# Monthly Budget Tracker - Barcelona (2026)

Track your monthly expenses with Barcelona-specific categories and realistic cost ranges. Copy this template into your spreadsheet or notes app.

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## Monthly Budget Overview

| Category | Budget (EUR) | Actual (EUR) | Difference |
|----------|:----------:|:----------:|:----------:|
| Housing | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Utilities | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Groceries | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Transport | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Health | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Education | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Dining & Social | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Phone & Internet | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Subscriptions | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Clothing | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Personal Care | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Entertainment | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Savings | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Admin & Legal | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| **TOTAL** | **___** | **___** | **___** |

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## Category Breakdown with Barcelona Ranges

### 1. Housing

| Item | Typical Range (EUR/month) | Your Budget |
|------|:------------------------:|:-----------:|
| Rent (2BR, Eixample) | 1,200-1,800 | ___ |
| Rent (2BR, Gracia) | 1,100-1,600 | ___ |
| Rent (2BR, Poble Sec) | 1,000-1,400 | ___ |
| Rent (2BR, Sant Andreu) | 900-1,200 | ___ |
| Rent (3BR, Eixample) | 1,600-2,400 | ___ |
| Security deposit (2 months) | One-time | ___ |
| Agency fee (if applicable) | One-time: 1 month rent | ___ |

**Notes**: Barcelona rents have risen ~8-12% yearly since 2023. Expect to pay 1-2 months deposit + sometimes an agency fee. The Catalan rent control law (regulacio de lloguers) may cap rent increases in designated areas.

### 2. Utilities

| Item | Typical Range (EUR/month) | Your Budget |
|------|:------------------------:|:-----------:|
| Electricity (Endesa/Naturgy) | 60-120 | ___ |
| Gas (Naturgy) | 30-60 | ___ |
| Water (Aigues de Barcelona) | 25-45 | ___ |
| Community fees (comunitat) | Included in rent (usually) | ___ |

**Notes**: Summer AC and winter heating are the big swings. Many Barcelona apartments have no central heating - portable electric heaters add EUR 30-50/month in winter. Water is billed quarterly, so budget monthly equivalent.

### 3. Groceries

| Item | Typical Range (EUR/month) | Your Budget |
|------|:------------------------:|:-----------:|
| Supermarket (couple) | 400-600 | ___ |
| Supermarket (family of 4) | 600-900 | ___ |
| Market shopping (Boqueria, Mercat de l'Abaceria) | 50-150 (supplement) | ___ |
| Organic/specialty (Veritas, Bo de B) | 100-200 (supplement) | ___ |

**Notes**: Mercadona and Lidl are the budget champions. Bonpreu and Condis are mid-range Catalan chains. The municipal markets (mercats) are great for fresh produce and fish - prices vary by stall. Online delivery via Mercadona, Glovo, or Ulabox saves time.

### 4. Transport

| Item | Typical Range (EUR/month) | Your Budget |
|------|:------------------------:|:-----------:|
| T-Casual (10 trips, Zone 1) | 11.35 (per card) | ___ |
| T-Usual (unlimited monthly, Zone 1) | 40.00 | ___ |
| Bicing (annual subscription) | 50.00/year = ~4.17/month | ___ |
| Taxi / Cabify (occasional) | 30-80 | ___ |
| Car insurance (if applicable) | 40-80 | ___ |
| Parking (if applicable) | 100-200 | ___ |
| Gasoline (if applicable) | 80-150 | ___ |

**Notes**: Most Barcelona expats do not need a car. The metro + bus + Bicing combination covers 95% of trips. T-Usual is worth it if you take more than 36 trips/month (about 2 per day).

### 5. Health

| Item | Typical Range (EUR/month) | Your Budget |
|------|:------------------------:|:-----------:|
| Private health insurance (individual) | 50-120 | ___ |
| Private health insurance (family of 4) | 200-400 | ___ |
| Dentist (private, per visit) | 40-80 | ___ |
| Pharmacy (out-of-pocket) | 20-50 | ___ |
| Gym membership | 30-70 | ___ |

**Notes**: Public healthcare (CatSalut) is free for residents and employees. Most expats also carry private insurance (Asisa, Sanitas, or Mapfre) for shorter wait times and English-speaking doctors. Private insurance is required for non-EU visa applications.

### 6. Education (If You Have Children)

| Item | Typical Range (EUR/month) | Your Budget |
|------|:------------------------:|:-----------:|
| Public school (non-tuition fees) | 70-125 | ___ |
| Concertada school (semi-private) | 125-330 | ___ |
| International school | 500-1,500 | ___ |
| School lunch (menjador) | 120-160 | ___ |
| After-school activities (extraescolars) | 30-80 per activity | ___ |
| School supplies (September) | One-time: 100-200 | ___ |

**Notes**: Public school is not fully free. Budget for AMPA fees, books, materials, and lunch. Concertada schools have "voluntary" contributions that are effectively mandatory. International schools bill tuition monthly or termly.

