Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Ourense

For one person, living is cheaper in Ourense: $1,343 a month against $2,304 in Madrid, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Madrid, Spain
Ourense, Spain
Madrid
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,304
/mo nomad
Ourense
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,343
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Madrid and in Ourense

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 Ourense actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,304 in Madrid versus $1,343 in Ourense.

  • Madrid $2,304
  • Ourense $1,343

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Madrid versus $1,970 in Ourense.

  • Madrid $3,389
  • Ourense $1,970

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,475 in Madrid versus $2,597 in Ourense.

  • Madrid $4,475
  • Ourense $2,597

Living in Madrid is roughly 72% more expensive than in Ourense, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Madrid
Ourense
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.73 €15.89
$13.61 €12.20
30.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.9 €59.9
$49.50 €44.35
35.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.30 €10.13
$9.01 €8.07
25.42%
Cappuccino
$3.04 €2.73
$1.81 €1.62
67.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36 €3.01
$2.53 €2.27
32.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 €2.11
$1.65 €1.48
42.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.89 €3.49
$3.70 €3.32
5.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.80 €4.30
$3.57 €3.20
34.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Madrid
Ourense
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.18
$1.17 €1.05
12.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.64 €1.47
$1.16 €1.04
41.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 €1.54
$1.37 €1.23
25.55%
Eggs
$4.20 €3.77
$3.21 €2.88
30.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.91 €14.25
$9.37 €8.39
69.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.36 €8.39
$7.41 €6.64
26.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.21 €15.42
$13.76 €12.33
25.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 €2.30
$2.22 €1.99
15.32%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 €1.88
$2.04 €1.83
2.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 €2.28
$1.58 €1.41
61.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.58 €2.31
$2.30 €2.06
12.17%
Potato (1kg)
$2.31 €2.07
$1.71 €1.53
35.09%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 €1.94
$1.71 €1.54
26.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 €1.35
$1.07 €0.96
40.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.49 €0.44
118.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.57 €5.88
$5.77 €5.17
13.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.87 €7.05
$5.64 €5.05
39.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 €1.09
$1.22 €1.09
-0.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 €1.94
$2.27 €2.03
-4.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Madrid
Ourense
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.67 €1.50
$0.91 €0.81
83.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$37.53 €33.63
$28.33 €25.38
32.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.76 €3.37
$4.38 €3.93
-14.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.33
$1.10 €0.99
35.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.17 €27.03
$18.76 €16.81
60.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.85 €1.65
$1.69 €1.51
9.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K €30.4K
$24.5K €22.0K
38.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K €29.9K
$27.5K €24.7K
20.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
Ourense
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$192 €172
$105 €93.7
83.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.66 €15.82
$19.85 €17.78
-11.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.07 €31.43
$27.84 €24.95
25.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
Ourense
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.27 €42.36
$40.97 €36.71
15.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.23 €16.33
$12.62 €11.31
44.45%
Cinema Ticket
$11.29 €10.12
$8.42 €7.55
34.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Madrid
Ourense
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$687 €616
$340 €305
102.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.0K €16.1K
$8,334 €7,468
115.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
Ourense
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.5 €77.6
$100.0 €89.6
-13.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.65 €37.32
$35.89 €32.16
16.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 €96.9
$82.7 €74.1
30.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 €100
$83.3 €74.6
34.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Madrid
Ourense
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,508 €1,351
$650 €582
132.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,210 €1,084
$525 €471
130.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,829 €2,535
$823 €737
243.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,004 €1,796
$711 €637
181.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,002 €8,066
$3,282 €2,941
174.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,710 €4,220
$2,166 €1,941
117.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Madrid
Ourense
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,453 €2,199
$1,596 €1,430
53.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.14
2.96
6.08%

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

Last update for Madrid: October 24, 2026

Last update for Ourense: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Madrid
$1.2K
Ourense
$525 56.6% $684
Groceries & Markets
Madrid
$304
Ourense
$230 24.4% $74
Eating Out
Madrid
$264
Ourense
$200 24.3% $64
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
$244
Ourense
$152 37.7% $92
Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
$157
Ourense
$136 13.2% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
$70
Ourense
$58 17.2% $12
Getting Around
Madrid
$55
Ourense
$42 24.5% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,508 in Madrid and $650 in Ourense. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 54% 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: $67 in Madrid vs $49 in Ourense for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $304 vs $230 per month, with Ourense cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Madrid
🇪🇸 Ourense
🕒 Local time
11:21 11:21 AM
11:21 11:21 AM
Same time as Madrid
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,332,035 Capital
104,250
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Madrid Ourense 410 km
From you
  • Madrid
  • Ourense

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 Ourense: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Madrid or Ourense?
Ourense wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Madrid. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Ourense the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Madrid or in Ourense?
Average pay runs 54% higher in Madrid, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Madrid compared to Ourense?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,508 in Madrid versus $650 in Ourense. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Madrid or in Ourense?
Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Madrid. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Madrid and in Ourense?
Dining out is cheaper in Ourense – a meal for two runs $49 versus $67 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Madrid or in Ourense?
At $1,343 in Ourense versus $2,304 in Madrid, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ourense but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Ourense the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Madrid or Ourense?
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.
How safe is Madrid compared to Ourense?
Safety-wise, Madrid and Ourense are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ourense gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Madrid vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?