Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Castello de la Plana

For one person, living is cheaper in Castello de la Plana: $1,477 a month against $2,304 in Madrid, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Madrid, Spain
Castello de la Plana, Spain
Madrid
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,304
/mo nomad
Castello de la Plana
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,477
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Madrid and in Castello de la Plana

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Madrid and in Castello de la Plana actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,304 per month in Madrid vs $1,477 in Castello de la Plana, rent included.

  • Madrid $2,304
  • Castello de la Plana $1,477

A couple spends around $3,389 per month in Madrid vs $2,147 in Castello de la Plana, rent included.

  • Madrid $3,389
  • Castello de la Plana $2,147

A family of three spends $4,475 per month in Madrid vs $2,818 in Castello de la Plana, rent included.

  • Madrid $4,475
  • Castello de la Plana $2,818

Madrid costs about 56% more than Castello de la Plana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Madrid and Castello de la Plana sit above the global median – Madrid by 69%, Castello de la Plana by 8%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Madrid
Castello de la Plana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.73 €15.88
$14.54 €13.02
21.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.9 €59.9
$55.4 €49.61
20.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.30 €10.12
$7.89 €7.07
43.22%
Cappuccino
$3.04 €2.72
$2.20 €1.97
38.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36 €3.01
$2.23 €2.00
50.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 €2.11
$1.35 €1.21
74.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.89 €3.49
$3.45 €3.09
12.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.80 €4.30
$3.25 €2.91
47.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Madrid
Castello de la Plana
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.18
$1.12 €1.00
17.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.64 €1.47
$1.58 €1.41
3.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 €1.54
$1.61 €1.44
6.83%
Eggs
$4.20 €3.77
$2.95 €2.64
42.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.91 €14.24
$14.82 €13.27
7.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.36 €8.38
$8.21 €7.36
14.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.21 €15.41
$14.94 €13.38
15.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 €2.29
$2.57 €2.30
-0.39%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 €1.88
$1.95 €1.75
7.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 €2.28
$1.66 €1.49
53.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.58 €2.31
$2.48 €2.22
4.03%
Potato (1kg)
$2.31 €2.07
$1.80 €1.61
28.33%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 €1.94
$1.90 €1.70
14.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 €1.35
$1.18 €1.06
27.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.62 €0.55
72.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.57 €5.88
$6.63 €5.94
-0.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.87 €7.05
$5.75 €5.15
36.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 €1.08
$1.01 €0.90
19.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 €1.94
$2.12 €1.90
2.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Madrid
Castello de la Plana
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.67 €1.50
$1.37 €1.23
21.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$37.53 €33.61
$17.82 €15.96
110.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.76 €3.37
$2.99 €2.68
25.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.33
$1.31 €1.18
13.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.17 €27.02
$14.72 €13.18
104.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.85 €1.65
$1.78 €1.59
3.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K €30.3K
$30.8K €27.6K
10.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K €29.8K
$31.1K €27.8K
7.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
Castello de la Plana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$192 €172
$114 €102
68.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.66 €15.81
$13.52 €12.11
30.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.07 €31.41
$25.57 €22.90
37.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
Castello de la Plana
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.27 €42.34
$45.10 €40.39
4.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.23 €16.32
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.29 €10.11
$8.33 €7.46
35.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Madrid
Castello de la Plana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$687 €615
$558 €500
23.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.0K €16.1K
$9,464 €8,476
90.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
Castello de la Plana
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.5 €77.5
$63.1 €56.5
37.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.65 €37.30
$21.61 €19.36
92.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 €96.8
$94.4 €84.6
14.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 €100.0
$103 €92.4
8.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Madrid
Castello de la Plana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,508 €1,351
$732 €655
106.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,210 €1,083
$637 €570
89.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,829 €2,534
$1,024 €917
176.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,004 €1,795
$863 €773
132.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,002 €8,062
$1,806 €1,617
398.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,710 €4,218
$1,390 €1,245
238.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Madrid
Castello de la Plana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,453 €2,197
$1,763 €1,579
39.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.14
2.99
5.02%

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

Last update for Madrid: October 24, 2026

Last update for Castello de la Plana: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Madrid
$1.2K
Castello de la Plana
$637 47.4% $573
Groceries & Markets
Madrid
$304
Castello de la Plana
$261 14.1% $43
Eating Out
Madrid
$264
Castello de la Plana
$204 22.6% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
$244
Castello de la Plana
$153 37.5% $92
Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
$157
Castello de la Plana
$127 18.9% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
$70
Castello de la Plana
$62 11.6% $8.1
Getting Around
Madrid
$55
Castello de la Plana
$33 40.7% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,508 in Madrid versus $732 in Castello de la Plana. 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 39% 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 $67 in Madrid versus $55 in Castello de la Plana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $304 vs $261 – making Castello de la Plana the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Madrid
🇪🇸 Castello de la Plana
🕒 Local time
21:17 9:17 PM
21:17 9:17 PM
Same time as Madrid
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,332,035 Capital
176,238
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Madrid Castello de la Plana 310 km
From you
  • Madrid
  • Castello de la Plana

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Castello de la Plana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Madrid and in Castello de la Plana compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,304 in Madrid, $1,477 in Castello de la Plana – Castello de la Plana comes out roughly 36% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Madrid compared to Castello de la Plana?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,456 per month in Madrid and $2,215 in Castello de la Plana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Madrid and Castello de la Plana?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Castello de la Plana, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $732 there versus $1,508 in Madrid.
How do commuting costs compare in Madrid and in Castello de la Plana?
Public transport costs about 53% less in Castello de la Plana. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Madrid and Castello de la Plana?
Kindergarten costs $687 per month in Madrid and $558 in Castello de la Plana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Castello de la Plana, where all-in costs run around $1,477, than in Madrid at $2,304. In Castello de la Plana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Madrid or Castello de la Plana?
Families tend to lean toward Castello de la Plana – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Madrid or Castello de la Plana safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Madrid and Castello de la Plana?
If budget matters most, go with Castello de la Plana. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Madrid makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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