By Raffaele Roselli · Co-Founder and COO at MoveWise · Last updated: 27 October 2026

💡 The short answer: In 2026 a single person needs roughly €1,530 to €2,040 a month to live in Spain's main cities, and a couple roughly €2,480 to €3,300, private health insurance included. Rent explains most of the gap: a 50 m² flat lists at about €670 a month in Seville and €1,170 in Madrid (Idealista, September 2026). If you move on a visa, compare your budget with its threshold: €2,849 gross a month for the Digital Nomad Visa filed from Spain, €2,400 for the Non-Lucrative Visa.

Key facts for 2026

• Rents: €15.1 per m² a month nationally in September 2026, up 5.6% in a year; Madrid €23.4, Barcelona €20.1, Málaga €16.5, Valencia €16.3, Alicante €13.9, Seville €13.4 (Idealista).
• Upfront rent costs: a one-month deposit plus at most two months of extra guarantees; the landlord pays the agency (Ley de Arrendamientos Urbanos, as amended by Ley 12/2023).
• Rent updates: the official rent index (IRAV) was 2.54% in September 2026; a 2% cap still has to be approved by Parliament.
• Electricity: VAT 21% since 1 June 2026; average regulated bill €104.31 in September 2026.
• Transport: commuter-rail monthly passes €20 in 2026; national Abono Único €60 (€30 if born in 2000 or later).
• Digital Nomad Visa (DNV): 200% of the minimum wage (Real Decreto 126/2026): we prepare to €2,849 a month gross from Spain; many consulates publish €2,442.
• Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV): €2,400 a month plus €600 per family member, as income or savings (art. 62 Real Decreto 1155/2024).
• Prices and currency: inflation 4.9% in September 2026 (INE); €1 = US$1.1193 = £0.83728 (ECB, 23 October 2026).

This guide is for non-EU remote workers, freelancers, retirees and families planning a move to Spain. It helps you build a monthly budget for six cities or a smaller town, check it against your visa minimum, and price the move itself.

It was prepared by MoveWise's Spain Legal Managers, who check applicants' income against these thresholds every week. Every price comes from a named, dated source, and every planning allowance of our own is labelled. Data checked October 2026; next review January 2027.

The pitfall it helps you avoid: treating the visa minimum as a living income. The Digital Nomad Visa figure is gross, so a couple renting 80 m² in Madrid on the consular minimum would have €59.40 a month left on our budget, before tax.

In this guide:

• What changed in 2026
• Is this guide for you? Which visa sets your budget
• How much it costs to live in Spain per month
• Cost of living by city
• Housing: rent, deposits and the tenant rules
• Everyday costs: utilities, transport and food
• Healthcare: what each visa requires and what it costs
• Can you live on the visa minimum income?
• Four realistic monthly budgets
• The cost of moving to Spain
• Budget your move, step by step
• When the money goes out: a realistic timeline
• Taxes that change your cost of living
• Spain compared with London, New York, Toronto and Sydney
• Most common budgeting mistakes
• Frequently asked questions
• How MoveWise can help

What changed in 2026

👉 Rents are still rising, but no longer accelerating. After a record €15.3 per m² in July, the national asking rent was €15.1 in September: up 5.6% on a year earlier, but down 0.4% on the quarter, the first quarterly fall since 2021 (Idealista rental reports).

👉 A provisional housing decree. Real Decreto-ley 29/2026 is a decree-law in force since 8 October 2026 that still has to be approved by the Spanish Parliament; if it is not, its measures lapse. It caps annual rent updates at 2%, tightens seasonal leases, stops landlords passing property tax on to tenants and reinstates a rent tax deduction (BOE consolidated text).

👉 Electricity VAT was 10% from late March to 31 May 2026 and is 21% again from 1 June (Agencia Tributaria). A 10% rate for November and December applies only if energy prices jump; at the time of writing the November condition did not appear to be met.

👉 Transport discounts extended for 2026, with a new national Abono Único from 19 January (Ministerio de Transportes); the free commuter passes of 2022 to 2024 have ended. A temporary fuel tax cut shrinks from 20 cents a litre in October to 6 in December (Ministerio de Hacienda).

👉 Visa thresholds. The minimum wage rose to €1,221 a month in 14 payments (Real Decreto 126/2026), so the Digital Nomad Visa is €2,849 gross on our basis. The IPREM is still €600, so Non-Lucrative Visa figures are unchanged.

👉 Inflation picked up to 4.9% in September 2026 (INE); food rose 2.7%.

