Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Benidorm Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Benidorm

Name: Benidorm
Address: Benidorm, ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,242 per month in Madrid vs $1,735 in Benidorm, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,340 per month in Madrid vs $2,559 in Benidorm, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,439 per month in Madrid vs $3,383 in Benidorm, rent included.

Madrid costs about 29% more than Benidorm, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Madrid and Benidorm sit above the global median – Madrid by 68%, Benidorm by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 €15.21

$15.14 €13.21

15.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.7

$53.0 €46.25

31.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.25

$9.65 €8.42

21.66%

Cappuccino

$3.22 €2.81

$2.41 €2.10

33.61%

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

$3.18 €2.77

$2.36 €2.06

34.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.84

$1.43 €1.25

46.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.49

$3.57 €3.11

12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.94

$3.56 €3.10

26.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.05

$1.11 €0.97

8.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.41

$1.31 €1.14

23.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.47 €1.28

17.69%

Eggs

$3.38 €2.95

$2.83 €2.46

19.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.68 €12.81

$11.43 €9.97

28.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 €7.66

$8.51 €7.43

3.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.04 €14.86

$14.02 €12.23

21.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.28

$2.11 €1.84

23.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.78 €1.56

19.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 €2.25

$2.05 €1.79

25.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.30

$2.37 €2.07

11.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.88 €1.64

10.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.01 €1.75

5.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.10 €0.96

28.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.87

$0.44 €0.39

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €6.00

$6.35 €5.54

8.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 €7.27

$5.31 €4.63

57.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.37 €1.20

0.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.97

$1.51 €1.32

49.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.87 €1.63

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.95 €43.58

$40.96 €35.73

21.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.63

$3.54 €3.09

17.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.26 €1.10

8.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.95 €25.26

$25.16 €21.95

15.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.81 €1.58

2.21%

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

$37.5K €32.7K

$32.6K €28.5K

14.81%

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

$34.4K €30.0K

$32.3K €28.2K

6.22%

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

$193 €168

$144 €126

33.75%

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

$21.04 €18.35

$13.22 €11.54

59.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.82 €31.26

$30.77 €26.84

16.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 €46.56

$52.6 €45.91

1.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.10 €15.79

$40.46 €35.30

-55.26%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 €9.94

$10.12 €8.83

12.55%

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

$662 €578

$412 €359

60.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K €10.5K

$7,613 €6,642

57.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 €82.4

$103 €90.1

-8.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.12 €37.62

$28.40 €24.78

51.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €92.3

$69.6 €60.7

52.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €116

$103 €90.2

28.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 €1,366

$966 €843

62.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 €999

$841 €733

36.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,860 €2,496

$1,608 €1,403

77.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,661

$1,334 €1,164

42.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,209 €8,035

$5,360 €4,677

71.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,376 €3,818

$2,765 €2,412

58.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,615 €2,281

$1,785 €1,557

46.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.13

9.58%

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

Last update for Madrid: June 14, 2026

Last update for Benidorm: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,565 in Madrid versus $966 in Benidorm. 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 46% 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 $70.0 in Madrid versus $53.0 in Benidorm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $241 – making Benidorm 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 Benidorm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Madrid is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,362 per month in Madrid and $2,602 in Benidorm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $662 per month in Madrid and $412 in Benidorm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Benidorm, where all-in costs run around $1,735, than in Madrid at $2,242. In Benidorm it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Benidorm – 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 Benidorm. 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.