Managing your money in Murcia

1. Tips and advice for living in or travelling around Murcia
2. Managing your money in Murcia
3. How to get to Murcia
4. Neighbourhoods in Murcia
5. Accommodation in Murcia
6. Food and restaurants in Murcia
7. Nights out in Murcia
8. Transport in Murcia
9. What to see and do in Murcia
10. Trips and days out in Murcia
11. Parties and festivals in Murcia
12. What are you looking for in Murcia?
13. Visiting Murcia for 2 days

The cost of living in Murcia

When it comes to travelling, it is important to keep tabs on how much money we are going to spend and on what we are going to spend it. To do so, you will need a budget, which you can figure out once you know what life is like in Murcia and what the prices are like that so that you don't spend more than you can afford.

In comparison to other Spanish cities, Murcia has really affordable prices. With a budget of around 400-450 € you can easily get by for a month. With this budget, you will be able to cover the rent, any bills that are not included such as light, water and internet, food, and nights out you want to go on; the latter depending on the type of person you are.

If you've been thinking about using the urban transport a lot, then it will be best if you are well informed about the different passes and discounts that the transport offices offer in Murcia so that you are not just throwing money away.

On the other hand, if you worry about how much money you need to save to be able to go on nights out, don't! You definitely won't have to sell a kidney. Murcia, as one of the most acclaimed student cities, has really low prices and offers that you have to see to believe. In the bars of central Murcia, which are also known as "las tascas", you will get two bottles of beer for one euro, or litre bottles to share with your friends on the terraces. It's crazy! You'll definitely want to get caught up in the amazing atmosphere that you will find in the streets and bars.

Also, going out for dinner or just eating out in general, doesn't cost much time or effort, there are bars and restaurants to eat everywhere that will cost you less than ten euros. Murcia is a city that adapts to suit anyone and everyone's economic situation, if you want to spend, you can, but if you prefer to save so that you can treat yourself every so often, you won't have any trouble with that either.

How to save in Murcia

Promotions and discounts for students

Being a student in Murcia gives you loads of advantages, especially when it comes to spending money. By showing your ESN card ESN, you will be able to enjoy a variety of promotions and discounts at a wide range of shops and websites which are designed specifically to help students, some of which you can see here:

*This offer only applies to flights that take place between the 1st of September and the 15th of June. To be able to benefit from these offers, you have to book your tickets a minimum of 28 days before the date of the flight.

If you're a student at the University of Murcia, you will be interested to know that you have access to numerous other discounts thanks to the agreements that the university has made with certain businesses. To be able to use these discounts, you just have to have your university card on you or install the university app "appTUI" on your phone. These are just some of the discounts that you can choose from:

*Prices vary depending on the cinema, and on which day of the week it is, if it is Wednesday, it's the cheapest day (4,50 €) and if it's a holiday or a weekend, it will be more expensive.

Also, you will find discounts for students for the different modes of transport in Murcia. Whether you take the bus or the tram, there are student discounts available from which you will save more money than you can imagine, click here for more information. Alternatively, if you prefer to get yourself around the city, MuyBici offers a public bike service from which you can get 25% off.

Sales

Who doesn't like to treat themselves every once in a while? And who doesn't like to get all the best discounts? For students as well as tourists, catching the sales in Spain is almost like a dream come true; all of the shops offer discounts up to 70-90%. You will know straight away if there are sales on because, without realising, you will find yourself lost in a sea of the legendary red plastic bags from El Corte Inglés, week after week.

In general, the sales are on at the following times of year:

• Winter: from the 7th of January until the end of March

• Summer: from the 1st of July until the end of September

Saying that, it is important that you know that the sales are not only in shops, they are also available on the online shops, so take advantage and make the most of the offers.

It's almost as if they planned to put the sales on at times that coincide with university semesters. It doesn't matter if you arrive in January or in September, the sales will help you stay within your spending budget regardless of whether or not you go shopping.

Controlling your spending

Making a budget for all the expenses that you will have each month, means that you will be able to know exactly how much money you have left over to treat yourself, go out to party or even just to cover any unexpected payments you will have to make. To do so, you could make a note of everything you spent money on in a little notebook so that you can keep track.

There are many ways to save: you can do a weekly shop at the cheaper supermarkets (so don't go to the supermarket at El Corte Inglés or to a Carrefour Express); you can buy white labelled products, which are always cheaper; or, you can limit the amount of times you go to eat out.

The good thing about being an exchange student in Murcia, is the huge amount of discounts and promotions that are available to you. For example if you want to go out to eat, you could choose a place such as El Jardín de los Dragones or UDON, as both offer a 10% discount for students from Monday to Friday. Equally, if you have plans to hang out with your friends but you don't want to spend a lot of money, you could visit the american bakery, Socolá, where they offer a 10% discount on breakfasts every day (except Mondays).

Vouchers and discounts

• Save on transport

As it is such a bustling city, you will need some way of getting around it quickly that doesn't break the budget. For this, and to encourage public transport, buses, trams, and bicycles, there are many different types of voucher that can be used when you most need them.

With these vouchers, you will be able to save and not throw money away, so don't hesitate and get yourself to the nearest transport office in Murcia to get more information. You can find more information about this here.

• Save on culture

As well as transport passes, there is also a cultural pass that will help you get the most out of your money whilst you enjoy the true Murcian culture.

If you plan to come and spend a few days in Murcia, the Town Hall tourist card can help you get to know the main tourist attractions easily and at a fair price. In order to get the card, you can choose the amount of time based on the dates of your trip, whether it be 24, 48 or 72 hours; you will have the freedom to plan your time in a way that best suits you.

If you decide to buy the card and you do it far enough in advance, you will save both time and money. If you buy it online, you will not only get 5% additional discount, but you also wont have the hassle of having to decide which one you want when you get to Murcia. Equally, you could just buy one of these cards at the Tourism office at the 'Plaza Cardenal Belluga' (the same place where you have to collect any purchases that you payed for online).

With it, you will be able to access the following sites for free: University of Murcia Aquarium, Cathedral Museum, The Cathedral Tower, The science and water Museum, The Salzillo Museum, and The Real Casino of Murcia.

In addition to this, you will also get discounts if you go to any of these places: The Víctor Villegas Auditorium and Congress centre, El Tío de la Barca, Terra Natura park, Teatro Circo, Murcia, and The Julian Romea Theatre.

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