1/2/5 cent coins - depicting Santiago de Compostela cathedral

10/20/50 cent coins - featuring the author Cervantes (Don Quijote)

1 and 2 Euro coins - bearing an image of King Carlos I

5/10/20/50/100/200 and 500 Euro notes (there are no Spanish designs on Euro notes - all notes are the same throughout Europe)

Since the Euro was introduced and prices rounded up to the nearest Euro, Spain has felt an increase in the cost of living. However, it is still perceived as one of the less expensive European countries, though property prices in the larger cities are high in comparison with earnings.

Electricity - 35-40 Euro a month for 2 people

Eating out - average restaurant bill per person 12 Euro

Drinks - glass of beer or wine in a bar 1-2 Euro

Telephone - flat fee of 25 Euro per month, plus calls

Good coffee - a bargain at 1 Euro or less in many cafes!

Added by Quenby 2/7/05 - About your price for an average restaurant (12 euros) per person. I do not know where your sources are eating, but I would not consider it an average restaurant. We lived here in 1990-91 and have moved back last year and this is one area where prices have gone through the roof. The average price for a "menu" is 8-12 euros. A menu is entree, plato principal, wine or water and dessert, and normally this is only at lunch time. I would say an "average" price (including cheap to expensive) is 30 euros. I just asked my husband and he says a bit less, more like 25 euros per person. All I know is that normally when we go out to dinner we pay average of 50 euros per person, and we are not talking the most expensive restaurant.

Added by George 30/7/05 - If you live away from the coast and tourist areas 12 euros might even be on the high side. I live in Extremadura and a good meal for four people always comes to less than 50 euros.

Added March 2007 by Barbara:
I was interested to read the comments on restaurant prices. We live twenty minutes from Valencia city. Average 'menu del dia' 3 courses, glass of wine or beer, coffee is 8-12 euros. In the city a bit more. If we pay 30 euros a head we are in a very good restaurant. The most paid was 50 euros a head for a 12 course 'degustacion' which was excellent. Wine, of course, is a fraction of the price in UK.

Added March 2007 by Blanca:
About the 12 Euro average, in any big city this is 25-50 Euro. In small cities 15-35. Going out for pizza here in Granada is 35 for two sharing a starter and a dessert, no alcohol. In places like Jaen, Almería and Granada you are better off going for tapas. You can have 4 beers and have dinner with the tapas. Unfortunately 90% of tapas are mediocre, but if you do your research you can have a cheap tapas meal. Restaurants in provinces offering free tapas are bad and expensive. Do as the locals and go for tapas.

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