Cost of Living in Madrid

Spain · Southern Europe · Currency: EUR

38.0
COLI Index
#69
of 113 Cities
28.8%
Total Deductions
€933
1BR Rent/mo

About Madrid

Madrid has a cost of living index of 38.0, making it a low cost city compared to New York (baseline = 100). It ranks #69 out of 113 cities tracked globally.

The local currency is EUR. A salary of $75,000 USD in New York would need to be approximately €24,165 in Madrid to maintain the same purchasing power.

The approximate effective income tax rate in Spain is 22% for a mid-range earner. Including social security and other mandatory deductions, the total deduction rate is approximately 28.8%.

Monthly Cost Breakdown in Madrid

Estimated monthly expense allocation for a mid-range earner living in Madrid. Housing costs are based on average one-bedroom rent in the city center (€933/month), with other categories adjusted for the local cost of living index.

Housing
45%
Food & Groceries
15%
Transportation
8%
Utilities
6%
Healthcare
4%
Other & Savings
22%

Estimates based on a mid-range salary adjusted for Madrid's COLI of 38.0 and Spain's total deduction rate of 28.8%. Individual expenses will vary.

Tax & Deductions Breakdown in Madrid

Estimated annual deductions for a mid-range salary of €24,165 in Madrid. This shows all mandatory payroll deductions as a local employee.

Income Tax
22%
Social Security
6.3%
Total Deductions: 28.8%
Est. Take-Home: €17,215/yr

Rates shown are for a local employee. Expat rates may differ — use the main converter for personalized calculations.

Salary Ranges by Job Title in Madrid (2026)

Two numbers per role: local market (verified national stats, OECD estimate, or COLI fallback — same badges as /is-my-salary-good/) and a lifestyle equivalent (NYC baseline × city COLI / 100). The equivalent is not market pay. Senior column is COLI-scaled.

Job Title Local market (mid) Lifestyle equivalent (mid) COLI senior equivalent
Doctor (General)€42,734
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€57,996
COLI equivalent
€112,770
Surgeon€66,475
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€90,216
COLI equivalent
€161,099
Dentist€43,412
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€51,552
COLI equivalent
€96,660
Pharmacist€29,676
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€40,275
COLI equivalent
€64,440
Nurse€13,770
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€18,688
COLI equivalent
€32,220
Psychologist€20,180
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€27,387
COLI equivalent
€48,330
Software Engineer€23,063
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€27,387
COLI equivalent
€57,996
DevOps Engineer€25,776
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€30,609
COLI equivalent
€56,385
Data Scientist€25,776
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€30,609
COLI equivalent
€54,774
Mechanical Engineer€21,163
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€25,132
COLI equivalent
€45,108
Civil Engineer€19,535
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€23,198
COLI equivalent
€43,497
Electrical Engineer€21,706
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€25,776
COLI equivalent
€46,719
Architect€19,535
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€23,198
COLI equivalent
€41,886
UX Designer€20,349
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€24,165
COLI equivalent
€45,108
Product Manager€27,133
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€32,220
COLI equivalent
€61,218
Project Manager€21,706
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€25,776
COLI equivalent
€48,330
Financial Analyst€21,163
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€25,132
COLI equivalent
€46,719
Accountant€16,822
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€19,976
COLI equivalent
€35,442
Business Analyst€20,349
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€24,165
COLI equivalent
€45,108
Consultant€24,419
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€28,998
COLI equivalent
€57,996
Investment Banker€40,699
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€48,330
COLI equivalent
€112,770
Actuary€29,846
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€35,442
COLI equivalent
€64,440
Lawyer€25,437
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€32,220
COLI equivalent
€70,884
Paralegal€13,227
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€16,754
COLI equivalent
€27,387
Marketing Manager€19,535
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€23,198
COLI equivalent
€43,497
Sales Manager€21,706
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€25,776
COLI equivalent
€51,552
Graphic Designer€17,721
COLI estimate only — not market pay
€17,721
COLI equivalent
€32,220
Content Writer€16,110
COLI estimate only — not market pay
€16,110
COLI equivalent
€28,998
HR Manager€18,993
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€22,554
COLI equivalent
€41,886
Operations Manager€22,249
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€26,420
COLI equivalent
€48,330
CEO / Executive€59,692
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€70,884
COLI equivalent
€161,099
Teacher€13,024
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€15,466
COLI equivalent
€27,387
Professor€25,776
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€30,609
COLI equivalent
€57,996
Research Scientist€23,063
OECD / estimated · Estimated · OECD wage ratios + INE Spain
€27,387
COLI equivalent
€49,941
Pilot€38,664
COLI estimate only — not market pay
€38,664
COLI equivalent
€80,550
Chef€16,110
COLI estimate only — not market pay
€16,110
COLI equivalent
€32,220
Journalist€16,754
COLI estimate only — not market pay
€16,754
COLI equivalent
€30,609

