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: $2,376 in Madrid versus $1,922 in Escazu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,429 in Madrid versus $2,968 in Escazu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,482 in Madrid versus $4,014 in Escazu.

Living in Madrid is roughly 24% more expensive than in Escazu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 74% above, Escazu 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.11 €15.70

$12.15 ₡5,401

49.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.7

$58.9 ₡26.2K

19.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 €10.33

$11.48 ₡5,101

3.83%

Cappuccino

$3.14 €2.72

$4.30 ₡1,912

-26.98%

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

$3.24 €2.81

$2.68 ₡1,192

20.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €2.00

$1.93 ₡858

19.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.14 €3.58

$3.31 ₡1,469

25.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 €4.59

$4.33 ₡1,926

22.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 €1.22

$2.34 ₡1,040

-39.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 €1.39

$3.13 ₡1,391

-48.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$2.42 ₡1,076

-26.03%

Eggs

$4.24 €3.67

$3.52 ₡1,565

20.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.25 €14.95

$11.00 ₡4,890

56.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.78 €8.48

$10.60 ₡4,713

-7.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.17 €15.75

$14.12 ₡6,278

28.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 €2.25

$5.07 ₡2,253

-48.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.61 ₡714

45.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 €2.28

$3.20 ₡1,422

-17.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 €2.33

$3.16 ₡1,403

-14.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 €1.95

$3.77 ₡1,675

-40.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$3.71 ₡1,651

-39.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.00 ₡445

56.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.97

$1.71 ₡759

-35.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €5.97

$5.54 ₡2,461

24.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 €6.89

$19.25 ₡8,556

-58.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.05

$1.67 ₡743

-27.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 €2.01

$2.77 ₡1,232

-16.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 €1.48

$1.11 ₡495

54.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.76 €32.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 €3.33

$2.10 ₡932

82.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.37

$1.63 ₡726

-3.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.11 €26.96

$8.77 ₡3,896

254.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.57

$1.47 ₡652

23.13%

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

$36.5K €31.6K

$21.8K ₡9.7M

66.98%

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

$34.0K €29.4K

$34.7K ₡15.4M

-2.03%

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

$196 €170

$97.4 ₡43.3K

101.44%

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

$18.80 €16.29

$30.08 ₡13.4K

-37.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.32 €30.61

$63.0 ₡28.0K

-43.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 €43.92

$109 ₡48.4K

-53.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 €17.25

$9.96 ₡4,427

99.90%

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 €10.12

$8.36 ₡3,715

39.71%

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

$715 €620

$450 ₡199.9K

59.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K €15.8K

$17.0K ₡7.5M

7.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.0 €76.2

$72.7 ₡32.3K

20.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.03 €38.16

$55.4 ₡24.6K

-20.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €93.8

$133 ₡58.9K

-18.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 €98.1

$134 ₡59.7K

-15.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 €1,358

$843 ₡374.7K

85.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,058

$836 ₡371.6K

45.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 €2,444

$1,922 ₡854.0K

46.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 €1,622

$1,497 ₡665.2K

25.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,963 €7,767

$1,378 ₡612.4K

550.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,322 €3,745

$945 ₡420.1K

357.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,568 €2,225

$1,803 ₡801.3K

42.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

8.78

-64.81%

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

Last update for Madrid: September 12, 2026

Last update for Escazu: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,567 in Madrid and $843 in Escazu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 42% 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 $318 vs $366, 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, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 42% 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: $1,567 in Madrid versus $843 in Escazu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Madrid pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,376 per month in Madrid versus $1,922 in Escazu – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,922 in Escazu versus $2,376 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 24% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.