Moving to Madrid/Getafe — which areas would you recommend for a €1,100 budget?

Hi everyone!

My husband and I are considering moving to Madrid for work. We’ve found some job opportunities in Getafe and Madrid city centre, and since we’re originally from the Canary Islands, we don’t really know the different areas around Madrid or what it’s like to live outside the city centre.

We’d really appreciate some advice from people who live there (or have lived there before) about which areas you would recommend for a couple.

We’re not looking for anything luxurious — just somewhere comfortable, reasonably quiet and safe, with good access to public transport. We don’t need a huge apartment either, so we’re looking at 1–2 bedroom apartments with a maximum budget of around €1,100/month.

Some things we’d especially like to know:
-Which areas would you recommend for our budget?
-Is it better to live in Getafe, Madrid itself, or somewhere in between?
-Are there any neighbourhoods/towns you would avoid?
-How safe are the different areas, especially for coming home at night?
-How much of a difference is there in rent prices outside Madrid city?
-How is the commute from places around Getafe into central Madrid?
-Are there any areas that offer a good balance between price, safety and quality of life?

We’re happy to live outside the centre if it means getting a nicer place for our budget. We’re also open to smaller towns/municipalities around Madrid if they have good public transport connections.

Any personal experiences or recommendations would be greatly appreciated! 😊

Thanks in advance