This guide sets out the cost of living in Spain for expats in 2026, city by city, from rent and utilities to food, transport and health insurance.
What has changed for the cost of living in Spain in 2026
Rents have reached a record high and general inflation has picked up. Those two movements define the 2026 picture.
- Rents are at a historic peak. Idealista reported in August 2026 that the national average asking rent hit an all-time high in July, at €15.30 per square metre, up 6.8% year on year. By September 2026 the national figure stood at €15.10.
- Inflation has risen again. The annual consumer price index (IPC) rose to 4.9% in September 2026, six tenths of a point above August, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).
- Annual rent rises on newer contracts are capped below inflation. For residential leases signed from 26 May 2023, when the Housing Law came into force, annual updates are tied to the IRAV reference index published by INE rather than to the IPC. Older contracts usually follow whatever clause they contain, which is normally the IPC.
Correcting a common assumption: Many cost-of-living articles still present Barcelona as clearly more expensive than Madrid for rent. Idealista’s September 2026 data shows Madrid asking rents at €23.40 per square metre against €20.10 in Barcelona. Barcelona’s regulated market does, however, have very little available stock, so finding a flat can take longer and competition is intense.
Monthly budgets for a single person and a couple by city
A single expat needs roughly €950 to €2,000 a month for essentials depending on the city; a couple needs €1,400 to €2,900. The tables below combine Idealista’s September 2026 asking rents with our own estimates for the other costs, explained in the sections that follow. Ranges are deliberate: your actual cost depends on neighbourhood, flat size, age (for insurance) and how you live.
Single person, one-bedroom flat (50 to 60 m²), monthly, 2026
| Cost | Madrid | Barcelona | Valencia | Málaga | Zaragoza (smaller city) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | €1,150–1,400 | €1,000–1,200 | €800–1,000 | €800–1,000 | €600–750 |
| Utilities (electricity, water, internet and mobile) | €100–180 | €110–190 | €100–180 | €100–180 | €100–170 |
| Groceries | €170–250 | €170–250 | €160–240 | €160–240 | €150–230 |
| Public transport (monthly pass) | Under €40 | Under €40 | Under €40 | Under €40 | Under €40 |
| Private health insurance (age 30 to 65) | €50–130 | €50–130 | €50–130 | €50–130 | €50–130 |
| Essentials total | €1,500–2,000 | €1,350–1,800 | €1,150–1,600 | €1,150–1,600 | €950–1,300 |
Couple, two-bedroom flat (70 to 80 m²), monthly, 2026
| Cost | Madrid | Barcelona | Valencia | Málaga | Zaragoza (smaller city) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | €1,600–1,900 | €1,400–1,600 | €1,150–1,300 | €1,150–1,325 | €850–1,000 |
| Utilities (including two mobile lines) | €130–250 | €140–260 | €130–250 | €130–250 | €130–240 |
| Groceries | €300–450 | €300–450 | €290–430 | €290–430 | €280–420 |
| Public transport (two passes) | Under €80 | Under €80 | Under €80 | Under €80 | Under €80 |
| Private health insurance (two adults) | €100–260 | €100–260 | €100–260 | €100–260 | €100–260 |
| Essentials total | €2,200–2,900 | €2,000–2,600 | €1,750–2,300 | €1,700–2,300 | €1,400–2,000 |
Where each row comes from: rent from Idealista’s September 2026 asking-rent index multiplied by the flat sizes shown. Utilities, groceries, transport and health insurance are our own estimates of typical 2026 costs; check them against real bills, current fares and personal insurance quotes before you commit.
What these totals exclude: eating out, leisure, clothing, travel home, pet costs, school fees, car ownership and one-off costs such as the rental deposit, agency fees and furniture. Allow at least €100 to €250 a month per person for eating out and social life on top of the totals above.
How we built these figures (and what they leave out)
Rents are taken directly from Idealista’s September 2026 data; the other rows are estimates. We have not used crowd-sourced cost-of-living websites, because their samples are small and unverified.
- Rent is Idealista’s average asking rent per square metre for each city in September 2026, multiplied by 50 to 60 m² for a single person and 70 to 80 m² for a couple. Asking rents are what landlords advertise, not what tenants finally sign, and the city average blends prime and outer neighbourhoods.
- Groceries are our estimate. We have allowed a generous range because newcomers rarely shop as efficiently as long-standing residents and often buy imported products. No official source breaks grocery spending down by city, so the small differences between cities are also our estimate.
- Health insurance is a broad estimate for adults of working age. Premiums depend on your age, health and level of cover, so get personal quotes.
- Smaller city: we chose Zaragoza because it is a large city with lower rents than the main expat hubs. Valladolid (€10.10 per m²) and Murcia (€9.90 per m²) had lower asking rents still in September 2026, so a budget there could fall below the Zaragoza range.
