Spain Cost of Living: What Changes Most

Who this is for

Key tradeoffs

Important considerations that affect most people in this situation.

Housing costs

Rent is the budget item that varies most. Everything else is noise in comparison.

• Madrid and Barcelona: €1,000-1,800/month for a central one-bedroom. €800-1,200 if you move 15-20 minutes out. The premium neighborhoods (Eixample, Salamanca) push toward €2,000+
• Valencia, Seville, Malaga: €700-1,200/month central. These cities offer most of what Barcelona/Madrid do at 30-40% less rent
• Smaller cities (Zaragoza, Bilbao, Granada, Alicante): €400-700/month. The trade-off is smaller expat communities and fewer English-speaking services
• Deposits: 1-2 months is standard. Some landlords ask foreigners without Spanish credit history for 6-12 months upfront. This is legal and common, not a scam
• Utilities (electricity, water, gas, internet): €100-200/month depending on usage. Air conditioning in summer can spike electricity significantly
• Furnished vs. unfurnished: furnished costs €100-200/month more but saves €2,000-5,000 in initial furniture purchases. For stays under 2 years, furnished usually makes sense

Daily expenses

These costs are relatively consistent across Spain. The city-to-city variation is much smaller than for housing.

• Groceries: €200-400/month for one person. Mercadona and Lidl are the budget options; El Corte Inglés and organic shops run 30-50% higher
• Eating out: €10-15 for menú del día (lunch special, almost everywhere), €20-40 for dinner at a mid-range restaurant, €8-12 for tapas and a drink. Eating out is genuinely affordable compared to Northern Europe or the US
• Public transit: €40-55/month for unlimited metro/bus passes in major cities. Many smaller cities are walkable or bikeable
• Car ownership: €200-400/month all-in (insurance, fuel, parking, maintenance). Not necessary in most Spanish cities unless you're living in suburbs or rural areas
• Phone/internet: €15-40/month mobile, €30-50/month home fiber. Competent fiber is widely available and cheap by European standards
• Gym: €25-60/month. Chains like DIR or McFit on the lower end, boutique studios higher

City cost comparison

The practical differences between Spanish cities for expat living.

• Barcelona — Highest rents, especially Eixample, Gràcia, and beach areas. Best expat infrastructure, most English-speaking services, highest international flight connectivity. The premium is real but so is the convenience
• Madrid — Similar rent to Barcelona, slightly lower daily costs. More neighborhood variety, better domestic transit connections. Hotter summers, colder winters
• Valencia — 30-40% cheaper than Barcelona/Madrid for housing. Strong and growing expat community. Beach city with good weather. Increasingly popular, so prices are rising
• Seville — Significantly cheaper housing. Hot summers push electricity costs up (A/C is mandatory). Smaller expat community. Authentically Spanish experience
• Malaga — Rising prices due to digital nomad popularity. Coastal areas now approaching Valencia prices. Good airport connections. Warm year-round
• Smaller cities — Often 50% cheaper than Barcelona. The trade-off: fewer English speakers, smaller expat networks, less international convenience. Works well for people who speak Spanish or prioritize low cost over community

Costs people underestimate

These catch newcomers by surprise. Budget for them explicitly.

• Initial setup: deposits, agency fees, furniture, kitchen supplies, bedding. Realistic total: €3,000-8,000 depending on apartment condition. This hits in the first 1-2 months
• Administrative costs: NIE application, document translations, notary fees, gestoría (administrative assistant) if you use one. Budget €300-600
• Autónomo fees: if self-employed, Social Security contributions start around €300/month. This is mandatory and significant. It includes healthcare access, but the cost is fixed regardless of income
• Tax obligations: Spanish tax residency triggers at 183 days. Income taxes, wealth taxes, and reporting requirements apply. The specifics depend on your situation—professional advice is worth it
• Return travel: flights home for holidays, emergencies, maintaining connections. €300-800 per trip depending on destination and timing
• Currency exposure: if earning in USD or GBP, EUR exchange rate fluctuations directly affect purchasing power. A 10% swing changes your effective income substantially

How to research actual current costs

These sources give you real data rather than outdated averages.

• Idealista and Fotocasa: the main rental listing sites. Filter by neighborhood, see asking prices. This is ground truth for housing costs
• Numbeo: crowdsourced cost data. Useful for rough comparisons between cities, but individual data points can be outdated. Treat as directional, not precise
• Supermarket websites: Mercadona, Carrefour, Lidl all have online stores with prices. You can build an actual grocery budget
• Transit authority sites: TMB (Barcelona), Metro Madrid, etc. Current pass prices, no guesswork
• Recent expat forums: people who moved in the last 6-12 months have current experience. Older posts may reference outdated prices
• Scouting trip: if possible, a month in a short-term rental gives you real data on what daily life actually costs. Expensive upfront, but prevents costly miscalculations

Next steps

Continue your research with these related guides.