Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and El Ejido Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and El Ejido

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,322 in Madrid versus $1,683 in El Ejido.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Madrid versus $2,507 in El Ejido.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,456 in Madrid versus $3,332 in El Ejido.

Living in Madrid is roughly 38% more expensive than in El Ejido, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 68% above, El Ejido 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 €16.11

$17.63 €15.16

6.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.3

$69.3 €59.6

1.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 €10.23

$11.66 €10.02

2.06%

Cappuccino

$3.21 €2.76

$2.24 €1.92

43.30%

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

$3.37 €2.90

$2.14 €1.84

57.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.46 €1.26

54.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 €3.58

$3.58 €3.08

16.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 €4.58

$3.51 €3.02

51.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.20 €1.03

18.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.71 €1.47

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.70 €1.46

7.65%

Eggs

$4.28 €3.68

$3.38 €2.90

26.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.06 €14.67

$18.22 €15.66

-6.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 €8.28

$9.81 €8.43

-1.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.52 €15.92

$16.39 €14.09

13.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$2.66 €2.29

-1.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.09 €1.80

9.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.96 €1.68

32.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.85 €2.45

-7.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.97 €1.70

13.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.08 €1.79

9.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.27 €1.09

24.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.92

$0.69 €0.59

56.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.91 €5.94

$6.74 €5.79

2.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 €6.99

$5.97 €5.13

36.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.21 €1.04

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.93

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.66 €1.43

6.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.04 €32.70

$38.56 €33.16

-1.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 €3.28

$3.25 €2.79

17.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.42 €1.22

7.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.08 €26.72

$17.77 €15.28

74.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.73 €1.49

6.36%

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

$36.1K €31.0K

$36.5K €31.4K

-1.18%

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

$34.2K €29.4K

$29.7K €25.5K

15.26%

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

$191 €164

$148 €127

29.30%

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

$19.07 €16.39

$19.18 €16.49

-0.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.93 €30.89

$30.83 €26.51

16.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 €43.39

$48.48 €41.68

4.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.37 €16.65

$15.28 €13.14

26.77%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 €9.89

$9.53 €8.20

20.67%

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

$719 €618

$736 €633

-2.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K €15.8K

$9,850 €8,469

86.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 €77.1

$86.3 €74.2

4.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.13 €38.80

$36.75 €31.60

22.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.3

$99.4 €85.4

10.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €98.2

$107 €91.9

6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 €1,356

$929 €799

69.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 €1,033

$704 €605

70.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,842 €2,443

$1,389 €1,194

104.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,883 €1,619

$1,057 €909

78.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,245 €7,949

$3,868 €3,326

139.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,215 €3,624

$2,271 €1,953

85.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,498 €2,148

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

2.99

3.34%

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

Last update for Madrid: September 7, 2026

Last update for El Ejido: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,577 in Madrid and $929 in El Ejido. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Madrid vs $69.0 in El Ejido for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $296 per month, with El Ejido cheaper across the board.

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 El Ejido: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Ejido is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,483 in Madrid and $2,524 in El Ejido to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,577 in Madrid versus $929 in El Ejido. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in El Ejido – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $70.0 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,322 per month in Madrid versus $1,683 in El Ejido – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,683 in El Ejido versus $2,322 in Madrid, a $2,500 budget is realistic in El Ejido but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes El Ejido the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, El Ejido is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Madrid, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Madrid and El Ejido 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 El Ejido gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.