Prices checked 21 October 2026.
“How much will it cost?” is the first question almost everyone asks us, and the honest answer is: it depends, but not as much as you’d fear. The three things that move the price most are how long you stay, which city you choose and where you live. A short course in a smaller city is very affordable. A year-long course adds up to a bigger number, but the price per week is much lower. Below we explain what you’re paying for, with real examples from our partner schools, so you can build a budget you can trust and spot where to save.
The short answer
Here is what the standard intensive course (20 lessons a week) costs across our partner schools in Spain. The prices include the mandatory fees the school charges. Accommodation, meals and flights are extra.
| Length of stay | Course fees (range across our schools) |
|---|---|
| 2 weeks | €325 – €590 |
| 4 weeks | €608 – €1,151 |
| 3 months (12 weeks) | €1,000 – €3,165 |
| 6 months | from about €3,100 (see examples below) |
| 12 months | from about €4,800 (see examples below) |
The range is wide because schools, cities and course types differ. Our long-term Spanish courses page shows every long course with its price, and our Spanish courses pages cover the shorter ones.
What affects the price
Course type and lessons per week. The standard intensive course has 20 lessons a week, and it’s what most people book. A 10-hour course costs less and leaves you plenty of free time to explore, which suits a holiday. If you want faster progress, more lessons or some one-to-one classes cost more but make a real difference. As a guide, five private lessons a week add €150 or more to the weekly cost, depending on the school and the length of the lesson.
Exam preparation. A DELE or SIELE course is usually a standard intensive course plus extra hours of exam preparation. See our exam preparation courses.
Special groups. There are courses for people over 50, which bring together like-minded learners and include cultural activities.
City and season. Accommodation is often a bigger expense than the course itself, especially in Madrid and Barcelona, which have the highest living costs in Spain. The difference isn’t as dramatic as people expect, though, and a smaller city such as Cádiz, Salamanca or Granada is usually kinder to your budget, as well as a lovely place to learn. Some schools in coastal cities add a high-season supplement, usually in summer (around mid-June to mid-September). In Seville the high season is around Easter and Semana Santa. Some schools, for example in Granada and Alicante, do not add seasonal supplements.
Short stays: 2 to 4 weeks
The most booked option is an intensive course of two to four weeks with a room in a shared flat. These are the lowest totals we can offer in some popular cities, course and shared flat together, including mandatory fees:
| City | 2 weeks | 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Granada | €621 | €1,170 |
| Alicante | €643 | €1,226 |
| Málaga | €879 | €1,642 |
| Madrid | €1,093 | €1,692 |
| Cádiz | €931 | €1,818 |
Prices are for one person in a shared flat (single room), cheapest school in each city, checked 21 October 2026. Meals are not included.
Long stays: 3, 6 and 12 months
If you stay for several months, you pay less per week. Examples from our partner schools (course fees only):
| Course | Weeks | Total | Per week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expanish, 6 months | 24 | €4,307 | €179 |
| Expanish, 9 months | 32 | €5,732 | €179 |
| Expanish, 12 months | 40 | €6,682 | €167 |
| Cervantes Málaga, 24 weeks | 24 | €3,138 | €131 |
| Cervantes Málaga, 32 weeks | 32 | €3,860 | €121 |
| Cervantes Málaga, 36 weeks | 36 | €4,335 | €120 |
| Cervantes Málaga, annual | 42 | €4,848 | €115 |
As with most things, the more you buy, the less each week costs.
A tip from experience: always ask what one extra week would cost. Because of the way some schools price, an extra week can cost surprisingly little, and sometimes the longer course is the better deal.
Accommodation
Where you live is the biggest choice after the course itself. A shared flat is usually the cheapest: you share with a few other students and cook for yourself, so budget for food on top. A homestay costs more, but half or full board is included, and you get daily Spanish practice thrown in. If cost is your priority and you wouldn’t make the most of that practice, a shared flat is cheaper at most schools. A student residence gives you your own room, often with meals available, and usually costs more again.
For example prices and how to choose, read Where to stay during your Spanish course and What to expect when staying with a host family.
Living costs on top
Food, local transport, a SIM card and going out all add to your budget, and how much depends mostly on how you live.
Food is the big one. If your accommodation includes full board, you hardly need to eat out at all, so your costs will be much lower. If you’re in a flat and cooking for yourself, you can get by on a modest daily budget, and in a city like Granada roughly €25–30 a day for food is realistic. Madrid and Barcelona cost noticeably more. And if you’re out exploring the tapas bars every night, which we can only recommend, expect to spend more again.
Everyday extras such as local transport and a Spanish SIM card are usually small next to the course and accommodation, but they add up over a long stay.
Other costs to plan for
The prices on our site already include the mandatory fees that the school charges, so there are no nasty surprises in the total. What’s not included are the things you arrange yourself: flights, travel insurance, local transport, a SIM card and, if you book them, extras like exam registration. Accommodation deposits are separate too: ask us and we’ll check what applies to your school.
How to pay less
The simplest saving is to stay a little longer, if your plans allow: the weekly prices above speak for themselves. Next, pick your city with your wallet as well as your heart. Cádiz, Salamanca and Granada usually cost less than Madrid or Barcelona. Avoid high season where schools add a supplement, and compare schools in the same city: the price differences can be bigger than you’d expect, and the cheapest isn’t always the best fit, which is where we can help.
Estudia-España works with the schools to offer selected discounts and special offers.
Frequently asked questions
Does the course price include accommodation?
Not unless the package says so. Course fees and accommodation are priced separately; you choose the room when you book.
Can I get a discount for staying longer?
Yes, in the sense that the weekly price falls with course length (see the table). Specific discounts depend on the school.
We can help
Still not sure where or when to book? That’s what we’re here for. Message us on WhatsApp, by email or in the chat on our website, tell us your length of stay and budget, and we’ll suggest options that fit.
Booking flights too? Our partner Ovago has some great tips for saving on international flights, especially from the US to Spain.
Also read: Where to stay during your Spanish course · What to expect when doing a Spanish course in Spain · Long-term Spanish courses