Is this guide for you? Which visa sets your budget

Yes, if you are a non-EU national planning to live in Spain on remote income, a pension or savings. Your visa fixes the minimum income you must prove: the first number your budget must respect.

✅ Remote employees and freelancers working for employers or clients outside Spain: the Digital Nomad Visa. See our Spain Digital Nomad Visa requirements guide.

✅ Retirees and financially independent people: the Non-Lucrative Visa. See our Non-Lucrative Visa requirements checklist.

✅ Families on either visa: the threshold rises with each member, and so do costs.

👉 Not sure which visa fits? Compare the non-lucrative visa vs the digital nomad visa.

❌ EU citizens need neither visa: the prices apply, the visa sections do not.

❌ Short stays and tourism are outside this guide's scope.

👉 Check whether your income fits the Spain Digital Nomad Visa — answer a few questions and a Legal Manager will tell you honestly whether your income, contract and documents meet the threshold. You can also see how our Spain Digital Nomad Visa service and our Spain Non-Lucrative Visa service work.

How much it costs to live in Spain per month

On our 2026 budgets, a single person spends about €1,527 (Seville) to €2,038 (Madrid) a month, and a couple about €2,476 to €3,299, private health insurance included. For context, the average gross salary in Spain was €29,540 a year in 2024 and the median €24,497 (INE salary survey).

How we built the budgets (single person / couple):

• Rent: Idealista's September 2026 price per m² × 50 m² for a single person, or × 80 m² for a couple (two bedrooms, one usable as an office or guest room). These are asking prices, and small flats list higher per m², so treat 50 m² figures as a floor.
• Electricity: €80 / €105 (OCU's typical regulated bill, August 2026: €79.75; FACUA's average, September 2026: €104.31).
• Water: €35, our planning allowance; €43 in Barcelona (OCU 2025: €516 a year).
• Fibre and mobile: €28 / €36 (Digi, plus an extra line).
• Transport: one 2026 city pass per person.
• Groceries: €350 (our planning allowance) / €550 (OCU's average supermarket spend, €6,602 a year ÷ 12).
• Eating out: eight set lunches (menú del día) per person at the €14.70 national average = €117.60.
• Health insurance: €75 per person, complete cover without copayments (Kelisto quotes, October 2026: €73.36 to €79 for a middle-aged adult).
• Personal spending: €150 / €250, our planning allowance.

Everything except rent and transport adds up to €835.60 for a single person (€80 + €35 + €28 + €350 + €117.60 + €75 + €150) and €1,361.20 for a couple (€105 + €35 + €36 + €550 + €235.20 + €150 + €250); in Barcelona, add €8 for water. Not included: a car, flights, pets, private schooling and income tax, covered in the visa section.

Cost of living by city

The city you choose decides most of your budget, because rents vary far more than anything else. Idealista is our main figure; Fotocasa's is shown for comparison, because the two portals measure different listings.

Madrid

• Rent: €23.4 per m², up 4.8% in a year, the most expensive provincial capital (Fotocasa: €22.40).
• 50 m²: 23.4 × 50 = €1,170 (Fotocasa: €1,120). 80 m²: 23.4 × 80 = €1,872 (Fotocasa: €1,792).
• Transport: the Abono 30 días for Zone A costs €32.70, frozen for 2026; over-65s travel free with the annual Abono +65 (Consorcio Regional de Transportes de Madrid).
• Monthly total: single €2,038.30 (€1,170 + €32.70 + €835.60); couple €3,298.60 (€1,872 + €65.40 + €1,361.20).
• Worth knowing: Madrid has Spain's widest gap between its cheapest and dearest supermarkets, €4,381 a year for the same basket (OCU). More in our guide to moving to Madrid.

Barcelona

• Rent: €20.1 per m², 0.8% lower than a year ago (Fotocasa: €23.15, the widest gap between the two portals).
• 50 m²: 20.1 × 50 = €1,005 (Fotocasa: €1,158). 80 m²: 20.1 × 80 = €1,608 (Fotocasa: €1,852).
• Transport: the T-usual for zone 1 costs €22.80 from 15 January 2026, with the 50% discount kept for the year (ATM Barcelona).
• Worth knowing: Barcelona is a stressed housing zone, so rent caps apply to new leases, and its water was the most expensive in OCU's 2025 study (€43 a month).
• Monthly total: single €1,871.40 (€1,005 + €22.80 + €843.60), or €2,024.40 with Fotocasa's rent; couple €3,022.80 (€1,608 + €45.60 + €1,369.20), or €3,266.80. More in our guide to moving to Barcelona.

