Updated: October 2026

Your weekly shop is one of the biggest regular costs after rent, and Spain has a wide choice of supermarket chains, each with its own style. This guide is for newcomers trying to work out where to shop. It compares the main national chains, explains own-brand ranges and loyalty apps, and covers online shopping and home delivery, so you can pick the mix that suits your budget and your neighbourhood.

The main chains at a glance

Chain	Typical strengths	Own brands and loyalty	Online shopping
Mercadona	Huge network, consistent stores, strong fresh and ready-meal sections	Hacendado (food), Deliplus (beauty), Bosque Verde (cleaning); no loyalty card or coupons	Own online shop with home delivery in many areas
Lidl	Discount prices, in-store bakery, weekly non-food offers	Mostly own brands; Lidl Plus app with coupons and points	Online shop focused on non-food
Aldi	Compact discount stores, short shopping trip	Mostly own brands	Limited
Carrefour	Hypermarkets with very wide range, including international food and household goods; smaller Market and Express stores	Carrefour brand, including organic lines; Club Carrefour loyalty scheme	Wide delivery coverage and click and collect
Dia	Small neighbourhood stores close to home	Dia own brand; Club Dia loyalty scheme	Online orders, often same-day in cities
Alcampo	Large hypermarkets, often ranked among the cheapest	Alcampo brand; loyalty scheme	Home delivery and collection
El Corte Inglés / Hipercor	Premium and imported products, gourmet section	Own premium ranges	Home delivery in many cities

Strong regional chains are worth knowing too, and in some areas they are the most convenient option: Consum in the Valencia region and along the east coast, Eroski in the Basque Country and the north, Gadis in Galicia, Ahorramas in Madrid, BonÀrea and Bonpreu in Catalonia, and Covirán and Mas in Andalucía. Many towns also have their own local chains with very competitive prices.

Which supermarket is cheapest?

The best independent source is the annual price survey by consumer organisation OCU. Its 2026 supermarket study, published in September 2026, visited 690 shops in 38 cities plus online supermarkets. Its main findings:

• Prices vary more by shop than by chain. OCU puts the average possible saving from choosing the cheapest supermarket in your town at around 1,310 euros a year, and much more in big cities such as Madrid.
• Regional and discount chains often win. A small regional chain came out cheapest overall, with Alcampo and Carrefour’s discount format Supeco close behind. Lidl was the cheapest option in more towns than the year before.
• Own brands keep getting cheaper. OCU’s basket of the cheapest products in each shop fell in price on average, with the biggest drops at Mercadona and Lidl, while manufacturer brands rose.

Rankings change every year and depend on what you buy, so treat them as a guide. Part of the full OCU ranking is only open to members, but the free summary already shows which chains are cheap in many towns.

Own brands: the marca blanca habit

Spanish shoppers buy a lot of own-brand products, known as marca blanca or marca de distribuidor. Many of them are made by well-known Spanish producers, and quality is usually good. Some own-brand items have a loyal following, from Mercadona’s ready meals and cosmetics to Lidl’s bakery and weekly speciality food weeks.

A practical approach is to try own brands for basics such as milk, pasta, rice, tinned tomatoes and cleaning products, and keep branded products where you notice a real difference. The packaging lists the producer and a health registration number, so you can often see who makes the product.

Loyalty apps, offers and ways to save

• Apps and cards: Lidl, Carrefour, Dia, Alcampo, Eroski and Consum run loyalty schemes with personalised coupons or money back. Mercadona is the big exception: it does not run promotions and aims for stable everyday prices instead. You can find what the Lidl app offers on its website (in Spanish).
• Weekly leaflets: most chains publish offers online every week. “2ª unidad al 50%” means the second unit is half price, and “3×2” means three for the price of two.
• Compare unit prices: shelf labels must show the price per kilo or litre (precio por kilo/litro), which is the fairest way to compare pack sizes.
• Use the market as well: for fruit, vegetables, fish and meat, the local mercado municipal and weekly street market can beat supermarket quality and price, especially for seasonal produce.
• Bring your bags: shops must charge for plastic bags, so keep reusable bags or a trolley handy.

