Cost of Living Comparison Between France and Spain Cost of Living Comparison Between France and Spain

Name: Spain
Address: ES

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,850 in France versus $1,646 in Spain.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,835 in France versus $2,401 in Spain.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,819 in France versus $3,155 in Spain.

Living in France is roughly 12% more expensive than Spain on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: France 38% above, Spain 23% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $1,133 to $3,262, compared to $1,473–$2,848 in France. City choice carries more weight in Spain.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.38 €14.95

$16.17 €13.91

7.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 €59.2

$57.3 €49.27

20.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.79 €11.00

$10.62 €9.14

20.43%

Cappuccino

$3.72 €3.20

$2.38 €2.05

56.30%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 €2.75

$2.59 €2.23

23.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.91 €1.64

13.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.77 €5.82

$3.49 €3.00

93.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 €5.09

$4.03 €3.46

46.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.24 €1.07

4.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.59 €1.37

24.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$1.59 €1.37

63.52%

Eggs

$4.30 €3.70

$3.05 €2.62

40.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.52 €17.65

$14.55 €12.52

41.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.17 €12.19

$8.42 €7.24

68.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.04 €18.10

$15.52 €13.35

35.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 €2.80

$2.54 €2.18

28.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.01 €1.73

15.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 €2.65

$2.09 €1.80

47.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 €3.17

$2.53 €2.18

45.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.10

$1.85 €1.59

32.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$1.89 €1.63

34.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.35 €1.16

14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 €0.66

$0.74 €0.64

4.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.80 €11.87

$6.35 €5.47

117.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 €6.89

$5.66 €4.87

41.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 €2.22

$1.25 €1.08

106.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 €2.72

$2.06 €1.77

53.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 €1.86

$1.69 €1.46

27.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 €62.7

$35.10 €30.20

107.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 €4.64

$4.42 €3.80

21.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.34 €1.15

39.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.17 €31.98

$26.32 €22.64

41.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.84 €1.58

14.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.2K €32.0K

$38.8K €33.4K

-4.06%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$37.5K €32.3K

$31.6K €27.2K

18.57%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$211 €182

$150 €129

40.49%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.70 €22.97

$20.56 €17.69

29.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.81 €29.94

$34.49 €29.67

0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.53 €33.14

$47.96 €41.25

-19.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.09 €16.42

$16.05 €13.80

18.94%

Cinema Ticket

$13.68 €11.77

$8.99 €7.73

52.17%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$816 €702

$509 €438

60.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K €9,992

$9,884 €8,502

17.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$86.5 €74.4

17.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.76 €37.64

$37.14 €31.95

17.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.4

$92.0 €79.1

13.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €119

$109 €93.6

26.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$882 €758

$1,045 €899

-15.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 €583

$834 €717

-18.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,632 €1,404

$1,689 €1,453

-3.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 €1,089

$1,238 €1,065

2.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,634 €4,846

$4,378 €3,766

28.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 €3,211

$2,747 €2,363

35.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,811 €2,418

$2,073 €1,783

35.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.66

3.51

4.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for France: May 30, 2026

Last update for Spain: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $792 in France, $898 in Spain. Capital cities: $1,621 in Paris vs $1,566 in Madrid.

National salary averages: $2,827 in France, $2,030 in Spain. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 13% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 15% more in France.

Public transport is 52% more expensive in France.

Salaries are 39% higher in France, giving France stronger purchasing power.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

France vs Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $2,161 per month in France and $2,198 in Spain, there's a 2% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

France is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Spain beats France across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In France, $3,000 covers most cities easily. In Spain, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. France wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.