ATM card and credit cards. Make sure to notify your bank in advance that you will be using them abroad.
100€ in cash. This will get you through your first few days - you can get this from your local bank or at the airport.
Card and bank information. It's important to have all of your card information and the phone numbers you may need to call in the event that you need to cancel a card (should they get lost or stolen) written down or in a safe place.
You can see 3 budgeting breakdowns here - please note that all of these amounts are estimated costs, as the real numbers can vary based on individual spending habits and exchange rates. This is a good exercise for you to create a budget for yourself for your stay in Barcelona.
Frugal Frankie enjoys his experience in Barcelona but looks for ways to save money. He participates in program activities, finds free activities, gets creative with entertainment, and doesn’t eat out too much.
Average Alex enjoys Barcelona through the program activities, but also decides to pay for other activities, eats out a little more often, and travels outside of Barcelona more often.
Extravagant Ellis doesn’t worry at all about spending and ends up paying much more for her time abroad by going to Starbucks vs. a local café, traveling outside of Barcelona every weekend, and always taking taxis instead of public transportation.
For more information on Banking & Money in Spain, click here.
Have you thought about if you are going to bring your U.S. phone to Barcelona? Are you going to get an international plan or purchase a Spanish SIM Card? Do you want to know more about phone plans in Spain? Click here for more info!
Receiving mail in Spain is not as easy as in some other countries, and for this reason, we recommend not sending anything from your home country. Everything you will need during your stay you can either bring in your luggage or purchase it once in Spain. However, if your parents or friends want to send you a letter or package, please make sure you read our BSG page on Mail.