For less than 3 months, you will not need to open a bank account. Opening a bank account in Spain can be tricky, so plan to use your credit card and ATM card from home.
You can always pay in cash, but most restaurants and stores accept credit/debit cards.
Call your credit card company and bank in advance to let them know you are traveling abroad. You don’t want to have your card blocked for suspicious transactions!
You can go to any ATM to take out cash. Check with your local bank if there are any agreements with Spanish banks to avoid high transaction fees. Make sure you know your 4-digit PIN!
Some credit cards have no international fees! (Capital One, Bank of America Travel Rewards, Triple AAA Visa)
Always select to pay in Euros, your bank gives a better conversion rate. If you link your card to Google Pay or Apple Pay, you don’t need to sign or enter a pin – saves some time.
Go to the little local stores for fruits, vegetables, and meats. The quality is very high and the prices are lower. There are also many discount supermarkets (Día, Mercadona, Carrefour).
