Back to School Is Here

The average expense per child for parents will be around €400, and second‑hand items are emerging as a key option.

The start of the new school year will represent a median cost of about €400 per student. This figure has sparked a surge in searches and sales of used school supplies. Costs vary across Spain’s autonomous communities, with the Valencian Community, Catalonia and Navarre topping the list of highest prices, while Extremadura and Castilla‑La Mancha rank among the cheapest.

Rising Overall Costs

• According to a study by the financial comparison platform Banqmi, the average back‑to‑school expense for the 2025‑2026 academic year is projected at €422.05 per pupil, a 1.59 % increase over the previous year (€415.43).
• Since the 2018‑2019 school year, total costs have risen 14.88 % over seven years, from €367.37 per student.

By Autonomous Community

What’s Driving the Increase?

• Books and uniforms account for the largest price hikes:

  • Uniforms: €229.79 average
  • Books: €192.26 average

• Price growth by educational level (average increase):

  • Early childhood education books: +4.55 %
  • Primary education books: +2.25 %
  • Secondary (ESO) books: +1.52 %

• The rise is fairly uniform across school types in early childhood (private +4.87 %, concerted +4.41 %, public +4.23 %), but public secondary schools see a slightly higher increase (just over 2 %).

Uniform Costs by Purchase Channel

• Buying from a general retailer: average €208.98
• Purchasing directly from the school: average €250.61

National average hovers around €220. The most expensive regions for uniforms are Catalonia (€257.50), Navarre (€254.90) and the Community of Madrid (€248.81). Conversely, Extremadura (€211.02), Galicia (€217.90) and Asturias (€218.27) stay below the national mean.

Second‑Hand Materials Gain Traction

“Last year, from July to September, demand for school materials such as books or uniforms jumped 111 %, and we expect the same trend to continue this year.” – Wallapop

• 54 % of families have already bought or are considering second‑hand school supplies (source: Milanuncios).
• 89 % are worried about rising prices, and 77 % admit that the new school year poses a financial strain.

Motivations for Buying Used

• 60 % cite economic savings as the primary reason.
• 38 % are motivated by giving products a second life.

Most Sought‑After Second‑Hand Items

• Textbooks: 44 % of searches
• Electronics (tablets, calculators): 15 %
• Clothing/uniforms: 11 %
• Backpacks: 10 %

Families estimate an average saving of €60 per student by opting for reused items.

Recent Demand Surge (September 2024)

• Calculators: +193 %
• Textbooks: +132 %
• Uniforms: +70 %
• Other school supplies: +50 %

Public Perception

• 96 % of parents and students believe school supplies are excessively expensive.
• 84 % think prices are rising, especially over the past two years.

The back‑to‑school season is reshaping spending habits across Spain, with families increasingly turning to the second‑hand market to mitigate rising costs.