How Much Does it Cost? How to Talk About Money in Spanish

Whether you’re planning a trip to a Spanish-speaking country or trying to increase your vocabulary, learning to talk about money in Spanish is a wise decision. Having this knowledge can save you from relying on dictionaries and the help of other people. And it can help you avoid dangerous scenarios like getting swindled. After reading this article, you’ll know how to buy, pay, and exchange currencies like a native Spanish speaker.

Spanish Money-Related Vocabulary

Learning money-related Spanish vocabulary can help you safely navigate all transactions and, of course, improve your conversational skills. Below, you’ll find a table with the most essential words for talking about money in Spanish.

Depending on the country you visit, you might find some variations for these words. For example, in Argentina, they use factura to refer to a kind of popular local pastry, so it’s probably better to use words like boleta (receipt) instead.

Currencies in Spanish-Speaking Countries

While there are many Spanish-speaking countries in the world, not all share the same currency. Our currency is part of our national identity and usually tells a bit of our history. Most countries in Latin America have their own national coin, but a few have switched to American Dollars (USD) in the last decades. Even Spain, the oldest Spanish-speaking country, switched from the peseta to the euro in 2002. 

To ensure you are prepared for your travels to a Spanish-speaking country, you can take a look at this table of currencies.

*Note that while several Spanish-speaking countries use pesos, they all have their own national version of the coin. For example, you can’t use Argentinian Pesos in Chile or vice-versa.

Money-Related Verbs

Verbs are an essential part of communication in every language. But, when we’re talking about money, you might see common verbs used differently. For example, the verb cambiar translates to “to change,” but in a money-related context, it refers to exchanging currencies. Here are some more Spanish verbs you’ll need to talk about money like a native speaker.

How Much? Different Ways to Ask for Prices in Spanish

If you want to navigate the day-to-day in a Spanish-speaking country, you need to be able to ask about prices. In some places, like supermarkets and convenience stores, you’ll be able to find price tags without having to interact much. But, if you want to visit a market, take a tour of the countryside, or even ride a taxi, you’ll need this skill. 

Let’s take a look at some common ways to ask how much something costs in Spanish.

• ¿Cuánto cuesta? / How much does it cost?
• ¿Cuánto vale? / What’s its value?
• ¿Cuánto está? / How much is it?
• ¿A cuánto está? / How much is it?
• ¿Cuánto es? / How much?
• ¿Cuánto le debo? / How much do I owe you?
• ¿Qué precio tiene? / What’s its price?
• ¿Cuánto me cobra? / How much will you charge me?

How to Say Prices in Spanish

Luckily, learning how to say prices in Spanish is fairly easy once you’re familiar with the verb costar. To help you understand how to talk about prices, I’m going to use American dollars in my examples. But, keep in mind that you should always make sure that you have the right currency at hand. In some countries (like Chile) it can be hard to find places that accept American dollars as a form of payment, so make sure to do some research beforehand. 

To say how much something costs, you can start your sentence with “Cuesta…” and add the price in dollars. Let’s see some straightforward replies to reply to ¿Cuánto cuesta?

• Cuesta doce dólares. / It costs twelve dollars.
• Cuesta tres dólares cincuenta. / It costs three dollars and fifty (cents).
• Cuesta cuarenta y dos dólares y veinte centavos. / It costs forty-two dollars and twenty cents.

If you want to point out the price of an item, you can start with, “Eso cuesta…” or “Ese (item) cuesta…” instead. Note that the demonstrative pronoun ese must match the gender of the following noun. Make sure to check other Spanish grammar resources to find out how to build your sentences correctly. Let’s see some examples of how you can talk about prices in Spanish.

• Esa cartera cuesta cien dólares. / That bag costs one hundred dollars. 
• Puede agrandar su orden, pero eso cuesta cinco dólares más. / You can enlarge your order, but that costs five dollars more.
• Ese recorrido cuesta veintitres dólares. / That tour costs twenty-three dollars.

A more informal way to reply to “¿Cuánto está?” is to start your sentence with the verb estar. In this case, you would say, “está en….” Here are some examples of how you can use estar to say how much something costs.

• Está en diez dólares. / It’s ten dollars.
• Está en once dólares y cuarenta centavos. / It’s at eleven dollars and forty cents.
• Ese sombrero está en tres dólares. / That hat is three dollars.
• Esa camisa está en cincuenta y nueve dólares. / That shirt is fifty-nine dollars.

Spanish Money Idioms

Knowing the idioms Spanish speakers use to talk about money can help you seem less like a tourist (this is a great way to avoid getting scammed). These are some Spanish idioms you can use when talking about money.

Ahorrar para las vacas flacas

This phrase literally translates as “to save money for skinny cows” and it’s commonly used to advise others to save some of their money for times when income will be low. Often, this phrase serves as a warning.

Guardar pan para Mayo

“To save bread for May” is another idiom that Spanish speakers use to tell people that they should always save some money. It’s usually applied in a more light-hearted tone than as a warning.

Sacarse un ojo de la cara

This phrase translates to “take an eye out of your face” and we use it to express that something is extremely expensive.

Vender un brazo y una pierna

Similar to the English version, the idiom “to sell an arm and a leg” is a common way to point out that something is too expensive.

Nacer en cuna de oro

In Spanish, we use the phrase “to be born in a cradle made of gold” to say that someone comes from an affluent background.

Vender como pan caliente

This phrase literally translates to “sell like hot bread” and we use it to say that a business is successful. It’s implied that the business is quickly making a lot of money.

Ganarse el premio mayor

“To win the major prize” is an idiom most often used to say that someone got the best outcome in a situation. In a money context, this phrase can be applied to express that someone suddenly came into a lot of money (like winning the lottery).

Learn Spanish with Langoly!

The best way to ensure you can understand Spanish is to practice speaking with a native speaker. Luckily, there are many other ways to learn Spanish. If you like interactive exercises, apps can quickly increase your vocabulary. On the other hand, textbooks tackle complicated grammar topics with extensive explanations and hundreds of examples. But, if you’d rather practice listening to spoken language, listening to a podcast can also help develop your pronunciation. 

Or, if you prefer to follow a lesson plan, an online course is a better option. We created the Siempre Spanish course to teach you to speak the language naturally. Instead of learning random phrases, you study with native Spanish speakers and learn to use your Spanish knowledge in different contexts.

If you’d like to learn more about paying and tipping in Spanish, listen to this episode of the Siempre Spanish podcast.