.98 €2.57

12.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.91 €12.83

$14.14 €12.16

5.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.93 €7.68

$9.10 €7.83

-1.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.84 €14.49

$17.58 €15.12

-4.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.34

$2.76 €2.37

-1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.95 €2.54

-28.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$2.15 €1.85

18.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$2.75 €2.37

-3.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.45 €1.24

48.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.49 €1.28

40.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.51 €1.30

-10.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.84

$0.71 €0.61

36.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.87

$6.39 €5.50

6.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 €7.01

$5.72 €4.92

42.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.54 €1.32

-9.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.88

$2.11 €1.81

3.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.82 €2.43

-37.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.07 €42.21

$45.82 €39.41

7.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 €3.45

$4.13 €3.55

-2.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.14

$2.13 €1.83

-37.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.19 €25.11

$22.59 €19.43

29.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.87 €1.61

3.21%

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

$37.2K €32.0K

$37.9K €32.6K

-1.97%

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

$34.4K €29.6K

$29.7K €25.5K

15.67%

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

$195 €167

$150 €129

29.87%

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

$21.66 €18.64

$20.65 €17.76

4.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.51 €30.54

$37.00 €31.83

-4.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 €46.26

$50.6 €43.53

6.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.95 €15.44

$35.37 €30.42

-49.25%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 €9.94

$9.09 €7.82

27.06%

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

$676 €582

$330 €284

104.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K €10.4K

$7,019 €6,038

72.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.2 €81.1

$94.8 €81.6

-0.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 €36.79

$37.40 €32.17

14.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €90.9

$103 €88.4

2.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €116

$117 €100

15.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 €1,347

$1,743 €1,500

-10.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 €988

$1,439 €1,238

-20.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,826 €2,431

$2,270 €1,953

24.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 €1,621

$2,584 €2,223

-27.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,077 €7,808

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,511 €3,880

$3,502 €3,013

28.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,626 €2,259

$2,060 €1,772

27.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.5

-2.00%

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

Last update for Madrid: May 31, 2026

Last update for Badalona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,566 in Madrid versus $1,743 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 27% higher in Madrid, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Madrid versus $58.0 in Badalona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $291 – 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: $2,253 in Madrid, $2,535 in Badalona – roughly 12% apart. Badalona costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,380 per month in Madrid and $3,802 in Badalona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Madrid, 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 $2,253 in Madrid and $2,535 in Badalona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Madrid. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Madrid, where all-in costs run around $2,253, than in Badalona at $2,535. In Madrid it covers expenses comfortably, while in Badalona 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 $2,253 in Madrid to $2,535 in Badalona. 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 Madrid. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Badalona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.