### 7. Dining & Social

| Item | Typical Range (EUR/month) | Your Budget |
|------|:------------------------:|:-----------:|
| Menu del dia lunches (x8) | 80-120 | ___ |
| Dinners out (x4) | 80-200 | ___ |
| Coffee / cafe (daily) | 40-70 | ___ |
| Drinks / vermut (weekends) | 40-80 | ___ |
| Takeaway / delivery (x4) | 40-80 | ___ |

**Notes**: The menu del dia (weekday lunch menu) is Barcelona's best deal: EUR 10-15 for a 3-course meal with drink. Dinner is significantly more expensive. Vermouth (vermut) on Sundays is a local tradition - budget EUR 3-5 per glass at most bars.

### 8. Phone & Internet

| Item | Typical Range (EUR/month) | Your Budget |
|------|:------------------------:|:-----------:|
| Fiber internet (600Mb) | 30-45 | ___ |
| Mobile plan (15-20GB) | 15-25 | ___ |
| Bundle (fiber + mobile) | 40-60 | ___ |

**Notes**: Main providers: Movistar, Orange, Vodafone (premium), and Pepephone, Lowi, O2 (budget MVNOs). Pepephone (owned by Movistar) is popular with expats for no-contract, English-friendly customer service. Setup usually requires NIE.

### 9. Subscriptions

| Item | Typical Range (EUR/month) | Your Budget |
|------|:------------------------:|:-----------:|
| Netflix / HBO / Disney+ | 8-18 each | ___ |
| Spotify / Apple Music | 11-17 (family) | ___ |
| Coworking membership | 150-300 | ___ |
| Cloud storage (iCloud/Google) | 3-10 | ___ |
| News (La Vanguardia, El Pais) | 0-10 | ___ |
| Other subscriptions | ___ | ___ |

### 10. Admin & Legal (First-Year Costs)

These are mostly one-time or annual costs. Divide by 12 for monthly budgeting.

| Item | Typical Cost (EUR) | Monthly Equivalent |
|------|:-----------------:|:-----------------:|
| NIE application (Modelo 790) | 12 | 1 |
| Gestoria fees (autonomo setup) | 150-400 | 12-33 |
| Gestoria monthly (tax filings) | 80-150/month | 80-150 |
| Lawyer (visa/immigration) | 500-2,000 | 42-167 |
| Apostilles and translations | 200-500 | 17-42 |
| Notary fees (if buying property) | 300-800 | 25-67 |

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## Sample Budgets

### Single Professional (No Car)

| Category | EUR/month |
|----------|:---------:|
| Rent (1BR, Eixample) | 1,100 |
| Utilities | 90 |
| Groceries | 300 |
| Transport (T-Usual + Bicing) | 45 |
| Health insurance | 60 |
| Phone + Internet | 45 |
| Dining & social | 250 |
| Subscriptions | 50 |
| Personal & misc | 100 |
| **TOTAL** | **2,040** |

### Couple (No Kids, No Car)

| Category | EUR/month |
|----------|:---------:|
| Rent (2BR, Gracia) | 1,350 |
| Utilities | 110 |
| Groceries | 500 |
| Transport (2x T-Usual + Bicing) | 90 |
| Health insurance (x2) | 120 |
| Phone + Internet | 55 |
| Dining & social | 350 |
| Subscriptions | 60 |
| Personal & misc | 150 |
| **TOTAL** | **2,785** |

### Family of 4 (2 Kids in Public School, No Car)

| Category | EUR/month |
|----------|:---------:|
| Rent (3BR, Eixample) | 1,800 |
| Utilities | 140 |
| Groceries | 750 |
| Transport (2x T-Usual, kids free under 16) | 85 |
| Health insurance (family) | 250 |
| Phone + Internet | 55 |
| School costs (2 kids, public) | 300 |
| School lunches (2 kids) | 280 |
| Extracurriculars (2 activities each) | 200 |
| Dining & social | 250 |
| Subscriptions | 60 |
| Personal & misc | 200 |
| **TOTAL** | **4,370** |

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## Currency Exchange Tips

If you are paid in a non-EUR currency:

- **Wise (TransferWise)**: Best rates for regular salary transfers. Set up automatic monthly transfers.
- **Revolut**: Good for daily spending. The free plan has a EUR 1,000/month fee-free exchange limit.
- **Avoid your home bank**: Most charge 2-4% markup on FX. Wise is typically 0.3-0.6%.
- **Set rate alerts**: If your currency is volatile, use Wise or Revolut rate alerts to transfer when rates are favorable.

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## Tax Deductions to Track

If you are autonomo or under Beckham Law, track these for your quarterly/annual declarations:

- [ ] Home office percentage of rent (if working from home)
- [ ] Coworking space fees
- [ ] Internet and phone (business percentage)
- [ ] Professional development (courses, books, conferences)
- [ ] Business travel (flights, accommodation, meals)
- [ ] Professional tools and software subscriptions
- [ ] Health insurance premiums (deductible for autonomos)
- [ ] Gestoria fees
- [ ] Business meals (with clients, documented)

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*Part of the SettleBarcelona Starter Pack - settleinbarcelona.com*