When I first arrived in Zaragoza, my biggest concern was the cost of living here. As the capital of the Aragon region, Zaragoza is considerably cheaper than Madrid or Barcelona, but I wanted to know the specifics. After nearly a year of living here, I’ve compiled all the expenses to share as a reference.
Housing Expenses
Rent is the largest expense. A studio apartment in the city center costs around 400-600 euros per month, while a room in a shared flat runs about 250-350 euros. I live in the Delicias district, paying 550 euros monthly for a two-bedroom apartment. Adding utilities and internet brings the total to roughly 80 euros more per month. I recommend searching for accommodation in advance on websites like idealista or fotocasa, as it’s much more reliable than last-minute searching.
Daily Dining
For food, cooking at home costs about 40-50 euros per week for groceries. Mercadona and Carrefour are my go-to supermarkets, offering reasonable prices and good variety. When dining out, the Menu del día at regular restaurants costs around 10-15 euros, including starter, main course, dessert and drink—quite good value. On weekends, I occasionally visit tapas bars in Casco Viejo, spending around 30 euros for two people. Coffee at regular cafés costs 1.5-2 euros, while chains like Starbucks charge more.
| Item | Monthly Cost | Notes |
|---|
| Rent | 550 | Two-bedroom, Delicias district |
| Utilities & Internet | 80 | Including broadband |
| Groceries | 180 | Mostly cooking at home |
| Dining Out | 120 | 2-3 times per week |
| Transport Pass | 43 | Bus and tram included |
| Mobile Plan | 20 | With 20GB data |
Transportation
Zaragoza’s public transport is very convenient, with buses and trams covering the city. A monthly transport pass costs 43 euros, allowing unlimited rides on buses and trams—excellent value for frequent travelers. Single tickets cost 1.35 euros, or you can buy a 10-trip card for 7.60 euros, which works out cheaper per journey. Taxis start at around 4-5 euros, with short trips within the city rarely exceeding 10 euros. I bought a second-hand bicycle, which is perfect for getting around the city center and saves on transport costs.
I initially thought expenses would be much higher, but in reality, Zaragoza’s cost of living is indeed much more affordable than bigger cities. You can comfortably live on around 1,000 euros per month for basic expenses. If you don’t frequently go out for entertainment, as detailed in this guide on Zaragoza travel costs, 800 euros is perfectly manageable. This doesn’t include travel or shopping, which depend on personal preferences.
Zaragoza offers excellent value—good quality of life at relatively low cost. If you’re planning to live or study here, I hope this information on Zaragoza rental costs helps. Feel free to leave comments below with any questions.