Online shopping and home delivery

Online grocery shopping has grown fast in Spain, but coverage still depends on your postcode. Check before you rely on it, especially if you live in a village or an urbanisation outside town.

• Mercadona: runs its own online shop from dedicated warehouses in several big cities. Orders have a minimum amount and a service charge, delivery starts the next day depending on slots, and you pay by card online. See Mercadona’s online shopping FAQ in English. The old service of delivering in-store purchases to your home is being phased out and is only offered by some stores.
• Carrefour: has one of the widest online grocery services, including the Balearic and Canary Islands, with home delivery or collection in store via carrefour.es.
• Dia, Alcampo, Eroski, Consum and El Corte Inglés: all offer online orders in many areas, with options from same-day delivery in cities to collection points.
• Lidl: its online shop is mainly for non-food items such as household goods, tools and clothing; for groceries you still go to the store.
• Delivery apps: Glovo, Uber Eats and Amazon deliver from some supermarkets and convenience stores in larger cities, usually at higher prices than the shop.

Delivery fees, minimum orders and free-delivery thresholds change often and differ by chain, so compare them on each website before your first order. Some online shops expect a Spanish phone number, and cards issued abroad are occasionally declined; see our guide to opening a bank account in Spain.

Practical tips for your first shop

1. Check opening hours: large supermarkets usually open all day from Monday to Saturday, but Sunday opening depends on your region.
2. Use gloves or bags for fruit: in many shops you take a plastic glove or bag to pick loose fruit and vegetables, and some still ask you to weigh and label them yourself.
3. Fresh counters: at the meat, fish and cheese counters, take a number from the machine and wait your turn. Staff will clean and cut fish for free if you ask.
4. Look for home comforts: Carrefour, El Corte Inglés and supermarkets in expat areas usually stock the widest range of international products.

For a full picture of household spending, see our guides to the cost of living in Spain and family living costs.

Useful links

• OCU: the cheapest supermarkets of 2026 (Spanish)
• Mercadona: online shopping FAQ
• Carrefour Spain online shop
• Cost of living in Spain
• Living on a small salary in Spain

FAQ: supermarkets in Spain

Which supermarket is the cheapest in Spain?

It depends on your town and what you buy. OCU’s yearly study shows that discount and regional chains are often cheapest, and that choosing the right shop locally matters more than the chain name.

Does Mercadona have a loyalty card?

No. Mercadona does not run a loyalty card, coupons or promotions. Most other big chains do, usually through an app.

Can I order groceries online if I live outside a city?

Often yes, but coverage depends on your postcode. Enter it on each chain’s website before ordering, and compare delivery fees and minimum order amounts.

Where can I find food from home?

Large Carrefour hypermarkets and El Corte Inglés usually have the biggest international sections. In expat areas, local supermarkets and specialist shops also stock British, Dutch, German and Scandinavian products.

Disclaimer: This article is general information only and is not sponsored by any supermarket. Prices, delivery areas, fees and loyalty schemes change often – always check the chain’s own website before you shop.

Updated: October 2026

Household bills in Spain work differently from what many newcomers expect. Electricity is split into a fixed charge for power and a variable charge for use, water is run by your town, and many homes still cook with butane bottles. This guide explains how each bill works in 2026, what recent official and consumer figures show, and practical ways to keep costs down.

For the bigger picture of rent, food and transport, see our cost of living guide for Spain.

How an electricity bill works

A Spanish electricity bill (factura de la luz) has two main parts, plus taxes:

• Término de potencia: a fixed daily charge for the contracted power in kW, the maximum you can draw at once. Too low and the trip switch cuts out when the oven and the washing machine run together; too high and you pay for capacity you never use.
• Término de energía: what you pay per kWh actually consumed.
• Other items: meter rental, the electricity tax (impuesto especial sobre la electricidad) and VAT.

