Ibiza forces to earn 77% more than Menorca to live there decently

PalmaHaving a decent life in the Balearic Islands requires an income that is increasingly difficult to achieve, especially in the Pityusic Islands. The cost of housing is the main factor that increases daily expenses. According to the CCOO calculation update, a person needs 48,056.93 net euros per year to cover them in Ibiza in 2026. This means earning 4,004.74 net euros per month if the salary is received in 12 payments or 3,432.64 euros in 14. In Formentera, the amount rises to 42,084.87 euros per year, which is equivalent to 3,507.07 euros per month in 12 payments or 3,006.06 in 14. In Mallorca, the calculation is 32,559 euros per year, with a monthly income of 2,713.25 euros in 12 payments and 2,325.64 in 14. Menorca is the island where the least income is needed to cover these expenses: 27,158.63 net euros per year, that is, 2,263.22 euros per month in 12 payments or 1,939.90 in 14.

The distance between islands is notable. The budget required in Ibiza exceeds that of Mallorca by 15,497.93 euros per year and that of Menorca by 20,898.30. In percentage terms, the expenses calculated for the Pityusic island are 47.6% higher than those in Mallorca and 76.9% higher than those in Menorca.

The main expense

Housing and current expenses are the item that weighs most heavily on the budget of a citizen of our land and also explains a good part of the territorial differences. In Ibiza, this expenditure reached 34,460.72 euros annually in 2026. In Formentera it is 27,459.48 euros; in Mallorca, 19,974.82 and in Menorca, 14,986.11. The evolution in Ibiza is especially significant: in 2024 this amount was 20,779.53 euros annually, in 2025 it rose to 27,392.73 and in 2026 it reached 34,460.72 euros. This represents an increase of 13,681.19 euros in two years, 65.8%. In Formentera, housing has gone from 21,152.22 euros in 2024 to 25,370.49 in 2025 and to 27,459.48 in 2026. In Mallorca, the annual cost of housing and current expenses has increased from 14,732 euros in 2024 to 16,705.16 in 2025 and to 19,974.82 in 2026. In Menorca, on the other hand, the progression has been more moderate: from 12,636 euros in 2024 to 14,408.05 in 2025 and 14,986.11 in 2026.

The rise in housing costs is reflected in the salary necessary to live on each island with a minimum of dignity. In Ibiza it has gone from 34,585.67 euros annually in 2024 to 41,944.89 in 2025 and to 48,056.93 in 2026. In Formentera, the evolution has been from 36,850.79 euros in 2024 to 41,672.94 in 2025 and 42,084.87 in 2026. In Mallorca, the budget has grown from 27,066.43 euros in 2024 to 30,326.21 in 2025 and to 32,559 in 2026. Finally, in Menorca it went from 24,374.86 euros in 2024 to 27,258.39 in 2025, but in 2026 it registered a slight reduction, with 27,158.63 euros.

Transport, a differential factor

Regarding food and non-alcoholic beverages, the calculated expenditure for 2026 is 2,990.59 euros per year on all four islands. The figure is lower than that of 2025, when Mallorca, Menorca, and Ibiza recorded 3,204.73 euros and Formentera reached 3,724.79. In 2024, by contrast, the cost was 2,904.14 euros in Mallorca, Menorca, and Ibiza, and 3,310.72 in Formentera. For clothing and footwear, the budget is 845.67 euros per person per year in 2026, regardless of the island chosen. This amount remains above the 787.52 euros of 2024, but below the 1,065.18 calculated in 2025.

Transport is another one of the concepts in which territorial differences are most evident. Formentera leads the expenditure, with 4,672.58 euros annually, followed by Ibiza, with 3,643.40. In Mallorca the calculation is 2,631.37 euros and in Menorca, 2,219.71. In the two previous financial years, Formentera was also the island with the highest cost: 5,448.14 euros in 2024 and 5,260.64 in 2025. In Ibiza, the expenditure had been 3,962.29 euros in 2024 and 4,030.41 in 2025. Mallorca went from 2,490.58 to 2,820.68 euros, while Menorca went from 1,895.01 to 2,328.59. In the rest of the items, the amounts are the same on all four islands. Education accounts for 240.11 euros annually in 2026, compared to 258.73 in 2024 and 197.28 in 2025. For leisure, culture and communication, the budget is 1,697.38 euros, practically unchanged compared to the 1,689.15 euros in 2024 and 1,688.72 in 2025.

Expenditure on health, hygiene and personal care reaches 717.35 euros annually in 2026. This is a lower amount than the 756.54 euros in 2024, but higher than the 646.68 in 2025. Finally, extraordinary expenses are calculated at 3,461.71 euros per person on each island. In 2024 they were 3,447.77 euros in all four territories. In 2025, however, Mallorca registered 3,997.78 euros, while in Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera the amount was 3,719.16 euros.