Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Fuenlabrada Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Fuenlabrada

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,273 in Madrid versus $1,743 in Fuenlabrada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Madrid versus $2,577 in Fuenlabrada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,505 in Madrid versus $3,410 in Fuenlabrada.

Living in Madrid is roughly 30% more expensive than Fuenlabrada, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 70% above, Fuenlabrada 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.64 €15.07

$17.47 €14.92

0.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 €60.2

$70.4 €60.1

0.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 €9.95

$10.59 €9.04

10.10%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.64

$2.37 €2.03

30.80%

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

$3.06 €2.62

$3.23 €2.76

-5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.79

$2.03 €1.73

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 €3.48

$3.42 €2.92

19.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.86

$4.50 €3.84

0.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.06

$1.19 €1.02

5.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.07 €0.91

57.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.41

$1.66 €1.42

-0.60%

Eggs

$3.35 €2.86

$2.69 €2.29

24.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.57 €12.44

$14.90 €12.72

-2.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 €7.79

$8.78 €7.50

3.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.67 €14.24

$17.13 €14.63

-2.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 €2.27

$2.76 €2.36

-3.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.89

$2.19 €1.87

0.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 €2.11

$1.97 €1.68

25.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.31

$2.77 €2.37

-2.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 €1.80

$1.81 €1.55

16.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.83

$2.04 €1.74

4.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.20

$1.39 €1.19

1.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.83

$0.62 €0.53

56.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 €6.04

$7.04 €6.01

0.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 €6.94

$8.28 €7.07

-1.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.25 €1.07

11.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.92

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.52

$1.54 €1.31

15.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.86 €41.73

$33.64 €28.73

45.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.55

$4.60 €3.93

-9.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.05 €0.90

31.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 €24.44

$23.47 €20.05

21.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.60

$1.91 €1.63

-1.57%

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

$38.3K €32.7K

$38.1K €32.5K

0.50%

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

$34.4K €29.4K

$34.1K €29.1K

0.85%

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

$192 €164

-0.16%

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

$21.59 €18.44

$21.16 €18.07

2.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.26 €30.12

$35.34 €30.18

-0.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 €45.60

$47.33 €40.42

12.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.72 €15.13

$14.89 €12.72

19.01%

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 €10.06

$11.76 €10.04

0.17%

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

$674 €576

$265 €226

154.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K €10.4K

$12.0K €10.2K

2.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 €81.7

$97.1 €82.9

-1.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.61 €35.53

$36.83 €31.45

12.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.2

$90.8 €77.5

15.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €113

$91.6 €78.3

45.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 €1,362

$848 €725

87.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 €947

$689 €589

60.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,858 €2,441

$1,308 €1,117

118.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 €1,614

$1,017 €869

85.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,394 €8,023

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,583 €3,914

$2,970 €2,537

54.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,602 €2,222

$1,722 €1,471

51.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.38

1.48%

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

Last update for Madrid: April 26, 2026

Last update for Fuenlabrada: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Madrid and $848 in Fuenlabrada. 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 $70.0 in Fuenlabrada. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $279, with Fuenlabrada 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 Fuenlabrada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fuenlabrada is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Madrid pays 51% 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 $848 in Fuenlabrada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $2,273 per month in Madrid versus $1,743 in Fuenlabrada – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,743 in Fuenlabrada versus $2,273 in Madrid, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fuenlabrada but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Fuenlabrada the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fuenlabrada 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 Fuenlabrada 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 Fuenlabrada gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.