Taxes have moved around in 2026. VAT on electricity was cut temporarily to 10% in spring, then returned to 21% from June, with the electricity tax back at about 5.1%. A decree in force since 1 October 2026 allows the reduced rates to return for some months if energy prices rise sharply, so check the tax lines on each bill.

Regulated PVPC or the free market

Households with up to 10 kW can choose between two kinds of contract:

• PVPC (precio voluntario para el pequeño consumidor): the regulated tariff, sold only by a handful of “reference” suppliers (comercializadoras de referencia). The price changes every hour and follows the wholesale market, although since January 2026 it is partly linked to futures prices to soften the peaks. It is also required for the social discount (bono social).
• Mercado libre (free market): each company sets its own prices, often fixed for 12 months, sometimes with different prices by time of day. More predictable, but read the small print on price reviews and extra services.

Switching between suppliers is free, does not cut your supply and keeps the same supply point number (CUPS).

Tariff periods

Most homes are on the 2.0TD access tariff, which divides the day into three periods on the mainland, the Balearic and the Canary Islands:

Period	Monday to Friday	Weekends and national holidays
Punta (peak, most expensive)	10:00–14:00 and 18:00–22:00	–
Llano (mid)	08:00–10:00, 14:00–18:00 and 22:00–24:00	–
Valle (off-peak, cheapest)	00:00–08:00	All day

What a typical bill looks like

The consumer organisation OCU calculates a reference bill every month for a household on the PVPC with 4.6 kW contracted and 292 kWh of use. For consumption in July 2026 it put that bill at 77.84 euros, up from 66.63 euros in June, as wholesale prices rose. Your own bill depends on the size of your home, air conditioning or electric heating, and your contract.

The bono social

Low-income households, large families and some pensioners can apply for the electricity bono social through a reference supplier. The standard discount is 35% for vulnerable and 50% for severely vulnerable consumers, temporarily raised to 42.5% and 57.5% until 31 December 2026. You must be on the PVPC, have no more than 10 kW and apply for your main home. The Ministry for the Ecological Transition explains the rules.

Water, gas and butane

Water

Water is a municipal service, run either by the town hall or by a company on its behalf, so prices vary a lot between towns. Bills usually arrive every two or three months and combine a fixed service charge, consumption in price blocks (the more you use, the higher the price per cubic metre), sewage and treatment, and sometimes a regional water levy. In many towns the waste collection fee also appears on the water bill. In flats with a single shared meter, the community divides the water cost and includes it in the fees.

Natural gas

Piped natural gas is common in big cities and in the north, less so on the coast. Like electricity, there is a regulated option (TUR, tarifa de último recurso) and free-market offers, and the bill has a fixed part and a part based on use.

Butane bottles

Many homes in Andalusia and other warm regions use orange 12.5 kg butane bottles for cooking, hot water or portable heaters. The maximum price is regulated and reviewed every two months, on the third Tuesday of the month. Since 15 September 2026 it has been 18.84 euros per bottle on the mainland, and the government has set a ceiling of 19.55 euros until June 2027. You can order delivery from the distributor or buy at some petrol stations.

Internet and mobile

Fibre is widely available in Spanish towns, and most providers sell fibre and mobile bundles, often with a 12-month commitment. Check whether the price is an introductory offer and what it will be afterwards. Our guide to internet and mobile providers in Spain compares the main options.

Community fees, IBI and rubbish tax

Owners pay several housing costs that are not utilities but should be in the monthly budget:

• Community fees (cuota de comunidad): pay for cleaning, lifts, gardens, pool, building insurance and the administrator. They depend on the building’s services and your share of ownership, so ask for the latest community accounts before you buy or rent.
• IBI: the annual municipal property tax, normally paid by the owner, although some rental contracts pass it on to the tenant.
• Basura (waste fee): since the 2022 waste law, councils must charge a fee that covers the real cost of collecting and treating rubbish, so many towns have raised it since 2025. It may come as a separate bill, with IBI or on the water bill.

