Cost Of Living In Spain In 2022

Spain is one of the cheapest countries in Europe. This, coupled with the subsidized healthcare system, family and pet friendly policies, and a multitude of beautiful landscapes, makes it a popular destination for expats to settle. While the average salary in Spain is lower compared to other countries in the world (especially the OECD countries), it is enough to ensure a comfortable standard of living here since everything is relatively cheaper as well. This ensures a high quality of life for people looking to settle here.

The average monthly cost of living can range anywhere from 1000 to 3000 euros. The exact cost will depend on the city you settle in, your lifestyle and the number of people living in the household. Places that are popular tourist destinations too, like Madrid and Barcelona, are among the most expensive cities in the country, but they are still cheaper than other destinations in Western Europe. On average, the cost of living in Spain is 20.5% lower than living in the UK. Other Spanish cities like Malaga and Valencia offer a unique mix of nature and city life and also fall on the more affordable side. 

This guide details the monthly expenses of living in Spain, taking into account the most common categories of spending. This is a basic frame, and your actual expenses could be more than this depending on other activities that you might enjoy which are not part of this guide. 

Disclaimer: the amounts mentioned in this article are only estimates to help guide you to budget your stay in Spain. Actual expenditure could vary from the amounts suggested here. You should conduct research on your own as well to look for the best deals available to you at any time, depending on your needs.

Cost Of Renting A Home In Spain

Larger cities will inevitably have more expensive housing than rural areas, with coveted property like that on the coast costing even more. If you are looking to buy property, prices can range from around 5000 euros per square meter in Madrid and Barcelona, to about 2200 euros per square meter in cheaper regions like Zaragoza. In Spain, as in most other European countries, apartment sizes are usually on the smaller side compared to countries like the United States.

If you will be renting your living space, prices will also follow a similar trend. A one-bedroom apartment in the center of Madrid will cost you around 1000 euros a month, with 3 bedroom apartments going up to 1600 euros. In smaller cities, accommodation doesn’t necessarily break the bank. You can easily find one bedroom apartments that start at 400 euros.

Monthly Costs For Renting A Home In Spain

Apart from the rent, you will also need to pay other monthly costs in your apartment.

Utilities

The utility charge depends on your consumption, people living in the household, and the season. Utilities like heating and electricity will vary according to the season, whereas others like water, garbage and building maintenance will remain relatively stagnant throughout the year. On average, for an 85 meter squared apartment, utilities will cost around 100 to 150 euros a month.

Internet

An internet connection is one of the most basic needs in today’s world, facilitating not only connection to the outside world but also a source of entertainment. The exact cost of such a connection would depend on the speed and the internet provider. On average, you can expect this to cost you around 30 to 40 euros a month.

Electricity

The electricity bill is another expenditure that will depend on the needs and usage of each household. Electricity costs in Spain are among the highest in Europe, at 0.218 euros per kWh. The bill will vary seasonally as well, for instance in the warm summers you are more likely to use the air conditioner for longer time periods, which will increase the electricity bill. This can be around 100 to 120 euros.

One Time Costs For Renting A Home In Spain

Deposit

This is an upfront cost that you should expect to pay when you’re renting property in any part of Spain. This entry deposit is also called fianza in Spanish. Typically, this would be equivalent to a month’s rent, but in some regions, you might also be required to pay the equivalent of three months’ rent. In addition to this, you should also expect to pay the commission of an estate agent if you are using one as an intermediary. This is also typically equal to a month’s rent.

Furniture

Surprisingly, most apartments in Spain already come furnished! This is a huge cost saving, and will save you from the hassle of looking for new furniture, or moving your current furniture every time you need to relocate to a different apartment. However, ‘furnished’ may be loosely defined so you might want to clarify with your landlord exactly what furniture is included.

On the flip side, unfurnished apartments will have lower rents. Therefore, it is up to you to figure out which option suits you better and saves you more money in the longer run.

Kitchen

Many landlords who are renting out property are older and have had the apartments left to them. This means that you are not likely to find state-of-the-art appliances, but will in fact be stuck with ancient ones, if any. This will be an essential cost that you must account for when making any estimate about the cost of living.

Cost Of Mobile Phone Plans In Spain

Instead of using your foreign SIM card in Spain, it is a much better option to get a local Spanish SIM card. Local rates for calls and data are much cheaper, and you can also enjoy free-roaming throughout the EU region! 

Some of the leading telecom providers in Spain include Yoigo, Vodafone, Orange and Movistar. Lookout for all-inclusive packages offered by many of these companies which include phone, internet and television subscriptions. These plans will cost around 20 to 50 euros a month, and are much cheaper than getting everything separately. 

