Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Benalmadena Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Benalmadena

Name: Benalmadena
Address: Benalmadena, ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,270 per month in Madrid vs $1,882 in Benalmadena, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,352 per month in Madrid vs $2,800 in Benalmadena, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,434 per month in Madrid vs $3,718 in Benalmadena, rent included.

Madrid costs about 21% more than Benalmadena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Madrid and Benalmadena sit above the global median – Madrid by 69%, Benalmadena by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.07 €14.71

$13.69 €11.80

24.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €59.9

$54.8 €47.22

26.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 €10.27

$9.21 €7.94

29.42%

Cappuccino

$3.09 €2.66

$2.25 €1.94

37.33%

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

$3.10 €2.67

$2.26 €1.94

37.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.91 €1.65

10.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.14 €3.57

$3.12 €2.69

32.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 €3.96

$4.30 €3.70

6.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.16 €1.00

2.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.58 €1.36

7.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.90 €1.64

-10.53%

Eggs

$3.48 €3.00

$3.42 €2.95

1.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.73 €12.69

$15.21 €13.11

-3.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.07 €7.82

$9.35 €8.06

-2.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.75 €14.44

$17.84 €15.37

-6.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.56 €2.21

1.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.17 €1.87

2.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 €2.16

$1.80 €1.55

39.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$2.77 €2.39

-0.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.87 €1.61

14.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 €1.84

$2.12 €1.83

0.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.48 €1.28

-6.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.84

$0.71 €0.61

36.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$6.65 €5.73

2.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 €6.91

$5.86 €5.05

36.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.33 €1.15

8.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.34 €2.02

-3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.04 €1.76

-13.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.48 €42.63

$33.93 €29.24

45.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 €3.55

$4.62 €3.98

-11.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.08 €0.93

28.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 €25.00

$25.04 €21.58

15.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.81 €1.56

3.31%

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

$37.6K €32.4K

$39.0K €33.6K

-3.67%

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

$34.1K €29.3K

$31.0K €26.7K

10.02%

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

$195 €168

$134 €115

45.22%

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

$21.25 €18.31

$17.77 €15.31

19.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.75 €30.80

$36.81 €31.71

-2.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 €45.47

$47.74 €41.13

10.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.91 €15.44

$15.24 €13.13

17.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.72 €10.09

$8.99 €7.75

30.37%

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

$680 €586

$457 €394

48.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K €10.6K

$9,111 €7,850

34.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.8 €82.6

$86.2 €74.2

11.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.50 €36.62

$41.84 €36.05

1.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.4

$94.1 €81.1

12.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €118

$116 €99.8

18.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 €1,386

$1,014 €873

58.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,138 €980

$913 €786

24.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,792 €2,405

$1,873 €1,614

49.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,915 €1,650

$1,598 €1,377

19.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,893 €7,662

$4,316 €3,718

106.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,347 €3,745

$3,675 €3,166

18.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,584 €2,226

$3,978 €3,428

-35.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.46

-0.87%

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

Last update for Madrid: June 6, 2026

Last update for Benalmadena: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,609 in Madrid versus $1,014 in Benalmadena. 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 54% higher in Benalmadena, 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 $55.0 in Benalmadena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $289 – making Benalmadena 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 Benalmadena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Madrid is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,406 per month in Madrid and $2,823 in Benalmadena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 2% more in Madrid, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Madrid and $55.0 in Benalmadena. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Benalmadena, where all-in costs run around $1,882, than in Madrid at $2,270. In Benalmadena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Benalmadena – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Benalmadena. 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.