Our guide to property taxes for foreign owners explains IBI and other owner taxes in more detail.

Tips to cut your bills

1. Check your contracted power: if the switch never trips, you may be able to lower it and cut the fixed charge. Changes can be limited to once a year.
2. Shift use to off-peak hours: run the washing machine, dishwasher and electric car charging at night or at weekends.
3. Compare offers neutrally: the CNMC energy comparator lists regulated and free-market offers verified by the regulator.
4. Say no to extras: maintenance services and insurance added to energy contracts are optional.
5. Use shade and fans: blinds closed in the afternoon and ceiling fans reduce air conditioning use in summer.
6. Read the meter on arrival: when you move in, note the readings and change the contracts into your name, so you do not pay for the previous occupant.

Useful links

• CNMC: energy offers comparator (Spanish)
• MITECO: what the bono social is
• OCU: electricity bill for July 2026 (Spanish)
• Cost of living in Spain
• Internet and mobile providers in Spain
• Property taxes for foreign owners in Spain

FAQ: household bills in Spain

Is the PVPC cheaper than a fixed-price contract?

It depends on the market and on when you use electricity. The PVPC can be cheaper if you shift use to off-peak hours, while a fixed price gives predictability when wholesale prices rise.

How much does a butane bottle cost in Spain?

Since 15 September 2026 the regulated maximum price of a 12.5 kg bottle on the mainland is 18.84 euros. It is reviewed every two months.

Who pays the water bill when I rent?

Usually the tenant pays for consumption, either directly to the water company or through the landlord. Your rental contract should say which bills are included in the rent.

Can foreigners get the bono social?

Residents who meet the income or family criteria can apply for their main home, with proof of registration on the padrón and identity documents for everyone in the household.

Disclaimer: This article is general information only. Prices, taxes and tariffs change often – always check your contract, your supplier and the official source before you act.

Updated: October 2026

Finding somewhere to live is usually the biggest decision – and the biggest expense – when you move to Spain. This guide is for new residents weighing up whether to rent or buy, and where. It covers how the market behaves, what renting and buying really cost on top of the headline price, recent rule changes and how the main regions differ.

How the Spanish housing market looks in 2026

Spain’s housing market has been under pressure for several years. Demand from local households, foreign buyers and investors has grown faster than the number of new homes being built, and prices and rents have risen strongly in the big cities, on the coasts and on the islands. Affordability, especially for young people and renters, is one of the most debated political topics in the country.

For reliable figures, use official sources rather than portal headlines. The National Statistics Institute (INE) publishes a quarterly housing price index (Índice de Precios de Vivienda) broken down by region and by new versus second-hand homes, and the notaries’ and land registrars’ associations publish their own data on actual sale prices. Asking prices on property portals are often well above what homes actually sell for.

• Tightest markets: Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga and the Costa del Sol, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Valencia and the Basque Country.
• More affordable: inland Andalucía, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Murcia’s interior and much of Galicia and Asturias.
• Short supply of rentals: in popular areas, long-term rentals can be scarce because many homes are used as holiday lets.

Renting first: what to expect

Most newcomers rent for the first year or two. It lets you get to know neighbourhoods, schools and commuting times before you commit, and many residence routes require proof of an address anyway.

• Contract length: long-term residential leases (vivienda habitual) give tenants the right to extend year by year up to five years when the landlord is a private person, or seven years when the landlord is a company.
• Deposit: the legal deposit (fianza) is one month’s rent; landlords may ask for limited extra guarantees on top.
• Agency fees: under the 2023 Housing Law, estate agency fees for a residential lease are paid by the landlord, not the tenant.
• Seasonal contracts: short “temporada” contracts are meant for genuine temporary stays (work, study). Be cautious if you are offered one for a home you plan to live in long term.

