Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Castelldefels Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Castelldefels

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,273 in Madrid versus $1,965 in Castelldefels.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Madrid versus $2,808 in Castelldefels.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,505 in Madrid versus $3,650 in Castelldefels.

Living in Madrid is roughly 16% more expensive than Castelldefels, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 70% above, Castelldefels 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.64 €15.10

$17.51 €14.99

0.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 €60.3

$69.6 €59.6

1.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 €9.98

$12.87 €11.01

-9.40%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.65

$2.67 €2.29

16.10%

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

$3.06 €2.62

$2.52 €2.16

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.96 €1.68

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 €3.48

$3.57 €3.06

14.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.87

$3.45 €2.95

31.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.13 €0.96

10.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.36 €1.16

24.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.41

$1.66 €1.42

-0.60%

Eggs

$3.35 €2.87

$2.79 €2.39

20.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.57 €12.47

$11.36 €9.72

28.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 €7.80

$8.73 €7.47

4.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.67 €14.27

$13.82 €11.83

20.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 €2.28

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.89

$1.86 €1.59

18.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 €2.11

$2.05 €1.76

20.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.32

$2.32 €1.99

16.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.83 €1.57

15.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.83

$1.79 €1.53

19.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.20

$1.51 €1.29

-6.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.83

$0.75 €0.65

29.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 €6.06

$6.53 €5.59

8.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 €6.95

$5.83 €4.99

39.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.37 €1.17

1.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.92

$2.06 €1.76

9.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.52

$1.89 €1.62

-5.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.86 €41.82

$34.76 €29.75

40.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.56

$3.56 €3.05

16.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.18

$2.06 €1.76

-33.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 €24.50

$24.93 €21.34

14.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.61

$1.81 €1.55

3.87%

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

$38.3K €32.8K

$34.7K €29.7K

10.29%

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

$34.4K €29.4K

$32.0K €27.4K

7.52%

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

$192 €164

$189 €162

1.55%

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

$21.59 €18.48

$22.20 €19.00

-2.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.26 €30.19

$37.45 €32.06

-5.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 €45.71

$47.57 €40.72

12.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.72 €15.17

$15.29 €13.09

15.89%

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 €10.08

$11.15 €9.55

5.65%

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

$674 €577

$633 €542

6.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K €10.5K

$12.3K €10.5K

-0.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 €81.9

$87.2 €74.6

9.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.61 €35.61

$37.75 €32.31

10.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.4

$99.9 €85.5

4.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €114

$117 €100

13.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 €1,365

$1,075 €920

48.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 €949

$898 €768

23.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,858 €2,446

$1,884 €1,613

51.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 €1,618

$1,365 €1,168

38.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,394 €8,042

$3,470 €2,970

170.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,583 €3,923

$2,346 €2,008

95.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,602 €2,227

$4,702 €4,025

-44.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.39

1.18%

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

Last update for Madrid: April 26, 2026

Last update for Castelldefels: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Madrid and $1,075 in Castelldefels. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelldefels pays 81% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Madrid vs $70.0 in Castelldefels. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $253, with Castelldefels cheaper for home cooking.

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 Castelldefels: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castelldefels is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Castelldefels earns 81% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,595 in Madrid versus $1,075 in Castelldefels. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,273 per month in Madrid versus $1,965 in Castelldefels – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Castelldefels runs roughly 41% less than in Madrid. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,965 in Castelldefels versus $2,273 in Madrid, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Castelldefels but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Castelldefels the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Castelldefels is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Madrid, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Madrid and Castelldefels 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 Castelldefels gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.