San Sebastian vs Madeira
💰
Madeira saves you $300/month
📶
Madeira has 1x faster internet
🌡️
Oceanic vs Mediterranean climate
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
San Sebastian
Madeira
Total Budget
$2,500/mo
$2,200/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$1,100/mo
$1,100/mo
Coworking
$200/mo
$150/mo ✓
Meal Out
$12
$12
Coffee
$3
$2.5 ✓
Madeira is $300/mo cheaper (14% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇪🇸 San Sebastian
📶 Internet150 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+0
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West3h
🇺🇸 US East6h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🇵🇹 Madeira
📶 Internet200 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-1
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West4h
🇺🇸 US East7h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
San Sebastian
ClimateOceanic
Avg Temp15°C
Rainy Days181/year
Madeira
ClimateMediterranean
Avg Temp17°C
Rainy Days123/year
Best months: July, August, June
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
9°14°
Apr
14°15°
Jul
20°20°
Oct
18°19°
San SebastianMadeira
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇪🇸San Sebastian
🇵🇹Madeira
💰
Monthly Budget
$2,500
$2,200
Winner📶
Internet Speed
150 Mbps
200 Mbps
Winner🛡️
Safety
4.8/5
4.8/5
⭐
Nomad Score
4.3/10
4.3/10
🍽️
Food Scene
10/10
Winner8/10
🎉
Nightlife
7/10
Winner5/10
🚶
Walkability
9/10
Winner7/10
👥
Community
medium
medium
3
San Sebastian wins
vs
2
Madeira wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Madeira
$300/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Madeira
200 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Either works
Similar social opportunities
🛡️Safety-First
Either works
Both cities are similarly safe
🍜Foodie
San Sebastian
Better food scene with incredible variety
🎉Party Person
San Sebastian
World-famous nightlife scene
🇪🇸San Sebastian
Pros
- +World-class gastronomy with most Michelin stars per capita globally
- +La Concha beach consistently ranked among Europe's best urban beaches
- +Exceptional surf scene at Zurriola with year-round waves
- +Very safe city with extremely low crime rates
Cons
- −One of Spain's most expensive cities for rent and dining
- −Rainy climate with 1500mm annual precipitation even in summer
- −Smaller digital nomad community compared to Barcelona or Valencia
- −Limited coworking space options for such a developed city
🇵🇹Madeira
Pros
- +First Digital Nomad Village in Europe with free coworking in Ponta do Sol
- +UNESCO World Heritage Laurisilva forest with 2,500km of levada trails
- +Eternal spring climate with mild temperatures year-round (15-25°C)
- +One of the safest destinations in Europe with very low crime
Cons
- −Rising rent prices approaching Amsterdam levels in Funchal center
- −Car rental essential for exploring beyond Funchal and hiking trails
- −Limited nightlife compared to mainland European cities
- −Small island can feel isolating after extended stays