Monthly costs in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga, Seville and Bilbao

Key rules

• Biggest difference: Rent, not food or transport, decides how much more one city costs than another.
• Cheapest city: Seville is the cheapest of the six for rent and eating out.
• Listing prices: Budget for the asking rents you see in listings, not the lower official averages.
• Transport: Your age and registration change your pass price, so check before budgeting.

All figures are rough 2025 estimates, so check current rents, pass prices and bills with local listings, the transport operator and your utility providers.

The short answer

Seville is the cheapest of the six and Madrid, Barcelona and Málaga are the most expensive. Rent drives almost all the difference. Groceries differ by 10% or less between cities.

Side-by-side budget

These are rough 2025 levels for a typical flat of 70-90 m², not the cheapest and not the most central.

Málaga groceries fall between the two groups, roughly 200-300 €.

Rent

Asking rents per m² per month in 2025 ran from about 12-15 € in Seville to roughly 17-19 € in Madrid. Barcelona is a little higher, at about 18-23 €. Málaga is about 15-17 €, Bilbao 14-16 € and Valencia 13-15 €. Check current portals for up-to-date figures. These are asking rents on new leases. In tight markets they can be 10-30% above official rent indices, which are built from tax data on declared leases. So when you search now, budget for the asking price, not the lower official figure.

Groceries

A single adult cooking at home spends about 200-300 € a month. Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao are at the top. Seville and Valencia are at the bottom. The big supermarket chains keep prices similar across the country.

Transport

Madrid has an 8 € youth pass and a 65+ pass of about 12.30 €. Valencia has a youth pass of about 20 €. Seville has a youth discount. State-backed discounts of up to 50% on monthly passes for regular users have applied since 2025, and some schemes give under-26s free or very cheap passes. Fares are set regionally and change, so check the current price with the local transport operator before you budget.

Utilities

A 70-85 m² flat costs about 150-250 € a month in total:

• Electricity: 50-90 €.
• Water: 20-40 €, higher in Barcelona and Málaga than in Madrid or Bilbao.
• Gas: 20-50 €, only if the flat uses it.
• Internet: 30-45 €.

Bilbao and Barcelona have higher heating costs. Madrid, Valencia, Málaga and Seville have lower heating costs but heavy air-conditioning use in summer.

Eating out

A menú del día, the weekday set lunch, costs:

A mid-range dinner is 25-40 € per person with a drink. Central Barcelona and Madrid cost more. Seville and Valencia are the cheapest of the six.

Compare your own household

Use the calculator below to see the same household in each city. The FAQ below answers common questions about these figures.

Monthly cost calculator for the same household in different cities

Work it out

What you enter

• Your household's monthly net income (EUR): Your payslips or bank statements, after tax.
• Monthly rent in the city you are comparing (EUR): Current listings for the room, flat or house type you want in that city.
• Number of adults in the household (people): Count everyone who will eat and travel on your budget.
• Monthly transport pass for one adult (EUR): The fare page of the city's transport operator.
• Monthly utilities (electricity, water, gas, internet) (EUR): Typical bills for a flat that size, or the previous tenant's bills.

Figures used

• Groceries per adult per month (mid-range of 200-300): 250 EUR (as of 2025)

Worked example (with Your household's monthly net income 3,000 EUR, Monthly rent in the city you are comparing 1,100 EUR, Number of adults in the household 2 people, Monthly transport pass for one adult 40 EUR, Monthly utilities (electricity, water, gas, internet) 200 EUR)

When the sum misleads

• Eating out, leisure, health and phone costs are not included, so keep part of what is left over for them.
• If you are comparing cities, change only the rent, transport pass and utilities; groceries differ by about 10% or less.
• This does not work out tax or net income; use your own after-tax figure.

Frequently asked questions

Which of the six cities is cheapest to live in?

Seville is usually the cheapest. Asking rents there run about 850-1,000 euros a month, and a menú del día costs about 11-13 euros. Valencia is next on eating out and groceries.

Why do official rent figures look lower than listings?

Listing prices are what landlords ask today for new lets. The Ministry's rent index uses actual signed contracts, which include older and cheaper leases. Budget with listing prices if you are looking for a new flat.

Can I pay less than the standard monthly transport pass?

Yes, often. Madrid's youth pass costs 8 euros a month, and Valencia has a youth pass at about 20 euros. Regular users also got a 50% state discount on monthly passes in 2025, so ask the local operator what you qualify for.

Does where I shop change my grocery bill much?

Not much between cities. Chains like Mercadona, Lidl and Dia keep prices similar nationwide, so the gap is about 10% or less. Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao sit at the top of the 200-300 euro range.