Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Jaen Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Jaen

Name: Jaen
Address: Jaen, ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,322 per month in Madrid vs $1,405 in Jaen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,389 per month in Madrid vs $2,049 in Jaen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,456 per month in Madrid vs $2,693 in Jaen, rent included.

Madrid costs about 65% more than Jaen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Madrid and Jaen sit above the global median – Madrid by 68%, Jaen by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 €16.11

$17.18 €14.77

9.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.3

$40.51 €34.83

73.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 €10.23

$8.91 €7.66

33.56%

Cappuccino

$3.21 €2.76

$1.73 €1.49

85.55%

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

$3.37 €2.90

$3.32 €2.85

1.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.13 €0.98

99.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 €3.58

$3.55 €3.05

17.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 €4.58

$3.52 €3.03

51.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.35 €1.16

5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.57 €1.35

3.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.78 €1.53

2.81%

Eggs

$4.28 €3.68

$4.20 €3.61

1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.06 €14.67

$9.04 €7.77

88.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 €8.28

$7.13 €6.13

35.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.52 €15.92

$11.03 €9.49

67.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$2.71 €2.33

-2.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.65 €2.28

-2.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.71 €2.33

-2.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.25 €1.94

-0.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.16 €1.86

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.63 €1.40

-3.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.92

$1.07 €0.92

0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.91 €5.94

$6.77 €5.82

2.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 €6.99

$8.35 €7.18

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.93

$2.32 €2.00

-3.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 €1.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.04 €32.70

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 €3.28

$3.78 €3.25

1.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.59 €1.37

-3.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.08 €26.72

$30.72 €26.42

1.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.69 €1.46

8.88%

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

$36.1K €31.0K

$36.4K €31.3K

-0.84%

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

$34.2K €29.4K

$34.7K €29.9K

-1.46%

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

$191 €164

$193 €166

-1.19%

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

$19.07 €16.39

$6.86 €5.90

177.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.93 €30.89

$17.45 €15.01

105.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 €43.39

$34.27 €29.46

47.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.37 €16.65

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 €9.89

$8.68 €7.46

32.49%

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

$719 €618

$312 €268

130.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K €15.8K

$17.7K €15.2K

3.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 €77.1

$88.4 €76.0

1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.13 €38.80

$23.52 €20.22

91.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.3

-0.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €98.2

$116 €100

-1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 €1,356

$584 €502

170.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 €1,033

$503 €432

138.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,842 €2,443

$757 €651

275.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,883 €1,619

$741 €637

154.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,245 €7,949

$1,849 €1,590

399.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,215 €3,624

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,498 €2,148

$1,434 €1,233

74.29%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Jaen: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,577 in Madrid versus $584 in Jaen. 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 74% 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 $70.0 in Madrid versus $41.00 in Jaen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $258 – making Jaen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Jaen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madrid costs about 65% more than Jaen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,483 per month in Madrid and $2,108 in Jaen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jaen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,322 in Madrid and $1,405 in Jaen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $719 per month in Madrid and $312 in Jaen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jaen, where all-in costs run around $1,405, than in Madrid at $2,322. In Jaen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jaen costs $1,405 versus $2,322 in Madrid. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Jaen. 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.