The difference of the cost of living between Spain and the UK

Categories: Spain, Tips
Etiquetas: Spain, United Kingdom
8 Jun 2021

It is well known in Britain that Spain is a very lovely destination that has good weather, a healthy lifestyle and also a lower cost of living than in the UK. Even in Madrid which is the largest city in Spain, the cost of living is still relatively small low.

Based on the various researches that compared the cost of living in Spain and UK, it was found that the major thing such as food, clothes, accommodation, transportation, utilise, education and leisure are cheaper in Spain than in the UK. That is the main reason why so many people relocate to Spain after retiring and collecting their pension.

We are going to look at some of the things that were compared.

Accommodation
When looking at the price differences between living spaces in Spain and the UK, Spain is much less expensive. Rent per month is much cheaper in Spain than it is in the UK. A 1-bed city centre apartment in the UK is an average of £650, whereas it is £428.18 in Spain. An apartment outside of the city centre is £500 in the UK, compared to a massively cheaper £342.55 in Spain.
Eating out
When eating out, a meal at an inexpensive restaurant averages at £8.56 in Spain and £10 in the UK. A three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant is £34.25 in Spain and £40 in the UK. The biggest price difference in the eating out category is for a regular cappuccino. In Spain, it is priced at £1.28 and in the UK it’s £2.30. Out of eight different comparisons, only two are less expensive in the UK.
Transport
Spain has made use of their wonderful public transportation, meaning that not many people use their own cars. This also means that the prices of using a taxi or buying tickets to use the metro are less expensive. Spanish residents save almost GBP 20/EUR 23 more than UK residents when purchasing a regular monthly metro pass. A taxi has the biggest difference – with a normal tariff going a distance of 1k, it is 0.86p in Spain and £1.54 in the UK.
Utilities
The basic utilities for housing, such as electricity, heat, water, and garbage, are about 60 percent less expensive for Spanish residents compared to UK residents, saving approximately EUR 58/GBP 50. When looking at the prices for phone and internet services, both countries spend an equal amount of money: around 20 cents per minute for phone service and GBP 30/EUR 35 for internet.
Education
Most public schools, nursery through secondary, are free to Spanish locals. The same goes for many UK public schools. For private schools or universities, even though the prices of the schools are high for both Spanish and UK students, Spain’s residents save approximately 20 percent, or EUR 585 to EUR 2,340 (GBP 500 to GBP 2000) every school year.
Entertainment & Clothing Costs in Spain
In the sports and leisure category, a monthly fee at a fitness club is 3.8% cheaper in Spain, and the cinema is also cheaper. To rent a tennis court for one hour on the weekend, however, is 2.69% cheaper in the UK. Also, whereas in the UK you may have spent free time going to the cinema or shopping, in Spain you may be more inclined to spend free days out at the beach and on walks. When it comes to clothing and shoes – the UK is cheaper for one pair of jeans, for one pair of Nike shoes, and for one pair of leather, men’s shoes. A summer dress in a chain store, however, is 16.77% cheaper in Spain.