Madrid vs Austin: where does a graphic designer save more?
Best for saving: Austin — about $1,450/mo after taxes and living costs.
Madrid Spain | Austin US ★ Best for saving | |
|---|---|---|
| Median salary | $41,331 | $64,254 |
| Take-home / mo | $2,921 | $4,360 |
| Income tax | ~15% | ~19% |
| Living costs / mo | $2,660 | $2,910 |
| Savings / mo | $261 | $1,450 |
| Savings rate | 9% | 33% |
| Verdict | Okay | Comfortable |
Single professional, after-tax. "Savings" = take-home − a baseline cost of living. A planning estimate, not financial advice.
How we calculated this
• Salary: BLS/OECD median for a graphic designer, adjusted per city.
• Tax: each country's single-filer effective rate (e.g. Spain ~15%, US ~19%).
• Living costs: a single professional's baseline monthly budget per city.
Estimates, not financial or tax advice. Updated 2026.