Cost #12/31 · Cost of living · Europe · Eurostat PLI 2024
🇪🇸 Cost of living in Spain
Spain undercuts most of the EU-27 across rent, groceries and transport - see the categories driving that gap and how far local income actually stretches.
- Cost rank · cheapest = #1 of 31
- #12
- Affordability rank · highest purchasing power = #1 of 29
- #16
Spain's livability score
Livability score
57/100
Spain, weighted across 8 of 8 tracked dimensions
A cost-and-income composite (price-level indices plus purchasing power), not an overall quality-of-life judgment, it does not weigh climate, safety, culture, or healthcare outcomes.
- Purchasing power D €20,367
Median net income adjusted for local cost level
- Overall cost C 91
Eurostat overall price level (EU27=100)
- Rent C- 97
Housing / rent price level (EU27=100)
- Groceries A- 95
Food and non-alcoholic beverages (EU27=100)
- Healthcare C- 96
Healthcare price level (EU27=100)
- Transport C+ 87
Transport price level (EU27=100)
- Utilities C- 89
Electricity / gas / water (EU27=100)
- Restaurants B+ 84
Restaurants and hotels (EU27=100)
Spain: mid-pack 2024 Eurostat shift
Overall cost index changed -0.4 vs 2023 - a typical mid-pack European delta.
- Healthcare index 99 96 2023 → 2024
Healthcare index fell from 99 to 96 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Utilities index 91 89 2023 → 2024
Utilities index fell from 91 to 89 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Housing & utilities index 98 97 2023 → 2024
Housing & utilities index fell from 98 to 97 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Transport index 88 87 2023 → 2024
Transport index fell from 88 to 87 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
Spain in the 85-99 cost band
On the EU-27 = 100 scale, Spain's overall index (91) sits in the 85-99 band with 6 other published countries. The Europe-wide band mix lives on the rankings hub, not repeated here.
Category mix inside Spain's mid EU band
Bars + gauge around the EU-27 = 100 mid band (91): where Spain diverges inside an average-looking total.
Spain - price level by category (EU-27 = 100)
🇪🇸 Spain vs EU-27 = 100
Gauge reads the same overall cost_index (91); the tick marks the EU average.
In Spain, housing & utilities is the most expensive category and restaurants the least.
What the mid-band Spain print actually shows
Spain's overall consumer price level is 9% below the EU-27 average. (How this index is built →)
Housing and utilities lead the way in Spain, the priciest category at index 97, ahead of restaurants at index 84. Because housing and household energy are typically the largest lines in a household budget, that pulls overall affordability down more than an equally high index in a smaller category would.
That price gap works in Spain's favor: because prices run below the EU average, the headline income of €20,367 stretches further than the sticker figure suggests, worth roughly €22,455 in EU-27-average purchasing power.
Cities in Spain
National averages hide the big-city premium. See real monthly rent, groceries and transit costs for Spain's cities.
Eurostat PLI Basket · similar price levels and purchasing power
Two peer sets for Spain: nearest overall price-level indices (EU-27 = 100) and nearest cost-adjusted incomes (median net income ÷ cost index). The cost band block above stays cohort-based; these neighborhoods vary by entity.
Similar overall cost index
Nearest countries by Eurostat price level (91 here, EU-27 = 100).
PLI neighbourhood · Spain
Similar purchasing power
Nearest countries by cost-adjusted income (€22,455 here).
What to do with this Spain data
Spain ranks #16 of 29 for cost-adjusted purchasing power. A raw price index alone does not tell you whether income stretches further here than elsewhere.
- Run the numbers for Spain in the calculator
- Compare Spain vs Slovenia side by side
- See the full best-value ranking
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These are Eurostat comparative price-level averages for the whole country, not a personal budget. Regional and city-level costs can differ substantially from the national figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Spain expensive to live in?
Spain's overall cost of living is 9% below the EU-27 average (index 91). Housing & utilities is the priciest category and restaurants the cheapest.
What are housing & utilities costs in Spain?
Spain's housing & utilities price index is 97, below the EU norm.
How does income compare to costs in Spain?
That price gap works in Spain's favor: because prices run below the EU average, the headline income of €20,367 stretches further than the sticker figure suggests, worth roughly €22,455 in EU-27-average purchasing power.
PlainCostOfLiving is rendered directly from Eurostat comparative price levels and median equivalised net income, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-20. Primary sources: Eurostat comparative price levels (prc_ppp_ind) and Eurostat median equivalised net income (ilc_di03).