How to build a realistic yearly school budget for each child

Terms used

• Comedor — The comedor is the school canteen, billed monthly or by days of use.
• Cuota — The cuota is the monthly tuition fee a private or concertada school charges.
• Concertada — A concertada school is privately run but publicly funded, and may charge only limited fees.
• Extraescolares — Extraescolares are paid after-school activities run at or by the school.
• Aula matinal — The aula matinal is paid early-morning care before classes start.
• AMPA — The AMPA is the school's parents' association, which usually charges a small yearly fee.

Key rules

• September peak: Expect books, supplies, uniform and the first bills to fall in September, so save ahead.
• Reservation fee: Private and some concertada schools ask for a reservation fee in spring or early summer, and it may not be refunded.
• Comedor: Public school comedor prices are set by your region each year, so ask for the current cap.
• Instalments: Tuition is usually billed in 10 or 11 instalments, and some schools use 12.
• Summer: Summer activities and July care are billed separately from tuition.

Start with the school type

Your school type decides most of the budget. Typical yearly costs per child in 2025 were:

• Public school: €500–1,500 for books, materials and activities.
• Concertada school: €1,500–4,000 for voluntary fees and extras.
• Private school: €4,000–12,000 or more.
• International school: €8,000–20,000 or more.

These totals usually leave out the comedor, which adds about €800–1,200 a year in public and concertada schools. Madrid and Barcelona are at the high end. Build one budget per child, because ages and schools differ.

List the cost lines

For each child, write down a line for each of these:

• Tuition (cuota): private and concertada schools only.
• Comedor, the school canteen.
• Early-morning care (aula matinal) and after-school activities (extraescolares).
• School transport.
• Textbooks and digital licences, stationery and a backpack.
• Uniform or sports kit, if the school uses one.
• Excursions, the AMPA fee (the parents' association), photocopies and school insurance.
• Small extras such as gifts and party contributions.
• A laptop or tablet, if the school asks for one.

Place each cost in its month

June (or the spring before). Private schools, and some concertada schools, ask for a reservation or enrolment fee once the place is offered. It is commonly a few hundred euros. It is often deducted from the first fees, or not refunded, depending on the contract. Public school enrolment is free, with confirmation in June or July.

September: the peak. Several costs land together: books, stationery, backpack, uniform, any laptop, the first tuition instalment and the first comedor bill. Some schools also charge an annual registration or materials fee. Set money aside over the summer.

October to May or June: the monthly bills. These repeat each month:

• Tuition is usually 10 or 11 instalments, September or October to June or July. Some schools spread it over 12 months, including July and August.
• Comedor is billed monthly, from September to June, for the days used. Public school regular use is typically €4–7 a day, or roughly €70–120 a month. Occasional use costs more per day, often €6–9. Private schools commonly charge about €120–250 a month.
• Extraescolares usually run from October to May or June.
• Transport is usually a monthly charge as well.

June to July. Summer activities and July care are billed separately from tuition. Add them if you need childcare while school is out.

Add it up

1. Put the one-off costs in September and the reservation fee in spring or June.
2. Put tuition, comedor, extraescolares and transport in the months they are billed.
3. Add a small monthly buffer for excursions and surprises.
4. Add the twelve months for each child.

The calculator below can do the sums for one child. The checklist covers the questions to ask the school.

Check the numbers

Each region sets its own comedor price cap each year, and Madrid and Andalucía use about €5–6 a day. Ask your regional education department for the current figure. For private schools, the contract sets the number of instalments and the refund terms, so read it before you pay a reservation.

Timeline and deadlines

• Pay the reservation or enrolment fee at a private or concertada school: between spring and early summer, once the place is offered

• Start monthly tuition instalments and the comedor bill: from September or October

• Start extraescolares billing: from October

• Extraescolares billing ends: in May or June

• Last monthly tuition instalment in most schools: in June, or in July if the school uses 11 instalments

• Pay for summer activities and July care separately: in July, outside the monthly bills

Checklist

• Ask the school how many monthly instalments it bills and whether July and August are included.

