What salary do I need to live comfortably in Madrid?

A single adult needs a gross salary of roughly €36,000 to €45,000 a year to cover Madrid’s moderate benchmark of $2,725 per month (about €2,520) plus modest savings. Spanish income tax plus social security contributions take roughly 26 to 31 percent off a €40,000 salary, leaving take-home of around €2,400 to €2,500 a month, which lines up with moderate single living. A couple typically needs combined gross income of €55,000 to €70,000 for the same standard. Beckham Law (the inbound expatriate regime) can reduce the rate to a flat 24 percent for qualifying new arrivals on Spanish payroll for up to six years, materially improving take-home for international hires. Madrid salaries skew lower than US, UK, or Northern European equivalents for the same role, so direct salary conversion underestimates relative spending power. For the full breakdown, see our Madrid cost of living page.