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Spain — Living: Utilities

A typical Spanish household spends €60-100/month on electricity (€720-1,200/year), €30-60/month on piped natural gas in winter (€15-25/month in summer) or €16.46 per bottle for bottled gas (regulated price, early 2026), and €25-50/month on water, billed bi-monthly by the municipal supplier. Combined, electricity, water, gas, and internet typically total €100-200/month for a standard apartment. Setup ('dar de alta') requires navigating separate distributor and retailer roles, choosing between the regulated PVPC electricity tariff and free-market offers, and dealing with regional water monopolies; new electricity connections cost €100-1,000 depending on contracted power and existing infrastructure (CIE) availability.

Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) · Last verified 2026-07-18

Key Facts

  • Electricity: €60-100/month (€720-1,200/year) for a typical household.
  • Gas: €30-60/month in winter via piped natural gas (€15-25/month summer); bottled gas regulated at €16.46/bottle (early 2026).
  • Water: €25-50/month, billed bi-monthly by the municipal supplier.
  • Combined electricity+water+gas+internet: typically €100-200/month; new electricity connection setup costs €100-1,000.

Costs

  • Electricity: €60-100/month
  • Gas (piped, winter): €30-60/month
  • Water: €25-50/month

Common Mistakes

  • Confusing the distributor (owns the infrastructure) with the retailer (bills the customer) when setting up a new connection.
  • Defaulting to a free-market electricity tariff without comparing against the regulated PVPC rate.

Related Topics

cost-of-livinginternet
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