School costs soar to €500 per child and drive the second-hand boom

According to the OCU, families will have to allocate an average of 500 euros per child for school supplies alone, an expense that has risen by 18% since 2022.

Against this backdrop, more and more households are turning to second-hand buying and selling platforms to reduce costs. The data confirm this: in Catalonia, searches for used books have surged by 96% this summer, with particular interest in ESO and Bachillerato textbooks. Demand is also growing for uniforms, backpacks and stationery.

The increase in prices is widespread: books cost 13% more, drawing materials 17% more and children’s clothing 11% more than last year. By contrast, on the second-hand market textbooks cost around 17 euros and a full uniform can be obtained for around 40.

Beyond the savings, families value giving products a second life, recovering part of their investment or simply freeing up space at home. According to Milanuncios, 7 out of 10 users buy or sell for sustainability reasons.

The Government will try to ease the burden with 1.5 million 30-euro vouchers, although total spending may range from 1,200 to 8,200 euros per pupil depending on the type of school.