Updated: October 2026

Electricity in Spain is priced by the hour, and many homes heat and cool with electric air conditioning. That makes smart gadgets more useful here than in many other countries: moving the washing machine or water heater to cheaper hours, and switching off what you do not use, can make a real difference to your bill. Here are the gadgets worth having and how to use them.

First: understand your tariff

Most homes are on the 2.0TD access tariff, which splits the day into three periods (mainland and Balearics):

• Peak (punta): 10:00–14:00 and 18:00–22:00 on weekdays – most expensive.
• Mid (llano): 08:00–10:00, 14:00–18:00 and 22:00–24:00 on weekdays.
• Off-peak (valle): 00:00–08:00 on weekdays and all day at weekends and national holidays – cheapest.

On the regulated PVPC tariff the energy price also changes every hour; on many free-market contracts you pay a fixed price or different prices per period. Check your bill or your supplier’s app. More in our guide to electricity, water, gas and internet bills.

Smart gadgets that save energy

• Smart plugs with a timer and energy meter. Plug in the washing machine, dishwasher or a heater and set it to run in off-peak hours. The app shows how much each device really uses – often an eye-opener.
• Timer for the electric water heater (termo). Many flats have an electric termo that keeps water hot all day. Heating it only in off-peak hours, or once a day, cuts waste. Ask an electrician to fit a timer or smart switch.
• Smart thermostat or Wi-Fi control for air conditioning. Split AC units heat and cool most Spanish homes. A Wi-Fi module or smart IR controller lets you switch them on half an hour before you get home instead of leaving them on.
• LED bulbs and smart lighting. Replacing old halogen spots with LED is one of the quickest savings; lighting specialists such as El Maestro de la Iluminación (ad) sell LED bulbs and fittings.
• Energy monitor. A clamp-on monitor in the fuse box shows live consumption for the whole home and helps you find “energy vampires”.
• Dehumidifier with humidity control. Coastal homes get damp in winter. A dehumidifier makes rooms feel warmer at a lower temperature and protects against mould.

When to replace appliances

Old fridges, freezers and air conditioners can use far more electricity than modern ones. When you replace them, look at the EU energy label and, for AC, choose an inverter model with a good seasonal efficiency rating. Spanish retailers such as Electropolis (ad) and Kyoto Electrodomésticos (ad) sell appliances online with delivery in Spain. Remember that the shop must take your old appliance back when you buy a new equivalent one.

Simple habits that cost nothing

• Run the washing machine, dishwasher and oven at weekends or after 22:00 where you can.
• Set the AC to around 26 °C in summer and 20 °C in winter – each degree makes a difference.
• Close shutters (persianas) in the heat of the day in summer and at night in winter.
• Switch devices off at the plug instead of leaving them on standby.

Working from home? See our guide to buying a laptop and home office equipment in Spain.

FAQ: saving electricity in Spain

When is electricity cheapest in Spain?

On the 2.0TD tariff, from midnight to 08:00 on weekdays and all day at weekends and national holidays.

Do smart plugs really save money?

They save money when you use them to move consumption to cheaper hours or to switch off devices on standby. The plug itself uses very little power.

Is air conditioning expensive to run for heating?

Modern inverter heat pumps are among the most efficient ways to heat with electricity. Old units and portable electric heaters cost much more to run.

Disclaimer: Tariff periods and prices can change; check your contract and bill. This article is general information. Links marked “(ad)” are affiliate links – NewInSpain may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Updated: October 2026

One of the first things newcomers notice in Spain is the row of large, colourful containers on every street corner. Most homes have no bin collected from the door, so you carry your sorted waste to these containers yourself. This guide explains which container is for what, the items people most often get wrong, where to take everything that does not fit in a street bin, and the local rules worth knowing.

The street containers at a glance

The colour system is broadly the same across Spain, although each town hall decides the details and some containers have coloured lids rather than coloured bodies.

