Spain is more affordable than the UK across most spending categories, but it is worth being realistic about where the savings actually are. Rental prices in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, and popular coastal areas have risen considerably over the past two to three years, driven by housing demand and short-term rental pressures, so the cost advantage that existed before 2022 has narrowed in the major cities. 

That said, day-to-day living costs like groceries, eating out, public transport, and utilities, remain noticeably lower than their UK equivalents. Fresh food is cheaper, eating out at a local Spanish restaurant is a fraction of what a comparable meal costs in the UK, and public transport both within cities and across the country is far more affordable than anything British commuters are used to.

Where Spain's cost advantage becomes most meaningful is in the lifestyle it affords rather than in raw number comparisons, which will always vary by city, neighbourhood, and personal habits. A couple living modestly in a mid-sized Spanish city like Valencia, Seville, or Alicante will almost certainly find their monthly outgoings lower than they were in the UK. The same couple in central Barcelona or on the Costa del Sol in a sought-after coastal town may find the gap considerably smaller. The honest takeaway is that Spain is cheaper than the UK, the savings are real, but where you choose to live within Spain matters just as much as the country itself.