When Roberto González opened his first Vitalfit gym in Palma de Mallorca, he was betting on more than Spain’s growing appetite for fitness. He invested €250,000 in a smaller location and has since expanded the business into a network of gyms and nutrition stores. A single center now generates up to €180,000 in monthly revenue.
González’s approach extends beyond traditional gym offerings. In Palma, he operates two gyms, with a third on the way, as well as four sports nutrition shops. Vitalfit pairs its fitness facilities with supplements and other lifestyle services. That gives the business ways to serve customers beyond monthly memberships, while bringing together the distinct demands of gym operations and retail.
Investment and Expansion
Setting up a gym in Spain can require widely varying levels of capital, depending on its location and size, as well as the equipment chosen. González cites one of his Palma gyms, spanning 1,400 square meters, as a high-end project that demanded over €1.5 million to launch. Smaller ventures are also possible: a 550-square-meter gym in Madrid, for instance, required a €250,000 investment, with about 30% coming from personal funds and the rest financed through loans or equipment leasing.
Vitalfit’s business model relies heavily on recurring monthly memberships. One of González’s gyms has more than 5,000 members, providing a large base of recurring customers. Sector figures attributed to Fundación España Activa and Deloitte put Spain’s fitness market at €3.235 billion. The sector has approximately 8.35 million users and 5,806 fitness centers. Independent operators account for 69% of centers, while chains operate 31%; trade reporting on the same data says chains account for 68% of subscribers, showing how a smaller share of facilities can attract a larger share of members.
Profitability and Monthly Returns
Depending on attendance and membership volume, González says his centers generate between €100,000 and €180,000 in monthly income. After paying taxes and covering rent and staffing, along with other expenses, net profits can reach €90,000 per month. He expects Vitalfit’s annual turnover to surpass €3 million, with further growth anticipated as new locations open.
VivaGym’s reported 2025 results offer another measure of Spain’s organized gym market. El Periódico reported revenue of €202.6 million, up from €110.5 million in 2024, while 2Playbook reported a network of 280 clubs and 649,000 members. Dividing the reported revenue by the club count gives a rough average of about €60,000 per club per month. That is a broad network-level benchmark, not a direct comparison with an individual Vitalfit location: club size and maturity vary, as do membership mix and additional sales.
González says profitability depends on maintaining a large, loyal customer base and running daily operations efficiently. Recurring memberships can make revenue more predictable. A center’s results also depend on its capacity and occupancy, as well as pricing, rent and staffing. At Vitalfit, nutrition retail adds another potential revenue stream alongside memberships, with its own inventory and operating costs.
Context and Broader Trends
The rise of fitness entrepreneurship in Spain reflects broader shifts in consumer priorities, as more people invest in health and active lifestyles. Similar changes are playing out in other sectors. Spain’s tax agency recently moved to refund billions to former mutualists, as detailed in a recent analysis of pension-related reimbursements.
For aspiring gym owners, González’s experience shows both the opportunities and challenges in the industry. Spain’s large fitness market offers room for independent operators, while the concentration of subscribers among chains points to the value of scale and customer retention. Building a sustainable business requires large upfront investment and careful financial planning, alongside consistent service.
