Amsterdam ($55/sqft, 7.2% vacancy) and Madrid ($42/sqft, 8.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Amsterdam on talent depth and Madrid on rent and tax.
Amsterdam ($55/sqft, 7.2% vacancy) and Madrid ($42/sqft, 8.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Amsterdam on talent depth and Madrid on rent and tax.
| Metric | Amsterdam | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Region | EMEA | EMEA |
| Country | Netherlands | Spain |
| Class A rent (USD/sqft/yr) | $55 | $42 |
| Class A rent (local) | 50 EUR | 38 EUR |
| Vacancy | 7.2% | 8.6% |
| Trend | rising | rising |
| Prime yield | 4.5% | 4.6% |
| Premium flex / seat / month (USD) | $940 | $780 |
| Submarkets covered | 4 | 5 |
| Corporate tax | 25.8% | 25% |
| Metric | Amsterdam | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Typical term | 7 yrs | 7 yrs |
| Typical rent-free | 12 mos | 14 mos |
| Lease norms | Dutch leases run 5-10 years with break rights. Rent indexed to CPI annually. Servicekosten (operating expenses) billed separately. Bank guarantees of 3-6 months standard. | Standard 5-year lease with 5-year extension option (5+5). Rent indexed to CPI annually. Service charges billed separately. Tenant typically pays IBI (real estate tax) and basura (waste tax). Bank guarantee of 3-6 months standard. |
| Tax note | Headline corporate tax 25.8% (19% on first €200k). Innovation Box and participation exemption regimes are meaningful. | Headline corporate tax 25%. Madrid region offers some of Spain's most competitive personal income tax rates. |
| Metric | Amsterdam | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Talent index (0–100) | 86 | 78 |
| Talent note | Strong English-fluent professional talent pool. Average all-in compensation indexes 86. | Iberian peninsula's deepest financial-services and tech talent pool. Average all-in compensation indexes 78. |
Amsterdam: Schiphol Airport is 7 minutes by direct train from Zuidas. Strong S-Bahn equivalent (Sprinter / Intercity) coverage.
Madrid: Madrid Metro covers all Class A clusters. AVE high-speed rail to Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, and Lisbon. Madrid-Barajas Airport is 12-25 minutes from CBD by Metro.
Madrid is the cheaper Class A market on a USD basis.
Amsterdam has the deeper talent index (86/100 vs 78/100).
Madrid has the lower headline corporate tax (25% vs 25.8%). Local incentives can change the effective rate materially.
Amsterdam typical term is 7 years with 12 months free; Madrid runs 7 years with 14 months free.
Amsterdam: Schiphol Airport is 7 minutes by direct train from Zuidas. Strong S-Bahn equivalent (Sprinter / Intercity) coverage. Madrid: Madrid Metro covers all Class A clusters. AVE high-speed rail to Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, and Lisbon. Madrid-Barajas Airport is 12-25 minutes from CBD by Metro.
Score Amsterdam, Madrid and up to two more markets side-by-side on Class A rent, vacancy, talent, corporate tax, and premium flex pricing — all in USD.
Reviewed by Samuel Okafor — EMEA contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.