Container	Yes	No
Yellow (envases)	Plastic bottles and packaging, cans, drink cartons (bricks), foil trays, aerosol cans, plastic bags, yoghurt pots	Plastic toys, kitchen utensils, CDs, pens
Blue (papel y cartón)	Clean paper and cardboard, newspapers, cereal and shoe boxes	Used kitchen paper, napkins, greasy paper, envelopes with plastic windows left in
Green igloo (vidrio)	Glass bottles and jars, without lids or corks	Drinking glasses, window glass, mirrors, light bulbs, ceramics
Brown (orgánico)	Food scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, natural cork, small amounts of garden waste	Nappies, cat litter, cigarette ends, dust from the vacuum
Grey or dark green (resto)	Everything that does not fit in the others	Anything recyclable or hazardous

A simple rule for the yellow container: it is for packaging, not for “plastic” in general. A plastic bottle goes in yellow; a broken plastic chair does not. The Comunidad de Madrid publishes a handy A–Z list of where to throw each product (in Spanish) that applies well beyond Madrid.

The brown bin and what changed with the waste law

Spain’s waste law, Ley 7/2022, requires town halls to collect organic waste separately, and since 2025 they must also offer separate collection of textiles, used cooking oil and household hazardous waste. In practice, roll-out has been uneven: some towns have brown containers on every street, others only in certain neighbourhoods, and some still lack them. If there is no brown container near you, food waste goes in the resto container. The government’s waste services page explains what councils must provide and links to each region’s information.

Some brown containers are locked and open only with a card or app issued by the town hall. If you see one, ask at your ayuntamiento or its environmental services office how to get access.

Items people often get wrong

• Pizza boxes: clean parts go in blue; parts soaked in grease go in resto (or brown, if your town accepts it).
• Coffee capsules: plastic and aluminium capsules can go in yellow only when empty. With coffee still inside, they go in resto unless the brand runs its own collection.
• Corks: natural cork goes in brown; silicone or plastic stoppers go in yellow.
• Broken glasses and window glass: they melt at a different temperature from bottle glass and spoil the batch. Small amounts go in resto; larger pieces to the punto limpio.
• Light bulbs and batteries: never in the glass or yellow container. Many supermarkets and shopping centres have small collection boxes for both.
• Face masks, nappies and wet wipes: always resto, and never down the toilet.
• Cardboard boxes: fold them flat so they do not block the blue container’s opening, and never leave them on the ground beside it.

Where everything else goes

Punto limpio

Every area has a punto limpio (also called ecoparque or deixalleria in Catalonia), a municipal recycling centre for waste that does not belong in street containers: electrical items, paint, solvents, cooking oil, batteries, light bulbs, X-rays, thermometers, small amounts of building rubble, furniture and garden waste. Some towns also run a mobile punto limpio that visits different neighbourhoods on fixed days. Check opening hours and accepted materials on your town hall’s website first, as rules and limits differ.

Medicines: the SIGRE point

Pharmacies have a white SIGRE collection point for out-of-date or unwanted medicines, including pet medicines. Bring them in their box with the leaflet; there is no need to empty them. Needles, thermometers and X-rays are not accepted there.

Bulky items and old appliances

Mattresses, sofas and large furniture must not be left on the street at random. Most town halls run a free or low-cost recogida de enseres service: you book a collection by phone, app or online form, and leave the items outside your door on the agreed evening. When you buy a new appliance, the shop must take back the old one, so ask at the time of purchase.

Clothes and cooking oil

Textile containers, often run by charities, are common on streets and in supermarket car parks. For cooking oil, let it cool, pour it into a closed bottle and take it to an oil container or the punto limpio. Pouring oil down the sink causes blockages and is banned by some municipal by-laws.

Local rules, timing and costs

• When to take out rubbish: many town halls only allow general and organic waste to be deposited in the evening, before night-time collection. Recycling can usually be dropped off at any time. Look for a sticker on the container or check the municipal by-law (ordenanza de limpieza).
• Bags beside full containers: leaving bags or boxes on the ground is a common reason for fines. If a container is full, use the next one or report it to the town hall.
• Urbanisations and rural homes: containers may be grouped at the entrance of the urbanisation or on the main road rather than near your house. Ask your community administrator or neighbours.
• Rubbish tax: municipalities can charge a tasa de basuras, billed by the town hall or included with your water or property tax bill. The amount and method vary by town. Our guide to property taxes for foreign owners explains the local taxes that come with owning a home, and utility bills in Spain covers the rest of your household bills.

Tips for setting up at home

1. Use a multi-compartment kitchen bin or separate bags for yellow, blue, glass and organic waste. Spanish kitchens are small, so stackable bins help.
2. Rinse packaging only lightly; it does not have to be spotless, just empty.
3. Keep a box for batteries, bulbs and small electronics and empty it on your next supermarket trip or visit to the punto limpio.
4. Download your town hall’s app if it has one. Many show the nearest containers, punto limpio hours and how to book a bulky collection.

