What does it cost to live in Spain in 2026? Rent, groceries, healthcare, transport costs and budget templates for expats across Spanish cities.
Typically, a person moving to Spain to live will get by on roughly €1,500 to €2,000 monthly – that is, with rental costs included. A family of four, though, would need €2,600 to €3,600. Those amounts are twenty to thirty per cent less than you'd pay in either France or the United Kingdom, and approximately fifty per cent of the price of Zurich or Copenhagen.
Yet, averages do not give the full picture; for instance, a software engineer who hires in the centre of Barcelona will have a very different budget to a pair of pensioners in Córdoba. This article sets out all the principal areas of expenditure, with costs for 2026, comparisons between cities, and a monthly budget that you will be able to begin to use immediately.
Accommodation takes the biggest part of most expats' money in Spain. The national average for a one-bedroom flat is €877 in a city centre and €688 outside it (Numbeo, January 2026).
Prices at city level give a more precise idea.
Madrid and Barcelona. €800–€1,200 a month for a one-bedroom in the centre. The best areas (Salamanca, Eixample) go for over €1,500. A 100 m² flat in the centre is €1,500–€2,500.
Valencia and Seville. €500–€800 a month for a one-bedroom. Valencia has beach access, more than 150,000 foreign residents (18.5% of the city's population), and rents about 40% less than in Madrid.
Alicante, Granada, Málaga. €350–€600 a month for a small flat. In Granada you can get historic centre living for €600–€800, even for a two-bedroom.
Smaller-town Spain (Lugo, Córdoba, Jaén). Lugo's cost of living is 14% below the national average. Two-bedroom flats are €500–€600 a month.
Going 15–30 minutes from any city centre cuts rent by about 20%.
Rents went up 3–8% in 2025, and predictions for 2026 say another 3–5% rise in major cities. Barcelona might see slower growth (3–5% until 2028) as holiday lets return to long-term rental.
Spain's food prices are among the lowest in Western Europe. A single person spending €200–€250 a month on food can eat very well: fresh vegetables from local markets, olive oil by the litre, and Spanish wines at €3–€5 a bottle.
Specific prices in early 2026:
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Loaf of bread (500g) | €1.00–€1.30 |
| Milk (1 liter) | €0.90–€1.10 |
| Dozen eggs | €1.80–€2.50 |
| Chicken breast (1 kg) | €6.00–€7.50 |
| Rice (1 kg) | €1.00–€1.40 |
| Local cheese (1 kg) | €8.00–€12.00 |
| Olive oil (1 liter) | €5.00–€8.00 |
| Bottle of wine (decent table wine) | €3.00–€5.00 |
| Fresh fruit (1 kg, seasonal) | €1.50–€2.50 |
Couples usually spend about €250–€350 a month. Families of four: €500–€600.
Eating out is still cheap too. A menú del día, the standard three-course lunch with a drink, costs €10–€15 in most restaurants outside tourist areas. A coffee is €1.20–€1.80.
Electricity, gas, water, and rubbish collection together are €100–€150 a month for a typical flat. The electricity bill alone averages around €65 a month in early 2026. Water costs €40–€60 a month in most towns.
Spain's mild weather helps. Heating costs are low in southern and coastal areas. Many flats in Andalusia or Valencia hardly use any heating at all. Northern Spain and cities at height (Madrid is 650 metres up) need more winter heating, which makes utility bills higher.
Internet costs €25–€40 a month for fibre-optic services giving 300–600 Mbps. Mobile phone services add €15–€30 a month. Most expats take both together for €45–€60.
Spain's public health service (Sistema Nacional de Salud) was 7th in Europe in the 2024 Euro Health Consumer Index. Legal residents (including those with digital nomad visas, non-lucrative visas, and work permits) can join the public health service.
Many expats also get private insurance for shorter waiting times and English-speaking doctors. Prices in 2026:
| Coverage | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Basic plan with co-payments (age 25–35) | €30–€50 |
| Comprehensive, no co-payments (age 35–50) | €60–€120 |
| Full coverage (age 60–70) | €120–€200 |
| Student plans | Under €60 |
The main companies (Sanitas, Adeslas, MAPFRE, Cigna) all offer plans for expats. Most visas (digital nomad, non-lucrative) require private health insurance with no co-payments and cover of at least €30,000.
