All countries / City vs city / Rome vs Madrid
Rome vs Madrid
The short answer
They cost about the same day to day — Rome $95–170, Madrid $90–160 mid-range per person. Both are at their best in Apr–May, Sep–Oct, so one trip can take in both.
Side by side
Mid-range, per person, in US dollars. Both guides were costed the same way — see how we work these out.
| 🇮🇹 Rome | 🇪🇸 Madrid | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily budgetmid-range, per person | $95–170 | $90–160 |
| Cheap meallocal staple | €6–12 ($6.50–13)cheaper | €12–16 ($14–18) |
| Mid-range hotelper night | €100–200 ($108–216) | €100–180 ($114–205) |
| Transit ridesingle trip | €1.50 ($1.60) | €1.50 ($1.70) |
| Avg. monthly salarylocal, for context | ≈ $2,100 | ≈ $2,300 |
When to go
Filled months are the ones each guide recommends; hollow ones it warns off.
Rome
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Apr–May, Sep–Oct
Madrid
JFMAMJJASOND
Apr–May, Sep–Oct
What you'd actually do
A few of each guide's picks, one per category before seconds — the full lists are on the guides themselves.
🇮🇹 Rome
The Eternal City — ancient ruins, Renaissance piazzas, and some of the world's best food, all stacked on top of 2,700 years of history.
- Freni e Frizioni$$Nightlife
- Roscioli$$$Restaurants
- Teatro dell'Opera di Roma$$$Theater & shows
- Jerry Thomas Speakeasy$$$Nightlife
- Da Enzo al 29$$Restaurants
🇪🇸 Madrid
Spain's grand capital — golden-hour tapas crawls, world-class art museums, and a city that doesn't sit down to dinner before 9pm.
- Museo Chicote$$$Nightlife
- Casa Botín$$$Restaurants
- Teatro Real$$$Theater & shows
- 1862 Dry Bar$$Nightlife
- Mercado de San Miguel$$Restaurants
Practicalities
| Rome | Madrid | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Italian. English is common around major sights and hotels, less so in neighborhood trattorias. | Spanish (Castellano) — considered the clearest, most 'standard' accent in the country. English is common in the center and hotels, less so in neighborhood bars. |
| Currency | Euro (€). US$1 ≈ €0.93 | Euro (€). US$1 ≈ €0.88 (€1 ≈ $1.14) |
| Power | Type C/F/L plugs, 230V | Type C/F plugs, 230V |
| Tap water | Safe to drink — including from the city's public nasoni drinking fountains | Safe to drink throughout the city, though many locals prefer bottled for taste |
The same in both:
- Time zone
- CET (UTC+1), CEST (UTC+2) in summer
- Emergency
- 112 general emergency (EU-wide)