Cost of living in Catalonia

If you are thinking about coming to study in Catalunya, it is important to understand a key idea: the cost of living is approximate and can vary greatly depending on the city, your lifestyle, and your daily choices, such as where you live, what you eat, or how you get around.

There is no single fixed budget, since living in Barcelona is not the same as living in other university cities or smaller areas, where prices are usually lower. These differences are especially noticeable in housing, but they can also affect food, transport, and leisure activities. For this reason, it is important to keep a flexible and indicative view of costs when planning your stay.

Below you will find some indicative prices to help you get a clearer idea. (Indicative prices 2026)

• Barcelona: € 500–€ 700.
• Other areas: € 300–€ 500 monthly.

• Bread: €1 baguette.
• Chicken: €9/kg
• Pizza: €3.50/portion
• 1 dozen eggs: €3.50
• Menstrual hygiene products: €4 monthly

• Cinema: €12 on weekends and public holidays; €8.50–€10 on weekdays (non-holidays); €6 on discount days.
• Theatre:
  €12–€20 reduced rate (with passes, library card, unemployed people, young people up to 30, disabled people, and over-65s).
  €25–€40 general admission.
• Museums: In May, Catalunya celebrates the Night of Museums, when all museums open free of charge until late at night. Discounts are also available on weekdays. The general admission fee is around €10, although it may vary depending on the size of the museum, its prestige, and the experience it offers.
• Music: Catalunya offers a wide range of concerts, including classical music, opera, and contemporary music, in different venues across its towns and cities. Prices can range from free events to up to €100 for concerts by major international stars.

• Soft drink: €1,70.
• Coffee: €1,80.
• Daily set menu: from €15–€18. It is very common in Catalunya on weekdays to find bars and restaurants offering a three-course meal to choose from (starter, main course, and dessert, including a drink and bread, all included). On weekends, set menus are usually more expensive.

• Taxi in Barcelona: €3 starting fare (flag drop).
• Metro and bus in Barcelona:
  Single ticket: €2.80
  10-trip pass: €12.55
  Monthly unlimited pass (T-usual): €22
• Fuel: from €2/litre.
  Bicing (public bike sharing): €50–€60/year (basic tariff).

• Mobile phone + Wi-Fi: from €35-€40.

As a student enrolled in an official bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD programme at an affiliated centre, language school, or continuing education institution, you will be provided with a student card. This card is a unique form of identification and accreditation for members of the university community, granting access to facilities and restricted areas, enabling the use of certain university services, and authorising administrative procedures and formalities.

It can be used, among other purposes, to:

• Identify yourself as a member of the university
• Access buildings and facilities on your campus and their services
• Borrow books from any university library
• Book sports facilities through the Sports Service

In addition, this card allows you to benefit from discounts in some shops, restaurants, travel agencies, museums, opticians, companies, and organisations.