Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and L'Hospitalet de Llobregat Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and L'Hospitalet de Llobregat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,242 in Madrid versus $1,986 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,340 in Madrid versus $2,688 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,439 in Madrid versus $3,390 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat.

Living in Madrid is roughly 13% more expensive than in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 68% above, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 €15.21

$15.01 €13.10

16.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.7

$57.1 €49.79

21.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.25

$12.60 €11.00

-6.83%

Cappuccino

$3.22 €2.81

$2.63 €2.29

22.43%

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

$3.18 €2.77

$2.38 €2.08

33.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.84

$1.94 €1.69

8.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.49

$3.45 €3.01

15.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.94

$3.37 €2.94

34.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.05

$1.23 €1.07

-2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.41

$1.35 €1.18

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.75 €1.53

-1.14%

Eggs

$3.38 €2.95

$2.93 €2.56

15.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.68 €12.81

$11.68 €10.19

25.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 €7.66

$8.69 €7.58

1.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.04 €14.86

$14.35 €12.52

18.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.28

$2.66 €2.32

-1.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.85

$2.09 €1.83

1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 €2.25

$1.99 €1.73

29.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.30

$2.32 €2.03

13.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.86 €1.63

11.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.84 €1.60

15.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.46 €1.27

-3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.87

$0.72 €0.63

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €6.00

$6.56 €5.72

4.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 €7.27

$5.78 €5.04

44.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.97

$2.09 €1.82

8.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.48

$2.82 €2.46

-39.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.95 €43.58

$46.49 €40.56

7.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.63

$3.72 €3.24

11.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.27 €1.11

7.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.95 €25.26

$26.94 €23.51

7.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.89 €1.65

-2.12%

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

$37.5K €32.7K

$36.8K €32.1K

1.88%

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

$34.4K €30.0K

$32.6K €28.4K

5.52%

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

$193 €168

$180 €157

7.11%

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

$21.04 €18.35

$13.62 €11.88

54.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.82 €31.26

$30.50 €26.61

17.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 €46.56

$34.77 €30.34

53.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.10 €15.79

$28.98 €25.29

-37.54%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 €9.94

$9.90 €8.64

15.05%

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

$662 €578

$603 €526

9.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K €10.5K

$12.1K €10.6K

-1.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 €82.4

$87.3 €76.2

8.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.12 €37.62

$36.83 €32.14

17.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €92.3

$98.2 €85.7

7.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €116

$115 €101

15.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 €1,366

$1,291 €1,126

21.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 €999

$965 €842

18.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,860 €2,496

$1,695 €1,479

68.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,661

$1,208 €1,054

57.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,209 €8,035

$3,958 €3,453

132.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,376 €3,818

$2,448 €2,136

78.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,615 €2,281

$1,872 €1,633

39.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.39

1.18%

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

Last update for Madrid: June 14, 2026

Last update for L'Hospitalet de Llobregat: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,565 in Madrid and $1,291 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 40% 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 $57.0 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $258 per month, with L'Hospitalet de Llobregat 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 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

L'Hospitalet de Llobregat is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 40% higher in Madrid, 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: $1,565 in Madrid versus $1,291 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $70.0 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,242 per month in Madrid versus $1,986 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,986 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat versus $2,242 in Madrid, a $2,500 budget is realistic in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes L'Hospitalet de Llobregat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat 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 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat 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 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.