Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and La Moraleja Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and La Moraleja

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,293 in Madrid versus $1,756 in La Moraleja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,370 in Madrid versus $2,524 in La Moraleja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,447 in Madrid versus $3,291 in La Moraleja.

Living in Madrid is roughly 31% more expensive than in La Moraleja, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 72% above, La Moraleja 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.33 €15.14

$17.62 €15.39

-1.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €60.0

$68.4 €59.8

0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.95 €10.44

$10.33 €9.03

15.68%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.71

$2.37 €2.07

30.80%

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

$3.21 €2.80

$3.10 €2.71

3.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 €1.87

$2.07 €1.81

3.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 €3.58

$3.45 €3.02

18.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 €3.98

$4.50 €3.93

1.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.04

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.11 €0.97

54.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 €1.50

$1.69 €1.48

1.78%

Eggs

$3.52 €3.07

$2.70 €2.35

30.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.98 €13.09

$14.77 €12.90

1.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 €7.72

$8.88 €7.75

-0.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.75 €14.63

$16.96 €14.82

-1.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$2.65 €2.31

-1.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 €1.94

$2.15 €1.88

3.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$1.91 €1.67

28.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 €2.32

$2.76 €2.41

-3.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.88 €1.64

10.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 €1.88

$2.02 €1.77

6.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 €1.17

$1.49 €1.30

-10.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.86

$0.63 €0.55

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.99 €6.10

$6.96 €6.08

0.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.77 €6.79

$8.08 €7.06

-3.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.24 €1.09

15.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.90

$2.23 €1.95

-2.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.56

$1.70 €1.49

4.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.79 €42.62

$34.16 €29.85

42.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.60

$4.03 €3.52

2.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 €1.21

$1.31 €1.15

6.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.50 €24.90

$28.83 €25.19

-1.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.85 €1.62

3.78%

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

$37.7K €32.9K

$37.5K €32.7K

0.55%

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

$34.1K €29.8K

$34.0K €29.7K

0.31%

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

$193 €169

$196 €171

-1.38%

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

$21.55 €18.83

$21.69 €18.95

-0.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.97 €31.42

$35.98 €31.43

-0.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 €46.04

$47.01 €41.08

12.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.64 €15.42

$14.86 €12.98

18.71%

Cinema Ticket

$11.44 €10.00

$11.35 €9.92

0.79%

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

$669 €584

$265 €232

152.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.4K

$2,079 €1,816

471.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.7 €82.7

$88.4 €77.2

7.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.81 €37.41

$37.36 €32.64

14.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €91.6

$91.0 €79.5

15.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 €115

$88.7 €77.5

48.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,607 €1,404

$845 €739

90.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,151 €1,006

$701 €613

64.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,839 €2,480

$1,337 €1,168

112.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,879 €1,642

$1,018 €889

84.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,038 €7,896

$3,210 €2,804

181.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,262 €3,724

$2,021 €1,765

110.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,464 €2,153

$3,738 €3,266

-34.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

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

Last update for Madrid: July 12, 2026

Last update for La Moraleja: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,607 in Madrid and $845 in La Moraleja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Moraleja pays 52% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Madrid vs $68.0 in La Moraleja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $278 per month, with La Moraleja 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 La Moraleja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madrid and La Moraleja differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($2,293 vs $1,756 including rent). La Moraleja is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 52% lower in La Moraleja. 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: $1,607 in Madrid versus $845 in La Moraleja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in La Moraleja – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $69.0 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,293 per month in Madrid versus $1,756 in La Moraleja – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,756 in La Moraleja versus $2,293 in Madrid, a $3,000 budget is realistic in La Moraleja but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes La Moraleja the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Madrid and La Moraleja 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 La Moraleja gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.