Salary ranges are estimates adjusted by Madrid's COLI (38.0) relative to the New York baseline (100). Actual salaries depend on experience, company, and industry.

How Much Do You Need to Earn in Madrid?

Understanding your take-home pay is critical when evaluating a move to Madrid. With total deductions of approximately 28.8% (income tax + social security) in Spain and average one-bedroom rent of €933/month, here is what a mid-range salary looks like:

€24,165
Gross Annual (Mid-Range)
€1,434
Monthly Take-Home

After taxes, a mid-range earner in Madrid takes home approximately €1,434 per month. With housing consuming roughly 45% of after-tax income, careful budgeting is essential in this low cost city. Your purchasing power in Madrid is 263% of what it would be in New York for the same nominal salary.

Neighborhoods in Madrid

23 neighborhoods tracked with cost multipliers relative to the city average. This neighborhood-level data helps you understand exactly how costs vary within Madrid.

NeighborhoodMultipliervs City Avg
Salamanca 1.30x +30%
Chamberí 1.18x +18%
Retiro 1.15x +15%
Barrio de las Letras 1.15x +15%
Chueca 1.12x +12%
Malasaña 1.10x +10%
Chamartín 1.08x +8%
Moncloa-Aravaca 1.08x +8%
La Latina 1.05x +5%
Moncloa 1.02x +2%
Atocha 1.00x +0%
Arganzuela 0.95x -5%
Arturo Soria 0.95x -5%
Prosperidad 0.92x -8%
Lavapiés 0.90x -10%
Fuencarral 0.88x -12%
Conde de Casal 0.88x -12%
Hortaleza 0.85x -15%
Tetuán 0.82x -18%
Barajas 0.80x -20%
Vallecas 0.72x -28%
Usera 0.72x -28%
Carabanchel 0.70x -30%

Salary Comparison: Madrid vs Other Cities

To maintain the same standard of living as $75,000 USD in Madrid, here's what you'd need in other cities:

City COLI Equivalent Salary Difference
New York 100 $197,368 +62%
London 87.5 £130,043 +57%
Singapore 87.7 S$225,489 +57%
Dubai 72.4 AED 517,671 +48%
Berlin 51.2 €85,682 +26%
Tokyo 77.3 ¥23,633,911 +51%
Sydney 74.5 A$208,933 +49%
Toronto 62.3 C$166,478 +39%

Compare Madrid With Other Cities

See detailed side-by-side comparisons of salaries, rent, taxes, and neighborhoods.

