The cost of living is much cheaper in Spain, but the salaries are also much lower. How do I budget? What should I expect to spend and save?
Just like the U.S, some places in Spain are more expensive than others. Madrid is one of the most expensive cities in Spain, so if you live elsewhere, expect similar or lower costs. This is a full budget for myself in Madrid. The most expensive part of your budget will be rent.
Rent – Yes, it will be much cheaper than renting in the U.S, but when you first arrive in Spain, you need to budget for 3 months rent: 1 month as a deposit, 1 month for the first rent payment, and 1 month for an agency fee (Since 2023, it has been illegal to charge long-term renters, contracts of a year or more, the agency fee. Regardless, many landlords continue this practice). Of course, if you hire an agent yourself to find an apartment, you’ll be expected to pay a fee.
Many landlords use an agency to manage renting out their property. They help the landlord find tenants, and often times, instead of communicating issues with the landlord, you will message the agency.
Along with utilities, you might also be required to pay a “community fee”. The fee will be added to your monthly rent to pay for maintenance of shared community space such as pools, patios, and park areas. It is a good idea to ask about your payment obligations when you rent. Sometimes the landlord covers certain utilities and/or the community fee.
How I Save Money
Extra Income – I balance my budget by making 150 euros a month with private English lessons. I offer 3 hours of private lessons a week.
To work officially in Spain for a Spanish employer, you will need work authorization and a social security number. As of May 2025, auxes are no longer able to receive work authorization.
Getting Work Permission and a Social Security Number
Private, Under-the-Table Lessons
Many auxiliaries will provide private tutoring lessons either online or in person. It is common and well known by the schools involved in the program. In fact, both schools I’ve worked with have offered me private lesson opportunities.
Individuals working and providing private English lessons with a student visa always work under the table. Even if your student visa permits you to work in Spain, it does not allow you to work as a freelancer. That’s why those who work under the table are unable to pay Spanish taxes on their income. They legally don’t have the right to work outside of the program.
They are able to find in-person private lessons by using the following common advice:
- Get in contact with the teachers in your school. Usually they will have connections and can help you out.
- Get in contact with other auxiliaries. Many auxiliaries are in contact with English academies, and there is always a lack of English teachers to go around. When auxiliaries offer lessons, they often get asked by the academy and the students they work with if they know any native teachers that are available to teach. Most are unable to meet demand.
- Contact local English academies. Especially now with the changes to work permissions as an auxiliary, it is a great opportunity to directly get in touch with local English academies to set up lessons. Many academies provide under the table private lessons too, even if they are unwilling to go through the work permission process.
- Join a regional auxiliary Facebook page. Throughout the year, people post private lesson opportunities online.
(I do not officially recommend anyone pursue private, under the table English lessons.)
Youth Discounts – If you are below the age of 30, you can take advantage of various youth discounts.
Youth Discounts (Transport, Groceries, and Hostels)
Cheaper Flights – By using a VPN, I am able to find cheaper flights. Airliners price their flights by collecting information. This includes your location data through your computer’s IP address. By searching for flights from various server locations, I’m able to find the best deals.
Cheap Transportation Cost – Take advantage of the cheap and efficient Spanish public transit system. To further save money, choose the best transport plan for your situation. 99% of the time, the youth card will be the best offer available. While in Madrid, I was able to make unlimited trips throughout the region of Madrid for only 20 euros a month.
Even if you are over the qualifying age in your region for a youth card, you can often find other comparable deals.
Other ways of saving money – Another advantage of just living in Europe is the ability to save money by being green. You can stretch your budget even further with the tips below.
Saving Money and Being Environmentally Friendly
Extra Expenses – Travelling and experiencing all that Europe has to offer will add to your monthly expenses, but it is completely worth it. When living in Europe, you are able to travel cheaply between culturally and geographically distinct regions. I highly recommend you take advantage of your time in Spain to explore and create memories. I typically travel between Spanish regions using Renfe and my youth discount. A trip there and back will cost between 40 and 100 euros total depending on how far in advanced you book.
It’s great to save money and stay within budget, but make sure to create some memories too.
For your convenience, there are organizations that curate life changing experiences for those living abroad. Check them out!
We Love Spain – Create unique experiences and fully take advantage of living abroad. We Love Spain organizes trips and excursions for international students and young professionals studying and working in Spain. They have a wide variety of amazing travel options for everyone.
And if you are interested in getting more bang for your buck when travelling, use platforms like Omio to shop around, compare thousands of travel options, and get the best offer available.
(receive €10 to spend on train, bus, flight, or ferry tickets with Omio when using my link.)
