Tuition Fees and Cost of Living in Spain, Is It the Cheapest in Europe?
Besides being famous for football and matadors, Spain is also known for offering relatively affordable education. That’s why many students around the world choose to pursue higher education in this country known as the “Land of Matadors.”
See also how to send money from Indonesia to Spain with Transfez App
If you’re wondering about the cost of studying and living in Spain, here’s a detailed breakdown.
List of Tuition Fees in Spain
1. University of Barcelona
This public university is one of Spain’s leading research centers. It serves as a benchmark in Europe when it comes to research activities, both in the number of analytical programs and academic excellence.
Founded in the 15th century in Catalonia, the university has over 60,000 students, 73 EHEA bachelor’s programs, 151 university master’s programs, 48 doctoral programs, 273 master’s programs, 215 postgraduate programs, and 5,715 faculty and researchers.
Tuition: ~€3,000 per year
2. University of Granada
A public university located in the city of Granada, founded in 1531 by Emperor Charles V. It originally focused on Logic, Philosophy, Theology, and Canon Law.
It offers 90 undergraduate programs (including 14 double degrees and 12 international double degrees), 100 master’s degrees, and 28 doctoral programs.
Tuition: ~€760 per year
3. Complutense University of Madrid
Founded in the 13th century, this university was one of the largest academic centers of excellence during the 16th–17th centuries. It was the first to create a college for international students and to grant a doctoral degree to a female student. It is one of the oldest institutions in the world.
Tuition: ~€2,700 per year
4. European School of Economics (Madrid)
A private institution offering UK-based undergraduate and master’s programs in business. Established in 1994, it has campuses in London, New York, Rome, Milan, Florence, and Madrid.
It offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, MSc in Finance, Marketing, and Management, and an MBA program.
Undergraduate tuition: ~€15,000–€20,000/year
Master’s tuition: ~€17,000–€30,000/year
5. University of Valencia
Also known as Universitat de València, this public university was established in 1499 under the authority of Pope Innocent IV and King James I of Aragon.
Programs offered include Data Science, Telecommunications, Industrial Electronics, Computer Engineering, Multimedia Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Telematics, Political Science, and many more.
Tuition: ~€2,600 per year
6. University of Seville
Founded in 1505 by Catholic Monarchs, it evolved from a small school into one of the top research universities in Spain, particularly well-known in the arts, technology, and science.
It offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral, and research programs in Law, Engineering, Philosophy, Fine Arts, Science, Technology, Computer Science, Journalism, and more.
Tuition: ~€1,000 per year
7. University of Málaga (UMA)
A European higher education institution focused on high-quality, career-oriented teaching and research. UMA offers 65 bachelor’s degrees, 64 master’s degrees, and 21 doctoral programs, along with internal qualification courses, language courses, summer courses, and senior university programs.
Tuition: ~€1,500 per year
8. University of Salamanca
One of the oldest universities in the world, founded in 1134. It has evolved over the centuries in terms of financial stability and organizational regulations.
Programs offered include undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees in Arts and Humanities, Sciences, Health Sciences, Social Sciences and Law, Engineering, and Architecture.
Tuition: ~€2,560 per year
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Cost of Living in Spain
Now that we’ve seen the tuition fees, let’s explore the living expenses in Spain:
1. Accommodation
You can rent an apartment based on your budget and needs. Here’s a general breakdown:
1-bedroom in city center: €450–€1,000/month
1-bedroom outside city center: €350–€750/month
3-bedroom in city center: €685–€1,600/month
3-bedroom outside city center: €500–€1,500/month
2. Utilities
Once you’ve secured accommodation, you’ll need to budget for utilities such as electricity, heating, water, and garbage:
Utilities (electricity, heating, water, garbage): €75–€200/month
Mobile phone top-up: €0.06–€0.21
Internet (60 Mbps+, unlimited): €25–€60/month
3. Food and Drinks
Essential daily needs vary depending on lifestyle. Estimated prices include:
Cheap restaurant meal: €8–€16
Mid-range restaurant meal: €28–€65
McDonald’s meal: €7–€8
Bottled water (0.33L): €1–€2
Tip: To save money, consider buying groceries and cooking your own meals.
4. Transportation
You can use public transport or rent a car. Here’s the cost estimate:
One-way local transport ticket: €1.10–€2.30
Taxi base fare: €2.40–€5.00 (per km: €0.82–€2.00)
Car rental per day: €18,000–€25,000 (likely meant to be per year or an error)
Petrol per liter: €1.00–€1.40
5. Entertainment
For free leisure activities, you can visit parks or libraries.
Movie ticket: €6.60–€10 per seat
From the above overview, we can see that while some tuition and living costs in Spain are affordable, others may be relatively high. The key is managing your budget wisely so you can live and study comfortably while in Spain.
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