Living in Spain - Incomes & Cost of Living

In recent years, the cost of housing has increased significantly, which has meant that housing costs are the most significant household expenditure, amounting to figures in excess of 30% of the total household budget in 2006.

To give you an idea of the general cost of living in Spain, we have selected the prices of some everyday items, the price of which will naturally vary from shop to shop, from region to region and from city to city. These are as follows:

• Loaf of bread: €0.90 
• Milk (one litre): €0.70 
• A dozen eggs: €1.60 - Kilo of apples: €1.80 
• Kilo of tomatoes: €2.5 
• Bottle of shampoo: €3 
• Deodorant: €2 
• Skirt or trousers: €60 
• 24 hour flat rate ADSL connection: €39
• National or regional newspaper: €1 
• Aspirin: €3.20 
• Cinema ticket: €6. 
• Coffee: €1.10 – Beer: €0.65. 
• Hamburger: €2.80
• Set menu: €9

Bus/Metro transport cost: 

• One-way ticket: €1. 
• A ten-trip metro and bus ticket costs: €6.40. 
• You can buy a pass that allows you unrestricted travel for one month on the metro, town buses and commuter trains (RENFE), which costs: €40.45 (Madrid prices). 

Fuel costs: 

• Unleaded petrol 95 (litre): €0.942 
• Unleaded petrol 98 (litre): €1.042 
• Diesel A (litre): €0.881. 

A household budget survey conducted by the National Institute of Statistics showed that each month Spanish households spend an average of €10.5 on water, €22.41 on electricity, €49 on the telephone and related services and €16 on gas. An invoice is issued for these services every two months.

Last edited: 02/08

Source: European Union
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