Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Elche Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Elche

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,265 in Madrid versus $1,456 in Elche.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,314 in Madrid versus $2,121 in Elche.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,362 in Madrid versus $2,785 in Elche.

Living in Madrid is roughly 56% more expensive than Elche, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 69% above, Elche 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.39 €14.84

$15.09 €12.87

15.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 €58.4

$57.2 €48.82

19.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 €9.95

$11.47 €9.78

1.66%

Cappuccino

$3.09 €2.64

$2.12 €1.81

45.75%

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

$3.06 €2.61

$2.27 €1.94

34.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 €1.89

$1.58 €1.35

39.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 €3.42

$2.87 €2.45

39.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.86

$3.50 €2.98

29.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.34 €1.14

-10.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 €1.43

$1.30 €1.11

29.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.67 €1.42

2.99%

Eggs

$3.40 €2.90

$2.93 €2.50

16.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.03 €12.82

$11.64 €9.93

29.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 €7.49

$8.76 €7.47

0.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.18 €14.66

$14.26 €12.16

20.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.25

$2.46 €2.10

7.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 €1.83

$1.89 €1.61

13.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$2.04 €1.74

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.35

$2.30 €1.97

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 €1.81

$1.64 €1.40

29.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 €1.82

$1.88 €1.61

13.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.13 €0.97

22.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.83

$0.70 €0.60

38.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.11 €6.07

$6.02 €5.13

18.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 €6.91

$5.35 €4.56

51.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.13 €0.97

22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.84

$1.89 €1.61

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.47 €1.26

14.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.75 €41.59

$23.48 €20.03

107.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.55

$3.54 €3.02

17.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 €1.12

$1.20 €1.02

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.53 €24.34

$24.66 €21.03

15.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.64

$1.74 €1.49

10.34%

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

$37.8K €32.3K

$35.2K €30.0K

7.50%

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

$33.3K €28.4K

$32.8K €27.9K

1.60%

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

$188 €161

$139 €119

35.39%

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

$21.76 €18.56

$16.53 €14.10

31.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.31 €30.12

$31.61 €26.96

11.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 €45.05

$50.3 €42.94

4.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.10 €15.44

$11.45 €9.77

58.08%

Cinema Ticket

$11.60 €9.89

$9.51 €8.12

21.98%

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

$677 €578

$701 €598

-3.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K €10.3K

$10.8K €9,212

12.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.9 €80.9

$72.4 €61.8

30.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.98 €35.81

$36.18 €30.86

16.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.0

$95.8 €81.7

8.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €115

$110 €94.2

22.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 €1,346

$638 €544

147.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 €951

$571 €487

95.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,765 €2,359

$935 €798

195.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,879 €1,603

$753 €642

149.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,202 €7,849

$2,156 €1,839

326.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,488 €3,829

$1,582 €1,350

183.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 €2,206

$1,675 €1,429

54.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.58

-4.19%

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

Last update for Madrid: April 20, 2026

Last update for Elche: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,578 in Madrid and $638 in Elche. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 54% 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 in Madrid vs $57 in Elche for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $251 per month, with Elche 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 Elche: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Elche wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Madrid. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Elche the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Madrid pays 54% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,578 in Madrid versus $638 in Elche. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Elche – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $68.0 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,265 per month in Madrid versus $1,456 in Elche – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,456 in Elche versus $2,265 in Madrid, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Elche but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Elche the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Elche delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,456 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Elche hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Madrid and Elche 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 Elche gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.