You can look around for cheaper deals depending on your monthly data usage, if you want a prepaid or post-pay plan, and if you wish to have monthly installments for payment. Many expats and international students choose to buy a pre-paid SIM card as it is the quickest way to get a local phone number with mobile data. You can find complete prepaid plans on as low as 3.89 euros per month from Suop. But if you plan on settling here for a longer time, getting a phone contract might be a better option to get cheaper rates.

Transportation In Spain

The amount you spend on commute will depend largely on the mode that you choose to travel.

Cycling In Spain

A lot of Spanish cities are designed for walking, and you can easily access most places on foot. You can reach other nearby places on a cycle. The easy cycling routes add to the excitement of exploring the beautiful landscape. You can rent a bike in 15 to 30 euros for a day. Or if you wish to buy your own, the local market has some basic ones at 300 euros. If you wish to explore your more adventurous side and ride off-road, get a mountain bike at 700 euros.

Public Transport In Spain

You can expect to find a well maintained and extensive network of public transport in nearly all the big Spanish cities. In Madrid you can get a one-way bus ticket in 1.50 euros while in Barcelona you can get one for 2.40 euros. If you plan on travelling regularly through public transport, you should consider getting a monthly pass instead at a discounted rate of around 35 to 45 euros. People aged 60 and upwards also qualify for retiree fares, which substantially reduce prices.

Cost Of Owning A Car In Spain

Getting a car is truly optional, and a personal choice. You must be mindful of the fact that in some of the larger Spanish cities like Madrid and Barcelona, parking is often hard to find. Moreover, you will be charged a parking fee of 0.7 to 1 euro per hour. If you do choose to buy a new car in Spain, it can cost you somewhere around 22-25000 euros, which is affordable compared to the global average. And petrol prices fall close to the global average, at 1.97 euros per liter.

Cost Of Renting A Car In Spain

Renting a car is a better option if you want to explore rural areas of Spain, or you are not close to the city center since you are not likely to find public transport or ride sharing over there. On average, a rental car will cost you 12 euros a day. You must also have a valid EU or international driving license before renting, and you should be 18 or 23 years old depending on the rental company you are using.

Cost Of Taxi Services In Spain

axis are only available in the bigger cities since that is where they are used the most. On average, the flat rate for taxi services is around 3.50 euros, and then 1.10 euros for every kilometer travelled. You will also be charged an extra 20 euros per hour for waiting.

Cost Of Shared Transportation 

Cars

There are a number of car sharing providers in Spain, including Ubeeqo, respire, and zity. Several Spanish cities like Madrid have official policies which encourage the use of car sharing and electric vehicles in a bid to reduce emissions. This is also more affordable than taxi rides, and can cost you almost three times lesser.

E-scooters

Apart from cars, shared electric mopeds and bikes are also a popular choice among locals, and you can get one too in the bigger cities in Spain. The Spanish micromobility startup MOVO has expanded exponentially in recent years. ECooltra, which is the largest e-scooter sharing app in Europe, also has operations in Spain. You can get great prices and a wide range of scooters near city centers. 

Bikes

Similar to e-scooters, you can hail rides on bike sharing services too. BiciMAD operates in major Spanish cities, and also offers electric bikes, if you are on the lookout for environmentally friendly options. Another company, Obike, offers the advantage that it does not have fixed stations, but you can park the bike anywhere once you are done using it.

Cost Of Food In Spain

Spanish food is all about flavor and using the best local produce. The exact amount you spend on food will vary a lot, depending on whether you eat out or make the food yourself, how many people are in your family, and the kind of food you prefer to eat.

Supermarkets

The warm climate of Spain means that many basic grocery items are easily grown and cheaply available. Various fruits and vegetables are grown locally, and cheeses and wines are also produced here. A lot of these food items are exported too. You can therefore find everything ranging from breads, milk, fruit and vegetables to meat at very low prices. Depending on how much you consume, you can expect to spend 300 to 400 euros a month on groceries.

Alcampo is the cheapest supermarket chain in the country. Mercadona is another option present in most cities if you are looking for cheaper produce.

Eating Out

If you don’t feel like cooking, you can always eat out! Costs of eating out also vary depending on location, the time of the day and whether it is a fine dining or fast food restaurant. It costs more than making the meal yourself, but is still affordable for the most part. Most restaurants have a special lunch deal, which includes tapas, a main course and a dessert, which will cost you only 12 euros. Otherwise, three course meals can cost around 25 euros even at a mid-range restaurant. As you would expect, fast food is an even cheaper option at 8 euros per meal.

