Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Escazu Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Escazu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,273 in Madrid versus $2,032 in Escazu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Madrid versus $2,800 in Escazu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,505 in Madrid versus $3,569 in Escazu.

Living in Madrid is roughly 12% more expensive than Escazu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 70% above, Escazu 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.64 €15.10

$10.96 ₡4,984

60.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 €60.3

$59.7 ₡27.2K

17.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 €9.98

$9.90 ₡4,504

17.78%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.65

$3.90 ₡1,773

-20.51%

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

$3.06 €2.62

$2.06 ₡935

48.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.66 ₡757

26.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 €3.48

$3.02 ₡1,372

34.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.87

$4.65 ₡2,117

-2.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$2.06 ₡936

-39.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 €1.44

$2.75 ₡1,250

-38.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.41

$2.21 ₡1,006

-25.34%

Eggs

$3.35 €2.87

$2.94 ₡1,338

13.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.57 €12.47

$9.86 ₡4,484

47.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 €7.80

$9.28 ₡4,219

-1.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.67 €14.27

$13.73 ₡6,243

21.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 €2.28

$4.63 ₡2,106

-42.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.89

$1.49 ₡678

48.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 €2.11

$4.21 ₡1,916

-41.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.32

$3.20 ₡1,456

-15.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$3.57 ₡1,624

-40.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.83

$3.24 ₡1,472

-33.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.20

$0.95 ₡430

48.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.83

$2.96 ₡1,344

-67.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 €6.06

$4.83 ₡2,196

46.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 €6.95

$18.74 ₡8,522

-56.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.76 ₡802

-21.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.92

$2.73 ₡1,242

-17.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.52

$0.96 ₡438

85.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.86 €41.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.56

$1.66 ₡757

150.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.77 ₡805

-22.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 €24.50

$8.10 ₡3,682

253.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.61

$1.39 ₡632

35.25%

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

$38.3K €32.8K

$31.4K ₡14.3M

22.09%

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

$34.4K €29.4K

$32.5K ₡14.8M

5.80%

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

$192 €164

$66.2 ₡30.1K

190.05%

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

$21.59 €18.48

$25.87 ₡11.8K

-16.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.26 €30.19

$50.1 ₡22.8K

-29.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 €45.71

$108 ₡49.0K

-50.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.72 €15.17

$10.16 ₡4,621

74.41%

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 €10.08

$9.78 ₡4,446

20.45%

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

$674 €577

$580 ₡263.5K

16.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K €10.5K

$14.3K ₡6.5M

-14.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 €81.9

$61.7 ₡28.1K

55.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.61 €35.61

$51.2 ₡23.3K

-18.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.4

$126 ₡57.4K

-17.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €114

$105 ₡47.9K

26.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 €1,365

$1,065 ₡484.5K

49.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 €949

$1,059 ₡481.6K

4.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,858 €2,446

$1,681 ₡764.3K

70.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 €1,618

$1,312 ₡596.4K

44.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,394 €8,042

$1,625 ₡738.7K

478.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,583 €3,923

$1,132 ₡514.9K

304.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,602 €2,227

$1,759 ₡799.8K

47.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

10.17

-66.27%

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

Last update for Madrid: April 26, 2026

Last update for Escazu: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Madrid and $1,065 in Escazu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 48% 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: $70.0 in Madrid vs $60.0 in Escazu. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $359, with Madrid cheaper for home cooking.

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 Escazu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Escazu is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Madrid pays 48% 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: $1,595 in Madrid versus $1,065 in Escazu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Madrid pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,273 per month in Madrid versus $2,032 in Escazu – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,032 in Escazu versus $2,273 in Madrid, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Escazu but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Escazu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Escazu 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 Escazu 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 Escazu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.