Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Lecce Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Lecce

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,282 per month in Madrid vs $1,529 in Lecce, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Madrid vs $2,439 in Lecce, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,470 per month in Madrid vs $3,349 in Lecce, rent included.

Madrid costs about 49% more than Lecce, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Madrid and Lecce sit above the global median – Madrid by 69%, Lecce by 14%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.19 €14.63

$17.67 €15.04

-2.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 €59.9

$71.6 €61.0

-1.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 €10.26

$10.27 €8.74

17.43%

Cappuccino

$3.15 €2.68

$1.95 €1.66

61.54%

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

$3.21 €2.73

$2.04 €1.74

57.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.80

$1.22 €1.03

72.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.96 €3.37

$5.31 €4.52

-25.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.85

$4.80 €4.09

-5.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.06

$1.53 €1.31

-18.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 €1.43

$2.09 €1.78

-19.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$2.32 €1.98

-26.29%

Eggs

$3.40 €2.89

$2.69 €2.29

26.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.93 €12.71

$14.12 €12.02

5.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 €7.62

$12.06 €10.27

-25.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.18 €14.62

$16.56 €14.09

3.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 €2.22

$2.34 €1.99

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 €1.87

$1.94 €1.65

12.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 €2.18

$2.02 €1.72

26.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.25

$3.26 €2.77

-19.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 €1.80

$1.76 €1.50

20.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.78

$1.77 €1.50

18.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.20

$1.31 €1.11

7.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 €0.82

$0.49 €0.42

95.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.01

$6.91 €5.88

2.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 €7.05

$7.12 €6.06

16.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.24

$1.40 €1.19

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.93

$2.09 €1.78

8.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.50

$1.14 €0.97

55.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.35 €41.99

$40.45 €34.43

22.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 €3.35

$5.95 €5.06

-33.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.14

$2.13 €1.81

-37.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.57 €24.32

$34.05 €28.97

-16.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.62

$2.02 €1.72

-5.94%

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

$38.4K €32.6K

$35.3K €30.0K

8.82%

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

$34.1K €29.0K

$27.0K €22.9K

26.54%

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

$196 €167

$179 €152

9.43%

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

$21.30 €18.13

$13.75 €11.70

54.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.85 €30.51

$29.28 €24.91

22.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 €45.90

$73.5 €62.6

-26.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.54 €14.93

$32.94 €28.04

-46.75%

Cinema Ticket

$11.36 €9.66

$8.45 €7.19

34.44%

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

$671 €571

$426 €363

57.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.1K

$8,015 €6,821

48.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.1 €80.1

$86.7 €73.8

8.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.46 €36.14

$49.15 €41.83

-13.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €88.9

$94.8 €80.7

10.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €113

$100.0 €85.1

32.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 €1,338

$616 €524

155.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 €958

$495 €421

127.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,857 €2,432

$1,266 €1,077

125.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,920 €1,634

$929 €791

106.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,268 €7,887

$3,207 €2,729

189.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,531 €3,856

$1,663 €1,415

172.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,609 €2,220

$1,584 €1,348

64.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

4.74

-27.64%

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

Last update for Madrid: April 13, 2026

Last update for Lecce: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,572 in Madrid versus $616 in Lecce. 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 65% 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 in Madrid versus $72 in Lecce. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $302 – making Madrid 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 Lecce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Madrid is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,423 per month in Madrid and $2,294 in Lecce. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Madrid and $72.0 in Lecce. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,282 in Madrid and $1,529 in Lecce. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Lecce, where all-in costs run around $1,529, than in Madrid at $2,282. In Lecce it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lecce – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Lecce. 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.