Valencia

• Rent: €16.3 per m², up 3.1% in a year (Fotocasa: €18.96).
• 50 m²: 16.3 × 50 = €815 (Fotocasa: €948). 80 m²: 16.3 × 80 = €1,304 (Fotocasa: €1,517).
• Transport: the SUMA Mensual for one zone costs €35 and covers EMT buses, Metrovalencia, MetroBus and Cercanías trains.
• Monthly total: single €1,685.60 (€815 + €35 + €835.60), or €1,818.60 with Fotocasa's rent; couple €2,735.20 (€1,304 + €70 + €1,361.20), or €2,948.20. More in our guide to moving to Valencia.

Málaga

• Rent: €16.5 per m², up 3.9% in a year (Fotocasa: €16.61, so the portals agree).
• 50 m²: 16.5 × 50 = €825 (Fotocasa: €831). 80 m²: 16.5 × 80 = €1,320 (Fotocasa: €1,329).
• Transport: the EMT monthly bus card (base price €39.95) keeps its 40–50% discount through 2026 (Ayuntamiento de Málaga). We use €23.95, the discounted price in late 2025; check the current price.
• Monthly total: single €1,684.55 (€825 + €23.95 + €835.60); couple €2,729.10 (€1,320 + €47.90 + €1,361.20). More in our guide to moving to Málaga.

Seville

• Rent: €13.4 per m², up 3.5% in a year, the lowest of the six cities (Fotocasa: €14.24).
• 50 m²: 13.4 × 50 = €670 (Fotocasa: €712). 80 m²: 13.4 × 80 = €1,072 (Fotocasa: €1,139).
• Transport: the Tussam 30-day bus pass costs €21.20 with the 40% discount that applies throughout 2026.
• Monthly total: single €1,526.80 (€670 + €21.20 + €835.60); couple €2,475.60 (€1,072 + €42.40 + €1,361.20). More in our guide to moving to Seville.

Alicante

• Rent: €13.9 per m², up 5.9% in a year, the fastest rise of the six (Fotocasa: €14.94).
• 50 m²: 13.9 × 50 = €695 (Fotocasa: €747). 80 m²: 13.9 × 80 = €1,112 (Fotocasa: €1,195).
• Transport: the Móbilis Mensual, unlimited tram and bus for 30 days, costs €35 (Ayuntamiento de Alicante).
• Monthly total: single €1,565.60 (€695 + €35 + €835.60); couple €2,543.20 (€1,112 + €70 + €1,361.20). More in our guide to moving to Alicante.

Smaller cities and towns

• Granada: €10.8 per m² (Idealista): 10.8 × 50 = €540; 10.8 × 80 = €864.
• Zaragoza: no usable Idealista city figure; Fotocasa's €13.97 per m² gives 13.97 × 50 = €699 and 13.97 × 80 = €1,118 (Idealista, Aragón region: €11.2).
• Murcia: Fotocasa's €10.16 per m² gives 10.16 × 50 = €508 and 10.16 × 80 = €813 (Idealista, Murcia region: €9.5). Murcia also has Spain's cheapest set lunch, €13.50 on average.

We have no verified 2026 transport or water prices for these cities. And the visa threshold does not fall with local prices: in a small city, the minimum you must prove, not the cost of living, is what limits you.

Housing: rent, deposits and the tenant rules

Rent is the largest line in every budget, and you need more than one month's rent upfront. The Housing Law (Ley 12/2023, de 24 de mayo, por el derecho a la vivienda) and the Urban Leases Act (Ley de Arrendamientos Urbanos, LAU) set the limits.

✅ Deposit and guarantees: the deposit (fianza) is one month's rent (LAU art. 36.1); extra guarantees are capped at two months' rent on a home lease of up to five years (seven if the landlord is a company).

✅ What that means upfront: for a 50 m² flat in Madrid, the first month (€1,170) plus the deposit (€1,170) is €2,340; with the maximum extra guarantee (€2,340), the most you can be asked for is €4,680. Our guide to rental deposits in Spain explains how to get it back.

✅ Agency fees: the landlord pays the agency and the cost of drawing up the contract (Ley 12/2023, amending LAU art. 20.1). The new decree also stops landlords passing property tax (IBI) on to tenants.

