Madrid authorizes school cafeteria prices for the 2026-2027 academic year

The Regional Ministry of Education, Science and Universities of the Community of Madrid has authorized the prices for the monthly food service or school canteen for the 2026-2027 academic year in indirectly managed public nursery schools. The decision is formalized in Order 3867/2026, of September 15, published in the Official Gazette of the Community of Madrid (B.O.C.M.) number 235, of October 2, 2026, within section I.C, “Other Provisions.” The monthly unit price is set at 96 euros for the majority of the 80 centers listed in the annex.

The order is based on the second article of Order 1976/2023, of June 5, from the Vice President and Regional Minister of Education and Universities, which sets the private prices for monthly food or school canteen services for the network of public Early Childhood Education centers and empowers the Regional Ministry to authorize lower prices in regional-owned centers under indirect management. In those cases, the applicable price is the one established in the public service management contract, updated according to its revision clause.

The processing corresponds to the Directorate General for Early Childhood, Primary and Special Education, in accordance with Decree 248/2023, of October 11, which establishes the organic structure of the Regional Ministry. The order was signed in Madrid on September 15, 2026, by the Technical General Secretary, Joaquín Rubio Agenjo, by delegation of the Regional Minister pursuant to Order 365/2024, of February 13.

How much the canteen will cost

The annex details the unit prices of 80 nursery schools owned by the Community of Madrid managed through a public educational service contract under the cost-financing modality. The majority rate is 96 euros per month, applied to 70 centers.

The exceptions are:

• Arce (Madrid) and Bosque, El (Humanes de Madrid): 88.00 euros.
• Aserrín Aserrán (Las Rozas de Madrid): 75.76 euros, the lowest price in the annex.
• Caracol-col-col (Ciempozuelos): 88.56 euros.
• Rayuela (Madrid): 89.00 euros.
• Arte (Getafe) and Piruetas (Madrid): 92.00 and 92.50 euros.
• Columpio, El (Loeches): 95.00 euros; Rocío Dúrcal (Madrid): 95.52 euros; Roble, El (Valdemoro): 95.90 euros.

Affected centers and price revision

In the 2026-2027 academic year, the Community of Madrid owns 140 specific Early Childhood Education centers: 3 Children’s Houses (Casas de Niños) and 137 Nursery Schools. Of the latter, 57 are directly managed and 80 are managed through public service contracts under the non-module modality, with monthly cost prices that include schooling, extended hours, and the canteen.

The update responds to the provisions of the Particular Administrative Clauses Document and the corresponding contract. The centers in the annex are distributed across municipalities such as Madrid, Parla, Alcorcón, Fuenlabrada, Getafe, Leganés, Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Alcobendas, Pinto, or Valdemoro, among others.

Scholarships and other orders from the same day

The authorization is understood without prejudice to the school dining hall scholarships provided for in the third article of Order 1976/2023, of June 5. On that same day, the B.O.C.M. publishes Order 3866/2026, of September 15, which updates the schooling and extended hours prices for indirectly managed nursery schools for the same school year.

The price of the dining hall affects the monthly expenditure of families with children from 0 to 3 years old enrolled in the indirectly managed public network, who face the annual review of a rate that remains at 96 euros in most centers. The order establishes the economic framework of the service for the entire course and refers to dining hall scholarships as a means of relief for lower-income households.

Source: Official Gazette of the Community of Madrid (B.O.C.M.), no. 235, October 2, 2026, section I.C “Other Provisions”, pp. 128-130 (official reference: BOCM-20261002-28).