Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Topeka, KS Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Topeka, KS

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,262 in Madrid versus $1,903 in Topeka, KS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,324 in Madrid versus $3,044 in Topeka, KS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Madrid versus $4,184 in Topeka, KS.

Living in Madrid is roughly 19% more expensive than in Topeka, KS, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 70% above, Topeka, KS 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.70 €15.43

$13.75 $13.75

28.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €60.8

$52.9 $52.9

31.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 €10.43

$10.07 $10.07

18.77%

Cappuccino

$3.15 €2.75

$3.45 $3.45

-8.70%

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

$3.11 €2.71

$2.19 $2.19

42.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.94

$1.50 $1.50

48.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.15 €3.62

$5.12 $5.12

-18.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 €3.92

$6.05 $6.05

-25.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.09

$0.78 $0.78

60.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 €1.48

$3.12 $3.12

-45.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$2.14 $2.14

-20.56%

Eggs

$3.51 €3.06

$4.29 $4.29

-18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.07 €13.14

$8.64 $8.64

74.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.24 €8.06

$11.12 $11.12

-16.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 €14.88

$12.62 $12.62

35.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.39

$5.44 $5.44

-49.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.87

$2.03 $2.03

5.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 €2.17

$4.66 $4.66

-46.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.40

$4.06 $4.06

-32.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.87

$3.76 $3.76

-43.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 €1.90

$2.44 $2.44

-10.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.85 $1.85

-25.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.80

$0.97 $0.97

-5.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.95 €6.06

$9.04 $9.04

-23.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.91 €6.90

$11.85 $11.85

-33.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.82 $1.82

-24.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 €1.96

$1.65 $1.65

35.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.56

$4.62 $4.62

-61.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.65 €42.41

$49.96 $49.96

-2.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.73 $2.73

47.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.34 $1.34

-0.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.16 €25.42

$33.61 $33.61

-13.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.60

$0.71 $0.71

159.15%

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

$38.1K €33.2K

$23.7K $23.7K

60.84%

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

$33.4K €29.2K

$25.2K $25.2K

32.81%

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

$189 €165

$111 $111

70.50%

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

$21.62 €18.85

$50.3 $50.3

-57.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.96 €31.35

$64.5 $64.5

-44.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 €46.28

$58.2 $58.2

-8.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.13 €15.80

$15.27 $15.27

18.73%

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 €10.00

$12.47 $12.47

-8.02%

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

$662 €578

$445 $445

48.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.3K

$23.8K $23.8K

-50.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.2 €84.7

$22.20 $22.20

337.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.05 €37.53

$19.80 $19.80

117.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €91.2

$72.1 $72.1

45.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €116

$80.7 $80.7

65.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 €1,361

$772 $772

102.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 €985

$849 $849

33.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,850 €2,484

$1,898 $1,898

50.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,868 €1,629

$1,817 $1,817

2.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,099 €7,933

$1,367 $1,367

565.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,243 €3,699

$1,346 $1,346

215.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,471 €2,154

$3,499 $3,499

-29.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

6.11

-43.86%

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

Last update for Madrid: July 28, 2026

Last update for Topeka, KS: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,561 in Madrid and $772 in Topeka, KS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Topeka, KS pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Madrid vs $53.0 in Topeka, KS. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $334, with Madrid cheaper for home cooking.

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 Topeka, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Topeka, KS wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Madrid. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Topeka, KS the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Topeka, KS. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,561 in Madrid versus $772 in Topeka, KS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Madrid pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Topeka, KS – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $70.0 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,903 in Topeka, KS versus $2,262 in Madrid, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Topeka, KS but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Topeka, KS the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Topeka, KS delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,903 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Topeka, KS hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Madrid and Topeka, KS 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 Topeka, KS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.