The average disbursement that Spanish households allocate to transportation has increased by almost 900 euros in the last decade, rising from 3,158 euros in 2015 to 4,020 euros in 2025, although its weight within the family budget remains anchored at 11.5%.
This is derived from a report by EAE Business School, which places "mobility poverty" among the main consequences of inequalities in access to transportation.
This phenomenon appears when the cost of traveling becomes an excessive burden, but also when a person cannot make the necessary trips and is forced to cut back on movements or to give up certain opportunities. Therefore, lower spending on transportation does not necessarily imply lower vulnerability.
The place of residence, the study released this Thursday emphasizes, is one of the elements that most condition this reality.
In 2025, the car consolidated itself as the main means of transportation for 73.5% of those living in municipalities with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants, compared to 29.6% in larger towns.
The situation is reversed in the case of public transportation, which was the main means for 48.8% of residents in the most populated municipalities, compared to just 10.9% in smaller centers.
In this framework, EAE Business School proposes a dual mobility model: large urban areas with several transportation options and peripheral or rural areas where the car becomes almost essential.
In these environments, the report points out, cutting transportation spending can also translate into fewer trips and less access to job, educational, or service opportunities.
According to the analysis, this situation particularly impacts employment: a poor connection can make a job financially unreachable, even when the salary is attractive. Thus, the effect of mobility does not depend only on income level, but also on distance and available transportation alternatives.
The document also relates housing and mobility. It concludes that opting for a cheaper but distant home from employment hubs can imply a higher cost in travel, so that part of the savings on rent or mortgage ends up being transferred to the transportation budget.
Beyond its effect on household economies, the cost of transportation also impacts the entire productive fabric. Spain maintains a high dependence on road transport for goods, with 272,000 million ton-kilometers and around 15% of the total in the European Union.
Transportation is not only part of the CPI, but it also conditions the final price of numerous goods and services. In light of this scenario, the report advocates for expanding and improving mobility alternatives, especially for those with lower incomes, who travel longer distances and depend more on the car.