Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zaragoza and Valencia

For one person, living is cheaper in Zaragoza: $1,694 a month against $2,054 in Valencia, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Zaragoza
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,694
/mo nomad
Valencia
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,054
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zaragoza and in Valencia

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zaragoza and in Valencia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,694 in Zaragoza versus $2,054 in Valencia.

  • Zaragoza $1,694
  • Valencia $2,054

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,478 in Zaragoza versus $3,045 in Valencia.

  • Zaragoza $2,478
  • Valencia $3,045

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,263 in Zaragoza versus $4,035 in Valencia.

  • Zaragoza $3,263
  • Valencia $4,035

Living in Zaragoza costs roughly 18% less than in Valencia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zaragoza 25% above, Valencia 52% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zaragoza
Valencia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.54 €14.72
$19.24 €17.12
-14.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.9 €50.6
$67.8 €60.3
-16.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$12.12 €10.78
-7.01%
Cappuccino
$2.12 €1.89
$2.75 €2.44
-22.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 €2.16
$2.59 €2.30
-6.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 €1.37
$2.00 €1.78
-23.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.43 €3.05
$3.44 €3.06
-0.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30 €2.93
$4.57 €4.07
-27.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zaragoza
Valencia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 €1.06
$1.22 €1.09
-2.46%
White Bread (500g)
$1.95 €1.74
$1.34 €1.20
45.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.49 €1.32
$1.75 €1.56
-14.86%
Eggs
$2.81 €2.50
$3.37 €3.00
-16.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.17 €14.39
$10.94 €9.73
47.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.98 €7.98
$7.88 €7.01
13.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.00 €18.68
$15.59 €13.87
34.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.67 €2.37
$2.49 €2.21
7.23%
Banana (1kg)
$2.50 €2.23
$1.81 €1.61
38.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.60 €2.31
$1.85 €1.65
40.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.08 €2.74
$2.54 €2.26
21.26%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 €1.78
$1.71 €1.52
16.96%
Onion (1kg)
$2.24 €1.99
$1.84 €1.64
21.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.77 €1.57
$1.08 €0.96
63.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73 €0.65
$0.80 €0.71
-8.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.12 €5.44
$6.51 €5.79
-5.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.38 €3.90
$5.67 €5.04
-22.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 €0.82
$1.29 €1.15
-28.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45 €3.07
$1.70 €1.51
102.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Zaragoza
Valencia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.69 €1.50
$2.22 €1.97
-23.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$31.91 €28.38
$39.31 €34.96
-18.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.32 €2.06
$4.48 €3.99
-48.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 €0.94
$1.34 €1.20
-20.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.17 €25.95
$23.66 €21.04
23.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 €1.58
$1.82 €1.62
-2.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K €31.6K
$34.6K €30.8K
2.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.3K €26.1K
$28.6K €25.4K
2.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zaragoza
Valencia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$157 €140
2.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.52 €10.25
$16.31 €14.51
-29.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.33 €18.97
$33.75 €30.02
-36.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zaragoza
Valencia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.72 €31.78
$42.74 €38.02
-16.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.36 €12.77
$8.79 €7.82
63.37%
Cinema Ticket
$9.10 €8.09
$11.01 €9.80
-17.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zaragoza
Valencia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 €439
$568 €505
-13.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,876 €7,006
$9,602 €8,541
-17.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zaragoza
Valencia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5 €79.6
$92.6 €82.4
-3.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.48 €34.23
$41.14 €36.60
-6.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 €89.0
$94.3 €83.9
6.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 €101
$119 €106
-4.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zaragoza
Valencia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$810 €721
$1,393 €1,239
-41.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$709 €630
$1,047 €931
-32.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,288 €1,145
$2,274 €2,022
-43.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,009 €898
$1,717 €1,527
-41.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,196 €2,843
$5,495 €4,888
-41.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,944 €1,729
$3,312 €2,946
-41.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zaragoza
Valencia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,009 €1,787
$1,900 €1,690
5.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.46
3.41
1.47%

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

Last update for Zaragoza: October 11, 2026

Last update for Valencia: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Zaragoza
$709
Valencia
$1K 47.7% $338
Groceries & Markets
Zaragoza
$306
Valencia
$252 17.4% $53
Eating Out
Zaragoza
$231
Valencia
$268 15.9% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zaragoza
$194
Valencia
$207 6.6% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Zaragoza
$154
Valencia
$156 1.7% $2.5
Sport & Entertainment
Zaragoza
$54
Valencia
$65 20.1% $11
Getting Around
Zaragoza
$46
Valencia
$59 28.3% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $810 in Zaragoza and $1,393 in Valencia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zaragoza pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $57.0 in Zaragoza vs $68.0 in Valencia. Groceries flip the comparison at $306 vs $252, with Valencia cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Zaragoza
🇪🇸 Valencia
🕒 Local time
18:12 6:12 PM
18:12 6:12 PM
Same time as Zaragoza
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
682,513
807,693
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
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From you
  • Zaragoza
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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
Zaragoza vs Valencia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Zaragoza and in Valencia?
Zaragoza and Valencia differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,694 vs $2,054 including rent). Zaragoza is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Zaragoza or Valencia?
Average pay runs 6% higher in Zaragoza, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Zaragoza and in Valencia?
Rent for a central apartment: $810 in Zaragoza versus $1,393 in Valencia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Zaragoza and in Valencia?
A monthly transit pass in Zaragoza runs roughly 23% less than in Valencia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Zaragoza and Valencia?
Childcare runs $493 in Zaragoza versus $568 in Valencia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,694 in Zaragoza versus $2,054 in Valencia, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Zaragoza but tight or insufficient in Valencia. The gap between the two cities makes Zaragoza the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Zaragoza and Valencia?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Zaragoza or Valencia safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Zaragoza and Valencia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Zaragoza or Valencia?
Expats usually find Zaragoza gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Valencia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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