New (October 2026): prices by type of car · cheapest cars to lease · electric car leasing · SUV leasing · van leasing for the self-employed.
Updated 20 September 2026 · Methodology at the end · Data free to cite with attribution to suizgorent.com
Owning a €12,000 used car in Spain costs about €1,161 a year before you drive it — 4 % transfer tax, a €55.70 DGT fee, €80–€180 of road tax, €40–€52 per ITV and €400–€800 of insurance — plus depreciation, which works out at roughly €228/month over three years. A new car on a lease starts at €230/month and has a median of €575/month, with all of those costs inside the payment and no resale risk.
Three years of a used car against three years of a lease (20 September 2026)
| Cost item | Buy a €12,000 used car | Lease at the index median | Lease at the cheapest in the index |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purchase price or deposit | €12,000 | €0 | €0 |
| Transfer tax (ITP, 4 % in Andalucía) | €480 | €0 | €0 |
| DGT transfer fee | €55.70 | €0 | €0 |
| Road tax (IVTM), 3 years | €390 | Included | Included |
| ITV inspections, 3 years | €92 | Included | Included |
| Comprehensive insurance, 3 years | €1,800 | Included | Included |
| Servicing and tyres, 3 years | €1,200 | Included | Included |
| Depreciation over 3 years | €4,200 | Not yours | Not yours |
| Monthly payments, 36 months | €0 | €20,700 | €8,280 |
| Three-year total (excluding the purchase price you get back on resale) | €8,218 | €20,700 | €8,280 |
| Cost per month | €228/month | €575/month | €230/month |
Ownership rates published for 2026: ITP at 4 % of fiscal value in Andalucía (regional rates differ), DGT transfer fee €55.70, IVTM €80–€180 a year by municipality, ITV €40–€52 per inspection, comprehensive insurance €400–€800 a year. Depreciation assumed at 35 % of a €12,000 car over three years. Lease figures from the SUIZGORENT index, VAT included.
What the comparison really says
Every expat guide compares a lease payment with a car purchase price, which is the wrong comparison: it ignores the five Spanish costs a lease absorbs. Add them up on a €12,000 used car and ownership carries about €1,161 a year before a single kilometre, plus depreciation — roughly €228/month all in over three years. The cheapest new car in this index leases at €230/month and the median at €575/month. So a used car still wins on pure cash if you are happy with a used car; what a lease buys is a new car, fixed costs and no resale risk, for a difference of about €347 a month against the median and €2 against the cheapest lease.
The 25 leases that get closest to the cost of owning a used car
| Model | Fuel | Term (months) | Km/year | From | Up to | 48-month total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Ibiza | Petrol | 60 | 10,000 | €230/month | €353/month | €11,040 |
| Citroën C3 | Diesel | — | — | €234/month | €408/month | €11,232 |
| Skoda Kamiq | Petrol | 60 | 10,000 | €234/month | €506/month | €11,232 |
| Kia Stonic | Petrol | 36 | 10,000 | €240/month | €395/month | €11,520 |
| Kia Picanto | Petrol | 24 | 10,000 | €241/month | €459/month | €11,568 |
| Ford Transit Courier | Diesel | — | — | €247/month | €596/month | €11,856 |
| Citroën Ami | Electric | 60 | 10,000 | €258/month | €259/month | €12,384 |
| Dacia Sandero | — | — | — | €262/month | €344/month | €12,576 |
| Skoda Fabia | Petrol | — | — | €265/month | €519/month | €12,720 |
| Opel Corsa | — | — | — | €271/month | €358/month | €13,008 |
| Citroën C4 | Diesel | — | — | €272/month | €456/month | €13,056 |
| Peugeot 208 | — | — | — | €273/month | €478/month | €13,104 |
| Kia Niro | Hybrid | 36 | 10,000 | €277/month | €626/month | €13,296 |
| Hyundai i10 | Petrol | 24 | 12,000 | €279/month | €332/month | €13,392 |
| Peugeot 2008 | Diesel | — | — | €279/month | €445/month | €13,392 |
| Volkswagen Polo | — | — | — | €279/month | €586/month | €13,392 |
| Citroën C3 Aircross | Diesel | — | — | €281/month | €555/month | €13,488 |
| Seat Arona | — | — | — | €281/month | €497/month | €13,488 |
| Hyundai i20 | Petrol | — | — | €282/month | €359/month | €13,536 |
| Fiat 500 | — | — | — | €285/month | €388/month | €13,680 |
| Fiat Topolino | Electric | — | — | €289/month | €299/month | €13,872 |
| MG 3 | — | — | — | €290/month | €628/month | €13,920 |
| Nissan Micra | Petrol | 24 | 10,000 | €291/month | €580/month | €13,968 |
| Volkswagen Taigo | Petrol | 60 | 10,000 | €292/month | €500/month | €14,016 |
| Ford Puma | Hybrid | — | — | €294/month | €477/month | €14,112 |
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Quick answers with numbers
How long do I need to stay for buying to make sense?
On these numbers a used car is cheaper in pure cash from the first year — about €228/month against a lease median of €575/month — but it is a used car, with repair risk, resale risk and your capital tied up. The lease comparison gets genuinely close at the bottom of the market, where the cheapest quotes are €230/month. Under two years, the paperwork and resale hassle of buying usually decide it.
Can I keep my UK or other foreign car in Spain?
Only for a limited period. Once resident, a foreign-plated car has to be re-registered in Spain, which triggers registration tax and conformity checks and is often slower and dearer than expected. Non-residents may drive a foreign-registered car here temporarily. Check the current DGT rules for your case.
Is a used car in Spain really that expensive?
Expat forums say so consistently, and the structural reason is that Spain never had the large fleet-discount market that floods the UK with cheap three-year-old ex-lease cars. That compresses the gap between new and used, which is why a new car at €230/month–€575/month competes here in a way it would not in Britain.
What if I am self-employed here?
A Spanish autónomo can normally deduct 50 % of the VAT on a renting payment; 100 % is presumed only for specific activities such as goods or passenger transport, driving instruction, commercial agents and security services. Deducting the payment against income tax requires proving exclusive business use, which the Spanish tax authority interprets strictly. Take advice before relying on it.
Methodology
Every price on this page comes from the SUIZGORENT index: 4,214 live monthly payments for 391 models from 54 brands published by leasing operators and comparison sites working in Spain. All figures are monthly, for private individuals, with 21 % Spanish VAT included and no upfront payment, unless the source states otherwise; quotes published excluding VAT are converted at 21 %. Cut-off date: 20 September 2026. We do not name the operator behind an individual price. Fleet deals negotiated case by case and local dealer promotions are out of scope. Requirements and tax figures are general information, not legal or tax advice.
Free to cite and reproduce with attribution to SUIZGORENT (suizgorent.com). Permanent link: suizgorent.com/en/lease-or-buy-car-spain-expats.