You can also get a local beer with a free tapa (small snack) at around 2 to 3 euros. In fact, in some places you can even find local beer for as low as 0.8 euros! And if you are looking for a kick of caffeine in the mornings, you can get a cappuccino at the local coffee shop for less than 2 euros.

Costs Of Banks In Spain

Some of the bigger banks in Spain include Banco Santander, CaixaBank, Banco de Sabadell, among others. Most banks are open from 9 am to 2 pm Monday to Saturday. You will have an option between a resident’s account and a non-residents account (for people who live abroad). The non-residents’ account is generally easier to open and has fewer documentary requirements. If you wish, you can even choose to continue operating your overseas account, but you may be charged extra for some transactions.

The most common types of accounts that are available are:

1. Cuenta nomina (salary account) – this is the account you will receive your paycheck in
2. Cuenta bancaria o Cuenta corriente (current account) – this is the standard and perhaps most widely used type of account which you can use for your routine expenses
3. Cuenta de ahorros (savings account) – this kind of account offers interest on the amount deposited
4. Cuenta de depósito (deposit account) – this is similar to a savings account, but it is usually harder to withdraw money from it

Most banks will even give you the option to open a bank account online. You can therefore get this done even before you’ve actually moved to the country!

The exact cost of opening a bank account will differ for each bank. Some offer free basic accounts, but for the most part it will cost you some money to open an account, though not a lot. Apart from this initial cost, you will have to pay a fee if you get a credit or debit card; a debit card has an annual fee of 12 to 15 euros, while a credit card is slightly expensive at 30 euros a year.

Tax Costs In Spain

Once you’ve moved to the country, one of the first taxes you will need to pay is the income tax. Depending on your residency status, you will either pay taxes on your worldwide income or Spanish based income only. Non-residents only need to pay taxes on their Spanish income. The exact rates can differ across the country since the taxes are split between the central and regional governments. However, typically the following are deducted from your income:

1. Contributions to social security
2. Pension
3. Personal allowance
4. Professional costs

The tax rates are progressive (the rates increase with your income), and range from 19 to 47%. If you make up to 12,450 euros annually, you will be paying 19% tax. However, if you earn a really high amount of 300,000 euros and above you will pay nearly half of your income in tax (47%)!

Residents are also eligible for tax deductions. In general these can be claimed against payments made into the Spanish social security system, pension contributions, cost of buying and renovating your home and other charitable donations. If your partner is moving to Spain with you, you can even apply for the married couple’s allowance (declaración conjunta).

Education

Daycare

If you have young children who will be moving with you to Spain, you might want to place them in a daycare or a state-run nursery. There are a number of childcare facilities that are available where you can enroll your child, and they will take children as young as 4 months old (which is the mandated maternity leave duration in the country). Since compulsory education in Spain starts at the age of six, children younger than this will be enrolled in a daycare. They are also split according to age groups in these facilities.

State-run nurseries have subsidized rates, from as low as 50 euros a month depending on your family’s income. This is to make it an affordable option for everyone. The cost can go up to 400 euros a month. You will need to apply to the Comunidad (regional authority) to give proof of low income for this. The alternative is privately run nurseries and daycares. These may charge 600 euros or upwards, depending on the time the child spends at the facility, meals and the language. You will also need to pay additional annual charges to reserve your child’s place.

Primary, Secondary, High School And University

Sometimes nurseries are attached to primary schools, in which case your child can directly transition to their formal education. Education is compulsory and free up until the secondary level. On completion of this level students are awarded the title of graduado de educación secundaria. Parents will need to pay for the books and other items needed in the school, but not the tuition fee. You also have the option of sending your child to a private or semi-private school, or a religious international school.

University tuition fees in Spain are among the lowest in Europe. The annual fee for a Bachelor’s program at a public university can range from 700 to 2500 euros, with the average cost being close to 1200 euros.

Insurances

Once you’ve moved to Spain, there will be several kinds of insurance that you will be legally required to take out. These include health insurance, car insurance, home insurance and pet insurance. Any other types are optional.

Health Insurance

The Spanish public healthcare system is well developed with state-of-the-art facilities, and as long as you are a Spanish citizen i.e. have a Spanish social security number, you can get these services for free. Some services like most dental treatments are not covered under the plan, while there are some services for which you will need to pay a fraction of the cost yourself. If you do not have health insurance, be prepared to pay close to 50 euros for a single doctor’s visit.

If you have just moved to Spain, you would not qualify for coverage under this policy right away. Therefore, many expats choose other international health insurance to ensure that their healthcare expenses are covered. The presence of private health insurance means that wait times are much shorter, and there can be varying plans depending on your needs as well instead of the standard government plan. 

