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: $2,242 in Madrid versus $2,033 in Escazu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,340 in Madrid versus $2,804 in Escazu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,439 in Madrid versus $3,574 in Escazu.

Living in Madrid is roughly 10% more expensive than in Escazu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 68% above, Escazu 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 €15.21

$10.92 ₡4,918

59.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.7

$58.7 ₡26.4K

18.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.25

$10.22 ₡4,606

14.87%

Cappuccino

$3.22 €2.81

$3.91 ₡1,760

-17.65%

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

$3.18 €2.77

$2.04 ₡918

55.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.84

$1.65 ₡744

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.49

$2.95 ₡1,331

35.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.94

$4.73 ₡2,131

-4.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.05

$2.07 ₡931

-42.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.41

$2.86 ₡1,286

-43.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 €1.51

$2.13 ₡959

-18.78%

Eggs

$3.38 €2.95

$3.01 ₡1,355

12.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.68 €12.81

$9.92 ₡4,470

47.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 €7.66

$8.94 ₡4,030

-1.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.04 €14.86

$13.75 ₡6,194

23.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.28

$4.43 ₡1,995

-41.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.44 ₡650

47.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 €2.25

$4.32 ₡1,948

-40.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.30

$3.19 ₡1,436

-17.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$3.55 ₡1,601

-41.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.12 ₡1,407

-31.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.01 ₡454

39.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.87

$2.96 ₡1,335

-66.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €6.00

$4.96 ₡2,233

38.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 €7.27

$18.40 ₡8,292

-54.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.73 ₡781

-20.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.97

$2.77 ₡1,247

-18.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.48

$0.94 ₡424

80.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.95 €43.58

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.63

$1.66 ₡749

150.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.87 ₡842

-26.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.95 €25.26

$8.06 ₡3,630

259.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.40 ₡629

32.14%

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

$37.5K €32.7K

$31.4K ₡14.1M

19.45%

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

$34.4K €30.0K

$32.5K ₡14.6M

5.77%

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

$193 €168

$65.5 ₡29.5K

194.47%

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

$21.04 €18.35

$25.43 ₡11.5K

-17.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.82 €31.26

$50.9 ₡22.9K

-29.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 €46.56

$107 ₡48.3K

-50.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.10 €15.79

$9.86 ₡4,444

83.57%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 €9.94

$9.70 ₡4,369

17.42%

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

$662 €578

$560 ₡252.1K

18.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K €10.5K

$14.1K ₡6.4M

-15.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 €82.4

$61.6 ₡27.8K

53.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.12 €37.62

$51.2 ₡23.1K

-15.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €92.3

$124 ₡55.8K

-14.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €116

$110 ₡49.3K

21.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 €1,366

$1,067 ₡480.7K

46.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 €999

$1,092 ₡491.9K

4.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,860 €2,496

$1,631 ₡734.8K

75.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,661

$1,307 ₡588.7K

45.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,209 €8,035

$1,986 ₡894.6K

363.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,376 €3,818

$1,132 ₡510.1K

286.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,615 €2,281

$1,728 ₡778.4K

51.33%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Escazu: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,565 in Madrid and $1,067 in Escazu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 51% 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 $59.0 in Escazu. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $357, 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 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 51% higher in Madrid, 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: $1,565 in Madrid versus $1,067 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 $2,242 per month in Madrid versus $2,033 in Escazu – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,033 in Escazu versus $2,242 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 10% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.