Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Ourense Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Ourense

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,242 in Madrid versus $1,301 in Ourense.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,340 in Madrid versus $1,916 in Ourense.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,439 in Madrid versus $2,531 in Ourense.

Living in Madrid is roughly 72% more expensive than Ourense, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Madrid is 68% above, Ourense is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 €15.01

$17.20 €14.81

1.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €59.9

$57.4 €49.45

21.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.11

$6.32 €5.44

85.76%

Cappuccino

$3.22 €2.77

$1.94 €1.67

65.98%

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

$3.18 €2.74

$2.56 €2.20

24.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.69 €1.46

24.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

$2.80 €2.41

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.89

$3.55 €3.06

27.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.12 €0.96

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.01 €0.87

60.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.28 €1.10

35.16%

Eggs

$3.38 €2.91

$2.92 €2.51

15.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.68 €12.64

$10.24 €8.82

43.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 €7.56

$7.45 €6.41

17.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.04 €14.67

$12.56 €10.82

35.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$1.89 €1.63

38.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.12 €1.82

0.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$1.88 €1.62

37.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.26 €1.95

16.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.73 €1.49

19.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 €1.84

$2.34 €2.02

-8.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.13 €0.97

24.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.85

$0.75 €0.65

32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €5.92

$6.07 €5.23

13.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 €7.18

$8.26 €7.12

0.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.22 €1.05

13.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.95

$2.58 €2.22

-12.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.02 €0.88

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.95 €43.01

$28.67 €24.69

74.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.58

$4.59 €3.96

-9.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.54 €0.46

153.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.95 €24.93

$58.7 €50.5

-50.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.60

$1.81 €1.56

2.21%

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

$37.5K €32.3K

$39.3K €33.9K

-4.80%

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

$34.4K €29.6K

$32.0K €27.5K

7.46%

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

$193 €166

$112 €96.4

72.25%

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

$21.04 €18.11

$21.28 €18.32

-1.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.82 €30.85

$33.14 €28.54

8.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 €45.95

$45.72 €39.37

16.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.10 €15.59

$5.86 €5.05

208.87%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 €9.81

$8.85 €7.62

28.70%

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

$662 €570

$357 €307

85.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K €10.3K

$8,086 €6,963

48.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 €81.3

$75.6 €65.1

24.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.12 €37.13

$26.14 €22.51

64.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.1

$88.4 €76.1

19.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €114

$75.5 €65.0

75.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 €1,348

$642 €553

143.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 €986

$468 €403

144.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,860 €2,463

$793 €683

260.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,639

$567 €489

235.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,209 €7,930

$2,735 €2,355

236.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,376 €3,768

$1,905 €1,640

129.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,615 €2,252

$1,524 €1,312

71.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.22

6.52%

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

Last update for Madrid: June 14, 2026

Last update for Ourense: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,565 in Madrid and $642 in Ourense. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 72% 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: $70.0 in Madrid vs $57.0 in Ourense for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $236 per month, with Ourense 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 Ourense: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ourense wins on cost – living expenses run 72% 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.

Madrid pays 72% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,565 in Madrid versus $642 in Ourense. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Madrid. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ourense – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $70.0 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,301 in Ourense versus $2,242 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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ourense delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,301 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ourense hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Madrid and Ourense 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 Ourense gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.