# Cost of living Madrid



## Sean3uk (Aug 16, 2015)

Hi there. I have a chance of a job in Madrid. I would be taking a decent wage cut but the job itself is great. I'm just wondering what the cost of living in Madrid is like compared 
to a big city (not london) in the UK? The job would pay ?26,000 a year.


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## Trubrit (Nov 24, 2010)

I lived in Madrid for a year before I moved to Toledo and I did not find it any more expensive than where I live now with the exception of accommodation. Madrid is a fabulous city and I would move back tomorrow but I cannot afford the housing costs. lots of special offer bars and fast food outlets such as Tacobell which offers a taco of your choice plus a large beer for 1e on Tuesdays, fill your boots !!!


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## ccm47 (Oct 15, 2013)

Is this a forever job? If not, I'd say no. 
Once you've taken a substantial cut it can be extremely hard to get back to where you started. It may be that you would have to take on short term, highly paid contracts to show your skills are still current. Are you prepared for that?


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Hi Sean. Here's a cost of living comparison between where you are (Glasgow) and Madrid. You can punch in whatever city you want. This gives you a ballpark idea. I used this when hunting in Canada for where to live in Spain, and it really helped. 

Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow, United Kingdom And Madrid, Spain


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Sean3uk said:


> Hi there. I have a chance of a job in Madrid. I would be taking a decent wage cut but the job itself is great. I'm just wondering what the cost of living in Madrid is like compared
> to a big city (not london) in the UK? The job would pay ?26,000 a year.


No that's impossible! There aren't any jobs in Spain! 

But seriously, it depends on the city you are comparing to in the UK I guess. And your lifestyle. And your age.

If you are young, like to go out a lot, and are happy to share a decent flat for example, then it's a pretty good deal. Things like public transport, gym membership, food and drink, etc tend to be cheaper. Things like internet/mobile connectivity aren't.


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

Sean3uk said:


> Hi there. I have a chance of a job in Madrid. I would be taking a decent wage cut but the job itself is great. I'm just wondering what the cost of living in Madrid is like compared
> to a big city (not london) in the UK? The job would pay ?26,000 a year.[/QUOTE
> 
> 26000- is that £ or €, and nett or gross? You need to take into account how much tax you would pay, etc to see what you would be left with on a monthly basis. Is it just you or do you have dependants?
> ...


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## webmarcos (Dec 25, 2012)

Hi. As mentioned many of your essential costs will be cheaper (public transport, eating&drinking etc). As Chopera states you will have to choose wisely with accommodation as to location although of course you avoid the high council tax from the UK. For example if you are currently living in Merchant City then of course your rent will be substantially higher than most places in Madrid. However if you are comparing renting a flat in Maryhill with say the barrio of Salamanca there may be little or no saving. Generally speaking the more central areas of the city command higher rents, and most expats who live there will share a flat.
The drawback is that you will end up spending a bit more on other things. You may fly back to the UK on a regular basis, or maybe explore Spain from Madrid. If you want to buy publications in English, or branded clothes they may cost a tad more (although of course you can do this on your trips home). The biggest saving is when you adjust to Spanish eating and drinking habits. If you insist on a British breakfast or the pint measurement of beer, you will end up paying more. And of course if you are learning Spanish (very advisable if you are living there) there are additional costs here eg courses, tutors or materials.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Yes, I agree with what has already been written largely (except I wouldn't recommend Tacobell as a good place to eat in Madrid!). The other big expense for us when living in Madrid was the car. OH used to park it at work during the week and we used the very good public transport and just used the car during the weekends as parking could be difficult and expensive, but I suppose that's the same in the UK too.
I think the rents outside of certain "higher class" areas like Barrio de Goya where some members of the Royal family live, or some areas around Retiro park, are more reasonable than comparable areas in the UK. Just like in most big cities there are super expensive areas and those that are cheaper, you've just got to look around.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

brocher said:


> Sean3uk said:
> 
> 
> > Hi there. I have a chance of a job in Madrid. I would be taking a decent wage cut but the job itself is great. I'm just wondering what the cost of living in Madrid is like compared
> ...


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