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: $2,273 in Madrid versus $1,653 in Barakaldo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Madrid versus $2,404 in Barakaldo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,505 in Madrid versus $3,155 in Barakaldo.

Living in Madrid is roughly 37% more expensive than Barakaldo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 70% above, Barakaldo 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.64 €15.10

$17.55 €15.03

0.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 €60.3

$52.8 €45.21

33.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 €9.98

$11.48 €9.83

1.57%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.65

$2.18 €1.86

42.20%

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

$3.06 €2.62

$3.01 €2.58

1.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.80

$2.04 €1.75

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 €3.48

$3.27 €2.80

24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.87

$3.67 €3.14

23.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.26 €1.08

-0.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.49 €1.28

13.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.41

$1.36 €1.17

21.32%

Eggs

$3.35 €2.87

$2.90 €2.48

15.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.57 €12.47

$12.35 €10.57

17.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 €7.80

$7.83 €6.70

16.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.67 €14.27

$12.97 €11.10

28.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 €2.28

$2.67 €2.29

-0.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.89

$2.04 €1.75

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 €2.11

$2.37 €2.03

4.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.32

$2.44 €2.09

11.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.59 €1.36

32.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.83

$2.28 €1.95

-6.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.20

$1.09 €0.94

29.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.83

$0.80 €0.68

21.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 €6.06

$6.15 €5.26

15.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 €6.95

$6.99 €5.98

16.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.16 €1.00

19.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.92

$2.03 €1.74

10.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.52

$1.63 €1.40

9.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.86 €41.82

$33.52 €28.69

45.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.56

$5.33 €4.57

-21.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.90 €0.77

53.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 €24.50

$32.08 €27.46

-10.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.61

$1.83 €1.57

2.73%

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

$38.3K €32.8K

$39.3K €33.6K

-2.55%

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

$34.4K €29.4K

$31.6K €27.0K

8.81%

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

$192 €164

$141 €121

36.42%

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

$21.59 €18.48

$19.24 €16.47

12.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.26 €30.19

$27.73 €23.73

27.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 €45.71

$47.09 €40.31

13.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.72 €15.17

$14.86 €12.72

19.25%

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 €10.08

$9.55 €8.18

23.35%

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

$674 €577

$494 €423

36.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K €10.5K

$9,041 €7,739

35.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 €81.9

$85.3 €73.0

12.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.61 €35.61

$32.26 €27.62

28.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.4

$82.3 €70.4

26.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €114

$112 €96.2

18.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 €1,365

$866 €741

84.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 €949

$708 €606

56.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,858 €2,446

$1,332 €1,141

114.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 €1,618

$999 €855

89.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,394 €8,042

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,583 €3,923

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,602 €2,227

$1,879 €1,609

38.47%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Barakaldo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Madrid and $866 in Barakaldo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 38% 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 $53.0 in Barakaldo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $254 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 37% in total monthly costs ($2,273 vs $1,653 including rent). Barakaldo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Madrid pays 38% more on average, 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: $1,595 in Madrid versus $866 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 $53.0 versus $70.0 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,273 per month in Madrid versus $1,653 in Barakaldo – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,653 in Barakaldo versus $2,273 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 37% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.