Spain has long been favoured as a holiday destination for northern Europeans, not only because of its great weather and excellent beaches, but also its cheap alcohol, which helped transform some of its resorts into the top party spots on the continent.
Many northern Europeans can hardly believe it when they discover that a bottle of wine from a supermarket in Spain costs just a couple of euros and buying a beer at a local bar can be around the same.
But, the cost of living has soared in Spain over the last couple of years and according to Spanish consumer watchdog OCU food and drink products have risen by around 38 percent in the last three years.
Recently, British tabloid paper The Mirror published a report on the rising prices in Spain, particularly for alcoholic drinks, stating that Brits were "horrified" at the “booze price hikes” in popular resorts with some saying that it has gotten so expensive that they won’t be returning.
According to one couple interviewed for the article, they paid €10 for a gin and tonic and €12 for a large glass of white wine.
But is it true, has alcohol become so expensive in Spain that it’s no longer affordable like it once was, and how much can you expect to pay on your next holiday here?
Firstly, it really depends where you are, it goes without saying that drinks in more touristy areas and beach resorts are going to be much higher than elsewhere. Likewise, if you’re right in the centre of Barcelona on the Rambla for example, you’ll be paying a lot more than in other neighbourhoods.
It also depends on what type of alcohol you’re buying of course. Here, we look at some of the most popular alcoholic drinks and find out if they are still cheap or not.
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Beer
Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE), revealed recently that the price of beer increased by 9.73 percent between the beginning of 2023 to the beginning of 2024.
Despite the price hikes in Spain, however, the latest data from price comparison website Numbeo, shows that we still have some of the cheapest beer in the whole of Europe. It discovered that two of the most affordable European capitals for a beer were in Lisbon and Madrid, where a 0.5 litre beer in a restaurant costs between €2.50 and €3 on average.
But what about within Spain itself? Of course, the prices can vary wildly depending on where you are. According the Diario Vasco newspaper, who interviewed 1,500 bartenders across the country, here’s what a beer will cost you in different areas of the country.
Ibiza: €8.50 for a San Miguel (14 for a standard 12oz bottle of Alhambra in a nightclub)
Marbella: €15 for 12oz bottle in Puerto Banús
San Sebastián: €3.50 for a standard bottle in the centre (€2.30 in the Larratxo neighbourhood; €2.40 in Egia)
Bilbao: €2.60-2.80 (€2.50 in the Old Town)
Vitoria i Gasteiz, Basque Country: €2.80
Pamplona: €3.50 (centre)
Logroño, La Rioja: €1.80
Gijón, Asturias: €2.60 (in the centre)
Santander: €1.80
Ourense, Galicia: €1.95-2.20
Barcelona: €2.50-4.70 (€6 in a hotel with sea views)
Lleida, Catalonia: €2.40
Palma de Mallorca: 2.80
Menorca: €2.70-3.50
Valencia: €4.50 in a five-star hotel
Benicàssim: €2.80 in a hotel
Madrid: €1.80-2 (€6-8 in hotels / €5 in the Salamanca neighbourhood)
Málaga: €3 in the port area (€2.30 in the centre)
Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz: €1.50
Seville: €1-1.90 for a small caña
Granada: €2.80 (on draft) / €2.20 for a bottle
Huelva: €1.60 (centre)
Córdoba: €1.20
Almería: €2.5
Salamanca: €1.70 (from a bodega)
Astorga, Castilla y León: €1.70
Cáceres, Extremadura: €1.30-1.50
Burgos, Castilla y León: €1.50
Valladolid, Castilla y León: €1.60
Huesca, Aragón: €1.50-€2
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: €1.90
Wine
The latest data shows that the price of wine has also increased by around 10 percent in Spain, this was mainly due to the poor grape harvests in 2023, likely down to the drought which has been plaguing parts of Spain for the last couple of years.
According to a study by travel company Compare My Jet, however, Spain still ranks among the cheapest OECD countries (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) to buy a bottle of wine. Spain comes in at number five on their list with an average price of €5.42.
Head to the supermarkets and you’ll find that the shelves are stocked with many bottles that cost a lot less than this too.
When it comes to ordering a glass of wine in a bar or restaurant, wine site Vinetur found that on average you’d pay around €3 per glass. Of course, this may rise to around €5 if you’re at a popular beach resort.
Liquor
According to the INE, the price of liquor in Spain has risen around 7.3 percent within one year, meaning that your cocktails and mixers will also be more expensive.
Of course, the price can vary a lot, depending on what you mix it with, where you are in Spain and of course the type of establishment – an upmarket hotel or a local bar.
Taxes
When it comes to alcohol, Spaniards are also taxed much less than other Europeans. According to a group of experts hired by the Ministry of Finance, Spain would collect nearly €1 billion more per year if it taxed alcoholic beverages at a tax rate similar to that of the European Union.
From their findings, Spain is the fifth country in the EU (plus the UK) that gains the least money from the tax applied to drinks with an alcohol content of 40 percent or more. It also collects the least amount of tax on beer.
This all means that bars and restaurants can keep the alcohol prices lower than in other EU countries. Overall, there has been a noticeable inflation-driven alcohol price increase in recent years in Spain, but Spain still has better prices than the majority of Western European countries.
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