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: $2,376 in Madrid versus $1,951 in Castelldefels.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,429 in Madrid versus $2,848 in Castelldefels.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,482 in Madrid versus $3,746 in Castelldefels.

Living in Madrid is roughly 22% more expensive than in Castelldefels, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 74% above, Castelldefels 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.11 €15.78

$18.37 €16.00

-1.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €61.1

$70.2 €61.1

-0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 €10.38

$12.96 €11.29

-8.02%

Cappuccino

$3.14 €2.74

$2.77 €2.41

13.36%

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

$3.24 €2.82

$2.66 €2.32

21.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.96 €1.71

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.14 €3.60

$3.43 €2.99

20.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 €4.62

$4.72 €4.11

12.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.25 €1.09

12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 €1.40

$1.42 €1.23

13.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$1.82 €1.59

-1.65%

Eggs

$4.24 €3.69

$3.52 €3.07

20.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.25 €15.03

$11.22 €9.78

53.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.78 €8.52

$8.13 €7.08

20.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.17 €15.83

$16.33 €14.23

11.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 €2.26

$2.47 €2.16

5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.88 €1.64

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 €2.29

$1.93 €1.68

36.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 €2.35

$2.68 €2.33

0.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 €1.96

$1.74 €1.52

29.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.95

$1.90 €1.65

17.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 €1.36

$1.19 €1.03

31.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.97

$0.79 €0.69

40.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €6.00

$6.85 €5.97

0.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 €6.93

$5.90 €5.14

34.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.06

$1.38 €1.21

-12.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 €2.02

$1.71 €1.49

35.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.90 €1.66

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.76 €32.89

$34.16 €29.76

10.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 €3.35

$3.16 €2.76

21.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.49 €1.30

6.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.11 €27.10

$24.56 €21.40

26.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.58

$1.77 €1.54

2.26%

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

$36.5K €31.8K

$36.1K €31.4K

1.08%

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

$34.0K €29.6K

$30.8K €26.8K

10.36%

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

$196 €171

$192 €167

2.41%

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

$18.80 €16.38

$15.81 €13.77

18.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.32 €30.77

$37.90 €33.02

-6.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 €44.15

$46.16 €40.21

9.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 €17.35

$16.68 €14.53

19.36%

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 €10.17

$11.46 €9.98

1.92%

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

$715 €623

$638 €556

12.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K €15.9K

$12.5K €10.9K

45.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.0 €76.6

$91.1 €79.4

-3.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.03 €38.36

$40.03 €34.88

9.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €94.3

$98.0 €85.4

10.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 €98.6

$120 €105

-5.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 €1,365

$1,081 €942

44.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,063

$929 €810

31.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 €2,457

$1,933 €1,684

45.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 €1,630

$1,354 €1,180

38.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,963 €7,808

$3,411 €2,972

162.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,322 €3,765

$2,323 €2,024

86.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,568 €2,237

$4,567 €3,979

-43.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

3.16

-2.22%

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

Last update for Madrid: September 12, 2026

Last update for Castelldefels: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,567 in Madrid and $1,081 in Castelldefels. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelldefels pays 78% 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 $318 vs $261, 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 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 78% lower in Castelldefels. 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: $1,567 in Madrid versus $1,081 in Castelldefels. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,376 per month in Madrid versus $1,951 in Castelldefels – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Castelldefels runs roughly 11% less than in Madrid. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,951 in Castelldefels versus $2,376 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 22% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.