Cost of living comparison
Madrid is 21.0% cheaper than Brussels.
If you lived in Madrid instead of Brussels, you would:
pay 16.1% less for restaurants
Brussels
|
Madrid
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Basic meal with drink at inexpensive restaurant |
$16.49
€15.30
|
$13.19
€12.24
|
|
Fast food combo meal
McDonalds, or similar
|
$9.90
€9.18
|
$8.80
€8.16
|
|
Bottle of Coca-Cola (11 fl. oz) |
$2.58
€2.39
|
$2.53
€2.35
|
|
Bottle of water (11 fl. oz) |
$2.54
€2.35
|
$1.74
€1.61
|
|
pay 12.9% less for groceries
Brussels
|
Madrid
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Bread
1 loaf
|
$2.31
€2.15
|
$1.25
€1.16
|
|
Local cheese (8 oz) |
$7.55
€7.01
|
$5.92
€5.50
|
|
Milk (1 gallon) |
$4.69
€4.35
|
$3.90
€3.62
|
|
Eggs
1 dozen
|
$3.50
€3.25
|
$2.69
€2.49
|
|
Boneless chicken breast (1 lb) |
$4.96
€4.60
|
$3.74
€3.47
|
|
Apples (1 lb) |
$1.14
€1.06
|
$1.08
€1.00
|
|
Bananas (1 lb) |
$0.78
€0.73
|
$0.98
€0.90
|
|
Oranges (1 lb) |
$1.17
€1.08
|
$0.86
€0.80
|
|
Tomatoes (1 lb) |
$1.36
€1.26
|
$1.03
€0.96
|
|
Potatoes (1 lb) |
$0.69
€0.64
|
$0.67
€0.62
|
|
Onions (1 lb) |
$0.60
€0.55
|
$0.74
€0.68
|
|
pay 8.2% less for transportation
Brussels
|
Madrid
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Gasoline (1 gallon) |
$7.71
€7.15
|
$7.44
€6.90
|
|
Monthly public transit pass |
$53.87
€49.98
|
$59.37
€55.08
|
|
New Volkswagen Golf 1.4 (standard edition) |
$27,486.24
€25,500.36
|
$27,693.49
€25,692.63
|
|
Taxi trip in downtown area (5 miles) |
$22.76
€21.11
|
$13.63
€12.65
|
|
pay 16.1% less for housing
Brussels
|
Madrid
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Internet connection
50 mbps or faster, cable/dsl
|
$55.77
€51.74
|
$34.19
€31.72
|
|
1-Bedroom apartment in downtown area |
$1,043.18
€967.81
|
$1,094.67
€1,015.58
|
|
1-Bedroom apartment outside city center |
$873.71
€810.59
|
$816.29
€757.31
|
|
Utilities for two
(700 sq ft apartment)
including electric, gas, water, heating
|
$164.26
€152.39
|
$125.07
€116.03
|
|
pay 52.6% less for childcare
Brussels
|
Madrid
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Private preschool for 1 child, monthly |
$944.84
€876.57
|
$529.47
€491.22
|
|
Middle school for 1 child, two semesters |
$24,473.75
€22,705.52
|
$9,499.24
€8,812.92
|
|
pay 24.1% less for entertainment and sports
Brussels
|
Madrid
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Domestic/local beer (1 pint) |
$5.50
€5.10
|
$3.30
€3.06
|
|
Cappuccino in mid-range area |
$3.72
€3.45
|
$2.17
€2.01
|
|
Pack of cigarettes
Marlboro or similar
|
$8.80
€8.16
|
$5.61
€5.20
|
|
Monthly membership at local gym |
$34.17
€31.70
|
$41.71
€38.70
|
|
Movie ticket to theater/cinema |
$13.19
€12.24
|
$9.90
€9.18
|
|
pay 16.8% less for clothing
Brussels
|
Madrid
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Regular jeans
Levi's brand
|
$89.22
€82.78
|
$67.45
€62.58
|
|
Regular dress
from H&M or similar store
|
$32.58
€30.23
|
$35.01
€32.48
|
|
Running shoes
Nike or Adidas
|
$97.94
€90.87
|
$76.87
€71.32
|
|
Men's business shoes (leather) |
$132.04
€122.50
|
$94.21
€87.40
|
|
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