Spain · Visit or make it home

Madrid

Madrid is a city in Spain. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.

Madrid — Madrid - Sky Bar 360º (Hotel Riu Plaza España), vistas 19

Get to know Madrid

A sense of the place

Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. It had a population of over 3.4 million in the city proper in 2025, and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.8 million. Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union , after Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU, after Paris. The municipality covers an area of 605.77 square kilometres . Madrid lies on the River Manzanares in the central part of the Iberian Peninsula at about 660 metres above mean sea level. The capital city of both Spain and the surrounding autonomous community of Madrid, it is the political, economic and cultural centre of the country. The primitive core of Madrid, a walled military outpost, dates back to the late 9th century, under the Emirate of Córdoba. Conquered by Christians in 1083 or 1085, it consolidated in the Late Middle Ages as a sizeable town of the Crown of Castile.

Weather through the year

When to visit Madrid

Temperature

July has the warmest monthly average (25.3°C); January is coolest (3.8°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.

Rain and outdoor plans

October averages about 66 mm of rain, compared with 9 mm in July. Rainfall alone does not identify a single best month; compare temperatures with the activities you plan.

Planning time outdoors

May, June, September, October combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.

Monthly mean temperatures reach at least 25°C in July. For sightseeing, plan shade, water breaks and accommodation cooling into your day; daytime temperatures can be higher than these day-and-night averages.

January, February, December have monthly means below 5°C. For a stay then, compare accommodation heating and keep indoor options in your itinerary. These figures do not establish snow cover or ski conditions.

Monthly climate averages — 2001-2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average °C3.84.77.911.215.721.825.324.820.014.17.64.4
Rain, mm38394852422291424665440

Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.

Places around Madrid

Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.

Average rent in Madrid

What is the average rent in Madrid?

770 €/month is the recorded central one-bedroom rent reference for Madrid, dated 2024. This is a dated comparison measure, rather than a home available today. Check current listings in your chosen neighbourhood, then add utilities, the deposit and commuting to make a budget for your own move.

Source: Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana — SERPAVI (Sistema Estatal de Referencia del Precio del Alquiler de Vivienda), municipal median €/m²/month · Reference date: 2024 · Source-specific public-sector terms; exact reuse licence unverified

Average salary in Madrid

What is the average salary in Madrid?

3,574.1 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2025. It describes Spain, not average salary in Madrid. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.

Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2025 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)

How should I compare Madrid with another city?

Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.

  1. Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
  2. Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
  3. Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.

Data sources, licences & reuse terms

Plan your stay

Budget and everyday decisions

A holiday budget

Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Madrid, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.

Compare holiday preferences →

A relocation budget

The recorded central one-bedroom rent is 770 €/month (2024). Compare it with properties in your chosen neighbourhood.

Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.

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Your relocation planning budget

Build a monthly budget for Madrid in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Rent starts from the recorded 2024 figure; edit it for your chosen home.

Monthly total: Enter all five monthly amounts

First month including move: Enter your moving costs too

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Compare the details

Madrid at a glance

Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre

770 €/month

Existing-contract median rent

A dated reference for a one-bedroom home in the centre, not a current listing. Compare actual properties, deposits, utilities and neighbourhoods before setting your budget.

Data period: 2024. Source: Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana — SERPAVI (Sistema Estatal de Referencia del Precio del Alquiler de Vivienda), municipal median €/m²/month · Source-specific public-sector terms; exact reuse licence unverifiedCompare with another city →

Spain: the wider context

These are country-level figures, not measurements of Madrid. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.

See 11 national indicators

Other places to compare in Spain

Compare Madrid with other cities

Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.

All maintained comparisons →

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