The holidays are not over yet, but many Aragonese families already have their sights set on September. Backpacks, school supplies, uniforms or the first preparations to return to the classroom are beginning to enter the shopping list. And the outlay changes considerably depending on the school chosen: more than 1,100 euros separate the cost of going back to school in a public school and a private one in Aragón.
This is the conclusion of the study carried out by the Spanish Association of Consumers, carried out through surveys of parents and a direct analysis of prices in establishments. Their estimates place the minimum back-to-school expenditure in Aragon at 610 euros per student in public schools, 752 euros in state-subsidised schools and 1,790 euros in private schools. The difference between the two extremes thus reaches 1,180 euros. Compared to the set of Spain, Aragon is below the average in public schools (635 euros nationwide) and in private schools (1,849 euros), while it exceeds the estimate of state-subsidised schools, which stands at 733 euros.
UNIFORM, DINING ROOM AND TUITION: THE EXPENSES THAT MAKE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL THE MOST EXPENSIVE
The beginning of the school year brings with it numerous expenses that end up fattening the September bill. The uniform can cost between 210 and 295 euros, depending on the type of center: the estimate collected by the association is 210 euros in the public, 228 in the subsidized and 295 in the private.
The canteen also weighs on the family budget, with an estimated expenditure of 95 euros in public education, 160 in state-subsidized education and 190 in private education. To this is added transport, with between 100 and 140 euros, while school supplies represent between 130 and 210 euros. The report also contemplates another 100 euros for different disbursements related to the beginning of the course.
One of the main differences appears in private schools. In them, the tuition fee is 556 euros, while books add another 358 euros to the bill. These are two items that help explain the wide gap between the outlay faced by families depending on whether their children study in a public, state-subsidized or private school.
Faced with these expenses, the Spanish Association of Consumers recommends planning purchases, comparing prices between establishments and avoiding buying all the material in a single store. It also advises buying in advance to avoid availability problems, keep your tickets and check the exchange and return policies. The organization also recalls the possibility of reusing material from previous courses whenever possible, a measure that reduces the outlay and encourages responsible consumption among minors.
