spain averages
Doing research on places to bounce around to and cost of living and am kind of curious, what are average costs of things in spain? I know this will vary depending on exactly where you are in spain, the time of year, etc.. But I was curious if anyone living there or that's been there recently has any input. I have a feeling this thread will be for nothing as the more I think about it the more I realize even in my own city prices vary greatly depending on many factors. :(
According to this page: spain.info
They say:
How much money do I need for my stay? The average price for products and services varies depending on the province you are visiting, and the season. As a reference, we provide a list of approximate prices for services and products:
A single metro (underground) or bus ticket costs around €1.
A glass of beer costs between € 2 and € 6, the latter at a fashionable place.
A ticket to the cinema costs between € 5 and € 9.
A ticket to the theatre costs between € 12 and € 30.
A ticket to the opera or a concert could cost between €50 and €100.
A breakfast special, including a cup of coffee, a bun or pastry, and a glass of juice costs between € 2 and € 4, depending on where you go.
A daily special at an inexpensive restaurant costs between € 7 and € 10. If you are choosing from the regular menu, the price starts at € 18, while at a medium-priced restaurant, it would start at € 36 per person. At a "three-fork" restaurant, the price per person can come to € 90.
Accommodations by category (informative prices for a double room): 5 stars: between € 200 and € 300
4 stars: between € 100 and € 200
3 stars: between € 60 and € 100
2 stars or fewer: less than € 60.
etc..
So, converting from Euros to USD, a bus ticket is $1.50 and a cheap beer is $3? Anyone have any input on if normal items like those sound right cost wise?
3 Answers
A beer can be as low as 1 € (notice that the figure comes before the euro symbol, since it is one euro, not euro one), if you are lucky, but most likely you'll pay 1.5 € - 2.0 € in most bars, and more in night clubs and non-Spanish style pubs.
One of the things you need to consider is "Expensive, compared to what?"
Your profile does not indicate where you live, but exchange rates may be a consideration. If you are in the U.S. and you will be using U.S. dollars you have saved, the exchange rate may not be in your favor when you go to spend your money. Then everything will seem even more expensive.
I lived in Madrid for most of 2010. The consumer products there were much more expensive than where I live in Pennsylvania, but some of that might be because I don't live in a capitol city in the U.S. After all, NYC and Washington are a lot more expensive than PA, too.
You need to be aware that Spain has a VAT (Value Added Tax) that is included in the price of everything you buy. That adds 18% to every consumer purchase and you will feel it.
Also, you do not have the proliferation of big box stores like WalMart. When you buy things from the small store, the prices are generally higher.
Lastly, on the plus side, Spain is not a consumer society the way that the U.S. is. You will have to pay for rent, food and transportation wherever you are, but buying things is not as important to the Spanish people as it is to Americans.
Yes, they all sound wise. I've been to Valencia, Sevilla, Murcia, Alicante, Granada and Barcelona. The prices vary a lot you are right but I never said "Oh how expensive!". The most expensive city is Barcelona and the cheapest is Murcia ( I think.) But almost every price seemed reasonable to me -after all I live in an expensive country like Turkey.-
Last summer I spent 17 days in Spain and I think it cost me something like: 2500 € in total.
