Mark Stücklin
Is getting around in Spain still a bargain? Deutsche Bank’s latest figures suggest yes — but not for everyone, and not for everything.
Transport is one of the biggest recurring expenses in city life, especially for working residents. So how does Spain stack up internationally when it comes to public transport, taxis, petrol, and car ownership? According to Deutsche Bank’s Mapping the World’s Prices 2025, Spain is still among the more affordable countries for getting from A to B, though with a few caveats.
Public transport: a win for urban life
Monthly public transport passes in Madrid and Barcelona cost around €55–€60, making Spain one of the cheapest countries in Western Europe for commuters. That’s about half the price of similar passes in London, Dublin or Zurich.
For under-30s, seniors, and low-income residents, the cost is often even lower thanks to generous regional subsidies and youth travel cards. Frequent promotions and temporary fare reductions (such as the 50% discounts introduced post-Covid) have also helped to keep urban mobility affordable.
Taxis: moderate by global standards
A standard 8km taxi ride in Spanish cities comes in at around €10–€12, which places Spain in the lower-middle tier globally — more expensive than Eastern Europe or much of Asia, but cheaper than Paris, London, or New York.
Taxis are heavily regulated in Spain, and while app-based alternatives exist (Uber, Cabify, Bolt), they operate under stricter local rules than in many other countries, keeping prices relatively uniform.
Fuel: not cheap, but not the worst
Petrol prices in Spain hover around €1.60–€1.70 per litre, more than in the US or Eastern Europe but lower than in Italy, France or the Netherlands. Diesel tends to be marginally cheaper, and regional variations (e.g. lower fuel taxes in the Canary Islands) can make a noticeable difference.
Car owners in Spain benefit from relatively low road taxes and insurance premiums, though the upfront cost of a vehicle — and especially EVs — remains high by comparison.
The takeaway
Spain continues to offer good value when it comes to getting around — especially for public transport users in major cities.
- Urban travel is cheap and reliable.
- Taxis are fairly priced.
- Petrol is not cheap, but not punishingly expensive.
For anyone living in a well-connected city like Madrid, Barcelona or Valencia, you can still move around affordably — as long as you don’t need to own a car.
