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: $2,376 in Madrid versus $1,755 in Fuenlabrada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,429 in Madrid versus $1,990 in Fuenlabrada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,482 in Madrid versus $2,225 in Fuenlabrada.

Living in Madrid is roughly 35% more expensive than in Fuenlabrada, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 74% above, Fuenlabrada 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.11 €15.79

$17.49 €15.24

3.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €61.1

$70.2 €61.2

-0.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 €10.39

$11.61 €10.12

2.67%

Cappuccino

$3.14 €2.74

$2.14 €1.86

46.73%

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

$3.24 €2.82

$3.34 €2.91

-2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.92 €1.68

20.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.14 €3.61

$3.52 €3.07

17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 €4.62

$4.81 €4.20

10.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.19 €1.04

18.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 €1.40

$1.04 €0.90

54.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$2.05 €1.79

-12.68%

Eggs

$4.24 €3.69

$3.97 €3.46

6.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.25 €15.04

$18.42 €16.05

-6.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.78 €8.53

$9.76 €8.51

0.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.17 €15.84

$21.65 €18.87

-16.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 €2.26

$2.94 €2.56

-11.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 €2.29

$2.58 €2.25

1.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 €2.35

$2.86 €2.49

-5.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 €1.96

$2.17 €1.89

3.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.95

$2.20 €1.92

1.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 €1.36

$1.57 €1.37

-0.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.97

$0.59 €0.51

88.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €6.00

$6.33 €5.52

8.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 €6.93

$8.06 €7.02

-1.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.06

$1.13 €0.99

7.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 €2.02

$2.24 €1.95

3.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.48 €1.29

15.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.76 €32.91

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 €3.35

$3.80 €3.31

1.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.38

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.11 €27.12

$24.02 €20.94

29.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.58

$1.72 €1.50

5.23%

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

$36.5K €31.8K

-0.18%

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

$34.0K €29.6K

$30.0K €26.1K

13.32%

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

$196 €171

-0.12%

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

$18.80 €16.39

$19.05 €16.60

-1.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.32 €30.79

$34.45 €30.03

2.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 €44.18

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 €17.36

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 €10.18

$10.11 €8.81

15.53%

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

$715 €624

$183 €159

291.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K €15.9K

$6,154 €5,364

195.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.0 €76.7

$75.9 €66.1

15.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.03 €38.38

$37.81 €32.96

16.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €94.3

$79.0 €68.9

36.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 €98.7

$97.3 €84.8

16.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 €1,366

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,064

$747 €651

63.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 €2,458

$1,282 €1,117

120.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 €1,631

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,963 €7,813

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,322 €3,767

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,568 €2,238

$1,721 €1,501

49.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

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

Last update for Madrid: September 12, 2026

Last update for Fuenlabrada: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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: $70.0 in Madrid vs $70.0 in Fuenlabrada for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $319 per month, with Madrid 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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 49% higher in Madrid, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Madrid pay roughly 0% 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 $1,755 in Fuenlabrada – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,755 in Fuenlabrada versus $2,376 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 35% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.