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Costs of living in Spain

If you’re thinking of moving to Spain, the first thing you probably think about is the costs of living: how much is the cost of accommodation, transport, food and other? Check what are the costs of living in Spain.

Costs of living in Spain: entry and stay

When crossing the border with Spain, EU citizens should present one of the following documents:

  • an ID
  • a passport
  • a temporary passport

Stay in Spain can be temporary or permanent:

  1. Temporary residence entitles you to stay in Spain for the period of more than 90 days and less than five years.
  1. Long-term residence entitles you to stay and work in Spain for an indefinite period.

If you are outside of Spain and need more information about entry requirements, visas, residence and/or residing in this country, we recommend that you contact the Spanish embassy or consulate closest to your place of residence: https://www.exteriores.gob.es/en/Paginas/index.aspx

Moving to Spain – what do you need to know?

Earnings in Spain

The minimum wage in Spain is EUR 1126 gross/month. The average salary is approx. EUR 1700 – 2000 gross/month. Check the average monthly earnings in individual industries:

Industry/positionSample gross monthly earnings
Financial and insurance activitiesEUR 3,152.5
Information and communication EUR 2,809.5
Public administration EUR 2,800.8
Education EUR 2,585.6
Healthcare EUR 2,385.0
Transport/Logistics EUR 1,915.8
Construction EUR 1,831.9
Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles EUR 1,602.4
Arts, recreation and entertainmentEUR 1,552.4
Administrative/office activities EUR 1,493.3
Agriculture, forestry and fishing EUR 1,373.6
Hospitality EUR 1,119.5
CleaningEUR 997.3

Check out the latest job offers from Spain on europa.jobs

Accommodation costs in Spain

We recommend looking for apartments in Spain on your own, as agencies usually do not help for free. Finding an apartment on your own can be much cheaper.

The average price of renting an apartment in Spain is EUR 700/month:

  • Single room: from EUR 180 to 300/month;
  • One-bedroom apartment: from EUR 390 to 600/month;
  • Two-room apartment: from EUR 450 to 900/month;
  • Renting a shared apartment: from EUR 360 to 480 per person/month.

In Spain, an apartment rental agreement can be concluded orally or in writing. However, when there is no written confirmation, neither the tenant nor the landlord can defend their rights in case of disagreements.

The rent for a one-bedroom apartment (60 square meters) is around EUR 450-500 per month. If it’s the “floor”, as the Spanish people like to say, then for two or three rooms (from 60 to 90 square meters), the amount can be estimated at EUR 550 to 600. The rent for an apartment of more than 90 square meters is around EUR 900 per month.

Some rents include housing expenses, but water, electricity and gas must be paid separately every two months. Heating is also usually charged separately and the amount is between EUR 60 and 100 per month.

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An apartment in Spain – where to look for one?

Check the addresses below:

And although it is best to look for an apartment when you are already there, it is worth reviewing the offers much earlier.You can do this through portals and search engines, or Facebook groups. And if you have friends who live in Spain – be sure to contact them! Perhaps they know someone who would like to sublet an apartment?

How to rent an apartment in Spain?

Costs of living in Spain – food products

  • Milk 1 liter: EUR 0.58
  • Water 1.5 liter: EUR 0.49
  • Eggs 12pcs: EUR 1.45
  • Rice 1 kg: EUR 0.79
  • Oil 1 liter: EUR 0.99
  • Loaf of bread: EUR 0.59
  • Gouda cheese 350 g: EUR 2.80
  • Tomatoes 1 kg: EUR 1.45
  • Onion 1 kg: EUR 1.25
  • Minced meat 1 kg: EUR 5.19
  • Pasta 750 g: EUR 0.60
  • Apples 1.5 kg: EUR 2.09
  • Grapes 500 g: EUR 2.25
  • Coca-Cola 2 liters: EUR 2.17

What is life like in Spain? Plan your stay

Transport

In Madrid, we recommend buying a 30-day public transport card, which entitles you to unlimited travel during this period for the price of EUR 54.60. The cost of a single ticket is EUR 1.70.

In Barcelona, ​​on the other hand, we can buy a T-Usual ticket, which allows an unlimited number of transfers for 30 days, and its cost is EUR 40. The cost of a single ticket is EUR 2.40.

If you want to save money, we recommend using a bicycle rental. In Madrid you will find a lot of bike paths. The cost of BiciMAD varies from EUR 15 to 25 per day. For every additional 30 minutes of use you have to pay EUR 0.50.
Barcelona also has extensive cycle paths and an extensive bike rental system. Bicing is an application that allows you to rent bicycles for a short period of time. For each commenced 30 minutes, a fee of EUR 0.7 is charged (EUR 0.9 if we rent an electric bike).

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