• Ask your regional education department for this year's maximum comedor price per day.

• Ask a private or concertada school how much the reservation fee is and whether it is deducted from the first fees or not refunded.

• Check the school's fee schedule for the months extraescolares are billed.

• Ask whether summer activities and July care are billed separately.

Yearly school cost calculator for one child

Work it out

What you enter

• Yearly cost of textbooks and school materials (EUR): The school's book list for your child's year, or last year's receipts.
• Share of the book cost your region's free-book or loan scheme covers (%): Your regional education department or the school office. Enter 0 if there is no scheme for your child's stage.
• Monthly school fee (concertada voluntary quota or private tuition) (EUR): The school's fee list or enrolment contract. Enter 0 for a public school.
• Months you pay the school fee (months): The school's fee list or enrolment contract.
• Comedor price per day (EUR): The school's comedor notice or the regional price list.
• Comedor days per month (days): Your child's weekly timetable: days a week multiplied by about 4 weeks.
• Months your child uses the comedor (months): The school calendar and comedor notice.
• Share of the comedor cost covered by aid (%): Your regional comedor aid call or the school office. Enter 100 for a free place and 0 if you have no aid.
• Monthly school bus (ruta) cost (EUR): The school office or regional transport notice. Enter 0 if your child qualifies for free transport or does not use the bus.
• Months your child uses the bus (months): The school calendar and the bus contract.
• Monthly extras: early-morning or afternoon care, activities, sports (EUR): The school's activity list and the care-hours price sheet.
• Months you pay these extras (months): The school's activity list.
• One-off yearly costs: devices or licences, uniform, excursions (EUR): The school's start-of-year letter and your trip or uniform notices.

Figures used

• Months in a year: 12 months

Worked example (with Yearly cost of textbooks and school materials 250 EUR, Share of the book cost your region's free-book or loan scheme covers 100 %, Monthly school fee (concertada voluntary quota or private tuition) 0 EUR, Months you pay the school fee 10 months, Comedor price per day 5.5 EUR, Comedor days per month 20 days, Months your child uses the comedor 10 months, Share of the comedor cost covered by aid 0 %, Monthly school bus (ruta) cost 80 EUR, Months your child uses the bus 10 months, Monthly extras: early-morning or afternoon care, activities, sports 40 EUR, Months you pay these extras 10 months, One-off yearly costs: devices or licences, uniform, excursions 150 EUR)

When the sum misleads

• Most of these costs fall in September and October, so the monthly average hides a heavy start to the year. Keep books, devices and uniform money ready before term begins.
• For a public school, typical yearly costs without the comedor are about 500 to 1,500 euros, for a concertada school about 1,500 to 4,000 euros, and for a private school about 4,000 to 12,000 euros or more. If your result is far outside these, recheck your inputs.
• Comedor prices for regular use are typically about 4 to 7 euros a day in public schools. Occasional use usually costs more per day, often 6 to 9 euros, so use that price if your child eats there only now and then.
• Do the sum for each child separately, then add the totals. Aid and free-book schemes can differ by stage, so a younger and an older child may get different amounts.
• Free school bus transport often applies to compulsory education when you live far from the school or there is no local school.

Frequently asked questions

Do private schools bill in July and August?

Yes, some private schools bill in July and August, because they spread the annual fee over 12 months, though most charge 10 or 11 instalments. The contract shows the exact count.

How much does the comedor cost per month in a public school?

A public school comedor typically costs roughly €70–120 a month for regular use. Each region sets its own maximum price, and occasional use often costs €6–9 a day.

Do I pay a reservation fee for a public school place?

No, public schools do not charge for enrolment (matrícula), so you pay no reservation fee there. Private and some concertada schools often ask for a reserva de plaza once the place is offered, usually between spring and early summer.

What should I expect to pay per year on top of the comedor?

Expect about €500–1,500 a year in a public school, €1,500–4,000 in a concertada school and €4,000–12,000 or more in a private school.