What a year as a student in Spain really costs

Key rules

• Seguro escolar: The seguro escolar costs about €1.12 a year for students under 28.
• Biggest variable: Rent is the main reason Madrid and Barcelona cost more than smaller cities.
• Non-EU health cover: If you need a visa, plan for private health insurance with no copayments or waiting periods.
• Household costs: Family and non-student expenses belong in a separate household budget.

What goes into a yearly budget

Your yearly cost is tuition plus housing, food, transport, insurance and extras. The city moves the total more than anything else, mainly through rent.

Build your budget from these lines:

• Tuition and first-enrolment fees.
• Admin fees, such as the student file and student ID card.
• Insurance.
• Room rent, food, transport pass and phone.
• Books and materials.
• Document costs: credentials, apostille and translations.
• Visa and residence fees, and your travel to Spain.

Family income, taxes, savings and the costs of a partner or children belong in a separate household budget, not here.

Why the city matters

Madrid and Barcelona are the most expensive. Smaller cities such as Salamanca, Granada, Valencia or Santiago are noticeably cheaper. Rent is the main difference. Ask the international office of each university you are considering for its current budget guide.

Housing

A room in a shared flat is your biggest monthly cost. These are 2025 estimates, and prices have been rising:

• Barcelona: about 450-700 euros a month.
• Madrid: about 400-650 euros.
• Valencia: about 300-450 euros.
• Salamanca, Granada, Santiago and similar cities: roughly 200-350 euros.

Prices vary by neighbourhood, so check current listings for the area you want.

Food

If you cook at home, plan on about 150-300 euros a month, and more in Madrid and Barcelona. A menú del día (a fixed-price weekday lunch) costs roughly 11-15 euros, so eating out daily adds up fast.

Transport

Spain has a national monthly pass for under-26s, the Abono Único, as well as regional youth passes. In 2025, youth passes cost roughly 20-30 euros a month in Madrid and 20 euros in Barcelona (Carnet Jove). Many other cities are cheaper. Your regional transport authority sets prices and eligibility, so check them when you arrive.

Insurance

If you are under 28, the seguro escolar covers accidents and illness for a small yearly charge, added to your enrolment. It does not replace full health cover.

Non-EU students who need a visa generally need private health insurance with no copayments or waiting periods. Expect about 30-70 euros a month, or roughly 350-800 euros a year, depending on your age and the insurer. EU students can use the European Health Insurance Card or the S1 form.

Putting a year together

Add up twelve months of rent, food, transport and phone. Then add the one-off items: tuition, insurance, documents, visa and travel. Leave a cushion for the extras listed in the warning below, which students often overlook. The questions below cover rooms, food, transport passes and insurance in more detail.

Costs on top of tuition that students overlook

Costs on top of tuition

• Admin fees and insurance: Your budget can fall short because of fees charged on top of per-credit tuition. Expect a file-opening or secretariat fee (apertura de expediente) of roughly €20 to €60 in the first year, and sometimes a student card fee of around €5 to €15. The seguro escolar, a basic school accident and illness insurance, costs about €1.12 a year for students under 28. Ask the university secretariat for the full list of enrolment charges before you pay.

• Health insurance for non-EU students: If you need a visa, you generally need private health insurance with no copayments or waiting periods. It typically costs about €30 to €70 a month, or roughly €350 to €800 a year, depending on your age and insurer. The seguro escolar does not replace full health cover. Compare several insurers and add the yearly total to your budget.

• Degree certificate, transcripts and credentials: Issuing your degree certificate (título) typically costs €100 to €250, depending on the region and family-size discounts. Transcripts and recognition of credits also carry fees. The access credential (credencial) assessment has its own public price. Plan for these at the end of your studies and when you apply, not only at enrolment.

• Apostilles and sworn translations: Foreign documents often need an apostille, which is a stamp issued by your home country's authority. Fees range from free to a modest sum. A sworn translation (traducción jurada) is charged per page, and the price depends on the language and the translator. Ask the apostille office and two or three translators for prices before you start, and count every page you must translate.

• Resit and repeat charges: Resits in the same academic year carry no extra tuition fee. A new charge arises when you must enrol in the subject again in a later year, at a higher repeat price. Some universities also charge small fees for exam review, special exam sittings or an extra final-project call. Ask your faculty which extra sittings carry a fee before you book them.

• Setting-up and living extras: Smaller costs add up to hundreds of euros: the residence card (TIE) fee of about €16, a rental deposit of one or two months plus agency fees, utilities and internet, a mobile contract, Spanish courses, textbooks and printing, and flights home. A flat may also need furniture. Keep a buffer for the first month, when most of these fall due.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a room in a shared student flat cost per month?

A room in a shared flat typically costs about 450-700 euros a month in Barcelona and about 400-650 in Madrid. Valencia runs about 300-450, and smaller cities such as Salamanca, Granada or Santiago roughly 200-350. Prices have been rising, so check current listings.

How much should I budget for food each month?

A student cooking at home should budget about 150-300 euros a month for food, and more in Madrid and Barcelona.

Is there a cheap public transport pass for students?

Yes, under-26s can get a national monthly pass called Abono Único, and regional youth passes also exist.

How much does health insurance cost for a non-EU student?

Private health insurance for a non-EU student on a visa typically costs about 30-70 euros a month, or roughly 350-800 euros a year. It must have no copayments or waiting periods.