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The cost of living in Spain is about 9% below the EU average on Eurostat’s measure, and households there spent an average of €35,101 last year (2025), roughly €2,925 a month including housing. What you’ll spend depends above all on rent, which varies widely by city and neighbourhood, and on whether you need private health insurance.
The figures here come from Spain’s statistics office (INE), Eurostat and official tariff tables, dated and sourced, so you can rebuild a budget around your own rent.
How Spanish prices compare with the EU
Eurostat’s 2025 price level for Spain was 91.1, with the EU average at 100 (Eurostat).
| Spending category (2025) | Spain, EU = 100 |
|---|---|
| Actual individual consumption | 91.1 |
| Restaurants and accommodation | 85.4 |
| Transport | 88.1 |
| Health | 94.2 |
| Food and non-alcoholic drinks | 95.3 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas | 98.1 |
The gap is widest for restaurants and accommodation and for transport as a whole, and narrowest for food and housing costs, where Spain sits close to the EU norm.
What Spanish households spend
INE’s 2025 Household Budget Survey puts average spending at €35,101 per household and €14,066 per person, up about 3% on 2024 (INE). Housing, water, electricity and gas took a third of the budget, €11,665 on average.
| Average household (2025) | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Total spending | €35,101 | €2,925 |
| Housing and utilities | €11,665 | €972 |
| Everything else | €23,436 | €1,953 |
The housing figure is an average across all households, owners and tenants alike, so it isn’t a rent estimate. A more useful planning number is the €1,953 a month that the average household spends on everything except housing: food, transport, leisure, clothing, communications and the rest. Add your own rent and utilities to it.
Rent: how much it has risen
INE’s rental price index shows rents in Spain rose 2.6% in 2023, and by 18% to 29% between 2015 and 2023 in the six cities below (INE).
| City | Rent rise, 2022–23 | Rent rise, 2015–23 |
|---|---|---|
| Valencia | 4.5% | 28.9% |
| Málaga | 3.9% | 26.1% |
| Alicante | 3.4% | 21.3% |
| Barcelona | 3.1% | 20.6% |
| Madrid | 2.7% | 18.3% |
| Sevilla | 2.2% | 18.0% |
INE’s index tracks changes, not euro amounts, and the edition used here covers up to 2023, so check current listings in the neighbourhoods you’re considering. Of these six, Valencia, Málaga and Alicante rose fastest.
Bills, getting around and council tax
Homes using 1,000 to 2,499 kWh a year paid €0.3146 per kWh, taxes included, in January–June 2026, a little under the EU’s €0.3280 (Eurostat). A home using 2,000 kWh a year would pay about €52 a month; homes using 2,500 to 4,999 kWh pay €0.2509 per kWh.
Public transport passes are subsidised in 2026:
| Pass (2026) | Monthly price |
|---|---|
| Madrid Abono, Zone A, ages 26–64 | €32.70 |
| Madrid Abono, ages 15–25 | €10 |
| Madrid Abono, older residents (65+) | Free |
| Barcelona T-usual, 1 zone | €22.80 |
| Barcelona T-usual, 2 zones | €30.55 |
Sources: Comunidad de Madrid and TMB.
Homeowners pay IBI, the council property tax: between 0.4% and 1.10% a year of the property’s cadastral value for urban property, with each council setting its rate (TRLRHL, article 72). On a cadastral value of €150,000 that’s €600 to €1,650 a year, before any surcharges a council applies.
Healthcare costs
Residents who aren’t working and have no S1 can buy into the public health system after a year, through the convenio especial, at €60 a month under 65 and €157 from 65 (Ministerio de Sanidad). Outpatient prescriptions aren’t subsidised under it.
Before that, and for non-lucrative visa applicants, private insurance is the norm. We found no official average premium, so get quotes for your age and the visa’s conditions, which at some consulates rule out copayments and waiting periods. Our Spain relocation guide explains the routes into public healthcare, and British readers will find the S1 rules in Spain for UK movers.
Spain vs the US, the UK and Portugal
The average Spanish household spends about half as much as an American one and around 84% of a British one, which reflects incomes and habits as well as prices.
| Country | Survey | Yearly spend per household | Euro equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | INE, 2025 | €35,101 | €35,101 |
| United States | BLS, 2024 | $78,535 | about €70,165 |
| United Kingdom | ONS, FYE 2025 (£676.60 weekly) | about £35,180 | about €42,025 |
Sources: BLS and ONS; euro equivalents use the ECB reference rate for October 23, 2026. Each survey has its own year and definition of spending, so read this as a sense of scale.
Portugal is cheaper again, at 85.3 on the same Eurostat measure, and our cost of living in Portugal guide has city budgets. For visa planning, remember that Spain’s non-lucrative visa asks for €28,800 a year for one person, about double average spending per person.
Frequently asked questions
Money questions people ask before moving to Spain.
How much does it cost to live in Spain per month?
The average household spent about €2,925 a month in 2025, including €972 on housing and utilities. Newcomers renting in big cities usually pay more for housing.
Is Spain cheaper than the US?
Spanish households spend about half of the US figure, and Spain’s prices are about 9% below the EU average. Spending also reflects lower incomes, so compare actual prices for your own lifestyle.
Is Spain cheaper than the UK?
Average Spanish household spending is around 84% of the UK figure. Spending reflects incomes as well as prices, so compare actual costs for your lifestyle.
Is electricity expensive in Spain?
Slightly below the EU average in early 2026: €0.31 per kWh including taxes for homes using 1,000 to 2,499 kWh a year.
How much is public transport in Madrid?
A monthly Zone A pass costs €32.70 for adults aged 26 to 64 in 2026 and €10 for 15- to 25-year-olds, and the regional government lists it as free for over-65s.
Which Spanish cities have the fastest-rising rents?
Among Spain’s big cities in INE’s index, Valencia, Málaga and Alicante saw the biggest rises between 2015 and 2023, of 21% to 29%.
The cost of living in Spain is moderate by EU standards, and households spend well below US and UK levels, but rent decides most budgets: start from the €1,953 a month the average household spends outside housing, add a realistic rent for your chosen neighbourhood, and allow for private health insurance until you qualify for public cover.
Sources
- Household Budget Survey 2025
- Price level indices for household consumption (prc_ppp_ind_1)
- Electricity prices for household consumers (nrg_pc_204), 2026 S1
- Rental Housing Price Index 2023
- Madrid keeps public transport prices for 2026
- Barcelona transport fares
- Local Finance Act (TRLRHL), article 72
- Convenio especial (special agreement for healthcare)
- Price level indices, Portugal (prc_ppp_ind_1)
- Consumer Expenditures, 2024
- Family spending in the UK, FYE 2025
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Immigration and tax rules change often and depend on your circumstances. Check the official sources above and speak to a licensed professional before you apply or move. Read how we research and review in our editorial guidelines.
