# Rising school supply costs in Southern Europe

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/rising-school-supply-costs-in-southern-europe
> Updated: 2026-08-23T05:15:43.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

Families in Greece and Spain are experiencing financial pressure due to the rising costs of school supplies and textbooks for the upcoming academic year.

In Greece, essential items such as school bags, lunch boxes, water bottles, and stationery are contributing to heavy impacts on household budgets. For instance, school bags typically cost at least 30 euros, while various types of notebooks and pencil cases add to the cumulative expense.

In Spain, the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) estimates that average expenditure per child has reached approximately 500 euros, a trend driven largely by the increased cost of paper. To manage these budgets, some families are staggering their purchases across different months. The cost of textbooks has also risen significantly, with secondary and high school students facing costs between 400 and 450 euros. As a result, the second-hand market has become a notable competitor for traditional bookstores as families seek to mitigate expenses.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-23: Rising school supply costs force Spanish families to stagger spending

Rising costs for school supplies and textbooks in Spain are forcing families to stagger purchases and seek second-hand options to manage expenses that can reach 500 euros per child.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/rising-school-supply-costs-force-spanish-families-to-stagger-spending

### 2026-08-22: Greece school supply costs increase for families

Greek families face rising costs for essential school supplies, with most basic items like bags, lunch boxes, and notebooks placing a significant burden on household budgets.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/greece-school-supply-costs-increase-for-families

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Cite as: Rising school supply costs in Southern Europe. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/rising-school-supply-costs-in-southern-europe