Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Kilkenny Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Kilkenny

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,322 in Madrid versus $2,321 in Kilkenny.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Madrid versus $3,214 in Kilkenny.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,456 in Madrid versus $4,107 in Kilkenny.

Monthly costs are close between Madrid and Kilkenny; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 68% above, Kilkenny 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 €16.15

$16.13 €13.91

16.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.5

$69.0 €59.5

1.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 €10.26

$10.37 €8.94

14.75%

Cappuccino

$3.21 €2.76

$4.27 €3.68

-24.82%

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

$3.37 €2.91

$2.38 €2.05

41.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.70 €1.46

32.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 €3.59

$6.01 €5.18

-30.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 €4.60

$6.87 €5.92

-22.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.35 €1.16

5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.40

$2.44 €2.11

-33.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.58

$1.92 €1.66

-4.69%

Eggs

$4.28 €3.69

$4.20 €3.62

1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.06 €14.71

$10.72 €9.24

59.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 €8.30

$11.54 €9.95

-16.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.52 €15.96

$11.73 €10.11

57.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$1.13 €0.98

132.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.67 €1.44

37.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 €2.24

$3.22 €2.78

-19.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.27 €1.96

15.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.28 €1.10

74.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$1.14 €0.98

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.36

$0.96 €0.83

64.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.17 €1.01

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.91 €5.96

$20.83 €17.96

-66.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 €7.00

$13.77 €11.87

-40.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$2.98 €2.57

-59.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$3.44 €2.97

-34.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 €1.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.04 €32.79

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 €3.29

$5.51 €4.75

-30.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.47 €1.27

4.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.08 €26.79

$57.0 €49.14

-45.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.97 €1.70

-6.60%

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

$36.1K €31.1K

$38.2K €32.9K

-5.52%

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

$34.2K €29.5K

$38.3K €33.0K

-10.49%

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

$191 €165

$183 €158

4.58%

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

$19.07 €16.43

$23.17 €19.98

-17.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.93 €30.97

$53.8 €46.39

-33.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 €43.50

$60.8 €52.4

-16.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.37 €16.69

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 €9.92

$13.79 €11.88

-16.61%

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

$719 €620

$1,055 €909

-31.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K €15.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 €77.3

$94.2 €81.2

-4.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.13 €38.90

$50.2 €43.28

-10.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.5

$94.7 €81.6

15.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €98.4

$118 €102

-3.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 €1,360

$1,488 €1,282

6.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 €1,036

$1,208 €1,042

-0.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,842 €2,450

$2,415 €2,081

17.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,883 €1,623

$1,654 €1,425

13.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,245 €7,970

$8,498 €7,325

8.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,215 €3,633

$2,344 €2,020

79.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,498 €2,154

$2,796 €2,410

-10.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

3.68

-16.03%

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

Last update for Madrid: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kilkenny: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,577 in Madrid and $1,488 in Kilkenny. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kilkenny pays 12% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $70.0 in Madrid vs $69.0 in Kilkenny for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $301 per month, with Kilkenny 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 Kilkenny: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Kilkenny. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,577 in Madrid versus $1,488 in Kilkenny. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kilkenny – 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.

Childcare runs $719 in Madrid versus $1,055 in Kilkenny. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,321 in Kilkenny versus $2,322 in Madrid, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Kilkenny but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Kilkenny the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kilkenny 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 Kilkenny are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Kilkenny wins on affordability, Madrid on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.