Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Cuenca Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Cuenca

Name: Cuenca
Address: Cuenca, ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,253 per month in Madrid vs $1,466 in Cuenca, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,329 per month in Madrid vs $2,080 in Cuenca, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,404 per month in Madrid vs $2,693 in Cuenca, rent included.

Madrid costs about 54% more than Cuenca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Madrid and Cuenca sit above the global median – Madrid by 68%, Cuenca by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.05 €14.66

$16.63 €14.30

2.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 €59.0

$46.85 €40.30

46.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.73 €10.09

$9.42 €8.10

24.52%

Cappuccino

$3.06 €2.63

$2.28 €1.97

34.21%

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

$3.21 €2.76

$2.04 €1.75

57.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.52 €1.30

43.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 €3.39

$2.34 €2.01

68.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.02

$3.44 €2.96

35.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.02 €0.88

17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 €1.45

$1.38 €1.19

21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.44 €1.24

17.36%

Eggs

$3.34 €2.88

$2.61 €2.25

27.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.91 €12.83

$16.47 €14.17

-9.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.93 €7.68

$9.55 €8.21

-6.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.84 €14.49

$14.09 €12.12

19.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.34

$2.95 €2.53

-7.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.56 €1.34

35.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$1.57 €1.35

61.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$3.34 €2.87

-20.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.83 €1.58

17.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.99 €1.71

5.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.37 €1.18

-1.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.84

$1.12 €0.96

-13.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.87

$5.89 €5.07

15.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 €7.01

$4.68 €4.03

74.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.21 €1.04

14.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.78 €1.53

23.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.26 €1.08

40.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.07 €42.21

$33.52 €28.83

46.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 €3.45

$4.54 €3.91

-11.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.00 €0.86

33.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.19 €25.11

$29.06 €25.00

0.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.81 €1.55

6.63%

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

$37.2K €32.0K

$38.6K €33.2K

-3.65%

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

$34.4K €29.6K

$30.2K €26.0K

13.79%

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

$195 €167

$134 €115

45.22%

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

$21.66 €18.64

$19.32 €16.62

12.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.51 €30.54

$27.30 €23.48

30.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 €46.26

$46.04 €39.60

16.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.95 €15.44

$14.34 €12.34

25.17%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 €9.94

$8.57 €7.37

34.77%

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

$676 €582

$344 €296

96.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K €10.4K

$9,730 €8,370

24.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.2 €81.1

$69.0 €59.4

36.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 €36.79

$40.15 €34.54

6.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €90.9

$99.3 €85.4

6.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €116

$116 €99.5

16.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 €1,347

$701 €603

123.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 €988

$511 €440

124.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,826 €2,431

$825 €710

242.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 €1,621

$640 €550

194.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,077 €7,808

$3,408 €2,931

166.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,511 €3,880

$2,256 €1,940

99.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,626 €2,259

$1,444 €1,242

81.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.62

-5.25%

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

Last update for Madrid: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,566 in Madrid versus $701 in Cuenca. 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 82% 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 $69.0 in Madrid versus $47.00 in Cuenca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $274 – making Cuenca the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cuenca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,253 in Madrid, $1,466 in Cuenca – roughly 54% apart. Madrid costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,380 per month in Madrid and $2,199 in Cuenca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $676 per month in Madrid and $344 in Cuenca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Madrid, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cuenca, where all-in costs run around $1,466, than in Madrid at $2,253. In Cuenca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Madrid has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,466 in Cuenca to $2,253 in Madrid. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Cuenca. 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.