Moving to Spain
Everything you need to move to and settle in Spain — visas and residency, taxes, healthcare, housing, schools, banking, and the realities of daily life as an expat.
12 guidesVisas & Residency
12 guidesTaxes for Expats
11 guidesCost of Living & Budgets
10 guidesBanking & Money
10 guidesHealthcare & Insurance
10 guidesHousing & Where to Live
10 guidesWorking, Business & Remote
10 guidesFamily, Schools & Education
9 guidesMoving Logistics
9 guidesDaily Life & Infrastructure
9 guidesCulture, Language & Integration
9 guidesThe Emotional Side of Moving Abroad
Featured Guides
Family, Schools & EducationChildcare in Spain for Expats: Guardería and Escuela Infantil Costs for the 0–3 Years
A practical expat guide to Spain's guardería and escuela infantil system for children 0–3: costs, subsidies, applications, and what to expect.
Working, Business & RemoteMadrid vs Catalonia vs Valencia: How Your Region Changes Your Spanish Tax Bill
Where you live in Spain sets half your income tax. Compare Madrid, Catalonia and Valencia — and see how your region reshapes your IRPF bill.
Banking & MoneyHow to Register as a Freelancer (Autónomo) in Spain: Step-by-Step Tax & Social Security Setup
A practical, step-by-step guide to registering as autónomo in Spain — covering Hacienda, Social Security (RETA), Modelo 130, IVA, and the tarifa plana.
Healthcare & InsuranceHow to Get Your Tarjeta Sanitaria (Spanish Public Health Card): Step-by-Step for New Residents
A practical, step-by-step guide to registering for the Tarjeta Sanitaria in Spain — from padrón to centro de salud — for new residents from the US, Canada, and Europe.
Housing & Where to LiveZona Tensionada Explained: Where Rent Is Capped in Spain and What It Means for You
Discover how Spain's zona tensionada rent-cap system works, which cities are affected, and what stressed-area designations mean for foreigners renting a home.
Cost of Living & BudgetsBecoming Autónomo in Spain: Monthly Social Security Quota and Real Costs
A practical guide to registering as autónomo in Spain — the income-based social security quota, tarifa plana discount, taxes, and the real monthly cost.
About Moving to Spain
Thinking about moving to Spain? Whether you're relocating as a remote worker on the digital nomad visa, retiring on a non-lucrative visa, moving freely as an EU citizen, or simply chasing a sunnier life, this is your complete, practical guide to making the move. We cover the parts that actually matter — visas and residency, taxes, healthcare, banking, where to live, schools, and the day-to-day realities of expat life across Spain's very different regions.
Below you'll find in-depth guides organized by topic, from the digital nomad visa and the NIE/TIE process to the Beckham Law tax regime and the honest emotional side of adjusting to life abroad. New here? Start with Visas & Residency and Cost of Living, then work through the rest as you plan. One important note: rules differ sharply by autonomous community — taxes especially — so we flag where your region changes the answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a foreigner move to and live in Spain?
Yes. EU/EEA citizens have freedom of movement and simply register. Non-EU options include the digital nomad visa (for remote workers, from the 2023 Startup Law), the non-lucrative visa (for those with sufficient passive income), and student and work visas. Note the Golden Visa investor route was abolished in 2025. See our Visas & Residency guides.
What is Spain's digital nomad visa?
Introduced under the 2023 Startup Law, it lets non-EU remote workers live in Spain while working mainly for non-Spanish companies (self-employed people can qualify if under ~20% of income comes from Spanish clients). It requires proof of income tied to the Spanish minimum wage (the threshold tracks the annual SMI, so confirm the current figure), plus private health insurance. Qualifying holders can opt into the Beckham Law tax regime. Confirm requirements with the Spanish consulate or the UGE.
Was Spain's Golden Visa abolished?
Yes. Spain ended its Golden Visa (residency-by-investment, including the €500,000 property route) effective 3 April 2025 under Organic Law 1/2025. Many websites still wrongly present it as active — buying property no longer grants residency. See Visas & Residency.
How does tax residency work in Spain?
You're generally a Spanish tax resident if you spend more than 183 days a year in Spain or your main centre of economic interests is there (the tests are alternative). Residents are taxed on worldwide income (IRPF); the Beckham Law regime can let qualifying new arrivals be taxed only on Spanish-source income for several years. Wealth tax varies dramatically by region. Confirm with the Agencia Tributaria or a gestor. See Taxes for Expats.
What is healthcare like in Spain?
Spain's public health system (SNS) is well regarded and accessed via social-security contributions; those not yet covered can pay into the convenio especial scheme or take private insurance (often required for visas). Many expats use private cover for speed and English-speaking doctors. See Healthcare & Insurance.
Do I need to speak Spanish to live in Spain?
It helps significantly for paperwork, daily life, and integration, though English is widely spoken in major cities and coastal expat hubs. Note several regions also have co-official languages (Catalan, Basque, Galician). See Culture, Language & Integration.