Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Granada

For one person, living is cheaper in Granada: $1,658 a month against $2,265 in Madrid, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Madrid
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,265
/mo nomad
Granada
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,658
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Madrid and in Granada

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Madrid and in Granada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,265 per month in Madrid vs $1,658 in Granada, rent included.

  • Madrid $2,265
  • Granada $1,658

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Madrid vs $2,330 in Granada, rent included.

  • Madrid $3,311
  • Granada $2,330

A family of three spends $4,356 per month in Madrid vs $3,002 in Granada, rent included.

  • Madrid $4,356
  • Granada $3,002

Madrid costs about 37% more than Granada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Madrid and Granada sit above the global median – Madrid by 67%, Granada by 22%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Madrid
Granada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.06 €16.06
$15.98 €14.21
13.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.5 €59.2
$38.85 €34.55
71.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.40 €10.14
$9.02 €8.03
26.39%
Cappuccino
$3.03 €2.69
$2.24 €1.99
35.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25 €2.89
$2.94 €2.62
10.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 €2.07
$2.25 €2.00
3.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.85 €3.42
$3.28 €2.92
17.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.82 €4.29
$4.45 €3.96
8.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Madrid
Granada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.18
$1.25 €1.11
5.60%
White Bread (500g)
$1.61 €1.43
$1.44 €1.28
11.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 €1.56
$1.73 €1.54
1.16%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$3.36 €2.99
20.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.34 €14.54
$17.18 €15.28
-4.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.61 €8.55
$7.41 €6.59
29.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.43 €15.50
$15.20 €13.52
14.67%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 €2.34
$2.50 €2.22
5.20%
Banana (1kg)
$2.18 €1.93
$2.07 €1.84
5.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.50 €2.22
$1.85 €1.64
35.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.60 €2.32
$2.41 €2.14
7.88%
Potato (1kg)
$2.25 €2.01
$2.00 €1.78
12.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.08 €1.85
$2.24 €1.99
-7.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.56 €1.39
$1.03 €0.91
51.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 €0.96
$0.74 €0.66
45.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.70 €5.96
$6.56 €5.83
2.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.82 €6.95
$4.84 €4.31
61.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 €1.08
$1.09 €0.97
11.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.62 €1.44
38.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Madrid
Granada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.63 €1.45
$1.82 €1.62
-10.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$37.72 €33.56
$39.22 €34.89
-3.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.81 €3.39
$5.75 €5.11
-33.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.33
$2.18 €1.94
-31.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.99 €26.68
$28.32 €25.19
5.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.79 €1.59
$1.76 €1.57
1.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €29.9K
$36.0K €32.0K
-6.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K €29.6K
$32.2K €28.6K
3.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
Granada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$190 €169
$163 €145
16.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.57 €15.63
$12.69 €11.29
38.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.34 €31.43
$27.04 €24.05
30.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
Granada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.52 €44.04
$44.61 €39.68
11.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.20 €16.19
$20.08 €17.86
-9.36%
Cinema Ticket
$11.09 €9.87
$9.06 €8.05
22.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Madrid
Granada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €609
$339 €302
101.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.2K €16.2K
$7,963 €7,083
128.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
Granada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 €78.1
$65.1 €57.9
34.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.06 €37.41
$32.34 €28.77
30.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 €98.3
$75.4 €67.1
46.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 €100
$90.7 €80.7
24.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Madrid
Granada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 €1,342
$870 €774
73.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,162 €1,034
$715 €636
62.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,804 €2,494
$1,244 €1,107
125.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,867 €1,661
$952 €847
96.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,017 €8,021
$3,316 €2,950
171.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,294 €3,819
$2,261 €2,012
89.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Madrid
Granada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,495 €2,219
$1,815 €1,615
37.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.14
3.32
-5.42%

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

Last update for Madrid: October 18, 2026

Last update for Granada: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Madrid
$1.2K
Granada
$715 38.4% $447
Groceries & Markets
Madrid
$308
Granada
$268 13% $40
Eating Out
Madrid
$266
Granada
$228 14.4% $38
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
$243
Granada
$203 16.6% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
$159
Granada
$119 25.3% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
$72
Granada
$63 12.5% $9
Getting Around
Madrid
$56
Granada
$63 13.7% $7.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,509 in Madrid versus $870 in Granada. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Madrid, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Madrid versus $39.00 in Granada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $308 vs $268 – making Granada the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Madrid
🇪🇸 Granada
🕒 Local time
14:29 2:29 PM
14:29 2:29 PM
Same time as Madrid
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,332,035 Capital
230,595
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Madrid Granada 360 km
From you
  • Madrid
  • Granada

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Granada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Madrid or Granada?
Madrid costs about 37% more than Granada, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Madrid and in Granada?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,398 per month in Madrid and $2,488 in Granada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Madrid or Granada?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Granada, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Madrid or in Granada?
Groceries cost about 15% more in Madrid, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How do dining costs compare in Madrid and in Granada?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Madrid and $39.00 in Granada. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Madrid or in Granada?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Granada, where all-in costs run around $1,658, than in Madrid at $2,265. In Granada it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Madrid or Granada?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Granada costs $1,658 versus $2,265 in Madrid. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Madrid compared to Granada?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Madrid or to Granada?
If budget matters most, go with Granada. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Madrid makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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