For wider tips on greener living, from saving energy to shopping locally, see our guide to sustainable living in Spain.

Useful links

• Comunidad de Madrid: where to throw each product (Spanish)
• administracion.gob.es: household waste services (Spanish)
• SIGRE: recycling medicines at pharmacies (Spanish)
• Sustainable living in Spain
• Electricity, water, gas and internet bills in Spain

FAQ: recycling in Spain

Which bin does a drinks carton go in?

The yellow container. Milk and juice cartons (bricks) count as packaging, even though they contain cardboard.

Should I remove the lids from glass jars?

Yes. Put the glass jar in the green igloo and the metal or plastic lid in the yellow container.

What if my street has no brown container?

Put food waste in the general (resto) container and check with your town hall whether brown containers are planned for your area.

How do I get rid of an old mattress?

Book your town hall’s bulky waste collection (recogida de enseres) or take it to the punto limpio. Leaving it next to the containers without booking can lead to a fine.

Disclaimer: This article is general information only. Container colours, collection times and fines are set by each town hall and can change – always check your local ayuntamiento’s rules.

Updated: October 2026

Bringing a dog or cat to Spain takes more planning than booking your own flight. This guide is for anyone moving with a pet, whether from another EU country, the UK or further afield. It walks you through the timeline, the travel options, your first weeks after arrival and the health risks that are specific to the Spanish climate. For the legal side of owning a pet here, see our separate guide to Spain’s animal welfare law.

Start with the paperwork timeline

The entry rules for dogs, cats and ferrets are set at EU level, so they are the same whether you land in Málaga, Madrid or Barcelona. What changes is how long the preparation takes, and that depends on where you are coming from.

Coming from	Document	Plan ahead
Another EU country	EU pet passport	At least 3–4 weeks if the rabies vaccine is new
UK and other “listed” countries	Animal health certificate	At least 3–4 weeks, certificate issued within 10 days of arrival
Countries that need a rabies blood test	Animal health certificate plus lab report	4 months or more

The basic sequence is the same for everyone:

1. Microchip: an ISO-standard microchip must be implanted before, or on the same day as, the rabies vaccination. A vaccine given before the chip does not count.
2. Rabies vaccine: the animal must be at least 12 weeks old. After the first vaccination you wait at least 21 days before travelling. Spain does not accept unvaccinated puppies or kittens.
3. Blood test (some countries only): if you come from a country with a higher rabies risk, a blood sample is taken at least 30 days after vaccination, tested in an EU-approved laboratory, and you then wait three months before entry.
4. Travel document: an EU pet passport for EU residents, or an animal health certificate from an official vet for everyone else, together with a signed declaration that the move is not commercial.

You can bring up to five dogs, cats or ferrets per person on a non-commercial move. Spain does not require tapeworm treatment for dogs on arrival, but other countries on your route might. The Spanish agriculture ministry answers common questions in its pet travel FAQ (in Spanish), and the European Commission explains the rules for bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country.

Moving from the UK

Pet passports issued in Great Britain are no longer valid for travel to the EU. Each trip needs an animal health certificate, which your vet in the UK issues and which must be used within 10 days. Check the latest details on GOV.UK’s pet travel page before you book, as the rules have changed several times since Brexit. Once you live in Spain, a Spanish vet can issue an EU pet passport, which makes future trips much easier.

Choosing how to travel

• By car: often the least stressful option for larger dogs and multi-pet households. Plan breaks every few hours, never leave the animal in a parked car in warm weather and book pet-friendly hotels along the route in advance.
• By ferry: routes from the UK and Italy to Spain usually offer kennels or pet-friendly cabins, but these sell out early in summer. Ask exactly where the animal stays during the crossing.
• By plane in the cabin: many airlines allow a small dog or cat in an approved soft carrier under the seat. Each airline sets its own weight limit and number of pets per flight, so reserve the pet place when you book.
• By plane in the hold: larger animals travel as checked baggage or cargo in an IATA-approved crate. Some airlines restrict snub-nosed breeds such as pugs, bulldogs and Persian cats, and some limit hold transport in hot months.
• Pet relocation companies: useful for long-haul moves. Get a written quote that lists what is included.

Pets arriving from outside the EU must come through a designated travellers’ point of entry, where documents and the microchip can be checked. Not every Spanish airport or port is one, so confirm your arrival point with your airline or ferry company. Keep the original documents in your hand luggage, not in a suitcase.