From January 2026, Spain has a nationwide transport pass at €60 a month, good for regional trains, commuter rail, and buses all over the country. Students under 26 pay €30 a month.
The pass is good on Renfe's local and regional trains (Cercanías, Media Distancia) and on national bus lines. It doesn't include the AVE high-speed train, or local metro and city bus systems. Those depend on agreements made by each region.
City transit pass prices:
| City | Monthly pass (metro + bus) |
|---|---|
| Madrid | €54.60 (Zone A) |
| Barcelona | €40 (T-usual, 1 zone) |
| Valencia | €40–€50 |
| Seville | €35–€45 |
Petrol is around €1.45 a litre at the start of 2026. Car insurance is between €300 and €600 a year, depending on the vehicle and the cover you get. A lot of city expats don't bother owning a car at all, as Spain's public transport network is enough for most day-to-day travel.
| Category | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Rent (1-bed, center) | €650 |
| Groceries | €230 |
| Utilities | €110 |
| Internet + mobile | €50 |
| Transportation | €60 |
| Healthcare (private) | €60 |
| Dining out + leisure | €200 |
| Miscellaneous | €100 |
| Total | €1,460 |
| Category | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Rent (1-bed, center) | €1,050 |
| Groceries | €250 |
| Utilities | €130 |
| Internet + mobile | €50 |
| Transportation | €55 |
| Healthcare (private) | €70 |
| Dining out + leisure | €250 |
| Miscellaneous | €120 |
| Total | €1,975 |
| Category | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Rent (2-bed, center) | €700 |
| Groceries | €350 |
| Utilities | €120 |
| Internet + mobile | €50 |
| Transportation | €120 |
| Healthcare (private, 2 persons) | €120 |
| Dining out + leisure | €250 |
| Miscellaneous | €120 |
| Total | €1,830 |
| Category | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Rent (3-bed apartment) | €1,100 |
| Groceries | €550 |
| Utilities | €150 |
| Internet + mobile | €55 |
| Transportation | €120 |
| Healthcare (family plan) | €180 |
| Dining out + leisure | €300 |
| Kids' activities + school supplies | €200 |
| Miscellaneous | €150 |
| Total | €2,805 |
Not all expats need Barcelona's nightlife, or Madrid's co-working spaces. These 5 cities cost 10–30% less than the average across the country.
Lugo (Galicia). 14% below the national cost-of-living average. Two-bedroom flats rent for €500–€600. It has green countryside, Galician food (pulpo a feira and Albariño wine, for instance), and mild summers. The downside: rainy winters, and not many international flights.
Córdoba (Andalusia). One-bedroom flats start at €400. The Mezquita-Cathedral gets 2 million visitors a year, it has 300+ days of sunshine, and most bars give away tapas with drinks.
Jaén (Andalusia). The world capital of olive oil production (Spain makes about 40% of the world's supply) and one of Spain's cheapest cities. One-bedroom flats are under €500.
Castellón de la Plana (Valencia region). Life by the sea without Valencia-city prices. Mediterranean beaches, a population of 175,000 (against Valencia's 830,000), and rent averaging €400–€550 for a one-bedroom flat.
Almería (Andalusia). 320 days of sunshine a year, desert landscapes used as sets for spaghetti westerns, and cooking influenced by North Africa. A one-bedroom in the centre costs €400–€550.
NIE/TIE processing costs. Allow €10–€20 for the NIE, and a few hundred euros in legal fees if you use an immigration lawyer.
Gestoría (administrative agency). Many expats use a gestor to do their tax returns, residency paperwork and government registrations. Costs: €50–€150 per service.
Currency exchange. If your income comes in USD or GBP, changes in exchange rates could affect your budget by 5–10% either way. Services such as Wise or Revolut cut transfer fees to 0.3–0.5%.
Annual tax return. Spain taxes all worldwide income for residents. Tax returns (declaración de la renta) are due on June 30 each year. Most expats use a tax advisor (€100–€300 a year) or a gestor.
Empadronamiento. Registering at your local town hall is free, but you need it for a lot of services, including signing up for public health care.
Planning a move to Spain? These resources help:
Spain's cost of living is good for expats who do their research before they move. Choose the right city, understand expenses linked to your visa, and budget for hidden costs. Your euros go further here than they do in almost any other country in Western Europe.
