Cost of living in Spain. Transport and grocery prices

Basic costs of transport and food in Spain

Living in Spain is not cheap, it may seem so at first after moving. There are so many expenses, questions and worries about everything! Everything is gradual! There's no need to rush, as well as worry, take an example from the Spaniards themselves! They are not in a hurry, but what is necessary - do, and in time, one by one. Of course, it is better to familiarise yourself in advance with the expenses that are to be incurred by new arrivals and the expenses that are made here on a daily basis. The main points related to property and utility bills in Spain are considered. Ahead are the costs associated with travelling and the cost of food in Spain. So, how much does it cost to live in Spain?

Transport costs in Spain

Many people prefer to travel by public transport. This is mainly true for life in big cities, where the system is convenient, inexpensive and well-established. A single metro fare in Barcelona, for example, is 2.55 € and a 10-ride ticket is 12.15 €. In other metropolises, metro prices are about the same. The average cost of a bus ticket in Spain is from 1.5 € per city.

Also, bike hire (MiBici) has recently become popular in big cities - the cost per year is about 40 €. It is available for unlimited journeys of less than 30 minutes, but from 31 minutes onwards the meter starts spinning and you pay 0.50 € for each additional 30 minutes.

Electric scooters are also very often rented to get from one point of the city to another. They cost from 0.13 € per minute.

Taxis around the city are also common here. The price for starting the service is from 2.55 € and from 1.5 € for each kilometre. So a 20 km journey, for example, will cost you approximately 25 €.

You can travel between cities by buses and trains. For example, from Madrid to Alicante a bus ticket costs from 29 euros, depending on the time of day of travel (it is cheaper to travel at night).

In smaller towns and cities in Spain, many people also travel by bus. But still, here, own transport is more favoured. Having a car is more convenient here, as all necessary objects are located far away from each other, and it is much more practical to get to them by car. And there are usually no problems with parking in such places. Usually after moving in case of interest in buying a car, people rent a car for a certain period (the cost varies, but mostly - from 25 euros per day) to search for a suitable option. The cost of a used car - from 3500 euros. Although you may well be lucky and find a cheaper one, the main thing is to check everything, because cheap does not mean good). Thanks to modern technology, the search should not take much time. Well, if you have a good budget to buy a new car - the car for travelling will be found quickly. Petrol costs from 1.60 per litre, diesel from 1.45, depending on the region.

Average food prices in Spain in 2024

Spain is famous for its variety of fruit, vegetables, cheeses, cured meats and much more. Of course, the cost depends on many factors, but here are the average prices of basic products in Spain for 2024:

Tomatoes ~ €2 per 1kg          Cucumbers ~ €2 per 1kg

Potatoes ~ €1.5 per 1kg         Onions ~ €1.6 per 1kg

Cabbage ~ €1.5 per 1kg         Lettuce leaf ~ 1 euro

Apples ~ €1.5 per 1kg            Bananas ~ €1.5 per 1kg

Oranges ~ €1.6 per 1kg         Bread ~ 1 euro per loaf

Toasted bread ~ €1.5 per packet 800 grams

Rice ~ €1.5 per 1kg                 Sugar ~ €1.5 per 1 kg

Milk ~ 1 euro per 1 litre          Natural juices ~ 1 euro per 1 litre

Water ~ €0.5 per 1 litre           Beer ~ €1.5 for 1 litre

Вино ~ 2,5 евро за бутылку 0,75    Yoghurts ~ 1 euro for a jar of 0.5

Cheese, Dutch (edam, gouda, maasdam) - from 8 euros for 1 kg.

Boiled sausage (mortadela) ~ 1.5 euros for 200 grams

Sausages ~ 8 euros for 1 kg fresh (for frying) and from 1.5 euros for 300 grams - for boiling.

Pork meat - from €5 per 1kg   Beef meat - from 9 euros per 1kg

Chicken - from 4 euros for 1 kg       Fish - from €5 per 1kg

These prices are approximate, e.g. at the height of the season tomatoes can be bought for 1 euro kg. In large supermarkets there are very often discounts on certain products - promotions in the shop or suitable expiry date, which often does not reduce the quality of the goods. Therefore, the average grocery shopping budget for a family of 4 per week is around 80-100 euros. Again, it depends on the needs and possibilities of the family, some people like to eat beef and drink wine, while others do not like this meat and prefer sausages and rice and drink water.

How much does it cost to go to a restaurant in Spain?

The average cheque for a trip to a restaurant for 4 people starts at 80 euros. A bottle of water in such places costs 1.5 euros, a mug of coffee - 1.5-2 euros, a glass of wine - 2.5, a glass of beer - 2.5 - 3 euros, juice - also 2.5 euros per glass. The cost of dishes - from 10 euros. A portion of paella (a typical Spanish dish made of rice) can be enjoyed in some restaurants for 15 euros, in others - for 20 euros and even more. Charcoal-grilled meat (carne parillada) - from 18 euros per ration, it is usually served with fries on the side. Pasta and lasagne - 10-15 euros per portion. Prices are approximate, of course, as restaurants vary.

It is very common to find small stands outside restaurants and cafes with menus and prices written on them - this is the menu del dia (menu of the day) - a meal that includes one drink (no matter if it is water, juice or a glass of beer/wine), a first course, a second course, dessert and/or coffee. This menu is only available from 12:00 to 16:00. If you want to dine at the restaurant and you see the menu del dia - come on in, you'll be fed to your heart's content! And the cheque will not be as big as if you order dishes from the menu. The only disadvantage is that this menu includes only what is prepared in the restaurant for that day, and you have a choice of two or three dishes, but the more interesting, you have the opportunity to try something that perhaps you would never have thought of ordering!

A trip to a Spanish McDonald's will cost about 10-15 euros per person. There are many such cafes in Spain, where you can have an inexpensive and tasty snack.