| General Madrid is a large city that sprawls over a
great area but the centre -where our school is located- is
surprisingly compact and easy to navigate. You can easily
find your way around the centre by foot and the public transport
system is excellent. Currency
The Euro (€) has been the currency of
Spain since January 2002.One Euro has 100 cents. As a guideline,
the exchange rates against some other major currencies were
as follows on 01.01.2007:
1 € = US$ 1.30
1 € = £ 0.68
1 € = SFR 1.60
1 € = ¥ 160
1 € = SEK 9.50
VISA and MasterCard credit cards are widely
accepted. Tipping is not necesary but a tip for excellent
service is always appreciated. Climate Madrid is very warm in Summer and generally
fresh in winter with temperatures on some days below freezing
in January and February. The low humidity makes the climate
however very bearable. Airport The airport of Madrid is called "Barajas"
and is located approximately 20km from the city centre. You
can take the bus or train from the airport to the centre.
A taxi will cost around € 20.00. Electricity Spain has a 220V network and you may need
an adaptor if you come from the UK or a non European country. Daily expenses Madrid is not an expensive
city compared to other destinations in Western Europe but
the gap between Spain and other countries has narrowed over
the years. The following overview provides a guideline for
typical expenses excluding your accommodation cost:
Breakfast: croissant + coffee: € 2.50
Lunch: sandwich (bocadillo) + drink: € 4.50 or
Lunch: menú del día: € 9.50
Dinner: grocery shopping: € 6 or
Dinner: "cheap & cheerful" restaurant: €
15
Transportation cost per day: € 1.50 (based on purchasing
a multi trip pass)
Glass of wine / beer: € 2.00
Once you include other costs such as telephone card, entrance
tickets to museums / cinema etc. a minimum daily allowance
of € 35 is the bare minimum to survive on.
Working
Holders of an EU passport can work in Spain
without a work permit. All that is required is to apply for
a registration number (N.I.E.) which is an administrative
formality. Non EU passport holders cannot work without a work
permit.
>> Download the Babylon Idiomas Pocket Guide Madrid 
>> View our Madrid Photo Gallery
>> Read comments from our Madrid students |
