Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Valladolid

For one person, living is cheaper in Valladolid: $1,597 a month against $2,265 in Madrid, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Madrid
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,265
/mo nomad
Valladolid
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,597
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Madrid and in Valladolid

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,265 in Madrid versus $1,597 in Valladolid.

  • Madrid $2,265
  • Valladolid $1,597

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,296 in Madrid versus $2,481 in Valladolid.

  • Madrid $3,296
  • Valladolid $2,481

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,328 in Madrid versus $3,364 in Valladolid.

  • Madrid $4,328
  • Valladolid $3,364

Living in Madrid is roughly 42% more expensive than in Valladolid, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Madrid 68% above, Valladolid 18% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Madrid
Valladolid
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.20 €16.19
$16.78 €14.92
8.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.1 €60.5
$79.6 €70.8
-14.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.24 €9.99
$11.33 €10.08
-0.79%
Cappuccino
$3.15 €2.80
$2.03 €1.80
55.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36 €2.99
$3.20 €2.85
5.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 €2.10
$1.88 €1.68
25.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.83 €3.40
$3.37 €3.00
13.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.92 €4.38
$4.69 €4.17
4.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Madrid
Valladolid
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.17
$1.19 €1.06
10.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.61 €1.43
$1.01 €0.90
59.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.65 €1.47
$2.17 €1.93
-23.96%
Eggs
$4.07 €3.62
$2.88 €2.56
41.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.82 €14.07
$25.21 €22.42
-37.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.49 €8.44
$12.63 €11.24
-24.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.52 €15.59
$25.75 €22.90
-31.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$2.82 €2.51
-9.22%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 €1.86
$2.28 €2.03
-8.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.47 €2.19
$2.16 €1.92
14.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.49 €2.22
$4.96 €4.41
-49.80%
Potato (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.02 €1.80
11.88%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 €1.91
$2.17 €1.93
-0.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.57 €1.40
$2.06 €1.83
-23.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 €0.95
$0.56 €0.50
91.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.55 €5.82
$6.02 €5.36
8.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.65 €6.81
$10.22 €9.09
-25.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.03 €0.92
13.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 €1.97
$2.24 €1.99
-0.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Madrid
Valladolid
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.63 €1.45
$1.65 €1.47
-1.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.42 €32.39
$22.44 €19.96
62.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.73 €3.32
$4.57 €4.06
-18.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 €1.37
$2.21 €1.97
-30.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.17 €25.95
$23.25 €20.68
25.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.78 €1.58
$1.82 €1.62
-2.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K €31.6K
$34.5K €30.7K
2.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K €29.6K
$29.6K €26.3K
12.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
Valladolid
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 €168
$195 €173
-3.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.48 €15.55
$20.17 €17.94
-13.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.32 €30.53
$30.74 €27.34
11.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
Valladolid
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.62 €43.25
$38.49 €34.24
26.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.44 €16.40
$17.88 €15.91
3.13%
Cinema Ticket
$11.04 €9.82
$9.74 €8.66
13.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Madrid
Valladolid
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$693 €617
$176 €156
294.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.8K €15.8K
$6,004 €5,341
195.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
Valladolid
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.6 €75.3
$71.6 €63.7
18.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.50 €37.80
$36.11 €32.12
17.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 €98.1
$77.8 €69.2
41.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 €99.9
$96.6 €85.9
16.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Madrid
Valladolid
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,506 €1,339
$680 €605
121.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 €1,041
$508 €452
130.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,756 €2,451
$1,072 €954
157.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,845 €1,641
$816 €726
126.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,168 €8,155
$3,425 €3,047
167.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,234 €3,766
$3,664 €3,259
15.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Madrid
Valladolid
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,483 €2,209
$2,173 €1,933
14.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.14
3.08
1.95%

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

Last update for Madrid: October 11, 2026

Last update for Valladolid: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Madrid
$1.2K
Valladolid
$508 56.6% $662
Groceries & Markets
Madrid
$303
Valladolid
$375 23.7% $72
Eating Out
Madrid
$269
Valladolid
$239 11.1% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
$241
Valladolid
$246 2.2% $5.2
Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
$157
Valladolid
$127 19.3% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
$71
Valladolid
$58 18% $13
Getting Around
Madrid
$54
Valladolid
$45 17.9% $9.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,506 in Madrid and $680 in Valladolid. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 14% 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: $68.0 in Madrid vs $80.0 in Valladolid for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $375 per month, with Madrid cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Madrid
🇪🇸 Valladolid
🕒 Local time
01:34 1:34 AM
01:34 1:34 AM
Same time as Madrid
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,332,035 Capital
297,459
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Madrid Valladolid 160 km
From you
  • Madrid
  • Valladolid

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 Valladolid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Madrid or Valladolid?
Valladolid wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Madrid. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Valladolid the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Madrid or in Valladolid?
Average pay runs 14% 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 Valladolid?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,506 in Madrid versus $680 in Valladolid. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Madrid or in Valladolid?
Shoppers in Madrid pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Madrid and in Valladolid?
Dining out is cheaper in Valladolid – a meal for two runs $80.0 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 in Valladolid?
At $1,597 in Valladolid versus $2,265 in Madrid, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Valladolid but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Valladolid the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Madrid or Valladolid?
Both work as nomad bases, but Valladolid delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,597 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Valladolid hard to pass up.
How safe is Madrid compared to Valladolid?
Safety-wise, Madrid and Valladolid 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 Valladolid 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.

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