This is funded by contributions made to the social security fund. You will be contributing 4.7% of your annual salary to this, while your employer will be contributing an additional 23.6% of your earnings.

Car Insurance

damages to third parties. You might continue with your existing insurance if you have international coverage, but this applies only if you are a citizen of a European country. Otherwise you should aim to register for insurance promptly on arrival.

There are three levels of car insurance:

1. Third party: This is the minimum level required by law and will cover damage to other people’s property. It will not, however, cover the damages to your own vehicle in case of an accident.
2. Extended third party: This is an extension of the policy described above, but will also cover some of the damages to your vehicle.
3. Fully comprehensive: This is the most extensive policy and covers not only the damages to the other party, but also all of the damages to your own vehicle, even when you’re responsible.

The average premium for car insurance is around 250 to 300 euros a year. While it is possible to get the basic third party coverage policy at 150 euros, fully comprehensive ones are likely to cost upwards of 400 euros annually.

Home Insurance

You will only be required legally to take out home insurance if you have a mortgage. Your property can be insured on two levels: the building and the contents (seguro de construcción and seguro de contenido). Building insurance covers damage to the structure due to fire and water. Content insurance is only for the movable contents of your property, like the furniture, jewelry, and electronics etc. against theft and natural disasters. This is a good option if you will be renting your living space. If you will be buying your own house, you could get full coverage that would cover both the building and its contents.

For contents coverage, you might be paying around 75 to 100 euros a year for a basic plan. More extensive plans can cost around 150 to 200 euros annually. For building insurance, cheaper plans might come at a low price of 100 euros. But you should expect comprehensive plans to cost you around 400 to 500 euros.

Pet Insurance

This will cover the medical expenses of any pets that you own, including vaccinations, veterinary consultations etc. It may even extend to travel, theft and burial in some cases. Pet insurance can cost anywhere from 200 to 300 euros annually depending on the company.

Other Costs

Cost Of Going To The Movies In Spain

On the days that the usually sunny weather is not so lovely, going to the cinema is an ideal way to spend time with friends and family. You will find most cinemas playing Spanish movies only, and you will have to search for places that will play movies in English too, if you don’t speak the local language. Most cinemas will give you a discount when you buy 2 tickets, at 17 euros.

Cost Of A Gym Membership In Spain

Spain has fantastic weather, and you can enjoy long walks during the day as a way to cool off. But if you are looking to get in shape, you can find several options for working out as well. In many cities, there are free of cost outdoor gyms. These are run by the local government or council and you can use them without having to pay anything. However, these might not have the most sophisticated equipment.

For paid gyms, you can get 3, 6 or 12 monthly packages. These might get you better rates than paying per month. You can get a reasonable package in 20 to 30 euros per month, plus an initial registration fee. The fee may also differ in some areas depending on the time at which you are using the facilities i.e. busy or off-peak times.

Cost Of A Haircut In Spain

The cost of getting a haircut can vary a great deal, depending on the location of your salon and how fancy it is. For men, the average charge is 20 euros. For women, it usually costs double that, at 40 euros. This does not include a blow-dry, or styling. If you want to get either done, you will have to pay extra.

Resources To Help You Calculate Your Expenses In Spain

This site (https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Spain ) offers very detailed information on the cost of everyday items, and bigger expenses like rent and mortgage.

You can also find interesting insights here (https://familylifeinspain.com/2013/09/is-malaga-the-best-place-to-live-in-spain/ ) about the best places in Spain for expats looking to settle. Depending on your personal preferences, you can find a lot of information here.

Here’s a helpful guide (https://www.aetnainternational.com/en/individuals/destination-guides/expat-guide-to-spain/how-to-save-money-in-spain.html ) to saving money if you move to Spain. Since Spanish incomes have remained relatively low compared to other European cities while prices have increased, this website offers particularly helpful tips.

This website (https://livingcost.org/cost/spain ) can help you compare the cost of living. It gives details about expenses for a single person as well as a family. It also has a feature to compare the cost of living in different Spanish cities.

Final Thoughts

This article is a helpful starting point for anyone planning to move to Spain, or even for people who just want to visit for a brief time span. However, you must remember that your exact cost of living will depend a great deal on where you settle (since some of the main cities can get very expensive), how many family members you have, and the kind of lifestyle you and your family enjoy. If you move to a bigger city, you will need 2000 to 2200 euros a month to live comfortably. In a smaller city, you can even survive on 1700 to 1900 euros.

Depending on your family income, you can get all sorts of products and services in the country. The country is relatively cheap compared to other European countries. As an expat earning in Spain, your salary should ensure not only comfortable living, but also some extra money to let you enjoy time exploring the country and its beautiful landscapes.