Also, check out my travelling posts: Fun Trips Around Madrid and Santiago de Compostela
If you found the website useful, please Support the Page. Every little bit helps.
The information on http://www.residency2spain.com is provided in good faith and is intended for general informational purposes only. Residency2spain makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the content. Any decisions you make based on the information found on this site are made at your own discretion and risk. Residency2spain is not liable for any loss or damage resulting from the use of this website.
-
A Podcast?
I’d like to share the podcast I have just started with my audience. it’s called Immigrant, not Expat. My goal is to share stories about immigration to hopefully remove the negative connotation surrounding the word “immigrant”. I am deliberately avoiding the word “expat” because I don’t want to reinforce a caste system for immigration. I
-
Culture Shock!
People who talk about moving to another country may emphasize how different the culture will be and how to deal with culture shock. Spain is a modernized, western country that isn’t too different from the U.S, so in my experience, “shock” isn’t a great way to describe it. There are some differences, though. Most of
-
250k Views – Day in the Life
The last time we celebrated a view benchmark, I made a post about myself and what led me to create a life in Spain. Now that we’ve hit 250,000 views, I’m posting feet on main! (Open the full image if you are a sicko). Well, the idea of this post is to share a typical
-
Santiago de Compostela
On an extended weekend, thanks to a public holiday, my partner and I went to Santiago de Compostela. It’s a beautiful city in the northwestern region of Galicia, which is known for its rainy climate and delicious food. Santiago is an interesting city with a unique history. It is the destination of multiple pilgrimage routes
-
Extra Income – Teaching Online
There are countless ways of saving money while in Spain, but if you want to be able to travel more and enjoy more experiences, increasing your income is a great way to do that. As native speakers of English with experience teaching English as a foreign language in Spain, your teaching services will be in
-
Saving Money and Being Environmentally Friendly
You don’t need your own terrace garden like me, but you can easily save money and be better for the environment when living in Spain. One of the joys of moving to Europe is that it becomes possible to be environmentally friendly without sacrificing your lifestyle or money. When I lived in Indiana, I remember
-
Celebrating 75,000 Views – My Journey to Spain
When I first started writing this blog, I never expected getting this type of interest. I just wanted to create something to help others find their lives in Spain and avoid the uncertainties and anxieties that plague bureaucratic processes here. It’s still only a hobby instead of being my actual job, but a lot of
-
Spanish and U.S. Library Cards
Getting a U.S. library card before leaving for Spain and a Spanish library card while there can provide wonderful (free) services. Libraries have modernized. They provide a wide range of services that can be accessed from anywhere in the world: eBooks, audiobooks, as well as online magazines and newspapers. Individuals travelling to or living in
-
How I Accidentally Became an Actor in Spain
“Quiet on set, roll cameras, and action!” I desperately choke for breath while grasping at my wounds. With a WW2-era revolver aimed at the entryway of an abandoned farm shed, I am slowly bleeding out while waiting for my enemies to finish me off. Suddenly, I hear noises just outside. It sounds like footsteps, and
-
NALCAP Webinar 2022 – Highlights
July 28, 2022 Will new regulations affect auxiliares who receive supplemental income in Spain? What should I do before leaving for Spain? How do I find an apartment? What steps should I take first when I arrive in Spain? The 2022 NALCAP webinar covers topics that can help new auxiliaries and returning auxiliaries. Find out
-
Fun Trips around Madrid
Cercedilla Cercedilla is a mountainside municipality Northwest of Madrid. It is about an hour train ride away with the cercanía trains from Atocha (the main train station). The mountainside is filled with nature, flowers, and there is a small ranch with a herd of cows living their best lives grazing on the mountainside. The cows
-
Budgeting in Spain
The cost of living is much cheaper in Spain, but the salaries are also much lower. How do I budget? What should I expect to spend and save? Just like the U.S, some places in Spain are more expensive than others. Madrid is one of the most expensive cities in Spain, so if you live
-
The debate of the century: with or without onion.
Spanish tortilla is a traditional dish in Spain similar to an omelette. It has eggs, potatoes, and sometimes diced onions. In Spain people are passionate about food, especially traditional food, and there is a fierce debate in Spain about which type of tortilla is better: with or without onions. Traditionalists will claim that putting onions
-
So, you want to move to Spain?
There are many reasons to want to live in Spain. The climate is warm and pleasant. The natural landscapes are breathtaking, and with a guaranteed 22 vacation days a year, you have the time to enjoy them. Culturally, Spanish people are kind, welcoming, and outgoing. This generosity also includes the public services offered. Spain has
Spanish Bureaucracy Guides 