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High expense on school supplies leaves Spanish families struggling

Struggling families in Spain face the daunting financial challenge of "September climb", a period when sending kids back to school places a heavy burden on their budgets.

, and Administrator

2025 September 8 . 3:32 PM

2 min read

Skyrocketing expenses on back-to-school essentials in Spain leave parents struggling

High expense on school supplies leaves Spanish families struggling

The back-to-school season in Spain is a time of excitement for many families, but for a significant number, it also brings financial strain. According to financial health expert Lidia Acosta from Fundación Nantik Lum, nearly half of households in Spain struggle to make ends meet.

This financial strain is largely due to the rising costs of school supplies. The average cost of school supplies per student in Spain can reach as high as €500. Breaking down these costs, a backpack costs around €29.42, a tracksuit €26.07, sports shoes €31.87, and stationery €48.26.

One of the most significant expenses, however, is textbooks. The average cost of digital textbooks in Spain now stands at €192.5, a 7% increase from the previous year. This, combined with the cost of traditional textbooks at an average of €365.64, makes textbooks the heftiest expense for many families.

The back-to-school period is becoming an increasingly major economic challenge, as stated by Kike Aganzo, a professional at idealo.es. In various regions, the 2025-2026 academic year is set to begin. Andalucía, for instance, starts school on September 8 for Infant, Primary, and Special Education. Schools in Valencia start on the same date, catering to infant, primary, secondary (ESO), baccalaureate, and vocational training. In Murcia, classes start on September 8 for Infant, Primary, and Special Education, while ESO and Baccalaureate begin on September 15.

In the regions of Valencia, Murcia, and Andalucía, the specific start dates for the 2025-2026 academic year have been announced. Interestingly, the earliest school start in Spain for the 2025-2026 school year is on August 18, 2025, in the region of Cochem (VG Cochem area), where students begin their first lessons on that date.

As the costs continue to rise, families in Spain are finding it increasingly difficult to meet these expenses. It is hoped that awareness of these rising costs will encourage schools and policymakers to consider measures to alleviate this financial burden on families during the back-to-school season.