Our detailed guide to renting in Spain as a foreigner covers documents, contracts and tenant rights step by step.

Buying property: the real cost

Foreigners, EU or not, can buy property in Spain freely. You need an NIE (foreigner identification number) and a Spanish bank account, and it is strongly recommended to use an independent lawyer who checks the land registry, debts, planning status and community fees before you sign anything.

Taxes and fees on top of the price

• Resale homes: transfer tax (ITP), set by each region. In Andalucía it is a flat 7%; other regions charge different rates.
• New builds: VAT (IVA) of 10% on homes (different rates apply in the Canary Islands), plus stamp duty (AJD), also set regionally.
• Notary, land registry and legal fees: add these on top; a lawyer usually charges a percentage or fixed fee.
• Mortgage costs: valuation and possibly insurance. Banks usually lend non-residents a lower share of the value than residents.

A common rule of thumb is to budget roughly 10–13% of the price for taxes and fees on a resale home, but calculate it for your region. After you buy, you will also pay yearly local and national taxes – see our guide to property taxes for foreign owners.

The golden visa has ended

Older guides still mention residency for buying property worth €500,000 or more. Spain abolished this “golden visa” route with effect from April 2025, so buying a home no longer gives non-EU citizens a right to live in Spain. You need a separate residence route – see becoming a resident in Spain.

Renting versus buying at a glance

Aspect	Renting	Buying
Upfront cost	One month’s deposit plus any extra guarantee and the first month	Deposit (often 20–30% for non-residents) plus roughly 10–13% taxes and fees
Flexibility	High – easier to move area or leave Spain	Low – selling takes time and costs money
Maintenance	Landlord pays for major repairs	Owner pays everything, plus community fees
Residency	Rental contract helps prove an address	No residence right linked to buying since 2025
Best for	First years, uncertain plans, high-price cities	Long-term stay, stable income, clear choice of area

Rules investors and holiday-let owners should know

• Tourist lets: holiday rentals need a regional tourist licence and, since 2025, registration in the national rental register. Many cities, including Barcelona, Madrid and Málaga, restrict new licences in certain areas.
• Community approval: since April 2025, starting a new tourist let in an apartment block requires approval by the owners’ community.
• Stressed areas: regions can declare “zonas tensionadas” where rent rises for new contracts are limited.
• Rental income tax: non-resident owners must declare rental income in Spain; residents declare it in their annual income tax return.

Choosing a region

Think about work, schools, healthcare, airport access and community before price per square metre. The Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca have large international communities and good flight links but high demand. Valencia offers city life with a beach at a lower price than Madrid or Barcelona, though it has become much more expensive in recent years. Inland towns and the north are far cheaper but quieter and more Spanish-speaking. Our cost of living guide helps compare overall budgets.

Useful links

• INE – National Statistics Institute (housing price index)
• Renting in Spain as a foreigner
• Property taxes for foreign owners
• Opening a bank account in Spain
• Becoming a resident in Spain

FAQ: housing in Spain

Can foreigners buy property in Spain?

Yes. There are no general restrictions on foreign buyers. You need an NIE and should use an independent lawyer to check the property before signing.

Does buying a home give me residency?

No longer. The property-based golden visa ended in April 2025. Non-EU citizens need another residence route, such as a work, non-lucrative or digital nomad visa.

Who pays the estate agent when I rent?

For a long-term residential lease, the 2023 Housing Law says the landlord pays the agency fees. Be wary of agents who ask tenants for a fee.

Should I rent or buy when I first arrive?

Most people rent first for at least a year. It gives you time to learn the area and the market before making a large, hard-to-reverse purchase.

Disclaimer: This article is general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Housing rules, tax rates and prices change and vary by region – always check with an independent lawyer or the official source before you sign.