Madrid vs Abu Dhabi Madrid vs Amsterdam Madrid vs Athens Madrid vs Atlanta Madrid vs Auckland Madrid vs Austin Madrid vs Bali (Denpasar) Madrid vs Bangalore Madrid vs Bangkok Madrid vs Barcelona Madrid vs Beijing Madrid vs Berlin Madrid vs Bogotá Madrid vs Boston Madrid vs Brussels Madrid vs Bucharest Madrid vs Budapest Madrid vs Buenos Aires Madrid vs Cairo Madrid vs Cancún Madrid vs Cape Town Madrid vs Casablanca Madrid vs Charlotte Madrid vs Chennai Madrid vs Chiang Mai Madrid vs Chicago Madrid vs Copenhagen Madrid vs Dallas Madrid vs Delhi Madrid vs Denver Madrid vs Doha Madrid vs Dubai Madrid vs Dublin Madrid vs Edinburgh Madrid vs Fukuoka Madrid vs Geneva Madrid vs Guangzhou Madrid vs Hanoi Madrid vs Helsinki Madrid vs Ho Chi Minh City Madrid vs Hong Kong Madrid vs Houston Madrid vs Istanbul Madrid vs Jakarta Madrid vs Krakow Madrid vs Kuala Lumpur Madrid vs Lagos Madrid vs Las Vegas Madrid vs Lima Madrid vs Lisbon Madrid vs London Madrid vs Los Angeles Madrid vs Luxembourg City Madrid vs Manila Madrid vs Marrakech Madrid vs Medellín Madrid vs Melbourne Madrid vs Mexico City Madrid vs Miami Madrid vs Milan Madrid vs Minneapolis Madrid vs Montevideo Madrid vs Montreal Madrid vs Mumbai Madrid vs Munich Madrid vs Málaga Madrid vs Nairobi Madrid vs Nashville Madrid vs New York Madrid vs Nice Madrid vs Osaka Madrid vs Oslo Madrid vs Panama City Madrid vs Paris Madrid vs Perth Madrid vs Philadelphia Madrid vs Phnom Penh Madrid vs Phoenix Madrid vs Phuket Madrid vs Playa del Carmen Madrid vs Portland Madrid vs Porto Madrid vs Prague Madrid vs Raleigh Madrid vs Riga Madrid vs Riyadh Madrid vs Rome Madrid vs San Diego Madrid vs San Francisco Madrid vs San José (CR) Madrid vs Santiago Madrid vs Seattle Madrid vs Seoul Madrid vs Shanghai Madrid vs Shenzhen Madrid vs Singapore Madrid vs Split Madrid vs Stockholm Madrid vs Sydney Madrid vs São Paulo Madrid vs Taipei Madrid vs Tallinn Madrid vs Tampa Madrid vs Tel Aviv Madrid vs Tokyo Madrid vs Toronto Madrid vs Valencia Madrid vs Vancouver Madrid vs Vienna Madrid vs Warsaw Madrid vs Washington DC Madrid vs Zurich

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living index for Madrid?

The cost of living index (COLI) for Madrid is 38.0, which ranks #69 out of 113 cities globally. New York is the baseline at 100.

How much salary do I need in Madrid to match $75,000 in New York?

To maintain the same purchasing power as $75,000 USD in New York, you would need approximately €24,165 in Madrid.

What is the average rent in Madrid?

The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center of Madrid is approximately €933 per month (local currency).

What are the total payroll deductions in Spain?

The approximate effective income tax rate for a mid-range earner in Spain is approximately 22%. Including social security and other mandatory contributions, total deductions are approximately 28.8%.

What are the cheapest neighborhoods in Madrid?

The most affordable neighborhoods include Vallecas, Usera, Carabanchel.

What are the most expensive areas in Madrid?

The most expensive neighborhoods are Salamanca, Chamberí, Retiro.

Data Sources & Methodology

Our cost of living index (COLI) uses New York City as the baseline (COLI = 100). Indices are derived from multiple sources including Numbeo, Expatistan, and national statistics agencies. Exchange rates are sourced from the European Central Bank.

Tax rates represent approximate effective rates for mid-range earners based on OECD Taxing Wages data and do not constitute tax advice. Neighborhood cost multipliers are estimated from local rental indices and property data. Salary ranges are modeled by adjusting global baseline figures by each city's COLI.

Last updated: 2026-08-31. Data is refreshed periodically and may not reflect very recent changes. All figures are estimates for informational purposes only.

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