✅ Annual updates: leases signed after 26 May 2023 can rise each year by at most the IRAV index, 2.54% in September 2026, which is €29.72 more on €1,170. Older leases linked to consumer prices could rise by 4.9% (€57.33 on the same rent).

✅ The 2% cap (provisional): for updates between 8 October 2026 and 31 December 2027, unless both parties agree otherwise, RDL 29/2026 limits the rise to 2% (€23.40 on €1,170), and to nothing where the rent exceeds the State reference index maximum. As explained above, the decree lapses if Parliament does not approve it, so budget on the IRAV meanwhile.

✅ Stressed housing zones: in a declared stressed zone, the rent on a new lease cannot exceed the previous rent for the same home in the last five years, updated; large landlords are capped at the lower of that and the State reference index, and tenants can ask for yearly extensions of up to three years. As of 30 September 2026, 317 municipalities had been declared, 271 of them in Catalonia, including Barcelona; Madrid, Valencia, Alicante, Málaga, Seville, Granada, Murcia and Zaragoza had not.

✅ Temporary lets for your first weeks: since 1 July 2025, short-term and seasonal rentals advertised online must show a national registration number (Real Decreto 1312/2024), so a listing without one is a warning sign. Under RDL 29/2026, a seasonal lease needs a real, provable reason and must last more than 31 days and, as a rule, no more than 12 months. Deposit rules for seasonal leases differ from those for a home lease, so read that clause before you pay.

💡 Pro tip: in our practice, landlords are often wary of newcomers without a residence card or a Spanish payslip; a formal letter from your representative confirming the status of your application, with your bank statements, often helps. Do not sign a long-term lease before you know your approval date.

⚠️ Common mistake: pricing a studio at the city's average price per m². Small flats list higher, so check real listings.

Everyday costs: utilities, transport and food

On our budgets, utilities cost €143 a month for a single person (€80 + €35 + €28) and €176 for a couple (€105 + €35 + €36), and a city pass €21.20 to €35.

Utilities

• Electricity: the regulated tariff (PVPC) follows wholesale prices hour by hour; free-market contracts fix the price. In June 2026, for 400 kWh a month, the PVPC cost €71.78 and the cheapest free-market offers €65.44 to €68.57, some without taxes or with temporary discounts. The average PVPC bill reached €104.31 in September, 28% more than a year earlier.
• Bottled gas: if your flat uses butane, a 12.5 kg bottle costs €18.84, capped at €19.55 until 30 June 2027.
• Fibre and mobile: Digi's fibre with unlimited mobile data costs €28 a month with taxes; Yoigo's cheapest bundle is €49 (promotional) and Movistar's €53. Fibre-only offers start at €19.90 for the first 12 months.

💡 Pro tip: before you sign, ask for the last electricity bills and check the contracted power (in kW): lower power means a lower fixed charge.

Transport

• State discounts for all of 2026: commuter-rail (Cercanías and Rodalies) monthly passes cost €20, or €10 for young people; regional and urban passes carry a 20% State discount, young people up to 26 get 50% off, and children travel free.
• Abono Único: €60 a month, or €30 if you were born on or after 1 January 2000, for Cercanías, Rodalies, Media Distancia trains and State interregional buses. It does not cover high-speed trains, metros or city buses, and you must register on the Ministry's website first.
• High-speed trains and fuel: average 2025 fares were €52.89 Madrid–Barcelona and €27.04 Madrid–Valencia (CNMC); petrol cost €1.780 a litre and diesel €1.889 in the week of 19 October 2026.

Food

• VAT: 4% on bread, milk, cheese, eggs, olive oil and fresh fruit and vegetables; 10% in restaurants; 21% on most other goods.
• Where you shop: OCU's 2026 study of 101,520 prices found the cheapest chains were Supermercados Dani, Family Cash, Tifer, Alcampo and Supeco, and the most expensive Hipercor, El Corte Inglés, Supercor and Sánchez Romero. The cheapest shop in your city saves about 20%, €1,310 a year on average (OCU); for a couple, €550 becomes €440.
• Eating out: the menú del día costs €14.70 on average, 3.5% more than a year ago, up to €16.30 in the Basque Country. We found no reliable study of coffee or beer prices, so we do not quote them.

Healthcare: what each visa requires and what it costs

Health cover is a visa requirement, not an optional extra: your policy must meet your visa's rules, and the cheapest policies usually do not.

