Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Chartres Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Chartres

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,322 per month in Madrid vs $1,803 in Chartres, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,389 per month in Madrid vs $2,744 in Chartres, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,456 per month in Madrid vs $3,684 in Chartres, rent included.

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

Both Madrid and Chartres sit above the global median – Madrid by 68%, Chartres by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 €16.15

$14.94 €12.88

25.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.5

$53.0 €45.71

32.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 €10.26

$11.17 €9.63

6.54%

Cappuccino

$3.21 €2.76

$2.63 €2.27

22.05%

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

$3.37 €2.91

$2.78 €2.40

21.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.57 €1.35

43.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 €3.59

$8.20 €7.07

-49.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 €4.60

$5.65 €4.87

-5.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.30 €1.12

9.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.40

$2.11 €1.82

-23.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.58

$3.56 €3.07

-48.60%

Eggs

$4.28 €3.69

$3.72 €3.21

15.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.06 €14.71

$17.96 €15.48

-5.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 €8.30

$13.78 €11.88

-30.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.52 €15.96

$24.58 €21.19

-24.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$3.59 €3.10

-26.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.06 €1.78

11.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 €2.24

$2.65 €2.28

-2.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$3.43 €2.96

-23.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.50 €2.15

-10.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.46 €2.98

-34.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.61 €1.39

-1.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.93 €0.80

16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.91 €5.96

$13.86 €11.95

-50.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 €7.00

$6.94 €5.98

17.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$3.57 €3.08

-65.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$3.67 €3.16

-38.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.96 €1.69

-10.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.04 €32.79

$49.69 €42.84

-23.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 €3.29

$4.68 €4.03

-18.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 €1.32

$2.11 €1.82

-27.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.08 €26.79

$32.60 €28.10

-4.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.17 €1.87

-15.21%

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

$36.1K €31.1K

$17.1K €14.7K

111.09%

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

$34.2K €29.5K

$25.1K €21.6K

36.50%

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

$191 €165

$161 €139

18.35%

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

$19.07 €16.43

$13.56 €11.69

40.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.93 €30.97

$32.45 €27.97

10.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 €43.50

$37.44 €32.27

34.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.37 €16.69

$13.67 €11.78

41.70%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 €9.92

$13.72 €11.82

-16.18%

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

$719 €620

$832 €717

-13.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K €15.8K

$10.5K €9,019

75.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 €77.3

$108 €92.8

-16.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.13 €38.90

$60.7 €52.4

-25.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.5

$115 €99.2

-4.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €98.4

$100 €86.2

14.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 €1,360

$793 €684

98.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 €1,036

$628 €542

91.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,842 €2,450

$1,456 €1,255

95.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,883 €1,623

$1,165 €1,005

61.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,245 €7,970

$4,154 €3,581

122.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,215 €3,633

$2,152 €1,855

95.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,498 €2,154

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

3.91

-20.97%

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

Last update for Madrid: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chartres: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,577 in Madrid versus $793 in Chartres. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Madrid versus $53.0 in Chartres. Groceries tell a different story – $318 in Madrid vs $389 in Chartres – so Madrid wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Chartres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madrid costs about 29% more than Chartres, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,483 per month in Madrid and $2,704 in Chartres. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $719 per month in Madrid and $832 in Chartres. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Madrid – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chartres, where all-in costs run around $1,803, than in Madrid at $2,322. In Chartres it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chartres costs $1,803 versus $2,322 in Madrid. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chartres. 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.