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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,322 per month in Madrid vs $1,475 in Lecce, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,389 per month in Madrid vs $2,399 in Lecce, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,456 per month in Madrid vs $3,323 in Lecce, rent included.

Madrid costs about 57% more than Lecce, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Madrid and Lecce sit above the global median – Madrid by 68%, Lecce by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 €16.15

$17.42 €15.01

7.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.5

$69.4 €59.8

1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 €10.26

$10.51 €9.06

13.23%

Cappuccino

$3.21 €2.76

$2.09 €1.80

53.59%

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

$3.37 €2.91

$2.23 €1.92

51.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.13 €0.97

99.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 €3.59

$3.95 €3.41

5.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 €4.60

$3.42 €2.95

55.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.57 €1.35

-9.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.72 €1.48

-5.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.58

$2.26 €1.95

-19.03%

Eggs

$4.28 €3.69

$2.61 €2.25

63.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.06 €14.71

$12.89 €11.11

32.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 €8.30

$10.89 €9.39

-11.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.52 €15.96

$17.04 €14.69

8.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.18 €1.88

20.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.02 €1.74

13.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 €2.24

$1.92 €1.66

34.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$3.64 €3.14

-27.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.71 €1.47

30.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$1.68 €1.45

35.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.35 €1.16

17.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.40 €0.35

170.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.91 €5.96

$7.10 €6.12

-2.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 €7.00

$7.08 €6.10

14.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.44 €1.24

-15.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.55 €2.20

-11.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.49 €1.29

18.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.04 €32.79

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 €3.29

$5.80 €5.00

-34.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 €1.32

$2.36 €2.04

-35.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.08 €26.79

$24.67 €21.27

25.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.08 €1.79

-11.54%

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

$36.1K €31.1K

$37.2K €32.0K

-2.88%

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

$34.2K €29.5K

$36.7K €31.6K

-6.60%

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

$191 €165

$179 €154

6.82%

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

$19.07 €16.43

$11.92 €10.28

59.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.93 €30.97

$29.87 €25.75

20.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 €43.50

$84.9 €73.2

-40.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.37 €16.69

$57.6 €49.68

-66.39%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 €9.92

$8.73 €7.53

31.73%

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

$719 €620

$585 €504

22.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K €15.8K

$5,158 €4,446

256.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 €77.3

$85.5 €73.7

5.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.13 €38.90

$48.55 €41.85

-7.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.5

$91.5 €78.9

19.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €98.4

$81.7 €70.4

39.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 €1,360

$608 €525

159.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 €1,036

$492 €424

144.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,842 €2,450

$1,231 €1,061

130.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,883 €1,623

$917 €791

105.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,245 €7,970

$3,156 €2,721

192.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,215 €3,633

$1,641 €1,414

156.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,498 €2,154

$1,666 €1,436

49.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

4.82

-35.89%

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

Last update for Madrid: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lecce: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,577 in Madrid versus $608 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 50% 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 $70.0 in Madrid versus $69.0 in Lecce. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $291 – making Lecce 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 57%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,483 per month in Madrid and $2,213 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,322 in Madrid and $1,475 in Lecce. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $719 per month in Madrid and $585 in Lecce. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Lecce, where all-in costs run around $1,475, than in Madrid at $2,322. 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.