Can you deduct your own meals when travelling for work (dietas)?
Reasonable subsistence on genuine business trips
Your own meals are allowable when travelling for business outside your normal working pattern — a client visit in another city, an overnight stay. Everyday lunches near your usual base are personal.
Dietas with strict conditions — up to €26.67/day domestic
Autónomos can deduct their own meal costs on working days away, up to €26.67 per day in Spain without an overnight stay (€53.34 with one; higher abroad) — but only if the meal is in a hospitality establishment, paid electronically, and tied to a justifiable working displacement. Cash payments kill the deduction.
If you file in both countries
Both systems allow travel meals but define the boundaries differently, and Spain's electronic-payment rule is absolute. Pay by card everywhere and the same receipt satisfies both sides.
Evidence to keep
- ✓Restaurant factura or receipt, paid by card — never cash for Spanish dietas
- ✓Something that evidences the trip: client meeting invite, ticket, or calendar entry
Frequently asked questions
Can I deduct my lunch when working from my usual coworking space?
No — in both countries, everyday meals near your normal base are personal costs. The deduction is for displacement, not routine.
Why was my cash-paid meal rejected in Spain?
The dietas rules require electronic payment as a hard condition. A cash meal fails even if everything else about the trip is legitimate.
Catalejo provides software for organizing tax records and producing estimates. We are not registered tax advisors; rules change and individual circumstances differ. Treat this page as general information and confirm your own case with a gestor or accountant before filing.