Madrid vs Kraków

💰
Kraków saves you $400/month
🌡️
Mediterranean vs Continental climate
🛂
Spain offers a digital nomad visa

💰 Cost of Living Breakdown

Monthly expenses comparison in USD

Expense
Madrid
Kraków
Total Budget
$2,200/mo
$1,800/mo
Rent (1BR)
$1,300/mo
$800/mo
Coworking
$200/mo
$120/mo
Meal Out
$12
$5
Coffee
$3
$3
Kraków is $400/mo cheaper (22% savings)

💻 Remote Work Essentials

Internet, timezone, and language comparison

🇪🇸 Madrid
📶 Internet200 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+0
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West3h
🇺🇸 US East6h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🇵🇱 Kraków
📶 Internet210 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+1
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West2h
🇺🇸 US East5h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h

🌡️ Climate Comparison

Weather patterns and best times to visit

Madrid

ClimateMediterranean
Avg Temp16°C
Rainy Days74/year
Best months: July, August, September, June

Kraków

ClimateContinental
Avg Temp11°C
Rainy Days125/year
Best months: August, July, September

Quarterly Temperatures

Jan
6°0°
Apr
15°10°
Jul
28°21°
Oct
17°10°
MadridKraków

📊 Full Comparison

Category
🇪🇸Madrid
🇵🇱Kraków
💰
Monthly Budget
$2,200
$1,800
Winner
📶
Internet Speed
200 Mbps
210 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
4/5
4.5/5
Winner
Nomad Score
4.3/10
4.3/10
🍽️
Food Scene
9/10
9/10
🎉
Nightlife
10/10
Winner
8/10
🚶
Walkability
9/10
9/10
👥
Community
large
Winner
medium
2
Madrid wins
vs
2
Kraków wins

Which City is Right for You?

Recommendations based on your nomad style

💵Budget Nomad
Kraków

$400/mo cheaper with similar quality of life

💻Developer
Either works

Both have adequate internet for development work

🦋Social Butterfly
Madrid

Larger nomad community for networking

🛡️Safety-First
Kraków

Significantly higher safety rating

🍜Foodie
Either works

Both have great food scenes

🎉Party Person
Madrid

World-famous nightlife scene

🇪🇸Madrid

Pros
  • +World-class museums and cultural scene
  • +Excellent public transportation (metro)
  • +Vibrant nightlife - more bars per capita than any city
  • +Very walkable city center
Cons
  • Summer heat can be extreme (38-40°C)
  • Many older buildings lack AC
  • Higher cost of living than other Spanish cities
  • Spanish bureaucracy can be frustrating

🇵🇱Kraków

Pros
  • +Extremely affordable cost of living compared to Western Europe
  • +Beautiful medieval Old Town - UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • +Fast and reliable internet with fiber and 5G coverage
  • +Very safe city with low crime rates
Cons
  • Cold and dark winters with temperatures below freezing
  • Air quality issues during winter months due to smog
  • No dedicated digital nomad visa - limited to 90-day Schengen stay
  • Language barrier outside tourist areas

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