Cost of Living Comparison Between Valencia and Madrid Cost of Living Comparison Between Valencia and Madrid

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,866 in Valencia versus $2,293 in Madrid.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Valencia versus $3,370 in Madrid.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,521 in Valencia versus $4,447 in Madrid.

Living in Valencia costs roughly 19% less than in Madrid, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Valencia 40% above, Madrid 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.15 €13.27

$17.33 €15.17

-12.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.4 €51.1

$68.7 €60.2

-15.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.53 €10.97

$11.95 €10.47

4.85%

Cappuccino

$2.62 €2.29

$3.10 €2.72

-15.48%

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

$2.43 €2.13

$3.21 €2.81

-24.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.73

$2.14 €1.88

-7.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.06

$4.10 €3.59

-14.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 €3.11

$4.55 €3.99

-21.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.02

$1.19 €1.04

-1.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 €1.19

$1.71 €1.50

-20.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 €1.46

$1.72 €1.50

-3.49%

Eggs

$2.90 €2.54

$3.52 €3.08

-17.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 €10.02

$14.98 €13.12

-23.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.68 €7.60

$8.83 €7.74

-1.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 €12.29

$16.75 €14.67

-16.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 €2.28

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 €1.63

$2.22 €1.94

-16.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 €1.75

$2.45 €2.15

-18.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.34 €2.05

$2.65 €2.32

-11.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.67

$2.07 €1.81

-8.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.15 €1.88

-6.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.34 €1.17

17.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.62

$0.99 €0.87

-28.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.69 €5.86

$6.99 €6.12

-4.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.73 €5.02

$7.77 €6.81

-26.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.43 €1.25

4.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.18 €1.91

-7.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.20 €29.95

$48.79 €42.73

-29.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 €2.97

$4.12 €3.61

-17.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 €1.05

$1.39 €1.22

-13.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.04 €21.93

$28.50 €24.96

-12.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$1.92 €1.68

-5.21%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$37.7K €33.0K

-7.76%

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

$32.7K €28.7K

$34.1K €29.9K

-4.04%

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

$145 €127

$193 €169

-24.77%

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

$13.42 €11.75

$21.55 €18.88

-37.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 €26.08

$35.97 €31.50

-17.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.93 €36.72

$52.7 €46.15

-20.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.64 €11.07

$17.64 €15.45

-28.34%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.69

$11.44 €10.02

-13.29%

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

$592 €519

$669 €586

-11.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.3K

$11.9K €10.4K

-1.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.2

$94.7 €82.9

6.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.44 €32.79

$42.81 €37.50

-12.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 €85.5

$105 €91.8

-6.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 €111

$132 €116

-3.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,067

$1,607 €1,408

-24.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 €825

$1,151 €1,008

-18.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 €1,691

$2,839 €2,486

-31.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,351 €1,183

$1,879 €1,646

-28.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,702 €4,994

$9,038 €7,915

-36.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,308 €2,897

$4,262 €3,733

-22.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,963 €1,719

$2,464 €2,158

-20.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.44

3.43

0.29%

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

Last update for Valencia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Madrid: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,218 in Valencia and $1,607 in Madrid. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madrid pays 26% 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: $58.0 in Valencia vs $69.0 in Madrid for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $293 per month, with Valencia 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

Valencia vs Madrid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Valencia wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Madrid. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Valencia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Madrid. 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: $1,218 in Valencia versus $1,607 in Madrid. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Madrid. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Valencia – a meal for two runs $58.0 versus $69.0 in Madrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,866 in Valencia versus $2,293 in Madrid, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Valencia but tight or insufficient in Madrid. The gap between the two cities makes Valencia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Valencia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,866 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Valencia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Valencia 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.

Expats usually find Valencia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Madrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.