Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Barcelona 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Barcelona is 2.4% higher than in Madrid (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Barcelona is 2.5% higher than in Madrid | |
| Rent Prices in Barcelona are 2.6% higher than in Madrid | |
| Restaurant Prices in Barcelona are 2.7% higher than in Madrid | |
| Groceries Prices in Barcelona are 2.9% higher than in Madrid | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Barcelona is 9.0% lower than in Madrid | |
Restaurants | Madrid Edit |
Barcelona Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 15.00 € | 15.00 € | 0.0 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 60.00 € | 60.00 € | 0.0 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 10.00 € | 12.00 € | +20.0 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 3.50 € | 4.00 € | +14.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 4.00 € | 4.00 € | 0.0 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 2.57 € | 2.51 € | -2.5 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.57 € | 2.20 € | -14.3 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 1.69 € | 1.59 € | -5.8 % |
Markets | Madrid Edit |
Barcelona Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.09 € | 1.06 € | -3.2 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 1.13 € | 1.43 € | +26.5 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 0.67 € | 0.75 € | +12.1 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 3.18 € | 3.41 € | +7.2 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 6.36 € | 6.37 € | +0.2 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 3.45 € | 3.53 € | +2.5 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 6.69 € | 7.12 € | +6.4 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 1.02 € | 1.15 € | +12.7 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.89 € | 0.87 € | -3.0 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.01 € | 0.86 € | -14.3 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 1.07 € | 1.12 € | +4.8 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 0.77 € | 0.77 € | +1.1 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 0.83 € | 0.74 € | -10.9 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 1.13 € | 1.28 € | +13.3 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 0.74 € | 0.74 € | -0.2 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 6.95 € | 6.00 € | -13.7 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 1.18 € | 1.17 € | -0.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 1.95 € | 2.15 € | +10.3 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 6.00 € | 6.00 € | 0.0 % |
Transportation | Madrid Edit |
Barcelona Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 1.50 € | 2.65 € | +76.7 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 35.00 € | 22.00 € | -37.1 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 3.50 € | 3.00 € | -14.3 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 2.09 € | 3.00 € | +43.4 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 25.00 € | 29.95 € | +19.8 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.56 € | 1.52 € | -2.2 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 31,500.00 € | 31,500.00 € | 0.0 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 28,492.40 € | 27,600.00 € | -3.1 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Madrid Edit |
Barcelona Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 170.71 € | 162.54 € | -4.8 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 15.15 € | 18.17 € | +20.0 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 28.21 € | 32.96 € | +16.8 % |
Sports And Leisure | Madrid Edit |
Barcelona Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 43.33 € | 48.59 € | +12.2 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 13.62 € | 19.24 € | +41.3 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 10.00 € | 10.00 € | 0.0 % |
Childcare | Madrid Edit |
Barcelona Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 560.45 € | 672.11 € | +19.9 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 14,998.12 € | 13,729.11 € | -8.5 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Madrid Edit |
Barcelona Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 80.50 € | 70.23 € | -12.8 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 32.90 € | 32.27 € | -1.9 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 87.27 € | 89.00 € | +2.0 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 99.22 € | 97.50 € | -1.7 % |
Rent Per Month | Madrid Edit |
Barcelona Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 1,315.86 € | 1,377.58 € | +4.7 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 958.27 € | 1,049.24 € | +9.5 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 2,296.96 € | 2,153.45 € | -6.2 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 1,506.81 € | 1,653.85 € | +9.8 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Madrid Edit |
Barcelona Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 673.76 € | 550.94 € | -18.2 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 357.60 € | 381.45 € | +6.7 % |
Salaries And Financing | Madrid Edit |
Barcelona Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 2,273.13 € | 2,118.76 € | -6.8 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 3.19 | 2.99 | -6.1 % |
| Last update: | 21 January 2026 | 20 January 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 240 | 268 | |
Moving to Madrid? Explore:
Moving to Barcelona? Explore:
Cities near Madrid: | Cost of Living in Pozuelo de Alarcon | 8.64 miles |
| Cost of Living in Getafe | 9.04 miles |
| Cost of Living in Coslada | 9.17 miles |
| Cost of Living in La Moraleja | 11.07 miles |
| Cost of Living in Rivas-Vaciamadrid | 12.79 miles |
| Cost of Living in Fuenlabrada | 15.28 miles |
| Cost of Living in Mostoles | 15.34 miles |
| Cost of Living in Alcala de Henares | 20.54 miles |
| Cost of Living in Soto del Real | 26.90 miles |
| Cost of Living in Aranjuez | 30.41 miles |
Cities near Barcelona: | Cost of Living in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat | 5.50 miles |
| Cost of Living in Badalona | 6.72 miles |
| Cost of Living in Cornella de Llobregat | 7.27 miles |
| Cost of Living in Sabadell | 16.28 miles |
| Cost of Living in Terrassa | 17.03 miles |
| Cost of Living in Igualada, Catalunya | 42.33 miles |
| Cost of Living in Tarragona | 63.44 miles |
| Cost of Living in Castello de la Plana | 173.67 miles |
| Cost of Living in Sagunto | 205.23 miles |
| Cost of Living in Valencia | 218.59 miles |