Well, salt is common, as is pepper. But the latter tends to be expensive.
Good spices to have are: chili, garlic, salt, cumin, turmeric, paprika. Those blend well in many proportion, and are sure to give your meals bright colors, especially turmeric and paprika.
Good herbs: coriander (cilantro), basil, thyme, oregano. You only need small amounts of them, and they taste divine in soups.