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: $2,273 in Madrid versus $1,928 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Madrid versus $2,647 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,505 in Madrid versus $3,366 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat.

Living in Madrid is roughly 18% more expensive than L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 70% above, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.64 €15.10

$14.91 €12.76

18.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 €60.3

$57.9 €49.59

21.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 €9.98

$12.85 €11.00

-9.26%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.65

$2.58 €2.21

20.16%

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

$3.06 €2.62

$2.41 €2.06

26.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.80

$2.02 €1.73

3.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 €3.48

$3.48 €2.98

16.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.87

$3.44 €2.94

31.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.30 €1.11

-3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.34 €1.15

26.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.41

$1.76 €1.51

-6.25%

Eggs

$3.35 €2.87

$2.80 €2.40

19.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.57 €12.47

$11.79 €10.09

23.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 €7.80

$8.66 €7.41

5.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.67 €14.27

$14.22 €12.17

17.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 €2.28

$2.70 €2.31

-1.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.89

$2.08 €1.78

6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 €2.11

$1.99 €1.70

24.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.32

$2.40 €2.06

12.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.90 €1.63

11.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.83

$1.87 €1.60

14.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.20

$1.52 €1.30

-7.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.83

$0.75 €0.64

29.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 €6.06

$6.85 €5.86

3.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 €6.95

$5.79 €4.95

40.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.92

$1.97 €1.69

14.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.52

$2.74 €2.34

-35.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.86 €41.82

$46.02 €39.39

6.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.56

$3.62 €3.10

14.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.28 €1.10

7.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 €24.50

$26.61 €22.77

7.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.61

$1.90 €1.62

-1.05%

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

$38.3K €32.8K

$37.1K €31.8K

3.06%

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

$34.4K €29.4K

$33.1K €28.4K

3.78%

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

$192 €164

$180 €154

6.52%

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

$21.59 €18.48

$13.57 €11.62

59.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.26 €30.19

$30.85 €26.41

14.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 €45.71

$34.44 €29.48

55.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.72 €15.17

$29.32 €25.09

-39.56%

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 €10.08

$9.66 €8.27

21.95%

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

$674 €577

$594 €509

13.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K €10.5K

$11.8K €10.1K

3.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 €81.9

$88.9 €76.1

7.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.61 €35.61

$37.23 €31.87

11.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.4

$99.3 €85.0

5.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €114

$118 €101

12.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 €1,365

$1,278 €1,094

24.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 €949

$969 €829

14.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,858 €2,446

$1,694 €1,450

68.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 €1,618

$1,198 €1,025

57.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,394 €8,042

$4,136 €3,541

127.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,583 €3,923

$2,489 €2,131

84.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,602 €2,227

$1,902 €1,628

36.82%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for L'Hospitalet de Llobregat: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Madrid and $1,278 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 37% 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 $58.0 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $259 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, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Madrid pays 37% 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 $1,278 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 $58.0 versus $70.0 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,273 per month in Madrid versus $1,928 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,928 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat versus $2,273 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 18% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.