Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Ceuta

For one person, living is cheaper in Ceuta: $1,464 a month against $2,326 in Madrid, rent and utilities included – about $10,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Madrid, Spain
Ceuta, Spain
Madrid
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,326
/mo nomad
Ceuta
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,464
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Madrid and in Ceuta

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 Ceuta actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,326 per month in Madrid vs $1,464 in Ceuta, rent included.

  • Madrid $2,326
  • Ceuta $1,464

A couple spends around $3,414 per month in Madrid vs $2,168 in Ceuta, rent included.

  • Madrid $3,414
  • Ceuta $2,168

A family of three spends $4,502 per month in Madrid vs $2,872 in Ceuta, rent included.

  • Madrid $4,502
  • Ceuta $2,872

Madrid costs about 59% more than Ceuta, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Madrid and Ceuta sit above the global median – Madrid by 72%, Ceuta by 8%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Madrid
Ceuta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.67 €16.64
$12.41 €11.06
50.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.2
$38.84 €34.60
73.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.44 €11.09
$8.84 €7.87
40.72%
Cappuccino
$3.20 €2.85
$2.29 €2.04
39.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29 €2.93
$2.88 €2.57
14.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 €2.09
$2.18 €1.94
7.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.85 €3.43
$3.38 €3.01
13.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.71 €4.20
$4.39 €3.91
7.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Madrid
Ceuta
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 €1.24
$0.77 €0.69
80.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.64 €1.46
$1.14 €1.01
43.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.69 €1.50
$1.32 €1.17
28.03%
Eggs
$4.04 €3.60
$2.66 €2.37
51.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.48 €14.68
$8.52 €7.59
93.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.16 €8.16
$7.06 €6.29
29.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.27 €15.38
$9.01 €8.03
91.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.51 €2.24
$2.52 €2.24
-0.40%
Banana (1kg)
$2.17 €1.94
$1.62 €1.44
33.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.52 €2.25
$1.03 €0.91
144.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.48 €2.21
$1.53 €1.37
62.09%
Potato (1kg)
$2.31 €2.06
$1.11 €0.99
108.11%
Onion (1kg)
$2.05 €1.82
$1.66 €1.48
23.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.49 €1.33
$1.06 €0.94
40.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 €0.93
$0.29 €0.26
262.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.85 €6.10
$6.59 €5.87
3.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.80 €6.95
$4.51 €4.02
72.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 €1.08
$0.47 €0.42
157.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 €2.00
$1.13 €1.01
98.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Madrid
Ceuta
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.72 €1.53
$0.92 €0.82
86.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$37.26 €33.19
$30.37 €27.06
22.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.21 €2.86
$2.18 €1.94
47.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.61 €1.43
$1.14 €1.02
41.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.80 €27.44
$11.01 €9.81
179.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.28 €1.14
42.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.6K
$30.0K €26.7K
10.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.3K €28.8K
$31.5K €28.1K
2.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
Ceuta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$182 €162
$157 €140
15.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.24 €15.36
$12.74 €11.35
35.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.81 €31.01
$26.20 €23.34
32.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
Ceuta
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.26 €42.10
$38.43 €34.24
22.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.30 €16.31
$17.04 €15.18
7.39%
Cinema Ticket
$11.18 €9.95
$9.15 €8.15
22.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Madrid
Ceuta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$696 €620
$349 €311
99.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.9K €16.0K
$7,920 €7,055
126.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
Ceuta
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.0 €76.6
$63.6 €56.7
35.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.09 €38.39
$33.07 €29.46
30.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 €97.7
$74.3 €66.2
47.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 €99.5
$89.4 €79.7
24.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Madrid
Ceuta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,525 €1,358
$808 €720
88.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,229 €1,095
$668 €595
83.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,815 €2,508
$1,464 €1,304
92.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,793
$1,151 €1,026
74.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,105 €8,111
$3,408 €3,035
167.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,699 €4,186
$2,030 €1,809
131.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Madrid
Ceuta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,487 €2,215
$2,361 €2,103
5.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.15
3.32
-5.12%

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

Last update for Madrid: November 1, 2026

Last update for Ceuta: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Madrid
$1.2K
Ceuta
$668 45.6% $561
Groceries & Markets
Madrid
$304
Ceuta
$185 39.2% $119
Eating Out
Madrid
$276
Ceuta
$199 27.9% $77
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
$234
Ceuta
$196 16.2% $38
Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
$158
Ceuta
$117 25.7% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
$70
Ceuta
$57 18.5% $13
Getting Around
Madrid
$55
Ceuta
$42 24.2% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,525 in Madrid versus $808 in Ceuta. 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 5% 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 $68 in Madrid versus $39 in Ceuta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $304 vs $185 – making Ceuta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Madrid
🇪🇸 Ceuta
🕒 Local time
22:15 10:15 PM
22:15 10:15 PM
Same time as Madrid
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,332,035 Capital
83,039
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Madrid Ceuta 520 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Madrid
  • Ceuta

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 Ceuta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Madrid and in Ceuta compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,326 in Madrid, $1,464 in Ceuta – Ceuta comes out roughly 37% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Madrid compared to Ceuta?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,489 per month in Madrid and $2,196 in Ceuta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Madrid and Ceuta?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ceuta, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $808 there versus $1,525 in Madrid.
Which city is more expensive overall: Madrid or Ceuta?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,326 in Madrid and $1,464 in Ceuta. That makes Ceuta about 37% cheaper.
How do commuting costs compare in Madrid and in Ceuta?
Public transport costs about 18% less in Ceuta. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ceuta, where all-in costs run around $1,464, than in Madrid at $2,326. In Ceuta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Madrid or Ceuta?
Families tend to lean toward Ceuta – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Madrid or Ceuta 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 Ceuta?
If budget matters most, go with Ceuta. 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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