Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Cordoba

For one person, living is cheaper in Cordoba: $1,620 a month against $2,304 in Madrid, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Madrid, Spain
Cordoba, Spain
Madrid
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,304
/mo nomad
Cordoba
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,620
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Madrid and in Cordoba

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

A single person spends $2,304 per month in Madrid vs $1,620 in Cordoba, rent included.

  • Madrid $2,304
  • Cordoba $1,620

A couple spends around $3,389 per month in Madrid vs $2,432 in Cordoba, rent included.

  • Madrid $3,389
  • Cordoba $2,432

A family of three spends $4,475 per month in Madrid vs $3,245 in Cordoba, rent included.

  • Madrid $4,475
  • Cordoba $3,245

Madrid costs about 42% more than Cordoba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Madrid and Cordoba sit above the global median – Madrid by 69%, Cordoba by 19%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Madrid
Cordoba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.73 €15.93
$13.16 €11.82
34.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.9 €60.1
$55.1 €49.50
21.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.30 €10.15
$9.34 €8.39
20.99%
Cappuccino
$3.04 €2.73
$2.57 €2.31
18.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36 €3.02
$2.41 €2.17
39.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 €2.11
$1.60 €1.44
46.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.89 €3.50
$2.76 €2.48
40.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.80 €4.31
$3.28 €2.95
46.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Madrid
Cordoba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.18
$0.96 €0.87
37.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.64 €1.47
$1.58 €1.42
3.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 €1.55
$1.50 €1.34
14.67%
Eggs
$4.20 €3.78
$2.51 €2.26
67.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.91 €14.29
$11.11 €9.98
43.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.36 €8.41
$7.80 €7.01
20.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.21 €15.46
$16.27 €14.62
5.78%
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 €2.30
$2.61 €2.34
-1.92%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 €1.88
$1.55 €1.40
34.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 €2.29
$1.61 €1.45
58.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.58 €2.32
$2.16 €1.94
19.44%
Potato (1kg)
$2.31 €2.08
$1.67 €1.50
38.32%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 €1.95
$2.09 €1.87
3.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 €1.35
$0.90 €0.81
66.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.51 €0.46
109.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.57 €5.90
$7.01 €6.30
-6.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.87 €7.07
$4.55 €4.09
72.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 €1.09
$1.46 €1.31
-17.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 €1.95
$2.09 €1.88
3.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Madrid
Cordoba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.67 €1.50
$1.49 €1.34
12.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$37.53 €33.71
$58.8 €52.9
-36.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.76 €3.38
$3.27 €2.93
14.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.34
$2.06 €1.85
-27.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.17 €27.10
$27.80 €24.97
8.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.85 €1.66
$1.74 €1.56
6.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K €30.4K
$33.7K €30.3K
0.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K €29.9K
$31.6K €28.4K
5.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
Cordoba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$192 €172
$183 €165
4.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.66 €15.86
$19.41 €17.43
-9.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.07 €31.51
$29.94 €26.90
17.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
Cordoba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.27 €42.46
$48.91 €43.94
-3.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.23 €16.37
$11.67 €10.48
56.21%
Cinema Ticket
$11.29 €10.14
$9.02 €8.10
25.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Madrid
Cordoba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$687 €617
$313 €281
119.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.0K €16.2K
$6,765 €6,077
165.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
Cordoba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.5 €77.7
$91.5 €82.2
-5.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.65 €37.41
$32.63 €29.31
27.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 €97.1
$82.0 €73.7
31.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 €100
$117 €105
-4.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Madrid
Cordoba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,508 €1,355
$771 €692
95.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,210 €1,087
$654 €588
84.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,829 €2,541
$1,909 €1,715
48.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,004 €1,800
$1,107 €995
80.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,002 €8,086
$2,689 €2,416
234.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,710 €4,231
$2,118 €1,903
122.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Madrid
Cordoba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,453 €2,204
$1,854 €1,665
32.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.14
3.18
-1.26%

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

Last update for Madrid: October 24, 2026

Last update for Cordoba: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Madrid
$1.2K
Cordoba
$654 45.9% $555
Groceries & Markets
Madrid
$304
Cordoba
$242 20.5% $62
Eating Out
Madrid
$264
Cordoba
$201 24.1% $64
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
$244
Cordoba
$233 4.7% $12
Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
$157
Cordoba
$146 7% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
$70
Cordoba
$67 4.1% $2.9
Getting Around
Madrid
$55
Cordoba
$78 41.4% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,508 in Madrid versus $771 in Cordoba. 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 32% 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 Cordoba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $304 vs $242 – making Cordoba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Madrid
🇪🇸 Cordoba
🕒 Local time
21:33 9:33 PM
21:33 9:33 PM
Same time as Madrid
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,332,035 Capital
323,763
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
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  • Madrid Cordoba 300 km
From you
  • Madrid
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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 Cordoba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cordoba cheaper than Madrid?
Yes – Madrid is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,456 per month in Madrid and $2,430 in Cordoba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cordoba, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $771 there versus $1,508 in Madrid.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $687 per month in Madrid and $313 in Cordoba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Madrid and in Cordoba?
Groceries cost about 26% more in Madrid, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is Madrid or Cordoba more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cordoba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Madrid or Cordoba?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cordoba. 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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