IKEA or PAKS? We ran the numbers.
"Just buy it from IKEA" is the obvious answer. So we priced every single item in the Complete Essential pak at IKEA Spain and Amazon Spain, added real delivery costs, and compared. Here's what we found.
IKEA + Amazon (no Prime)
354€
to build the Complete Essential kit yourself
PAKS Complete Essential
200€
delivered to your flat before you land
You save 154€ — that's 43% less
The item-by-item breakdown
We priced the exact equivalent of every item in the PAKS Complete Essential kit at IKEA Spain (upper limit, online delivery) and Amazon Spain (no Prime subscription). All prices as of June 2026.
| Item | IKEA / Amazon |
|---|---|
| HEMKOMST cookware set, 7 pcs (pots + pan) ikea.com/es | 84.99€ |
| Cutting board + colander APTITLIG + BLANDA | 13.00€ |
| GODMIDDAG tableware, 18 pcs (plates, bowls) Minimum set available | 24.99€ |
| SVALKA glasses 6-pack minimum | 4.99€ |
| DRAGON cutlery set, 20 pcs Minimum set available | 19.99€ |
| Kitchen tools (spatula, spoons, scissors, etc.) Multiple items | 15.00€ |
| Food storage containers ×3 IKEA 365+ glass | 9.00€ |
| Kitchen linens (sponge, mitt, towel) Multiple items | 8.00€ |
| Duvet — edredón 90 cm SANDGRÄSMAL / similar | 25.00€ |
| Pillow 90 cm Amazon, upper limit | 13.00€ |
| Sheets (bajera, encimera, duvet cover, pillowcase) ULLVIDE range | 53.00€ |
| Towels ×3 (bath, hand, face) VÅGSJÖN 6-pack | 18.99€ |
| Bath mat TOFTBO | 6.99€ |
| Loofah Not sold at IKEA — separate shop | 2.00€ |
| Hangers ×10 BUMERANG 8-pack | 3.00€ |
| Power strip + USB (not sold at IKEA) Amazon separate order | 12.00€ |
| Travel adapter (not sold at IKEA) Amazon separate order | 12.00€ |
| IKEA home delivery, Madrid Standard rate | 19.90€ |
| Amazon shipping — 2 orders, no Prime 3.90€ × 2 | 7.80€ |
| Total | 353.64€ |
| PAKS Complete Essential Delivered before your arrival date. Sized for Spanish beds. | 200€ |
Prices use the upper limit of ranges found on ikea.com/es and amazon.es in June 2026. IKEA delivery rate: 19.90€ (standard Madrid). Amazon shipping: 3.90€ per order without Prime.
By individual pak
If you only need one category, here's how each pak stacks up against building it yourself from IKEA online with delivery included.
IKEA HEMKOMST + tableware + tools + delivery
IKEA sheets + duvet + pillow + delivery
IKEA VÅGSJÖN + bath mat + delivery
Full kit, all of the above
The costs the numbers don't show
- The IKEA trip. The nearest IKEA stores to central Madrid are in La Vaguada, Vallecas, and San Sebastián de los Reyes — 30–45 min away. A taxi each way is 15–20€. Add that and you're looking at an extra 30–40€ on top of the delivery cost.
- Multiple Amazon orders. To build the full kit you'd need to place 8–10 separate orders across different sellers. Each one is a different delivery window, a different return process, and another decision while you're jet-lagged and trying to figure out how the metro works.
- IKEA sells in minimum quantities. You need 2 plates. IKEA sells a set of 18. You need 2 cutlery sets. IKEA sells 20. You end up paying for far more than you need.
- Nothing arrives before you do. Even with Amazon Prime (99€/year), you can't reliably time delivery to beat an international flight. PAKS guarantees delivery before your arrival date — or your money back.
- Bed sizes you don't know yet. Spanish single beds are 90 or 105 cm wide. IKEA sells sheets for both, but you won't know which size your mattress is until you arrive. Buy wrong and you're back in the shop. Every PAKS bedding kit is pre-sized for Spanish student flat dimensions.
Side by side
| PAKS | IKEA | Amazon | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free delivery included | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ (Prime) |
| Arrives before you land | ✓ | ✕ | ~ |
| Sized for Spanish beds | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| One order, one delivery | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
| No trip to the store | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| No minimum set size (buy only what you need) | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Curated for student move-ins | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |