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: $2,270 in Madrid versus $1,726 in Fuenlabrada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,352 in Madrid versus $2,509 in Fuenlabrada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,434 in Madrid versus $3,293 in Fuenlabrada.

Living in Madrid is roughly 32% more expensive than Fuenlabrada, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 69% above, Fuenlabrada 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.07 €14.71

$17.08 €14.72

-0.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €59.9

$70.2 €60.5

-1.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 €10.27

$10.22 €8.80

16.63%

Cappuccino

$3.09 €2.66

$2.42 €2.09

27.69%

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

$3.10 €2.67

$3.09 €2.67

0.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.12 €1.83

-0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.14 €3.57

$3.41 €2.94

21.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 €3.96

$4.56 €3.93

0.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.13 €0.98

5.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.10 €0.95

54.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

Eggs

$3.48 €3.00

$2.65 €2.29

31.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.73 €12.69

$14.92 €12.85

-1.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.07 €7.82

$9.10 €7.84

-0.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.75 €14.44

$16.90 €14.56

-0.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.88 €2.48

-9.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.14 €1.85

3.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 €2.16

$1.92 €1.65

30.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$2.66 €2.29

3.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.89 €1.63

13.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 €1.84

$2.05 €1.76

3.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.34 €1.15

3.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.84

$0.63 €0.54

53.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$6.98 €6.02

-2.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 €6.91

$7.89 €6.80

1.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.21 €1.05

19.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.24 €1.93

0.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.49 €1.28

18.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.48 €42.63

$33.78 €29.11

46.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 €3.55

$4.72 €4.06

-12.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.06 €0.92

31.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 €25.00

$23.85 €20.55

21.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.84 €1.58

1.63%

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

$37.6K €32.4K

$37.0K €31.9K

1.55%

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

$34.1K €29.3K

$34.3K €29.5K

-0.67%

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

$195 €168

-0.24%

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

$21.25 €18.31

$21.56 €18.58

-1.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.75 €30.80

$34.11 €29.39

4.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 €45.47

$47.14 €40.61

11.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.91 €15.44

$15.28 €13.17

17.21%

Cinema Ticket

$11.72 €10.09

$11.35 €9.78

3.26%

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

$680 €586

$263 €227

158.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K €10.6K

$12.1K €10.4K

1.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.8 €82.6

$97.7 €84.2

-1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.50 €36.62

$37.97 €32.71

11.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.4

$92.0 €79.3

15.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €118

$94.2 €81.2

45.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 €1,386

$848 €731

89.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,138 €980

$705 €608

61.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,792 €2,405

$1,307 €1,126

113.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,915 €1,650

$1,011 €871

89.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,893 €7,662

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,347 €3,745

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,584 €2,226

$1,734 €1,494

49.06%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Fuenlabrada: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,609 in Madrid and $848 in Fuenlabrada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 49% 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: $69.0 in Madrid vs $70.0 in Fuenlabrada. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $278, 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 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Madrid pays 49% 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: $1,609 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 $69.0 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,270 per month in Madrid versus $1,726 in Fuenlabrada – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,726 in Fuenlabrada versus $2,270 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 32% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.