Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Barakaldo Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Barakaldo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,262 in Madrid versus $1,608 in Barakaldo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,324 in Madrid versus $2,358 in Barakaldo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Madrid versus $3,108 in Barakaldo.

Living in Madrid is roughly 41% more expensive than in Barakaldo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 70% above, Barakaldo 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.70 €15.33

$17.40 €15.07

1.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €60.4

$52.0 €45.01

34.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 €10.36

$11.38 €9.86

5.10%

Cappuccino

$3.15 €2.73

$2.16 €1.87

45.83%

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

$3.11 €2.70

$3.04 €2.63

2.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.92

$2.03 €1.76

9.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.15 €3.60

$3.21 €2.78

29.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 €3.89

$3.77 €3.27

19.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.21 €1.05

3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.49 €1.29

14.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.36 €1.17

25.00%

Eggs

$3.51 €3.04

$2.81 €2.44

24.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.07 €13.05

$12.34 €10.68

22.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.24 €8.00

$7.98 €6.91

15.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 €14.78

$13.03 €11.29

31.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.38

$2.63 €2.28

4.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.86

$1.99 €1.73

7.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 €2.15

$2.37 €2.05

5.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.38

$2.35 €2.04

17.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.85

$1.64 €1.42

30.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 €1.89

$2.23 €1.93

-2.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.10 €0.95

25.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.80

$0.83 €0.72

10.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.95 €6.02

$6.32 €5.47

9.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.91 €6.85

$7.82 €6.78

1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.21 €1.05

14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 €1.94

$2.05 €1.78

9.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.73 €1.50

3.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.65 €42.13

$34.76 €30.10

39.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 €3.49

$5.50 €4.77

-26.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.15

$0.95 €0.82

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.16 €25.25

$31.75 €27.50

-8.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.82 €1.57

1.10%

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

$38.1K €33.0K

0.04%

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

$33.4K €29.0K

$32.3K €28.0K

3.54%

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

$189 €164

$142 €123

32.81%

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

$21.62 €18.72

$19.31 €16.72

11.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.96 €31.14

$27.99 €24.24

28.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 €45.98

$47.91 €41.49

10.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.13 €15.70

$14.79 €12.80

22.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 €9.93

$9.25 €8.01

24.00%

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

$662 €574

$502 €435

31.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.3K

$9,019 €7,811

31.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.2 €84.2

$82.8 €71.7

17.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.05 €37.28

$31.96 €27.67

34.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €90.6

$80.5 €69.7

30.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €115

$112 €97.0

18.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 €1,352

$840 €727

85.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 €978

$695 €602

62.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,850 €2,468

$1,308 €1,133

117.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,868 €1,618

$997 €863

87.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,099 €7,880

$3,140 €2,720

189.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,243 €3,675

$2,178 €1,886

94.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,471 €2,140

$1,769 €1,532

39.71%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Barakaldo: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,561 in Madrid and $840 in Barakaldo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 40% 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: $70.0 in Madrid vs $52.0 in Barakaldo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $256 per month, with Barakaldo 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 Barakaldo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madrid and Barakaldo differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($2,262 vs $1,608 including rent). Barakaldo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 40% higher in Madrid, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,561 in Madrid versus $840 in Barakaldo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Barakaldo – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $70.0 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,262 per month in Madrid versus $1,608 in Barakaldo – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,608 in Barakaldo versus $2,262 in Madrid, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barakaldo but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Barakaldo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Madrid and Barakaldo 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 Barakaldo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.