Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and East Lansing, MI

For one person, living costs are similar in Madrid and in East Lansing, MI: $2,265 and $2,318 a month, rent and utilities included.

111

Cost of Living Index in Madrid
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Madrid Living Index
113

Cost of Living Index in East Lansing, MI
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East Lansing, MI Living Index

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Madrid

🇪🇸 Spain

$2,265

/mo nomad

East Lansing, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,318

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Madrid and in East Lansing, MI

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 East Lansing, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,265 in Madrid versus $2,318 in East Lansing, MI.

Madrid $2,265
East Lansing, MI $2,318

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,296 in Madrid versus $3,429 in East Lansing, MI.

Madrid $3,296
East Lansing, MI $3,429

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,328 in Madrid versus $4,540 in East Lansing, MI.

Madrid $4,328
East Lansing, MI $4,540

Living in Madrid costs roughly 2% less than in East Lansing, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 68% above, East Lansing, MI 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 €16.19

$16.62 $16.62

9.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €60.5

$73.9 $73.9

-7.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.24 €9.99

$12.21 $12.21

-7.94%

Cappuccino

$3.15 €2.80

$5.24 $5.24

-39.89%

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

$3.36 €2.99

$2.46 $2.46

36.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.10

$2.20 $2.20

7.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.83 €3.40

$4.93 $4.93

-22.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 €4.38

$6.47 $6.47

-23.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.17

$0.84 $0.84

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 €1.43

$2.92 $2.92

-44.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.47

$5.18 $5.18

-68.15%

Eggs

$4.07 €3.62

$2.75 $2.75

48.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.82 €14.07

$10.93 $10.93

44.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.44

$16.78 $16.78

-43.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.52 €15.59

$16.59 $16.59

5.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 €2.27

$5.24 $5.24

-51.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 €1.86

$1.53 $1.53

36.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 €2.19

$6.76 $6.76

-63.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 €2.22

$3.61 $3.61

-31.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 €2.01

$5.81 $5.81

-61.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 €1.91

$5.66 $5.66

-62.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 €1.40

$2.15 $2.15

-26.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.95

$3.96 $3.96

-72.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.82

$9.58 $9.58

-31.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 €6.81

$16.14 $16.14

-52.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.04

$1.94 $1.94

-39.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.97

$1.52 $1.52

46.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 €1.45

$1.60 $1.60

1.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.42 €32.39

$50.5 $50.5

-27.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 €3.32

$9.80 $9.80

-61.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 €1.37

$3.20 $3.20

-51.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.17 €25.95

$9.93 $9.93

193.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.58

$0.97 $0.97

83.51%

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

$35.5K €31.6K

$34.5K $34.5K

2.90%

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

$33.2K €29.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

28.69%

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

$189 €168

$173 $173

9.49%

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

$17.48 €15.55

$54.1 $54.1

-67.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.32 €30.53

$63.1 $63.1

-45.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.62 €43.25

$36.22 $36.22

34.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.44 €16.40

$15.24 $15.24

21.00%

Cinema Ticket

$11.04 €9.82

$11.21 $11.21

-1.52%

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

$693 €617

$645 $645

7.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.8K

$11.0K $11.0K

61.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 €75.3

$54.2 $54.2

56.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.50 €37.80

$37.29 $37.29

13.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €98.1

$69.0 $69.0

59.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 €99.9

$85.0 $85.0

32.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 €1,339

$1,231 $1,231

22.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 €1,041

$1,041 $1,041

12.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,756 €2,451

$2,063 $2,063

33.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 €1,641

$1,684 $1,684

9.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,168 €8,155

$2,070 $2,070

342.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,234 €3,766

$1,594 $1,594

165.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,483 €2,209

$6,117 $6,117

-59.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.14

6.56

-52.13%

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

Last update for Madrid: October 11, 2026

Last update for East Lansing, MI: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Madrid

$1.2K 51.7%

East Lansing, MI

$1K 44.9% 11% $128

Groceries & Markets

Madrid

$303 13.4%

East Lansing, MI

$446 19.3% 47.2% $143

Eating Out

Madrid

$269 11.9%

East Lansing, MI

$289 12.5% 7.3% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Madrid

$241 10.6%

East Lansing, MI

$290 12.5% 20.3% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Madrid

$157 7%

East Lansing, MI

$110 4.8% 29.8% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Madrid

$71 3.1%

East Lansing, MI

$59 2.5% 17.1% $12

Getting Around

Madrid

$54 2.4%

East Lansing, MI

$83 3.6% 52% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,506 in Madrid and $1,231 in East Lansing, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

East Lansing, MI pays 146% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Madrid vs $74.0 in East Lansing, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $446 per month, with Madrid cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇪🇸 Madrid

🇺🇸 East Lansing, MI

🕒 Local time

11:34 11:34 AM

05:34 5:34 AM

6 h behind Madrid

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,332,035 Capital

47,741

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Madrid East Lansing, MI 6,450 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Madrid
East Lansing, MI

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 East Lansing, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madrid and East Lansing, MI differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,265 vs $2,318 including rent). Madrid is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 146% lower in East Lansing, MI. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,506 in Madrid versus $1,231 in East Lansing, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,265 per month in Madrid versus $2,318 in East Lansing, MI – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Madrid runs roughly 39% less than in East Lansing, MI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,265 in Madrid versus $2,318 in East Lansing, MI, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Madrid but tight or insufficient in East Lansing, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Madrid the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Madrid and East Lansing, MI are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Madrid gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in East Lansing, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.