✅ Digital Nomad Visa: public cover through Spanish Social Security, or private insurance equivalent to it from an insurer authorised in Spain. Travel insurance, reimbursement-only policies and policies with waiting periods or copayments are not accepted (Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE-CE) FAQ). Self-employed applicants must join the self-employed scheme (RETA), which gives public cover; employees on a certificate of coverage from their home country need private insurance in practice.

✅ Non-Lucrative Visa: public or private health insurance with an insurer authorised in Spain (Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones). The official sheet does not mention copayments, but consulates usually require a policy without them, so check your consulate's checklist.

✅ What it costs: in October 2026, complete cover without copayments was quoted at €60.02 to €62 a month for a 24-year-old in Madrid and €73.36 to €79 for a middle-aged adult (Kelisto). Rastreator's 2025 average for a complete plan for over-55s was €125. We found no published prices for over-60s without copayments, so get quotes early.

✅ Public buy-in later: after one year of continuous residence, with padrón registration and no other public cover, the convenio especial costs €60 a month under 65 or €157 from 65 (Real Decreto 576/2013; Ministerio de Sanidad).

💡 Pro tip: a "basic" plan may fall short of what a visa certificate must show. Ask for a certificate in Spanish stating "sin copagos" and "sin carencias"; our health insurance guide for the Digital Nomad Visa explains the wording.

Can you live on the visa minimum income?

As a single person, yes: our budget fits under both visa minimums in all six cities, although Madrid is tight at the consular Digital Nomad Visa figure. As a couple, it depends on the city: Madrid and Barcelona are tight or short on both visas.

The thresholds, in euros and in your currency

• Digital Nomad Visa: 200% of the minimum wage. Filed from Spain with the UGE-CE, we prepare to €2,849 a month gross (the 14-payment SMI of €17,094 ÷ 12 × 200%). Consulates such as Washington and Houston publish €2,442 (€1,221 × 200%), so check your consulate's sheet.
• Digital Nomad Visa family increments: +€1,068.38 for the first family member and +€356.13 for each additional one from Spain (consulates: +€916 and +€305). A couple needs €3,917.38 from Spain or €3,358 at those consulates; a family of four €4,629.64 or about €3,968.
• Non-Lucrative Visa: €2,400 a month, or €28,800 for the first year, plus €600 a month per family member: €3,000 for a couple, €4,200 for a family of four.
• In your currency (ECB rates of 23 October 2026, published in the BOE): €2,849 ≈ US$3,189, £2,385, A$4,541 or C$4,463; €2,442 ≈ US$2,733, £2,045, A$3,892 or C$3,825; €2,400 ≈ US$2,686, £2,009, A$3,825 or C$3,760.

Gross versus net: why the DNV figure is not your spending money

The Digital Nomad Visa threshold is measured on gross income. Your budget is paid from what is left after:

• Income tax (IRPF). Once you are tax-resident, Spain applies a progressive State scale from 9.5% to 24.5% (Agencia Tributaria) plus a regional scale: combined rates of 19% to 47% in a typical region, with 30% on income between €20,200 and €35,200. Your average rate is lower after allowances and expenses.
• The Beckham Law option. Digital Nomad Visa employees who were not Spanish residents in the previous five years can opt for a flat 24% on employment income up to €600,000 for six tax years. Ordinary self-employed people cannot.
• Social Security. Self-employed applicants pay the flat rate (tarifa plana), about €88.64 a month for 12 months (extendable if net income stays below the minimum wage), then roughly €206 to €607 depending on their income bracket, plus an accountant (gestor). Employees have contributions deducted in Spain or keep paying at home with a certificate of coverage.

We do not calculate your income tax here, because it depends on your region, family, expenses and any tax treaty. Our guide to taxes in Spain for expats explains the system; a tax adviser can give you your figure.

A self-employed example: invoice exactly €2,849 and the €88.64 contribution leaves €2,760.36 before income tax. Our self-employed Madrid budget (below) is €2,051.94 including that contribution, leaving €797.06 a month (€9,564.72 a year) for income tax, the accountant and savings. From month 13, contributions take roughly €117 to €519 more.

The Non-Lucrative Visa works differently: its funds can be savings, money you already hold rather than income still to be earned and taxed. The pensions, interest, dividends or rents you receive are taxable once you are tax-resident, normally after more than 183 days a year in Spain.

City by city: a single person

Monthly budget, then the margin under each threshold (Digital Nomad Visa from Spain / at €2,442 / Non-Lucrative Visa), before tax.

