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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,265 per month in Madrid vs $1,621 in Chartres, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,314 per month in Madrid vs $2,438 in Chartres, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,362 per month in Madrid vs $3,256 in Chartres, rent included.

Madrid costs about 40% more than Chartres, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Madrid and Chartres sit above the global median – Madrid by 69%, Chartres by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.39 €14.84

$17.13 €14.61

1.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 €58.4

$56.0 €47.78

22.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 €9.95

$10.88 €9.28

7.17%

Cappuccino

$3.09 €2.64

$3.15 €2.69

-1.90%

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

$3.06 €2.61

$2.96 €2.53

3.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 €1.89

$1.94 €1.66

13.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 €3.42

$6.39 €5.45

-37.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.86

$5.80 €4.95

-21.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.13 €0.96

6.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 €1.43

$1.75 €1.49

-4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$2.34 €2.00

-26.50%

Eggs

$3.40 €2.90

$4.05 €3.46

-16.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.03 €12.82

$22.69 €19.35

-33.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 €7.49

$13.39 €11.42

-34.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.18 €14.66

$17.62 €15.03

-2.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.25

$3.77 €3.22

-29.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 €1.83

$2.24 €1.91

-4.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$2.38 €2.03

7.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.35

$3.19 €2.72

-13.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 €1.81

$1.90 €1.62

11.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 €1.82

$1.18 €1.01

80.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.13 €0.96

22.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.83

$0.69 €0.59

40.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.11 €6.07

$11.50 €9.81

-38.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 €6.91

$7.19 €6.13

12.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$2.41 €2.06

-42.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.84

$4.31 €3.68

-49.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.73 €1.47

-2.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.75 €41.59

$49.41 €42.15

-1.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.55

$4.53 €3.86

-8.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 €1.12

$1.83 €1.56

-27.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.53 €24.34

$32.06 €27.34

-11.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.64

$2.06 €1.75

-6.80%

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

$37.8K €32.3K

$17.2K €14.6K

120.46%

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

$33.3K €28.4K

$25.1K €21.4K

32.51%

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

$188 €161

$197 €168

-4.40%

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

$21.76 €18.56

$21.77 €18.57

-0.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.31 €30.12

$29.83 €25.44

18.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 €45.05

$29.10 €24.83

81.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.10 €15.44

$18.54 €15.81

-2.37%

Cinema Ticket

$11.60 €9.89

$14.26 €12.17

-18.65%

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

$677 €578

$573 €489

18.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K €10.3K

$8,508 €7,257

42.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.9 €80.9

$88.8 €75.7

6.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.98 €35.81

$37.29 €31.81

12.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.0

$83.9 €71.6

24.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €115

$98.4 €84.0

37.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 €1,346

$781 €666

102.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 €951

$493 €421

126.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,765 €2,359

$927 €791

198.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,879 €1,603

$803 €685

134.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,202 €7,849

$4,281 €3,652

114.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,488 €3,829

$3,025 €2,580

48.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 €2,206

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.69

-7.05%

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

Last update for Madrid: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chartres: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,578 in Madrid versus $781 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 $68 in Madrid versus $56 in Chartres. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Madrid vs $356 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 40% 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 $3,398 per month in Madrid and $2,431 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 $677 per month in Madrid and $573 in Chartres. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% 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 $1,621, than in Madrid at $2,265. 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 $1,621 versus $2,265 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.