During Fall 2024, I had one of the greatest and most transformative experiences of my life studying abroad in Barcelona. I was able to immerse myself in the vibrant culture of the city in many ways, from trying traditional Spanish and Catalan dishes to going to FC Barcelona games. While I truly had the experience of a lifetime, as many do, I began having a hard time budgeting when adjusting to the differences between Spain and America. To ensure you can have a fantastic time while keeping your budget happy from day one, I have provided my most useful tips and strategies on how to save money in Barcelona while studying abroad.  

Take Advantage of CEA CAPA Activities and Experiences 

One of the things that I discovered very quickly was that CEA CAPA provides many experiences that allow you to delve deeper into Barcelona’s culture either at a cheaper price, or free of cost. For example, I have always been a huge soccer fan and have dreamed of seeing an FC Barcelona game live. Through the AICAP Activities they provide, I was able to watch a game with my friends for as little as 20 euros.  

FC Barcelona Game with CEA CAPA 

In addition, if you want to explore more of Spain itself, definitely take advantage of the excursions. It is free of any additional cost apart from the program fee, and I got to take overnight trips to both the Pyrenees Mountains and Madrid, as well as get to experience activities such as hiking, visiting museums, and guided city tours all free of charge.  

Pyrenees Mountains with CEA CAPA 

The classes you take at CEA CAPA also all have an element where you get to connect what you learn in class to the place you live. In my class, Public Art in the Global City, we took guided walking tours of six different neighborhoods of Barcelona to see the most famous and influential pieces of Public Art. In my Sport and Culture in Contemporary Spain class, we took tours of spots such as the Olympic Stadium (home of FC Barcelona), La Monumental, a historic bull fighting ring, and even got to sit in on a practice for the Castellers, who build the iconic human towers. One specific time, we did a scavenger hunt to find iconic locations that were renovated for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics! 

Overall, the more you get involved with CEA CAPA and the activities they provide, the more experiences you’ll have while saving on many expenses you’d incur otherwise. 

Being Aware of Basic Living Expenses 

Every big city has additional expenses associated with them that many people do not realize, such as transportation, food/groceries, phone plans (especially international), toiletries, memberships such as for gyms, medical costs, etc. These are important to be aware of as you transition to living in Europe because things are very different than in the U.S. First, by far the cheapest and best way to get around the city is through the Metro system. “Tier 1” metro stations include everything you’ll need to get around the city itself as well as important locations such as the airport. I purchased a T-Mobilitat T-jove card which includes unlimited travel for 90 days by metro or bus.  

It is good to remember that the program is longer than 90 days, and you could have around 20 days to account for. I would recommend buying the 30-day pass for that time because it ends up being a lot cheaper with the amount you will use the public transportation systems.  

My friends and I Enjoying Paella! 

Grocery shopping is also different in Barcelona, mainly because the items themselves are a lot cheaper, and better quality. I would recommend going to Mercadona, which is a chain grocery store in the city. Mercadona has high-quality foods, having everything from ingredients to snacks, frozen meals, and other essentials such as toiletries and cleaning supplies. Grocery stores in Europe also do not tend to sell their food in bulk like they do in America, so I would recommend finding a good supermarket close to your apartment because you may have to take more trips than you would in the states! 

Treat Yourself, but Budget Friendly  

There will be many times where you may want to spend a little extra to try a nice restaurant, go to the biggest nightclub, attend an important game for FC Barcelona, go shopping, and more. For these expenses, I set aside around $750 of my total budget to use for the expenses you may incur that are not considered “necessities”. When going out to restaurants, it is important to note that the portion sizes are a lot smaller than in the U.S., and at many tapas restaurants, you will need to purchase multiple plates to eat a full meal. Definitely take this into account when looking at restaurant menus to decide where you want to eat! Most places also charge you for bottled water, but you can always ask them for tap water (some places will give it to you for free) or bring your own if the place is not super fancy.  

Another thing to note is that many museums, parks, and places have student discounts if you show a valid student ID, including the Sagrada Família! In fact, many places you decide to travel to will also have these discounts. When I went to Madrid with CEA CAPA, my friends and I were able to visit a botanical garden there for only 1 euro! 

Botanical Garden in Madrid! 

Finally, there were a lot of stores in Barcelona that had cheaper clothes than I have seen in the U.S. I found this helpful when I needed specific clothing items for colder weather. For these situations, I would recommend stores like Mango, Pull&Bear, and Primark.  

Overall, Barcelona is a very budget-friendly place to study abroad if you know the many ways to save. I only used what I had earned from my summer job and was able to travel to around 8 different countries while getting to explore and experience Barcelona to the fullest! I hope these different tips and tricks for saving money in Barcelona will help you have the most positive and fulfilling experience from start to finish! 

 This post was written by Mia Foerster, a CEA CAPA Alumni Ambassador from Cal Poly, and studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain.