Moving to Spain: everything you need to know about living in the country

Spain is associated with a pleasant lifestyle: flamenco, jamon, palm trees, olive oil, and wine. People come here for the warm sea, hot climate, and relatively low prices. However, it is difficult to find work here, and it is highly desirable to know the language. It is also not customary to rush here, especially if you are a civil servant. But it is customary to love everyone—both your own people and strangers.

Pros of living in Spain

• Prices! In Spain, compared to other developed countries in Europe, prices are really low for everything except electricity. Although prices have risen significantly over the past two years, it is still cheaper to live here.
• Attitude towards foreigners. For Spaniards, you are always a person first and foremost, and only secondarily the holder of some passport.
• Easy legalization. There are several options: a digital nomad visa or a student visa, as well as a residence permit without the right to work or a residence permit for a business project, a residence permit for “settlement,” or a Golden Visa if you invest €500,000 or more in real estate in Spain.
• Opportunities for entrepreneurial activity. Foreign entrepreneurs have access to credit programs, benefits, subsidies, and other advantages, just like citizens of the country.
• Healthcare and education. These points can be both positive and negative. Public healthcare is free, but it is not available to everyone and has a number of drawbacks. For example, it is very difficult to see a specialist. Public education is available to everyone without exception, even to the children of illegal immigrants. However, it has some drawbacks. Many complain about the quality of academic knowledge, for example.

Cons of living in Spain

• Difficulty finding work. Wages are low compared to other European countries, while unemployment is high — almost 12%. In 2024, the minimum wage in Spain is €1,323.
• Bureaucracy. Bureaucratic procedures are complicated, lengthy, and confusing. If you need to complete any administrative procedures or obtain any documents, be prepared for it to take a lot of time and possibly cause you stress.
• Renting accommodation. Finding and renting accommodation in Spain is far from easy and can take months, especially in popular cities due to high demand and Spanish legislation that does not protect the rights of apartment owners, which is why they hold large casting sessions for potential tenants.
• Informality and lack of punctuality. Everything from banks to beauty salons operates at its own pace and according to its own schedule, rather than the pace you are accustomed to.
• Expensive electricity. Currently, the wholesale cost of electricity periodically exceeds €100 per megawatt-hour, which is reflected in consumer bills.

How to move to Spain?

What types of visas are there for entering Spain?

• Transit visa A — issued for several days (3-5) for foreigners traveling to other countries via Spain.
• Schengen visa C — allows you to stay for up to 90 days within a six-month period for tourism or business trips.
• National visa D — issued for work or study, allows you to stay in the country for up to six months.
• Guest visa — allows you to visit the country at the invitation of friends or relatives who have a residence permit or Spanish citizenship.
• Golden Visa — a program that provides a residence permit in exchange for investment:
  
  • Purchase of real estate worth €500,000 or more
  • Investment in shares worth €1 million or more
  • Creation of a business project that contributes to the economy and creates jobs

Documents required to obtain a visa:

• Application form completed in Spanish
• Internal passport and copies of all pages
• Foreign passport and copies of all pages (must have at least two blank pages and be valid for at least 3 months after the end of the trip)
• 2 photos 3.5 x 4.5 cm
• Medical insurance
• Accommodation and flight reservations
• Financial resources or bank statement confirming the availability of funds (calculated at €95 per day)
• For study — admission documents
• For work — documents confirming a job offer

How to obtain a residence permit and permanent residence in Spain

An initial residence permit is granted to those who have obtained a category D visa. The grounds for obtaining it may be:

• Employment under an employment contract.
• Studying at a local university.
• Legal business in Spain.

A residence permit can also be obtained after three years of residence in Spain or in connection with family reunification.

Permanent residence in Spain can be obtained by those who:

• Have been legally residing in the country for the last six years.
• Are children of foreigners but were born in Spain and have lived in the country for more than three years.
• Are refugees, have lived in Spain for the last three years, and have documents confirming the state of emergency in their country.
• Receive a pension from Spanish social security funds.

How to obtain Spanish citizenship

Spanish citizenship can be obtained without hindrance by:

• Descendants of Spaniards (those who have at least one parent with Spanish citizenship).
• Children who were born in Spain and whose parents are unknown.
• Children adopted by Spanish citizens.

