I’ve been living in Zaragoza for almost two years now, and newcomers often ask me about the prices here. Today I’ll systematically share my consumption experience.
Supermarket Shopping
The main supermarkets here are Mercadona, Carrefour and Lidl. I personally go to Mercadona most often - reasonable prices and good quality. Basic food prices are roughly as follows:
| Item | Price (€) | Notes |
|---|
| Milk 1L | 0.8-1.2 | Price varies by brand |
| Bread | 0.5-2 | Fresh baked costs more |
| 12 Eggs | 2-3 | Organic costs 4€+ |
| Chicken breast 1kg | 6-8 | Lidl often has specials |
| Tomatoes 1kg | 1.5-2.5 | Seasonal fluctuation |
| Olive oil 1L | 3-6 | Olive oil is really cheap here |
Weekly shopping of 40-60€ allows you to eat quite well. If you cook regularly at home, around 300€ per month for groceries is completely sufficient.
Dining Out
Restaurant prices in Zaragoza are much cheaper than Madrid or Barcelona. Menu del día in the city center is generally 10-15€, including starter, main course, dessert and drink. There are many tapas bars around El Tubo area, one tapa with beer costs about 4-6€. Going with a few friends to share several dishes, 15€ per person gets you a great meal.
On weekends if you want to enjoy daily life in Zaragoza and eat something nicer, restaurants near Plaza España cost 25-35€ per person for decent quality Western or Japanese cuisine. I personally think the best value is those family-run small restaurants - authentic taste and fair prices.
Transportation and Other Expenses
Monthly bus pass is 37€, covering all city routes, quite economical. If you cycle around Zaragoza’s old town, there’s the Bizi bike-sharing system with an annual card at 35€ for unlimited rides. Taxi starting fare is about 5€, rarely exceeding 15€ within the city.
Gym membership is generally 25-40€ per month, movie tickets 7-9€, mobile phone plan 15-25€, utilities for two people about 60-80€ per month. Overall, aside from rent for living in Zaragoza, a single person can live quite comfortably on 800-1000€ per month.
Money-Saving Tips
Finally, sharing some money-saving methods I commonly use: control impulse spending, pay attention to weekly supermarket specials - they’re all on Mercadona’s app; go to the supermarket after 8pm when many fresh foods are discounted; get an El Corte Inglés membership card for frequent cashback promotions.
Hope this information helps everyone, feel free to add your own consumption experiences!