• Madrid, €2,038.30: €810.70 / €403.70 / €361.70
• Barcelona, €1,871.40: €977.60 / €570.60 / €528.60 (with Fotocasa's rent, €2,024.40: €824.60 / €417.60 / €375.60)
• Valencia, €1,685.60: €1,163.40 / €756.40 / €714.40
• Málaga, €1,684.55: €1,164.45 / €757.45 / €715.45
• Alicante, €1,565.60: €1,283.40 / €876.40 / €834.40
• Seville, €1,526.80: €1,322.20 / €915.20 / €873.20

What this means: on the Digital Nomad Visa filed from Spain, a single person is comfortable everywhere if rent stays near the average. At the consular €2,442, Madrid's €403.70 must also pay income tax and contributions, leaving little or no buffer. On the Non-Lucrative Visa, Madrid is thin; the other cities leave a real cushion.

City by city: a couple

Two people in an 80 m² flat (Digital Nomad Visa from Spain €3,917.38 / at €3,358 / Non-Lucrative Visa €3,000):

• Madrid, €3,298.60: €618.78 / €59.40 / €298.60 short
• Barcelona, €3,022.80: €894.58 / €335.20 / €22.80 short (with Fotocasa's rent, €3,266.80: €650.58 / €91.20 / €266.80 short)
• Valencia, €2,735.20: €1,182.18 / €622.80 / €264.80
• Málaga, €2,729.10: €1,188.28 / €628.90 / €270.90
• Alicante, €2,543.20: €1,374.18 / €814.80 / €456.80
• Seville, €2,475.60: €1,441.78 / €882.40 / €524.40

What this means: at the consular minimum, a Digital Nomad Visa couple in Madrid or Barcelona cannot pay income tax and rent 80 m². On the Non-Lucrative Visa, €3,000 does not cover Madrid or Barcelona and is thin in Valencia and Málaga, as retirees pay more than €75 each for insurance. Our NLV checklist recommends about 20% above your consulate's figure: €3,600 for a couple, which covers every budget above.

💡 Pro tip: for the Digital Nomad Visa, in our practice savings can cover a small income shortfall: €200 a month short on a three-year permit means showing €200 × 36 = €7,200. Savings do not lower your living costs, though, so budget on the income you will actually receive.

⚠️ Common mistake: preparing an application filed from Spain to the consular €2,442. For the UGE-CE we prepare to €2,849, because the lower figure gives the reviewing officer a reason to question the file.

👉 Planning to retire in Spain? Ask a Legal Manager to check your pension and savings against the Non-Lucrative Visa rules — we will tell you whether your income or savings meet your consulate's figure with a safe margin, and how to document them.

Four realistic monthly budgets

The four profiles we see most often, built with the sources and allowances above.

1. Single remote worker in Madrid (self-employed, Digital Nomad Visa filed from Spain)

• Rent, 50 m²: 23.4 × 50 = €1,170
• Electricity: €80
• Water: €35
• Fibre and mobile: €28
• Transport, Abono 30 días Zone A: €32.70
• Groceries: €350
• Eating out, 8 × €14.70: €117.60
• Self-employed Social Security, first 12 months: €88.64 (this gives public healthcare, so no private insurance line)
• Personal spending: €150
• Total: €2,051.94 a month

Against €2,849 gross, that leaves €797.06 a month for income tax, the accountant and savings; at €2,442 it would leave €390.06. As an employee on a certificate of coverage, replace the €88.64 with private insurance at about €75.

2. Retired couple on the Non-Lucrative Visa in Valencia

• Rent, 80 m²: 16.3 × 80 = €1,304
• Electricity: €105
• Water: €35
• Fibre and two mobiles: €36
• Groceries: €550
• Eating out, 2 × 8 × €14.70: €235.20
• Health insurance without copayments, two people over 60: 2 × €150 = €300 (our planning allowance; get quotes)
• Transport, 2 × SUMA Mensual: €70
• Personal spending: €250
• Total: €2,885.20 a month

Over a year that is €2,885.20 × 12 = €34,622.40, just under the €36,000 the couple must show for the first year: a margin of only €114.80 a month. In Alicante the rent is 13.9 × 80 = €1,112, for a total of €2,693.20 and a margin of €306.80. Pensions become taxable in Spain once you are resident; the tax treaty with your country decides where each type is taxed.

