How do you say “Pay through the nose” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is pagar un ojo de la cara, which literally means “to pay an eye from the face”. English speakers use pay through the nose to mean to pay much more than something should cost. A familiar Spanish idiom for paying a very large amount. It often carries the same complaint as the English. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
pagar un ojo de la cara
/paˈɣaɾ un ˈoxo ðe la ˈkaɾa/
- Literal meaning
- “to pay an eye from the face”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
96 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
Spanish gives up an eye where English pays through a nose. Both are exaggerated images of a purchase that feels painfully expensive.
You can also make the item the subject: “La habitación costó un ojo de la cara.” That means the room cost a fortune.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
We paid through the nose for a tiny room near the station.
Spanish
Pagamos un ojo de la cara por una habitación diminuta cerca de la estación.
English
You will pay through the nose if you buy the tickets at the last minute.
Spanish
Pagarás un ojo de la cara si compras las entradas a última hora.
Related expressions
- What “Pay through the nose” means in English
- Cost an arm and a leg, To be very expensive.
Last updated 2026-10-01