Everyone else must go through a long process to obtain citizenship, which consists of several stages:

• Obtaining an initial residence permit — issued for a maximum of one year.
• Obtaining a regular residence permit — issued after three years and valid for a maximum of three years.
• Obtaining a permanent residence permit (PMP in Spain) — issued for an indefinite period, but must be renewed every five years.
• Spanish citizenship can only be obtained after 10 years of legal residence in the country.

What documents are required to obtain Spanish citizenship

Documents that must be submitted together with the application for Spanish citizenship:

• Foreign national identity card, European Union family card, or foreign national certificate from the Central Registry Office.
• Passport.
• Registration certificate.
• The applicant's birth certificate, duly translated and certified.
• If the applicant is of legal age, a certificate of no criminal record issued in the country of origin or a certificate of good conduct issued by a consular authority.
• Proof of funds to live in Spain (this can be an employment contract, pay slips, employment report, or other document confirming the availability of funds).
• Birth certificates of minor children, if any.

What you need to know about living in Spain

Working in Spain

As we mentioned above, there is a problem with unemployment in Spain. It is not easy to find a job, but as in any European country, there is a shortage of qualified specialists, so if you have a profession, you can have your diploma recognized in Spain and find a well-paid job. Among the most sought-after professions are specialists in information technology (IT), medicine, engineering, tourism, international trade and business development, and others. The average salary in Spain is €1,990 per month.

Services for finding work in Spain:

• InfoJobs
• Indeed Spain
• Infoempleo
• Trabajos
• Glassdoor Spain
• Jobatus
• Tecnoempleo

The problem of unemployment is offset by social protection in Spain. After working officially for six months, a citizen or resident is entitled to payments amounting to 50% of the salary they received at their last place of work. The amount of the benefit is calculated based on the number of family members, the presence of children, the length of service, and the type of work — in some cases, the benefit reaches 100% of the salary. This benefit can be received every month for six months until a new job is found.

Taxes in Spain: 19% is paid by those whose annual income is less than €12,450, 24% for those with an income between €12,450 and €20,200, 30% for those with an income up to €34,000, 37% for those with an income up to €60,000, and 45% for those with an income over €60,000.

Cost of living in Spain

Average prices for basic material needs:

• Dinner at a restaurant — €22
• Coffee in a café — €1.55
• A liter of milk — €0.92
• A dozen eggs — €1.62
• A kilogram of chicken — €5.80
• Bottle of wine — €4.50
• Public transport fare — €1.85
• Taxi ride (one kilometer) — €1.05
• Monthly travel pass — €35-45
• High-speed train ticket from Madrid to Barcelona — €65-128
• Rent for a one-room apartment (not in the center) — €500
• Utilities for a two-room apartment — €120
• Mobile phone plan and home internet — €35
• A trip to the cinema — €8
• Health insurance — €50

We found the average prices using Numbeo.

Food: Food in Spain is relatively inexpensive, as the country has a well-developed agricultural industry and food production. Buying groceries for two people will cost an average of €400-500 per month.

Public transport: Spain has an excellent public transport system. There are metro systems in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Bilbao. There are also many buses, intercity buses, and high-speed trains, making it fairly easy and inexpensive to travel around the country.

Housing: In Barcelona and Madrid, renting a one-bedroom apartment will cost an average of €1,200 per month, in Valencia, which is considered the best city to live in according to many rankings, €900, and in Alicante €700-800. Prices are significantly lower in villages and suburbs, but this option is only suitable for those who have their own transport.

Minimum prices for buying real estate in Spain:

• Apartment in Barcelona— €3160 - 5075 per 1 m²
• Apartment in Madrid — €2730 - 4280 per 1 m²
• Apartment in Valencia — €1,295 - 2,385 per 1 m²
• Apartment in Alicante — €1060 - 2225 per 1 m²

Where to look for housing?

Renting accommodation in Spain is not easy. Almost 90% of agencies require an employment contract, two deposits, and a commission equal to one month's rent. Some agencies may rent accommodation if you pay a year in advance, in which case an employment contract is not required. Rent in Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, and Valencia is the highest in the country, while in smaller cities, it is easier to find accommodation and the prices are lower.

Websites for finding rental housing in Spain:

• https://www.fotocasa.es/en/
• https://www.idealista.com/en/
• https://www.milanuncios.com/
• https://www.milanuncios.com/

For short-term rentals from a few days to a month:

• https://www.airbnb.es/
• www.booking.com

You can book a hotel with a discount of up to 65% on the website.