3. Family of four on the Digital Nomad Visa in Málaga

• Rent, three bedrooms, 100 m²: 16.5 × 100 = €1,650
• Electricity: €130 (our planning allowance for a larger home)
• Water: €45 (our planning allowance)
• Fibre and two mobiles: €36
• Groceries: €800 (our planning allowance)
• Eating out, two family meals a month, 2 × 4 × €14.70: €117.60
• Health insurance: 2 adults × €75 + 2 children × €60 (our allowance) = €270
• Public school costs, 2 × €1,300 a year ÷ 12: €216.67 (OCU's average spend per pupil in public schools, including books, uniforms, meals and activities)
• Transport, two adult EMT passes: €47.90
• Personal spending and children's activities: €350
• Total: €3,663.17 a month

Against the family-of-four threshold from Spain (€4,629.64), that leaves €966.47 before tax; against the consular figure of about €3,968, about €304.83. Schooling changes everything: at OCU's private-school average of more than €8,700 a year per pupil, two children cost about €1,450 a month instead of €216.67, for a total of €4,896.50. Our guide to bringing your family on the Digital Nomad Visa covers who can join you.

4. Budget single in Seville

• Rent, 40 m² studio: 13.4 × 40 = €536 (small flats list higher per m², so check listings)
• Electricity: €80
• Water: €35
• Fibre and mobile: €28
• Transport, Tussam 30-day pass: €21.20
• Groceries at the cheapest chains, €350 − 20%: €280
• Eating out, 4 × €14.70: €58.80
• Health insurance without copayments, under 30: €60
• Personal spending: €100
• Total: €1,199 a month

Here the visa, not the city, sets the bar: the budget is €1,650 below the Digital Nomad Visa threshold from Spain and €1,201 below the Non-Lucrative Visa one, but you still have to prove the full amount.

The cost of moving to Spain

Before your first normal month you typically need two to four months' rent, plus fees, documents and your first insurance premium or contribution: for a single person moving to Madrid, about €2,500 to €4,860 in items with a fixed amount.

✅ Official fees: for the Digital Nomad Visa filed from Spain, Modelo 790 code 038 per applicant, at the current amount shown on the official form; for consular visas, a fee that depends on your nationality; for the Non-Lucrative Visa, Modelo 790 code 052, €10.94 per applicant (Orden PJC/617/2025); for the residence card (TIE), €16.08; an NIE certificate costs €9.84. Madrid's 2026 service charter lists no fee for padrón registration.

✅ Documents: a UK apostille costs £45 per document plus postage (GOV.UK), about €53.75; other countries set their own fees. We know of no independent price study for sworn translations, so ask two or three sworn translators (traductores jurados) for quotes.

Worked example: single person moving to Madrid on the Digital Nomad Visa (UK national)

• First month's rent: €1,170
• Deposit: €1,170
• TIE card: €16.08
• Three UK apostilles, 3 × £45 = £135: about €161.24
• Subtotal of items with a fixed amount: €2,517.32

With the maximum extra guarantee of two months (€2,340), the subtotal becomes €4,857.32. Add the 790-038 fee as shown on the form, sworn translations, temporary accommodation and travel.

Worked example: retired couple moving to Valencia on the Non-Lucrative Visa (UK nationals)

• Modelo 790-052, 2 × €10.94: €21.88
• TIE cards, 2 × €16.08: €32.16
• First month's rent and deposit, 2 × €1,304: €2,608
• Three UK apostilles: about €161.24
• Subtotal of items with a fixed amount: €2,823.28

With the maximum extra guarantee (€2,608), it becomes €5,431.28, plus consular visa fees, sworn translations, medical certificates and insurance. The couple must also show €36,000 of means for the first year, on top.

💡 Pro tip: sequence your spending. Documents expire (in our practice we treat criminal records from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and EU countries as valid for six months, others for three), so request them last, and pay a long-term deposit only once you know your approval date.

Budget your move, step by step

1. Choose your visa and threshold, family increments included.
2. Price the rent in two or three cities: Idealista price per m² × the size you need, checked against listings.
3. Add the monthly lines from this guide.
4. Add healthcare that meets your visa.
5. Digital Nomad Visa: work out your net income with a tax adviser, Beckham Law included.
6. Non-Lucrative Visa: check your funds are in personal accounts, with about 20% margin.
7. Add the setup costs.
8. Stress-test the exchange rate: £2,500 a month is €2,985.86 today, but a 5% fall in sterling makes it €2,836.57, below the €2,849 line.
9. Keep a buffer for the first months.
10. Run the visa income check with a Legal Manager before you commit to a lease or a flight.

