housing puts the rhythm of an economy on pause

While energy And telecommunications – the expenses that everyone must bear – will remain stable, even if with certain recoveries, the real drama will come for those looking for a roof. Likewise, food has a complicated perspective. After 2025, where eggs or beef saw double-digit increases, the situation could be similar next year if, again, unfavorable circumstances occur.

Housing: the main price problem

Housing will once again be one of the hot topics in 2026 and once again, it will be the high prices and scarcity of products that will characterize the market. Industry experts consulted by ABC predict an increase of around 10% for new homes and 8% for second-hand homes.

For whom there is also no great hope, it is for the tenants, who will have to face more expensive rents in a year which will be marked by “the great revision” due to the expiration of the more than 300,000 rental contracts signed after the worst of Covid.

Transport: a year of respite for the wallet

For travel, underlines the extension of bonuses of public transport for the entire year 2026, but with an important novelty: from January 1, the Government will continue to finance 20% of transport subscriptions and multi-journey tickets, but it will no longer be obligatory for autonomous communities and municipalities to contribute the same amount (an additional 20%) to be able to benefit from the aid.

There are also new developments in Cercanías, where the Cronos system valid for direct payment by credit card at the turnstiles will be activated without the need for physical payment. Under this scheme, a 40% discount will be offered from the fifth trip.

Energy: conditioned by power outage

In the energy sector, the electricity bill will have a slight increase since the fixed part, charges and tolls, will experience an increase. Regarding the cost of electricity, the price will be marked by the “enhanced mode” with which Red Eléctrica works and which results in higher costs.

Good will come with gas. The tariff of last resort (TUR) for individual gas without taxes will be reduced by 8.7% from January 1, 2026, compared to the price established on October 1, due to the lower cost of the raw material and despite the fact that it incorporates seasonal gas from the revision formula, as happens every winter.

Regarding the essenceshould maintain prices like this year, as long as oil contains its costs. In 2025, they remained stable and there were no major shocks for drivers, even if everything is linked to the evolution of crude oil and the geopolitical tensions experienced in the world.

Telecos: small upward adjustments

Internet services will be more expensive. Movistar will increase its convergent prices (those which combine different services such as mobile, landline, fiber and television) by around 4% on average from January 13.

The prices of Vodafone Spain They will increase, on average, by around 2.5 euros per month (VAT included) from January 8, 2026 due to the “significant increase” in network, technology and content costs.

Orange will increase its prices from January 12 by 3.8% on average, depending on the type of package. The company justifies the price increase by the increase in the cost of content and services, while emphasizing that customers will be able to benefit from additional services.

Tolls: New annual increase

Concerning tolls, the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility has decided to modernize the state highways under administrative concession for 2026. Thus, from this year, Rates will increase between 3.64% and 4.68%depending on the specific conditions of each concession. Likewise, the current free route on national roads is maintained between midnight and six in the morning, every day of the year.