Healthcare in Spain

Spain has high-quality healthcare: most of the population receives public healthcare (asistencia sanitaria pública).

Most healthcare services in Spain are free for residents with public insurance, including tests, surgeries of varying complexity, childbirth, and more. There are discounts of up to 90% on medications prescribed by a doctor. The downside of public healthcare is that consultations with specialists can take anywhere from several weeks to months, and the waiting list for surgery can be six months or more.

Private healthcare also exists in Spain. You can take out insurance with one of the private companies and get access to doctors much faster.

Education

Preschool education in Spain begins with nurseries for children aged 4 months to 3 years. There are three types of kindergartens: public, partially funded, and private. Although preschool education is not compulsory, most children attend kindergarten for at least one year before starting school — school education in Spain begins at age 3 and is compulsory. The cost of public nurseries varies from €200 to €400 per month, while private nurseries cost between €500 and €1,000 per month.

Municipal schools provide free education. In subsidized schools (escuelas concertadas), the cost of education ranges from €100 to €300 per month. Private and international schools, where instruction is in English, cost between €300 and €1,000 per month, while boarding schools can cost between €17,000 and €30,000 per year.

Higher education in Spain includes both private and public universities offering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs. Although education is fee-based, various funding programs are available that can cover part or all of the cost of tuition. Admission requirements for international students may vary depending on the region.

At public universities, tuition for bachelor's programs ranges from €750 to €2,500 per year, while master's programs cost between €1,000 and €3,500 per year. At private universities, prices are significantly higher and can range from €5,000 to €18,000 per year. Living expenses depend on the city: rent can range from €300 to €700 per month, and food usually costs between €150 and €250 per month.

Language

Spanish, also known as Castilian, is the official language of Spain. However, other languages are also officially used in some regions of the country: Catalan, Galician, Basque, and Aragonese. This linguistic diversity is recognized as a cultural asset of the country and is actively supported, although in the past it was threatened with extinction. It is worth noting that only about 30% of the local population speaks English. Therefore, in order to successfully integrate into Spanish society and solve everyday tasks, it is highly recommended to learn Spanish.

Climate

The climate in Spain is predominantly Mediterranean, characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. In summer, temperatures on the coast often exceed 35°C, while in winter they range from 8 to 12°C depending on the region. The northern part of the country has a lot of rainfall, while the south has significantly less. In summer, refreshing breezes blow on the coast, and in winter, humid winds from the Atlantic play an important role in influencing weather conditions.

Moving to Spain with children

Required documents:

• Birth certificate and a copy.
• Passport.
• Notarized permission from the other parent.
• Medical documents, vaccinations.
• Education documents.

Moving with pets

Requirements:

• Microchipping of the animal.
• Rabies vaccination.
• Antibody titer test (at least 30 days after vaccination and three months before the planned move).
• International veterinary certificate or passport confirming vaccination and antibody test results.
• Dogs, cats, and ferrets younger than seven months are not allowed.

Relocation of people of retirement age

Ways to obtain a residence permit:

• Purchase of real estate and registration of a residence permit without the right to work.
• Reunification with resident children.
• Purchase of expensive real estate and obtaining an investor visa ("Golden Visa").

Required documents:

• Non-Lucrative Visa (visa without the right to work).
• Proof of financial means (minimum €28,800 per year for the applicant and €7,200 for each dependent).
• Private medical insurance without deductibles.
• Proof of accommodation (rental or ownership).
• Certificate of no criminal record.
• Medical certificate confirming good health.

Mentality and traditions

Spaniards value personal time and leisure more than work. They are emotional, sociable, and always ready to help. In Spain, people are relaxed about age when it comes to careers and having children. Traditional entertainment such as bullfighting and bull runs are popular, although attitudes towards them are mixed. Siestas, carnivals, and family traditions play an important role in the culture. Flamenco dancing has become a symbol of Spanish culture.

Banking services

You will need to open a bank account when you move to Spain. The conditions depend on your residency status. A passport or NIE is required to open an account, and non-residents may need an additional certificate. Service fees vary: for example, Santander charges €16 per month for non-residents, Sabadell charges €160 per year, and BBVA offers free service for the first year. Debit cards are usually available immediately after opening an account.