Spain
Spain's elegant capital with world-class art museums, lively plazas, and a nightlife that rarely starts before midnight. Known for its warm, welcoming madrileño culture.
#45 of 250
68% above average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 2 442
Based on NYC = 100 index
Madrid is the 45. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 2 442 for one adult.
Most of that goes on housing, which runs 60% above the median city and adds $ 629 a month: 1br apartment (city center) $ 1 777, 1br apartment (outside center) $ 1 565.
Cheaper here than almost anywhere else is utilities, 37% below the median: basic utilities (85m2 apt) $ 82.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
52 prices on this page come from live scrapers (15 sources, observed October 13, 2026 to October 13, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in Madrid, Spain. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/madrid. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (City Center) | 1,776.84 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | pisos.com |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 1,564.52 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | pisos.com |
| 3BR Apartment (City Center) | 4,123.62 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | pisos.com |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 2,793.78 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | pisos.com |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 7.72 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Pork (1kg) | 7.04 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Beef (1kg) | 21.23 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Fish Fillet (1kg) | 8.76 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Deli Meat / Ham (1kg) | 8.31 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Milk (1 liter) | 1.16 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Yogurt (150g) | 0.22 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Cheese (1kg) | 10.84 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Butter (200g) | 1.86 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Eggs (12) | 3.22 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Bread (500g) | 1.06 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Bread Roll (1pc) | 0.39 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Pasta (500g) | 0.89 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Rice (1kg) | 1.79 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Oats (500g) | 0.92 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Potatoes (1kg) | 2.13 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | 2.35 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Bell Peppers (1kg) | 3.46 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Carrots (1kg) | 1.12 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Onions (1kg) | 1.68 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Garlic (1kg) | 8.27 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.13 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Apples (1kg) | 2.01 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Banana (1kg) | 3.13 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Oranges (1kg) | 2.18 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Lentils (1kg) | 2.07 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Canned Tomatoes (400g) | 0.56 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Sunflower Oil (1L) | 2.07 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Flour (1kg) | 1.06 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Sugar (1kg) | 1.01 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Coffee (250g) | 2.58 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Water (1.5 liter) | 0.96 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Orange Juice (1L) | 2.07 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Monthly Transit Pass | 36.54 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| One-way Ticket | 1.68 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| Taxi Start | 2.85 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Taxi Tariffs |
| Taxi 1km | 1.56 / km | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Taxi Tariffs |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 2.08 / liter | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Fuel Prices |
| Basic Utilities (85m2 Apt) | 81.87 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Eurostat Energy Prices |
| Fitness Club (Monthly) | 32.86 / month | 2 | 2026-10-13 | European Entertainment Chains, Gym Chains |
| Cinema Ticket | 9.50 / ticket | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Cinema Ticket Prices |
| Doctor Visit (15 min) | 44.70 / visit | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Private Clinics & Telehealth |
| Cold Medicine (6 days) | 0.75 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | European Online Pharmacies, Official Drug Price Lists |
| Antibiotics (12 doses) | 2.07 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Drug Price Lists |
| Jeans (Levis or Similar) | 49.86 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | H&M, Uniqlo |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 46.87 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | H&M, Uniqlo |
| Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas) | 117.34 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-13 | AboutYou & local fashion e-shops |
| Business Shoes (Leather) | 51.39 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-13 | AboutYou & local fashion e-shops |
Cities where the money splits the same way
Portugal
Similar share of Housing & Basic Grocery Basket
Canada
Similar share of Housing & Utilities
Spain
Similar share of Housing & Restaurants
Canada
Similar share of Housing & Restaurants
Monthly average costs by category
$ 1 671
per month
$ 137
per month
$ 301
per month
$ 120
per month
$ 82
per month
$ 79
per month
$ 23
per month
$ 30
per month