Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Gijon Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Gijon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,273 in Madrid versus $1,610 in Gijon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Madrid versus $2,375 in Gijon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,505 in Madrid versus $3,141 in Gijon.

Living in Madrid is roughly 41% more expensive than Gijon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 70% above, Gijon 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.64 €15.10

$17.28 €14.79

2.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 €60.3

$53.1 €45.43

32.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 €9.98

$12.67 €10.84

-7.97%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.65

$2.16 €1.85

43.52%

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

$3.06 €2.62

$2.82 €2.41

8.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.80

$2.36 €2.02

-11.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 €3.48

$3.17 €2.72

28.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.87

$4.51 €3.86

0.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.22 €1.05

2.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.80 €1.54

-6.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.41

$1.29 €1.11

27.91%

Eggs

$3.35 €2.87

$2.89 €2.48

15.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.57 €12.47

$12.17 €10.42

19.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 €7.80

$7.72 €6.61

18.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.67 €14.27

$12.75 €10.92

30.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 €2.28

$2.82 €2.41

-5.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.89

$2.06 €1.77

7.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 €2.11

$2.40 €2.06

2.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.32

$3.57 €3.06

-24.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.58 €1.36

33.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.83

$2.50 €2.14

-14.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.20

$1.09 €0.93

29.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.83

$0.79 €0.67

22.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 €6.06

$6.26 €5.36

13.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 €6.95

$6.87 €5.88

18.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.18 €1.01

17.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.92

$2.13 €1.82

5.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.52

$1.44 €1.23

23.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.86 €41.82

$34.89 €29.87

40.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.56

$5.49 €4.70

-24.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.30 €1.11

6.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 €24.50

$31.43 €26.90

-8.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.61

$1.81 €1.55

3.87%

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

$38.3K €32.8K

$38.1K €32.6K

0.60%

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

$34.4K €29.4K

$36.9K €31.6K

-6.94%

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

$192 €164

$142 €122

35.11%

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

$21.59 €18.48

$19.21 €16.45

12.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.26 €30.19

$28.39 €24.30

24.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 €45.71

$50.3 €43.08

6.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.72 €15.17

$10.37 €8.87

70.88%

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 €10.08

$9.17 €7.85

28.46%

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

$674 €577

$494 €423

36.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K €10.5K

$10.6K €9,089

15.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 €81.9

$90.5 €77.5

5.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.61 €35.61

$31.67 €27.11

31.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.4

$95.4 €81.7

9.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €114

$124 €106

7.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 €1,365

$787 €674

102.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 €949

$603 €516

83.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,858 €2,446

$1,309 €1,121

118.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 €1,618

$977 €837

93.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,394 €8,042

$3,826 €3,275

145.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,583 €3,923

$2,240 €1,917

104.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,602 €2,227

$1,926 €1,649

35.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.56

-3.65%

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

Last update for Madrid: April 26, 2026

Last update for Gijon: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Madrid and $787 in Gijon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 35% 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 $53.0 in Gijon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $262 per month, with Gijon 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 Gijon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gijon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Madrid pays 35% 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 $787 in Gijon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,273 per month in Madrid versus $1,610 in Gijon – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gijon runs roughly 40% less than in Madrid. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,610 in Gijon versus $2,273 in Madrid, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Gijon but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Gijon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gijon 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 Gijon 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 Gijon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.