Finding a home that accepts pets

The rental market is the biggest practical hurdle for many pet owners. Many landlords exclude animals in the contract, and the rules of a building’s community of owners can limit pets in shared areas such as gardens and pools. Mention your pet from the first contact, offer references from a previous landlord and expect that some landlords will ask for a higher deposit or additional guarantee. Read the pet clause carefully before signing. Our guide to renting in Spain as a foreigner covers contracts and deposits in more detail.

For dogs, a ground-floor flat with a terrace or a house with a fenced garden makes daily life easier. Check where the nearest green space is: many town centres have few parks, and dogs are generally banned from beaches outside designated dog beaches.

Your first weeks in Spain

1. Register with a local vet. Bring all vaccination records. The vet can enter your pet’s microchip in the regional animal registry, which every autonomous community runs (in Andalucía it is the RAIA).
2. Check your town hall. Many ayuntamientos keep a municipal pet census and have by-laws on leads, dog mess and beaches. Ask about it when you sign up for the padrón, since you will be at the town hall anyway.
3. Get liability cover. Third-party insurance for dogs is written into national law but still awaits its implementing regulation. Owners of potentially dangerous breeds already need a licence and insurance. Even if it is not compulsory for your dog yet, cover is sensible and often cheap to add to home insurance. Vet bills are a separate matter: pet health insurance is worth comparing, and Petplan (ad) offers policies for dogs in Spain.
4. Ask about an EU pet passport. If you arrived with a non-EU certificate, your new vet can issue one once your pet’s details are registered.

Health risks to know about

Spain’s warm climate brings parasites and hazards that pets from northern Europe may never have met. Talk to your new vet about a prevention plan in the first weeks.

• Leishmaniasis: a serious disease spread to dogs by sandflies, common in much of Spain. Vets usually recommend repellent collars or spot-ons during the warm months, and there are vaccines. Ask whether an annual blood test makes sense.
• Pine processionary caterpillars: in late winter and spring, these caterpillars walk in lines near pine trees. Their hairs can cause severe reactions in a dog’s mouth and tongue. Keep dogs away and see a vet immediately if your dog touches one.
• Ticks, fleas and heartworm: year-round protection is common in southern Spain, where winters are mild.
• Heat: walk dogs early in the morning and late in the evening in summer, test pavement temperature with your hand and always carry water. Our heatwave safety guide explains Spain’s heat warnings.
• Foxtails: dry grass seeds (espigas) can work their way into ears, paws and noses in late spring and summer. Check your dog after walks in the countryside.

Everyday life with a pet in Spain

Spain is increasingly pet-friendly. Many terraces welcome dogs, some shopping centres and shops allow them inside, and dog beaches are spreading along the coast. Public transport rules vary: small pets in carriers are usually allowed on buses and trains, while larger dogs face more restrictions depending on the operator and city. Dogs must be on a lead in most urban areas, and owners are expected to pick up after their dog and, in many towns, rinse urine with water. Fines for ignoring local rules can be significant.

Useful links

• Your Europe: travelling with pets – EU pet passport and the five-pet limit
• European Commission: bringing a pet from a non-EU country
• Spanish agriculture ministry: pet travel FAQ (Spanish)
• GOV.UK: taking your pet abroad
• Spain’s animal welfare law: what pet owners must know
• Renting in Spain as a foreigner
• Home insurance in Spain

FAQ: moving to Spain with a pet

Can I bring a puppy or kitten under 12 weeks to Spain?

No. Spain does not allow unvaccinated dogs, cats or ferrets to enter. The animal must be at least 12 weeks old when vaccinated against rabies and then wait 21 days, so the minimum age on arrival is about 15 weeks.

Is my UK pet passport still valid?

Not for entering the EU. Pets from Great Britain need an animal health certificate for each trip. After you move, a Spanish vet can issue an EU pet passport.

How many pets can I bring?

Up to five dogs, cats or ferrets per person on a non-commercial move. More than five is only allowed for registered competitions, shows or sporting events.

Do I need to register my pet after moving?

Yes. Ask a local vet to record the microchip in your region’s animal registry, and check whether your town hall also runs a pet census.

Disclaimer: This article is general information only and is not veterinary or legal advice. Pet travel rules, airline policies and local by-laws can change – always check with your vet, carrier and the official sources before you travel.