Cost of living in Spain in 2026: Torrevieja, Valencia, Madrid, Malaga, Gijon

• The cost of living in Spain depends primarily on the city of residence and housing costs.
• Excluding rent or mortgage payments, average monthly expenses range from €600 to €1,000.
• This article comp:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}age salaries.
• Housing remains the most significant expense, while other everyday costs are generally similar across the country.

Spain is one of the most attractive destinations in Europe for tourism, living, business, and retirement. People move here from other countries in search of new opportunities, a better quality of life, or simply to enjoy the sea, sunshine, pleasant climate, and excellent Mediterranean cuisine. However, before relocating, it is important to calculate the cost of living, as it varies significantly from city to city.

The cost of living in Spain is a key issue when planning a move. The answer largely depends on the place you choose to live. Major capitals such as Madrid or Barcelona generally have higher prices, while smaller cities or those located away from large metropolitan areas and popular resorts are less demanding on the budget. Let us compare five destinations for relocation: Torrevieja, Valencia, Madrid, Malaga, and Gijon.

The most important expense categories for calculating the cost of living in Spain

The cost of living in Spain in 2026 is influenced by global economic factors such as inflation in the eurozone, revisions of ECB key interest rates, changes in fuel prices, and rising housing prices in most provinces. Despite this, Spain remains a more affordable country to live in than many of its EU neighbors. It continues to attract young talent, ambitious entrepreneurs, working professionals, students, and retirees.

Below are the main expenses faced by the average resident in Spain, excluding rent or mortgage costs:

• Food: from €250 to €400 per month per person, depending on the place of residence and eating habits. According to the consumer protection organization OCU, the average cost of a shopping basket including 100 basic products in March 2026 was €320.78.
• Transport: approximately €40–60 per month when using public transport passes, and more if you own a car. In March–April 2026, the average price of petrol and diesel at gas stations in Spain fluctuated around €1.50 and €1.80 respectively. In addition, owning a car implies mandatory annual tax payments (from €20 to €160), insurance (from €250 and up), and ongoing maintenance costs.
• Utilities (water, electricity, gas, Internet): from €100 to €150 per month per person. These expenses should also include homeowners’ association fees, and in the case of a private house, additional costs for a pool and garden.
• Leisure, clothing, entertainment, hobbies, sports: around €150–250 depending on personal interests.
• Unexpected and miscellaneous expenses: it is recommended to budget at least €100.

Thus, average total monthly expenses (excluding rent or mortgage) range from €600 to €1,000. Housing rent is another major expense category: the average rental price across Spain is €15/m2, but prices range from €23.2/m2 in Madrid to €7.4/m2 in Badajoz (Extremadura).

It is also worth taking into account healthcare expenses, and veterinary costs if you have pets. Foreign nationals residing in Spain on the basis of a residence permit without the right to work are, in most cases, required to take out private health insurance. It costs €40–100 per month depending on the age of the insured person and any pre-existing conditions. Without insurance, each visit to a private doctor costs €50–150. As for private school for a child, tuition costs on average from €500 to €1,500 per month.

The cost of living in Spain using selected cities as examples

Let us compare the cost of living in Spain using Torrevieja, Valencia, Madrid, Malaga, and Gijon as examples. But first, let us rank these cities by average salary. Since statistics always lag behind, the official figures currently available are only as of early 2024:

• Torrevieja – €22,106 gross per year (€17,870 net)
• Malaga – €30,030 gross per year (€23,140 net)
• Gijon – €31,516 gross per year (€26,284 net)
• Valencia – €34,355 gross per year (€25,561 net)
• Madrid – €43,646 gross per year (€29,778 net)

Taking into account housing costs, taxes, and basic living expenses, these cities rank as follows:

• Torrevieja: €1,267 per month for one person, €2,857 per month for a family of 4;
• Gijon: €1,400 per month for one person, €2,983 per month for a family of 4;
• Valencia: €1,943 per month for one person, €3,666 per month for a family of 4;
• Malaga: €1,949 per month for one person, €3,682 per month for a family of 4;
• Madrid: €2,507 per month for one person, €4,321 per month for a family of 4;

Apart from housing and utility costs, most other expenses differ very little across regions and municipalities. Food prices are the same in chain supermarkets throughout the country, and clothing and footwear are as well. Local municipal taxes and fuel prices do vary, while utility bills depend directly on the tariffs of local providers.

Thus, housing remains the most significant expense category. If we compare rental prices for a small apartment (around 50 m2), the situation in the cities under consideration looks as follows: Torrevieja – €550–750/month, Valencia – €750–950/month, Madrid – €1,000–1,300/month, Malaga – €800–1,000/month, and Gijon – €500–650/month. If we look at price dynamics over the last 12 months, rent increased by 12–16% in Madrid, 10–14% in Valencia, 10–13% in Malaga and Gijon, and 8–12% in Torrevieja.