Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Seville Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Seville

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,265 in Madrid versus $1,604 in Seville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,314 in Madrid versus $2,342 in Seville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,362 in Madrid versus $3,080 in Seville.

Living in Madrid is roughly 41% more expensive than Seville, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 69% above, Seville 20% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Madrid
Seville
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.39 โ‚ฌ14.77
$13.65 โ‚ฌ11.59
27.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.5 โ‚ฌ58.1
$46.86 โ‚ฌ39.78
46.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.66 โ‚ฌ9.90
$10.31 โ‚ฌ8.76
13.09%
Cappuccino
$3.09 โ‚ฌ2.62
$2.23 โ‚ฌ1.89
38.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 โ‚ฌ2.60
$2.10 โ‚ฌ1.78
45.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 โ‚ฌ1.88
$1.38 โ‚ฌ1.17
60.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.01 โ‚ฌ3.40
$2.28 โ‚ฌ1.94
75.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 โ‚ฌ3.85
$3.40 โ‚ฌ2.89
33.24%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Madrid
Seville
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.20 โ‚ฌ1.02
$1.15 โ‚ฌ0.98
4.35%
White Bread (500g)
$1.68 โ‚ฌ1.42
$1.58 โ‚ฌ1.34
6.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 โ‚ฌ1.46
$1.98 โ‚ฌ1.68
-13.13%
Eggs
$3.40 โ‚ฌ2.88
$3.30 โ‚ฌ2.80
3.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.03 โ‚ฌ12.76
$13.89 โ‚ฌ11.79
8.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.78 โ‚ฌ7.45
$9.67 โ‚ฌ8.21
-9.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.18 โ‚ฌ14.59
$17.99 โ‚ฌ15.27
-4.50%
Apples (1kg)
$2.64 โ‚ฌ2.24
$2.50 โ‚ฌ2.12
5.60%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 โ‚ฌ1.82
$2.17 โ‚ฌ1.84
-0.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 โ‚ฌ2.16
$1.82 โ‚ฌ1.55
40.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.76 โ‚ฌ2.34
$2.79 โ‚ฌ2.37
-1.08%
Potato (1kg)
$2.12 โ‚ฌ1.80
$1.74 โ‚ฌ1.48
21.84%
Onion (1kg)
$2.13 โ‚ฌ1.81
$2.10 โ‚ฌ1.78
1.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.38 โ‚ฌ1.17
$1.45 โ‚ฌ1.23
-4.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 โ‚ฌ0.82
$0.62 โ‚ฌ0.53
56.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.11 โ‚ฌ6.04
$6.62 โ‚ฌ5.62
7.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.10 โ‚ฌ6.88
$6.01 โ‚ฌ5.11
34.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38 โ‚ฌ1.17
$1.33 โ‚ฌ1.13
3.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16 โ‚ฌ1.83
$2.40 โ‚ฌ2.04
-10.00%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Madrid
Seville
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.69 โ‚ฌ1.43
$1.66 โ‚ฌ1.41
1.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.75 โ‚ฌ41.39
$40.08 โ‚ฌ34.03
21.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.16 โ‚ฌ3.53
$2.32 โ‚ฌ1.97
79.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.32 โ‚ฌ1.12
$1.09 โ‚ฌ0.92
21.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.53 โ‚ฌ24.22
$24.44 โ‚ฌ20.75
16.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.92 โ‚ฌ1.63
$1.73 โ‚ฌ1.47
10.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.8K โ‚ฌ32.1K
$38.6K โ‚ฌ32.7K
-1.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K โ‚ฌ28.2K
$31.7K โ‚ฌ26.9K
4.92%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
Seville
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 โ‚ฌ160
$110 โ‚ฌ93.8
70.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.76 โ‚ฌ18.48
$24.51 โ‚ฌ20.81
-11.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.31 โ‚ฌ29.98
$36.28 โ‚ฌ30.80
-2.67%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
Seville
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.8 โ‚ฌ44.84
$41.17 โ‚ฌ34.95
28.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.10 โ‚ฌ15.37
$14.55 โ‚ฌ12.35
24.40%
Cinema Ticket
$11.60 โ‚ฌ9.84
$9.16 โ‚ฌ7.78
26.64%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Madrid
Seville
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 โ‚ฌ575
$380 โ‚ฌ323
78.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K โ‚ฌ10.3K
$6,662 โ‚ฌ5,656
81.93%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
Seville
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.9 โ‚ฌ80.5
$86.1 โ‚ฌ73.1
10.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.98 โ‚ฌ35.64
$41.94 โ‚ฌ35.60
0.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 โ‚ฌ88.6
$90.9 โ‚ฌ77.2
14.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 โ‚ฌ115
$118 โ‚ฌ100
14.46%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Madrid
Seville
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,578 โ‚ฌ1,339
$1,004 โ‚ฌ853
57.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,115 โ‚ฌ946
$727 โ‚ฌ617
53.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,765 โ‚ฌ2,348
$1,605 โ‚ฌ1,362
72.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,879 โ‚ฌ1,596
$1,032 โ‚ฌ876
82.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,202 โ‚ฌ7,813
$4,641 โ‚ฌ3,940
98.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,488 โ‚ฌ3,811
$2,169 โ‚ฌ1,841
106.97%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Madrid
Seville
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,586 โ‚ฌ2,195
$1,845 โ‚ฌ1,566
40.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.43
3.51
-2.28%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Madrid: April 20, 2026

Last update for Seville: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,578 in Madrid and $1,004 in Seville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 40% 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: $68 in Madrid vs $47 in Seville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $285 per month, with Seville 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 Seville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Madrid or Seville?
Seville wins on cost โ€“ living expenses run 41% lower than in Madrid. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Seville the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Madrid or Seville?
Madrid pays 40% more on average, 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 vs Seville?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,578 in Madrid versus $1,004 in Seville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Madrid or Seville?
Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Madrid. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Madrid vs Seville?
Dining out is cheaper in Seville โ€“ a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $68.0 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 Seville?
At $1,604 in Seville versus $2,265 in Madrid, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seville but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Seville the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Madrid or Seville?
Both work as nomad bases, but Seville delivers better value โ€“ similar infrastructure at $1,604 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Seville hard to pass up.
How safe is Madrid compared to Seville?
Safety-wise, Madrid and Seville are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Seville gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 41% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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