San Sebastian vs Madrid
💰
Madrid saves you $300/month
📶
Madrid has 1x faster internet
🌡️
Oceanic vs Mediterranean climate
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
San Sebastian
Madrid
Total Budget
$2,500/mo
$2,200/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$1,100/mo ✓
$1,300/mo
Coworking
$200/mo
$200/mo
Meal Out
$12
$12
Coffee
$3
$3
Madrid 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
🇪🇸 Madrid
📶 Internet200 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+0
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West3h
🇺🇸 US East6h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
San Sebastian
ClimateOceanic
Avg Temp15°C
Rainy Days181/year
Madrid
ClimateMediterranean
Avg Temp16°C
Rainy Days74/year
Best months: July, August, September, June
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
9°6°
Apr
14°15°
Jul
20°28°
Oct
18°17°
San SebastianMadrid
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇪🇸San Sebastian
🇪🇸Madrid
💰
Monthly Budget
$2,500
$2,200
Winner📶
Internet Speed
150 Mbps
200 Mbps
Winner🛡️
Safety
4.8/5
Winner4/5
⭐
Nomad Score
4.3/10
4.3/10
🍽️
Food Scene
10/10
9/10
🎉
Nightlife
7/10
10/10
Winner🚶
Walkability
9/10
9/10
👥
Community
medium
large
Winner1
San Sebastian wins
vs
4
Madrid wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Madrid
$300/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Madrid
200 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Madrid
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
San Sebastian
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Madrid
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
🇪🇸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