Food, Groceries & Dining Costs for Retirees
What you'll actually pay at Mercadona, the mercado and a typical menú del día restaurant — with a real weekly shop for two.
What you'll actually pay at Mercadona, the mercado and a typical menú del día restaurant — with a real weekly shop for two.
Where retirees shop
- ✦Mercadona — best all-round value, own-brand Hacendado quality is high. ~€85/week for 2 covers basics.
- ✦Lidl & Aldi — 10–15% cheaper than Mercadona on staples; good for international products.
- ✦Consum — Valencian co-op; strong fresh fish and local produce.
- ✦Mercado municipal — fish, meat, fruit/veg at producer prices Tuesday–Saturday mornings.
- ✦Carrefour / Hipercor — once a month for imported brands (UK, German, Dutch shelves).
Weekly shop for a couple — real basket
| Item | Quantity | Mercadona € | Mercado € |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bread (fresh barra) | 7 loaves | €4.20 | €5.60 |
| Eggs (M) | 12 | €2.10 | €3.00 |
| Whole chicken | 1.4 kg | €5.80 | €7.20 |
| Fresh fish (sea bass) | 600 g | €9.80 | €11.50 |
| Tomatoes | 1 kg | €1.90 | €1.80 |
| Oranges | 3 kg | €3.60 | €3.30 |
| Olive oil (virgen extra) | 1 L | €7.20 | €8.50 |
| Spanish red wine | 2 bottles | €8.50 | €10.00 |
| Milk (semi) | 6 L | €5.40 | — |
| Cheese (manchego) | 300 g | €6.80 | €7.50 |
| Coffee (ground) | 500 g | €4.50 | — |
| Misc pantry | — | €25.00 | €18.00 |
| Weekly total | — | ~€84.80 | ~€76.40 + pantry |
Eating out
The menú del día is the cornerstone of Spanish midday eating: starter + main + dessert + bread + water/wine for €12–€18 in most coastal towns. Coastal tourist zones charge €18–€25 for a less Spanish version.
| Meal type | Typical price (per person) |
|---|---|
| Menú del día (weekday lunch) | €12 – €18 |
| Tapas + 2 cañas at a local bar | €8 – €14 |
| Sunday paella by the sea | €18 – €28 |
| Sit-down dinner with wine | €25 – €45 |
| Mid-range Michelin / tasting menu | €80 – €130 |
| Coffee & croissant breakfast | €2.80 – €4.50 |
Cutting your food bill without cutting quality
- ✦Buy fish at the mercado on Tuesday and Friday mornings — freshest landings.
- ✦Switch wine from supermarket bottles to bag-in-box from a bodega: €1.50/L for drinkable tinto.
- ✦Eat the main meal at lunch (menú del día) and a light tostada/salad at home in the evening — saves €15–€20/day per couple.
- ✦Use a Hacendado/Lidl base + mercado for fresh — best value combination.
- ✦Plant a balcony pot of herbs and rocket — Spanish supermarket fresh herbs are expensive for what they are.
Cooking-led: €350–€420/month groceries. Add €150–€250 for eating out twice a week. Total: ~€500–€650 — roughly half UK equivalent.
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