Costs in Andorra

A realistic budget for Andorra should distinguish at least between a person living alone, a couple, a family with children and a senior household. The monthly expenses also change substantially depending on whether the home is rented or owned, whether a car or bus is used, and whether the household has a stronger winter or summer profile. The household survey (EPF) and income and household survey (ECV) describe household and income structures; the rental register (SICAR), the consumer price index (IPC) and published tariffs provide further points of reference. The IPC rose by 2.7% in 2025. The statutory minimum wage (SMI) has been €1,568.67 per month or €9.05 per hour since 1 July 2026; the average wage in 2026 is €2,672.52 per month. Housing costs are often the largest cost item. SICAR reports an average of around €13 per m²; in new contracts in 2025, the figure was €18.19 per m², while contracts running for more than five years averaged €7.80 per m². Half of the recorded rental contracts are between €500 and €1,000 per month. Rental contracts run for at least five years, and the landlord must disclose the chargeable costs and their allocation before signing. Eligibility for a rent subsidy includes, among other conditions, five years of legal and effective residence and an income of no more than 1.2 LECS; the subsidy is normally 30%, 35% for priority groups and runs for twelve months. LECS is a local reference value for certain social benefits (LECS). The youth emancipation programme is aimed at 22- to 30-year-olds with five years of permanent residence, an income above the SMI and below €24,000 per year; it can cover two months' deposit and the current monthly rent. For publicly subsidised housing, applicants must not own real estate, the rent burden must exceed 30% of income, and the rent is capped at no more than 30% of income and around 25% below the market price. For electricity, the Andorran electricity supplier (FEDA) charges a capacity component of €2.26 per kW per month in 2026. The energy price under standard household tariffs is 12.66 cents/kWh in tariff levels 1 and 2, 19.20 cents/kWh in level 3 and 22.71 cents/kWh in level 4. The reduced tariff costs 10.57, 8.84, 12.17 or 14.39 cents/kWh respectively and has no capacity component; it requires a primary residence, a connection capacity of no more than 8.8 kW and proof of a social benefit. Water and waste charges do not have a uniform national household tariff and depend on the parish (Comú) or the contract. In a rental home, the contract should therefore specify how these costs are allocated. There is no substantiated official national shopping basket or uniform household amount for food. Retail prices are generally freely set, but they must be displayed as final prices including charges and with the unit price. Actual costs depend on the household, place of purchase and product choices. Purchases abroad should not be treated as a standard budget item; when returning to the EU, Andorra is subject, among other rules, to allowances of €300 for agricultural goods and €900 for industrial goods per person, while meat, milk, sugar and certain other goods are subject to special quantities. The public bus network is free and unlimited for Andorrans and for people with legal, effective and permanent residence. The physical card costs €3, and the airport shuttle is free. A private car also generates fuel, insurance, registration, maintenance, winter-equipment and parking costs; the fuel price depends on the station, parish and date. For school transport in 2026/27, the state quotes €106.34 for one daily journey and €212.68 for two journeys; the state subsidy is 84.09%, and the stated cost without this subsidy is €1,336.98 per pupil. Healthcare expenses often run through Andorran social security (CASS). Through the preferred care pathway (via preferent), meaning the preferred care route with a reference doctor (metge referent), the patient pays 25% of the CASS tariff and does not have to pay the service upfront at the reference doctor. For non-contracted services, 20% of the tariff is reimbursed. CASS tariffs rose by 2.7% in line with the IPC in 2026, and by 5.4% in primary care. Reimbursement of up to 100% applies, among other cases, to maternity, occupational accidents, occupational diseases, proven financial hardship and certain long-term conditions. Optional private supplementary insurance should not automatically be included in a mandatory budget. Andorra has three public school systems: the Andorran School System (Escola Andorrana), the Spanish system and the French system. Public education is compulsory and free from the ages of six to 16; in preschool, the maternal level generally lasts from ages three to six. There are nevertheless ongoing additional costs for materials, meals, transport, insurance and activities. The 2026/27 study grants total €1.35 million and can cover tuition, materials, meals, transport, skiing costs and certain costs abroad. Public tuition fees at the University of Andorra (UdA) remain unchanged by programme in 2026/27; families with large-family status (família nombrosa) or single-parent-family status (família monoparental) receive a 50% discount, while recognised disabilities result in free public tuition fees from 2026/27. For families, childcare, housing, meals, materials and transport can change the budget particularly sharply. The child-dependent family benefit (prestación familiar per fill a càrrec) amounts to 10% of the individual LECS value; the researched amount for 2025 was €144.73 per child per month or €173.68 in cases of disability, but no updated amount for 2026 has been substantiated. Authorised childcare centres (guarderies) charge different prices depending on the provider and parish and may require a co-payment. Social benefits are accessed through social workers or the local assistance office (CAP) after a socioeconomic assessment. Andorra Telecom, the telecommunications provider (Andorra Telecom), charges €41 per month for fibre at 500 Mbit/s, €51 for 1 Gbit/s and €58 for 2 Gbit/s in 2026; the router costs an additional €2 per month. Mobile plans cost, for example, €8 for 3 GB, €18 for 15 GB, €28 for 50 GB with roaming and €48 for 100 GB. A prepaid card with 12 GB and 100 minutes costs €20 per month, and activating a new line costs €15. International calls and roaming should be checked separately. Leisure costs in Andorra are strongly shaped by snow and mountain sports, sport, culture, season and provider. The Andorra Pass 2026/27 costs €539 under the resident promotion and €609 at the regular price; child and senior prices depend on age and status. A return trip on the Funicamp cable car (Funicamp) costs €16 in summer 2026, or €22 with an additional 4x4 trip. State-run extracurricular sports activities cost €15 per trimester. Since no official national monthly total has been substantiated, a budget should calculate the individual cost blocks separately. Rent, heating, a private car, childcare and leisure are particularly uncertain; free bus transport can substantially reduce the basic mobility cost. A reliable estimate therefore requires a specific household profile and current values for the rental contract, energy, childcare and seasonal expenses.