In this work manganese cobalt spinel (MnCo₂O₄) coatings were deposited on steel substrates by spray pyrolysis at 390 °C. This is at much lower temperatures than previously reported (typically in excess of 900 °C). It was possible to produce coatings with well controlled thickness (2-5-10 μm). The as-deposited coatings were evaluated for their microstructural changes and electrical conductivity up to 800 °C. Results confirm the formation of a single phase spinel with high density and electrical conductivity. Based on the obtained results, it might be concluded that spray pyrolysis is a very promising method to develop protective coatings for steel substrates at low temperatures overcoming limitations of many other methods.