Rent: the cost that decides everything
Rent accounts for more than half of a single expat’s essential budget in every city we looked at, and the gap between cities is almost entirely a rent gap. Idealista’s September 2026 asking rents were as follows.
| City | Asking rent per m² (Sept 2026) | One-bed, 50–60 m² | Two-bed, 70–80 m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madrid | €23.40 | €1,170–1,404 | €1,638–1,872 |
| Barcelona | €20.10 | €1,005–1,206 | €1,407–1,608 |
| Málaga | €16.50 | €825–990 | €1,155–1,320 |
| Valencia | €16.30 | €815–978 | €1,141–1,304 |
| Sevilla | €13.40 | €670–804 | €938–1,072 |
| Alicante | €13.90 | €695–834 | €973–1,112 |
| Zaragoza | €12.30 | €615–738 | €861–984 |
| Granada | €10.80 | €540–648 | €756–864 |
| Valladolid | €10.10 | €505–606 | €707–808 |
| Murcia | €9.90 | €495–594 | €693–792 |
| Spain average | €15.10 | €755–906 | €1,057–1,208 |
Three practical points:
- Asking rents move month to month. In Idealista’s data, Barcelona moved between €19.80 and €20.20 per m² during 2026, while Madrid rose steadily from €22.40 in January to €23.40 in September. Treat a single month’s figure as a guide rather than a fixed price.
- Provincial averages can differ from the city. Málaga province averaged €18.80 per m² in July 2026, above Málaga city, because coastal resort towns such as Marbella pull the provincial figure up. If you plan to live on the Costa del Sol rather than in Málaga itself, expect to pay more.
- Upfront costs are significant. Budget for a legal deposit, any additional guarantee the landlord requests, and possibly agency fees before you receive the keys. Our Renting in Spain guide covers what landlords may and may not charge.
Warning: Short-term and seasonal lets, which many newcomers use for their first months, are typically priced well above the long-term averages in this guide. Use the figures here for your settled budget, not for your arrival month.
Utilities: electricity, gas, water and internet
Expect to pay about €100 to €180 a month for utilities as a single person and €130 to €250 as a couple. Electricity is the largest and most seasonal item.
| Utility | Typical monthly cost (2026) | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | €55–80 | Our estimate for a typical flat. Bills rise in summer with air conditioning and in winter in poorly insulated flats. |
| Piped gas (if your flat has it) | Varies with use | Many flats in Spain are all-electric and have no gas bill at all. |
| Water | €20–45 | Our estimate. Tariffs are set locally, so water costs differ noticeably between cities. |
| Fibre and one mobile line | €18–75 | Our estimate. Low-cost brands sit at the bottom of the range and the large operators at the top. |
Note on sources: We could not find a current, city-by-city utility bill comparison for 2026 covering all five cities, so the ranges above are estimates. Water is often charged every two months rather than monthly, and in many rentals water and the community fee are included in the rent, so check your contract before budgeting separately.
Summer air conditioning in Madrid, Sevilla and Valencia, and winter heating in older, poorly insulated flats, can push electricity well above the average for several months of the year. Ask the landlord for recent bills before you sign.
Food: groceries and eating out
Groceries are one of the more affordable parts of living in Spain, especially if you shop at local markets and buy supermarket own-label goods.
For expats, we suggest planning on €150 to €250 a month per person for groceries, depending on the city and on how much you buy imported or branded products rather than local market and supermarket own-label goods.
The menú del día (a fixed-price weekday lunch, usually three courses with a drink) remains the best-value way to eat out, and is usually much cheaper than an evening meal.
Evening meals, cocktails and tourist-district restaurants cost considerably more, particularly in central Madrid and Barcelona.
Public transport costs by city
Monthly public transport passes in Spain’s large cities are heavily subsidised, which makes a car unnecessary for most people living in the centre. Fares and discounts change, sometimes more than once a year, so check the current monthly pass price with your city’s transport operator before you budget. Young people can usually buy a cheaper pass.
Private health insurance costs
Private health insurance premiums in Spain depend mainly on your age, the level of cover and whether the policy has co-payments. Our budget tables use a broad estimate of €50 to €130 a month for an adult of working age; premiums usually rise with age.
Reimbursement plans let you use any doctor, including outside the insurer’s network, and cost considerably more. Premiums usually rise with age and many insurers apply upper age limits for new policies, which is why older expats often find the market narrower and more expensive.
Visa applicants, read this: If you need private health insurance for a Spanish residence visa (for example the non-lucrative visa or the digital nomad visa), you need comprehensive cover from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain; for the non-lucrative visa, the Spanish consulate in London says the policy must cover all the risks covered by the public health system. The cheapest policies may not qualify, so budget towards the upper end of the ranges above. Our Health Insurance for Expats in Spain guide explains the requirements.
Once you are working and contributing to Spanish social security, or are an eligible pensioner registered for public healthcare, private cover becomes optional rather than essential. See our Healthcare in Spain for Expats guide for how the public system works.
How your budget compares with Spain’s visa income thresholds
For the non-lucrative visa, the 2026 requirement is €28,800 a year for the main applicant (about €2,400 a month), plus €7,200 a year for each dependant. This is 400% of the IPREM (Spain’s public income reference indicator) for the applicant and 100% for each dependant, using an IPREM of €600 a month.
Comparing that threshold with the budgets above is revealing. A single person’s essential costs in Zaragoza, Valencia or Málaga sit comfortably below €2,400 a month, while a single person in central Madrid would have relatively little margin once leisure and travel are added. For the full sequence of steps, see our complete guide to moving to Spain. Our Spain directory lists local providers who can help once you have set a budget.
The IPREM is unchanged for 2026: it remains €600 a month, as it has been since 2023, so the non-lucrative visa figures above apply throughout 2026. Other visa routes, such as the digital nomad visa, use different thresholds; see our Spain Digital Nomad Visa guide.
Frequently asked questions
