For one person, living is cheaper in San Marino: $1,336 a month against $1,760 in Spain, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in San Marino and in Spain actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,336 in San Marino versus $1,760 in Spain.
San Marino $1,336
Spain $1,760
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,831 in San Marino versus $2,581 in Spain.
San Marino $1,831
Spain $2,581
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,325 in San Marino versus $3,402 in Spain.
San Marino $2,325
Spain $3,402
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $937 to $2,649, compared to $241–$1,170 in San Marino. City choice carries more weight in Spain.
🌍
Living in San Marino costs about 24% less than in Spain on average.
📊
San Marino (1% below) and Spain (30% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
San Marino
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.01€15.13
$16.72€14.87
1.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.1€49.90
$56.0€49.76
0.27%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.02€13.36
$11.13€9.90
34.95%
Cappuccino
$1.78€1.58
$2.43€2.17
-26.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10€2.75
$2.63€2.34
17.87%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49€1.33
$1.81€1.61
-17.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.07€5.40
$3.40€3.03
78.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.65€5.92
$3.82€3.39
74.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Marino
Spain
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
-
$1.17€1.04
-
White Bread(500g)
-
$1.50€1.33
-
Rice(white)(1kg)
-
$1.60€1.43
-
Eggs
-
$3.33€2.96
-
Local Cheese(1kg)
-
$14.41€12.82
-
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
-
$8.33€7.41
-
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$16.30€14.50
-
Apples(1kg)
-
$2.57€2.29
-
Banana(1kg)
-
$2.04€1.82
-
Oranges(1kg)
-
$2.04€1.82
-
Tomato(1kg)
-
$2.55€2.27
-
Potato(1kg)
-
$1.83€1.63
-
Onion(1kg)
-
$2.03€1.80
-
Lettuce(1 head)
-
$1.36€1.21
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.74€0.66
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
-
$6.35€5.65
-
Wine(Bottle)
-
$5.52€4.91
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93€1.72
$1.31€1.17
47.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.02€1.80
-
🚌 Getting Around
San Marino
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.66€1.48
$1.71€1.52
-2.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$27.95€24.86
$33.15€29.49
-15.69%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.51€4.90
$4.52€4.02
21.90%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.50€1.33
$1.50€1.34
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$24.45€21.75
$24.43€21.73
0.08%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.74€1.55
$1.79€1.59
-2.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$35.9K€32.0K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$31.2K€27.7K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Marino
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$111€98.7
$150€133
-26.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45€19.96
$17.57€15.62
27.77%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.24€29.56
$31.32€27.86
6.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Marino
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$45.55€40.52
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.62€22.79
$15.00€13.34
70.80%
Cinema Ticket
-
$9.47€8.43
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Marino
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$544€484
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$10.8K€9,563
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Marino
Spain
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.5€69.0
$84.1€74.8
-7.78%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.24€29.57
$36.90€32.82
-9.92%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$88.5€78.7
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.6€49.44
$104€92.8
-46.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Marino
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$793€705
$1,017€904
-22.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$773€687
$793€705
-2.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,003€892
$1,605€1,428
-37.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,027€913
$1,209€1,075
-15.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$4,093€3,640
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,581€2,296
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Marino
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,780€3,362
$2,001€1,780
88.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
3.3
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for San Marino: October 17, 2026
Last update for Spain: October 20, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
San Marino
–
Spain
$793 45%
🛒Groceries & Markets
San Marino
–
Spain
$272 15.4%
🍽Eating Out
San Marino
–
Spain
$239 13.6%
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Marino
–
Spain
$199 11.3%
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
San Marino
–
Spain
$141 8%
🎉Sport & Entertainment
San Marino
–
Spain
$65 3.7%
🚌Getting Around
San Marino
–
Spain
$52 3%
🏠Accommodation & Living
San Marino
–
Spain
$1.2K 35.6%
🛒Groceries & Markets
San Marino
–
Spain
$647 19%
🍽Eating Out
San Marino
–
Spain
$764 22.5%
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Marino
–
Spain
$216 6.4%
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
San Marino
–
Spain
$314 9.2%
🎉Sport & Entertainment
San Marino
–
Spain
$144 4.2%
🚌Getting Around
San Marino
–
Spain
$107 3.2%
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $396 in San Marino, $913 in Spain. Capital cities: $792 in San Marino vs $1,509 in Madrid.
💰National salary averages: $3,779 in San Marino, $1,977 in Spain. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 131% higher in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 107% more expensive in Spain.
⭐Salaries are 91% higher in San Marino, and purchasing power comes out stronger in San Marino.
San Marino→Spain1,380 km≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
San Marino
Spain
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
San Marino vs Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: San Marino or Spain?
At $1,336 per month in San Marino and $1,760 in Spain, there's a 32% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do rents compare between San Marino and Spain?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $913 in Spain and $396 in San Marino. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How far does $2,000 go in San Marino compared to Spain?
In San Marino, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Spain it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in San Marino and in Spain?
It depends on what you're after: San Marino wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.
San Marino vs other spots: cost of living compared