Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Puertollano Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Puertollano

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,322 in Madrid versus $973 in Puertollano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Madrid versus $1,397 in Puertollano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,456 in Madrid versus $1,821 in Puertollano.

Living in Madrid is roughly 139% more expensive than in Puertollano, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Madrid is 68% above, Puertollano is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 €16.15

$13.80 €11.90

35.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.5

$25.75 €22.20

172.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 €10.26

$9.12 €7.86

30.48%

Cappuccino

$3.21 €2.76

$1.70 €1.46

88.82%

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

$3.37 €2.91

$1.13 €0.98

198.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.17 €1.01

92.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 €3.59

$2.28 €1.97

82.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 €4.60

$2.33 €2.01

128.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.27 €1.10

11.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.45 €1.25

11.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.58

$1.86 €1.61

-1.61%

Eggs

$4.28 €3.69

$3.05 €2.63

40.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.06 €14.71

$14.82 €12.78

15.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 €8.30

$5.39 €4.64

78.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.52 €15.96

$11.59 €9.99

59.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.05 €1.77

28.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.01 €1.73

13.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 €2.24

$1.75 €1.51

48.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.25 €1.94

16.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.04 €0.90

114.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.24 €1.93

1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.32 €1.14

19.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.68 €0.59

58.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.91 €5.96

$6.68 €5.76

3.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 €7.00

$4.18 €3.61

94.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.15 €0.99

95.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.07 €0.92

64.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.04 €32.79

$14.09 €12.14

169.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 €3.29

$1.89 €1.63

102.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.27 €1.10

20.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.08 €26.79

$23.21 €20.01

33.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.65 €1.43

11.52%

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

$36.1K €31.1K

$23.0K €19.8K

56.71%

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

$34.2K €29.5K

$30.1K €25.9K

13.82%

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

$191 €165

$74.8 €64.4

155.63%

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

$19.07 €16.43

$8.48 €7.31

124.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.93 €30.97

$26.22 €22.60

37.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 €43.50

$39.87 €34.37

26.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.37 €16.69

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 €9.92

$4.75 €4.09

142.11%

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

$719 €620

$829 €715

-13.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K €15.8K

$10.7K €9,216

71.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 €77.3

$51.5 €44.43

74.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.13 €38.90

$40.69 €35.08

10.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.5

$47.03 €40.54

133.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €98.4

$28.56 €24.62

299.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 €1,360

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 €1,036

$289 €249

316.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,842 €2,450

$693 €597

310.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,883 €1,623

$354 €305

432.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,245 €7,970

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,215 €3,633

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,498 €2,154

$1,156 €996

116.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

3.31

-6.65%

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

Last update for Madrid: September 7, 2026

Last update for Puertollano: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Madrid pays 116% 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 $26.00 in Puertollano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $231 per month, with Puertollano 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 Puertollano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puertollano wins on cost – living expenses run 139% lower than in Madrid. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Puertollano the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 116% higher in Madrid, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Madrid. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Puertollano – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $70.0 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $973 in Puertollano versus $2,322 in Madrid, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Puertollano but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Puertollano the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Puertollano delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $973 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Puertollano hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Madrid and Puertollano 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 Puertollano gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.