Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Lecce

For one person, living is cheaper in Lecce: $1,445 a month against $2,304 in Madrid, rent and utilities included – about $10,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Madrid, Spain
Lecce, Italy
Madrid
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,304
/mo nomad
Lecce
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,445
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Madrid and in Lecce

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Madrid and in Lecce actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,304 per month in Madrid vs $1,445 in Lecce, rent included.

  • Madrid $2,304
  • Lecce $1,445

A couple spends around $3,389 per month in Madrid vs $2,321 in Lecce, rent included.

  • Madrid $3,389
  • Lecce $2,321

A family of three spends $4,475 per month in Madrid vs $3,196 in Lecce, rent included.

  • Madrid $4,475
  • Lecce $3,196

Madrid costs about 59% more than Lecce, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Madrid and Lecce sit above the global median – Madrid by 69%, Lecce by 6%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Madrid
Lecce
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.73 €15.93
$16.84 €15.13
5.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.9 €60.1
$68.1 €61.2
-1.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.30 €10.15
$10.18 €9.15
11.00%
Cappuccino
$3.04 €2.73
$1.98 €1.78
53.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36 €3.02
$2.16 €1.94
55.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 €2.11
$1.09 €0.98
115.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.89 €3.50
$3.87 €3.47
0.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.80 €4.31
$3.41 €3.06
40.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Madrid
Lecce
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.18
$1.43 €1.29
-7.69%
White Bread (500g)
$1.64 €1.47
$1.82 €1.64
-9.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 €1.55
$2.27 €2.04
-24.23%
Eggs
$4.20 €3.78
$2.50 €2.25
68.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.91 €14.29
$12.38 €11.12
28.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.36 €8.41
$11.26 €10.12
-16.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.21 €15.46
$16.31 €14.65
5.52%
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 €2.30
$2.11 €1.89
21.33%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 €1.88
$1.94 €1.74
7.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 €2.29
$1.92 €1.72
32.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.58 €2.32
$3.50 €3.15
-26.29%
Potato (1kg)
$2.31 €2.08
$1.65 €1.48
40.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 €1.95
$1.61 €1.45
34.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 €1.35
$1.19 €1.07
26.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.38 €0.34
181.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.57 €5.90
$6.86 €6.16
-4.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.87 €7.07
$6.73 €6.05
16.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 €1.09
$1.43 €1.29
-15.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 €1.95
$2.46 €2.21
-11.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Madrid
Lecce
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.67 €1.50
$1.37 €1.23
21.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$37.53 €33.71
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.76 €3.38
$5.53 €4.96
-32.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.34
$2.19 €1.97
-31.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.17 €27.10
$23.41 €21.03
28.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.85 €1.66
$2.09 €1.87
-11.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K €30.4K
$35.7K €32.1K
-5.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K €29.9K
$35.6K €32.0K
-6.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
Lecce
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$192 €172
$170 €153
12.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.66 €15.86
$11.62 €10.44
51.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.07 €31.51
$27.90 €25.06
25.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
Lecce
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.27 €42.46
$80.6 €72.4
-41.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.23 €16.37
$56.3 €50.5
-67.59%
Cinema Ticket
$11.29 €10.14
$8.61 €7.73
31.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Madrid
Lecce
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$687 €617
$567 €509
21.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.0K €16.2K
$5,021 €4,510
258.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
Lecce
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.5 €77.7
$82.0 €73.7
5.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.65 €37.41
$48.10 €43.21
-13.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 €97.1
$88.0 €79.1
22.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 €100
$78.1 €70.1
42.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Madrid
Lecce
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,508 €1,355
$603 €542
150.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,210 €1,087
$470 €422
157.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,829 €2,541
$1,205 €1,083
134.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,004 €1,800
$903 €811
122.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,002 €8,086
$3,050 €2,740
195.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,710 €4,231
$1,579 €1,418
198.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Madrid
Lecce
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,453 €2,204
$1,602 €1,439
53.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.14
4.82
-34.85%

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

Last update for Madrid: October 24, 2026

Last update for Lecce: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Madrid
$1.2K
Lecce
$470 61.1% $740
Groceries & Markets
Madrid
$304
Lecce
$284 6.5% $20
Eating Out
Madrid
$264
Lecce
$228 13.6% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
$244
Lecce
$210 14.2% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
$157
Lecce
$133 14.9% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
$70
Lecce
$98 40.1% $28
Getting Around
Madrid
$55
Lecce
$22 * 60.4% $33

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,508 in Madrid versus $603 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 53% 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 $67 in Madrid versus $68 in Lecce. Groceries tell a different story – $304 in Madrid vs $284 in Lecce – so Lecce wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Madrid
🇮🇹 Lecce
🕒 Local time
22:18 10:18 PM
22:18 10:18 PM
Same time as Madrid
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,332,035 Capital
94,773
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Madrid Lecce 1,850 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Madrid
  • Lecce

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Lecce cheaper than Madrid?
Yes – Madrid is pricier by about 59%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,456 per month in Madrid and $2,168 in Lecce. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lecce, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $603 there versus $1,508 in Madrid.
How do food prices compare in Madrid and in Lecce?
Groceries cost about 7% more in Madrid, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $687 per month in Madrid and $567 in Lecce. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is Madrid or Lecce more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Madrid or Lecce?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Lecce. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Madrid makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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