Cost of Living in Spain

Spain is great for Shoppers. On average prices are cheaper in Spain than in the UK. Some of the greatest savings can be made on beer (80p a bottle), wine (from £1.50), shoes (good quality leather at £25.00), motor fuel, clothes, soft furnishings, property, garden furniture and pots, restaurant meals. The open air markets are full of local atmosphere and offer everything from fruit and vegetables to clothes/leather goods and cigarettes for less than £3.00 for 20.

In addition to the initial property outlay and ongoing maintenance expenses there are general living and utility costs. These vary quite a bit between coastal and rural areas and as you would expect the coastal areas are geared for tourists, and therefore more expensive generally speaking. Likewise regions will differ immensely – you wouldn’t expect to pay the same in the center of Madrid as you do in Ayora.

Most urbanizations and complexes have community fees, take a look at our Buying in Spain page for an indication of what the charge might be.

To give you a rough guide here are a few guesstimates:

• Electricity: 2 people = €480 per year. Expect to use 30% more if you have air conditioning and use it frequently.
• Gas: 2 people = €480 per year
• Food: 2 people = €100 per week
• Health: 1 person = see our HealthCare page
• Communication = see our Communication page