๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,966 in Texas City, TX versus $2,265 in Madrid.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,661 in Texas City, TX versus $3,314 in Madrid.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,356 in Texas City, TX versus $4,362 in Madrid.
๐Living in Texas City, TX costs roughly 13% less than in Madrid, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
๐Both cities are pricier than the global median: Texas City, TX47% above, Madrid69% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Texas City, TX
Madrid
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.07$18.07
$17.39โฌ14.84
3.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.2$59.2
$68.5โฌ58.4
-13.59%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.98$9.98
$11.66โฌ9.95
-14.41%
Cappuccino
$3.94$3.94
$3.09โฌ2.64
27.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33$1.33
$3.06โฌ2.61
-56.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89$1.89
$2.21โฌ1.89
-14.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.87$4.87
$4.01โฌ3.42
21.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.19$7.19
$4.53โฌ3.86
58.72%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Texas City, TX
Madrid
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.74$0.74
$1.20โฌ1.03
-38.33%
White Bread(500g)
$2.67$2.67
$1.68โฌ1.43
58.93%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.46$3.46
$1.72โฌ1.47
101.16%
Eggs
$3.97$3.97
$3.40โฌ2.90
16.76%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.43$6.43
$15.03โฌ12.82
-57.22%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.68$10.68
$8.78โฌ7.49
21.64%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.57$10.57
$17.18โฌ14.66
-38.47%
Apples(1kg)
$4.82$4.82
$2.64โฌ2.25
82.58%
Banana(1kg)
$1.56$1.56
$2.15โฌ1.83
-27.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.36$4.36
$2.55โฌ2.17
70.98%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.11$4.11
$2.76โฌ2.35
48.91%
Potato(1kg)
$2.84$2.84
$2.12โฌ1.81
33.96%
Onion(1kg)
$2.76$2.76
$2.13โฌ1.82
29.58%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.97$1.97
$1.38โฌ1.18
42.75%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.19$2.19
$0.97โฌ0.83
125.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.98$7.98
$7.11โฌ6.07
12.24%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.71$9.71
$8.10โฌ6.91
19.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.36$2.36
$1.38โฌ1.18
71.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58$3.58
$2.16โฌ1.84
65.74%
๐ Getting Around
Texas City, TX
Madrid
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.98$0.98
$1.69โฌ1.44
-42.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$39.86$39.86
$48.75โฌ41.59
-18.24%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.28$4.28
$4.16โฌ3.55
2.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.74$1.74
$1.32โฌ1.12
31.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$20.19$20.19
$28.53โฌ24.34
-29.23%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.68$0.68
$1.92โฌ1.64
-64.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.2K$25.2K
$37.8Kโฌ32.3K
-33.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K$25.9K
$33.3Kโฌ28.4K
-22.16%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Texas City, TX
Madrid
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$177$177
$188โฌ161
-6.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.42$25.42
$21.76โฌ18.56
16.82%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.8$65.8
$35.31โฌ30.12
86.35%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Texas City, TX
Madrid
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$15.21$15.21
$52.8โฌ45.05
-71.20%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.10โฌ15.44
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.10$15.10
$11.60โฌ9.89
30.17%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Texas City, TX
Madrid
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,202$1,202
$677โฌ578
77.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$21.7K$21.7K
$12.1Kโฌ10.3K
78.90%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Texas City, TX
Madrid
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.7$55.7
$94.9โฌ80.9
-41.32%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.22$46.22
$41.98โฌ35.81
10.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$64.8$64.8
$104โฌ89.0
-37.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119$119
$135โฌ115
-11.73%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Texas City, TX
Madrid
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,080$1,080
$1,578โฌ1,346
-31.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$861$861
$1,115โฌ951
-22.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,509$1,509
$2,765โฌ2,359
-45.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$981$981
$1,879โฌ1,603
-47.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$9,357$9,357
$9,202โฌ7,849
1.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$7,743$7,743
$4,488โฌ3,829
72.52%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Texas City, TX
Madrid
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,643$4,643
$2,586โฌ2,206
79.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.45
3.43
88.05%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Texas City, TX: April 22, 2026
Last update for Madrid: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,080 in Texas City, TX and $1,578 in Madrid. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐTexas City, TX pays 80% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
๐Dining out: $59 in Texas City, TX vs $68 in Madrid. Groceries flip the comparison at $326 vs $295, 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
Texas City, TX vs Madrid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Texas City, TX or Madrid?
Texas City, TX wins on cost โ living expenses run 15% lower than in Madrid. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Texas City, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Texas City, TX or Madrid?
Texas City, TX pays 80% 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 Texas City, TX vs Madrid?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,080 in Texas City, TX versus $1,578 in Madrid. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Texas City, TX or Madrid?
Shoppers in Madrid pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Texas City, TX vs Madrid?
Dining out is cheaper in Texas City, TX โ a meal for two runs $59.0 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 Texas City, TX or Madrid?
At $1,966 in Texas City, TX versus $2,265 in Madrid, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Texas City, TX but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Texas City, TX the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Texas City, TX or Madrid?
Both work as nomad bases, but Texas City, TX delivers better value โ similar infrastructure at $1,966 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Texas City, TX hard to pass up.
How safe is Texas City, TX compared to Madrid?
Safety-wise, Texas City, TX and Madrid 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 Texas City, TX gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 15% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Texas City, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared