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: $2,262 in Madrid versus $1,760 in Fuenlabrada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,324 in Madrid versus $2,558 in Fuenlabrada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Madrid versus $3,356 in Fuenlabrada.

Living in Madrid is roughly 28% more expensive than in Fuenlabrada, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 70% above, Fuenlabrada 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.70 €15.43

$17.60 €15.34

0.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €60.8

$68.7 €59.9

1.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 €10.43

$10.31 €8.98

16.00%

Cappuccino

$3.15 €2.75

$2.47 €2.16

27.53%

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

$3.11 €2.71

$3.18 €2.77

-2.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.94

$2.12 €1.85

4.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.15 €3.62

$3.45 €3.01

20.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 €3.92

$4.52 €3.94

-0.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.09

$1.18 €1.03

5.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.06 €0.92

60.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.64 €1.43

3.66%

Eggs

$3.51 €3.06

$2.65 €2.31

32.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.07 €13.14

$14.91 €13.00

1.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.24 €8.06

$9.02 €7.86

2.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 €14.88

$16.85 €14.69

1.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.39

$2.87 €2.50

-4.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.87

$2.17 €1.89

-1.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 €2.17

$1.96 €1.71

27.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.40

$2.67 €2.32

3.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.87

$1.83 €1.60

16.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 €1.90

$2.05 €1.79

6.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.38 €1.20

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.80

$0.63 €0.55

46.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.95 €6.06

$6.77 €5.90

2.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.91 €6.90

$7.88 €6.87

0.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.25 €1.09

10.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 €1.96

$2.24 €1.95

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.56

$1.47 €1.28

21.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.65 €42.41

$33.77 €29.44

44.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 €3.52

$4.51 €3.93

-10.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.01 €0.88

31.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.16 €25.42

$23.39 €20.39

24.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.93 €1.68

-4.66%

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

$38.1K €33.2K

$37.6K €32.8K

1.17%

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

$33.4K €29.2K

$34.7K €30.3K

-3.64%

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

$189 €165

$194 €169

-2.68%

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

$21.62 €18.85

$21.08 €18.38

2.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.96 €31.35

$34.17 €29.79

5.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 €46.28

$48.35 €42.15

9.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.13 €15.80

$14.78 €12.88

22.67%

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 €10.00

$11.78 €10.27

-2.63%

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

$662 €578

$261 €228

153.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.3K

$12.2K €10.6K

-2.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.2 €84.7

$97.1 €84.6

0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.05 €37.53

$36.75 €32.04

17.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €91.2

$92.1 €80.3

13.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €116

$91.0 €79.3

46.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 €1,361

$865 €754

80.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 €985

$683 €595

65.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,850 €2,484

$1,318 €1,149

116.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,868 €1,629

$1,018 €888

83.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,099 €7,933

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,243 €3,699

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,471 €2,154

$1,719 €1,498

43.80%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Fuenlabrada: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,561 in Madrid and $865 in Fuenlabrada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 44% 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 $69.0 in Fuenlabrada for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $278 per month, with Fuenlabrada cheaper across the board.

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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 44% 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: $1,561 in Madrid versus $865 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 $69.0 versus $70.0 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,262 per month in Madrid versus $1,760 in Fuenlabrada – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,760 in Fuenlabrada versus $2,262 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 28% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.