When the money goes out: a realistic timeline

Typical, not guaranteed:

• Three to six months before: criminal records, apostilles and sworn translations.
• One to two months before filing: health insurance, then the fees when you file.
• While you wait: from Spain, the UGE-CE has 20 working days to decide before positive administrative silence applies (art. 76 Ley 14/2013), though the formal resolution can take longer; consulates take longer. Keep your current home meanwhile.
• On arrival and first weeks: temporary accommodation, then rent, deposit and any guarantee; padrón registration and the TIE fee (€16.08).
• Months 1 to 12: about €88.64 a month if you are self-employed; from month 13, roughly €206 to €607.
• After one year: the convenio especial (€60 or €157 a month) becomes an option.
• 1 January to 31 March after your first year as a resident: Modelo 720 if any block of assets abroad exceeds €50,000.

Taxes that change your cost of living

👉 Tax residence. You are tax-resident if you spend more than 183 days in the calendar year in Spain or your main centre of economic interests is there, and it is presumed if your spouse and dependent minor children live there (Agencia Tributaria). Residents are taxed on worldwide income.

👉 Rent deduction (provisional). RDL 29/2026 reinstates a deduction of 10% of rent paid, on a maximum base of €11,630 a year (at most €1,163), if your taxable base is below €33,007.20.

👉 Modelo 720 is an information return, not a tax, due when bank accounts, securities and insurance, or real estate abroad exceed €50,000 in any one block.

Income tax, the Beckham Law and VAT are covered above; for your own figures, speak to a tax adviser.

Spain compared with London, New York, Toronto and Sydney

These rents measure different things, so read them as orders of magnitude (ECB rates of 23 October 2026):

• London: average private rent £2,338 a month, all property types (September 2026, Office for National Statistics), about €2,792, roughly 2.4 times a 50 m² flat in Madrid.
• Manhattan: average one-bedroom US$5,436 a month (September 2026, Corcoran), about €4,857, roughly four times Madrid.
• Toronto: average one-bedroom CAD 1,969 (October 2026, liv.rent), about €1,257, close to Madrid.
• Sydney: median unit asking rent AUD 758 a week in 2025 (Domain): × 52 ÷ 12 = AUD 3,285 a month, about €2,061.

Most common budgeting mistakes (and how to avoid them)

1. Budgeting on gross Digital Nomad Visa income. Fix: ask a tax adviser what tax and contributions will take, and budget on the rest.
2. Using the wrong threshold. Fix: from Spain, prepare to €2,849 plus family increments; at a consulate, use its current sheet.
3. Savings in the wrong account. Fix: keep funds in personal accounts in your name, not a company account, with a stable balance rather than a recent lump sum.
4. Insurance with copayments or waiting periods. Fix: complete cover without either, with a certificate in Spanish.
5. Forgetting upfront housing costs. Fix: keep up to four months' rent available on top of your visa funds.
6. Pricing small flats at the city average, or trusting crowd-sourced price sites. Fix: use the latest portal reports and real listings.
7. Forgetting that self-employed contributions rise after 12 months. Fix: budget roughly €206 to €607 from month 13.
8. Ignoring the exchange rate. Fix: keep a margin above the threshold in euros.
9. Treating the 2% rent cap as permanent. Fix: budget on the IRAV until Parliament decides.
10. Assuming free public healthcare from day one. Fix: budget private cover for the first year unless Social Security covers you.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to live in Spain per month?

€1,527 to €2,038 for a single person and €2,476 to €3,299 for a couple in Spain's six main expat cities, on our October 2026 budgets with private health insurance. There is no official national average. Rent drives the gap: a 50 m² flat lists at about €670 in Seville and €1,170 in Madrid.

What is the cost of living in Spain for a single person?

€1,527 a month in Seville, €1,566 in Alicante, about €1,685 in Málaga or Valencia, €1,871 in Barcelona and €2,038 in Madrid, including a 50 m² flat, utilities, transport, food, private health insurance and personal spending. A careful budget in a small Seville studio comes to about €1,200.

How much does it cost to live comfortably in Spain?

€2,000 to €2,500 a month gives a single person a comfortable life in most Spanish cities, with a one-bedroom flat, meals out and money to save; in Madrid, aim for the top of that range. A couple is comfortable on about €3,000 to €3,600 outside Madrid. These ranges are our judgement, based on this guide's budgets.

What is the cost of living in Spain for a family?

€3,663 a month for a family of four in Málaga on our 2026 budget, with a 100 m² flat, public school costs and private insurance for all four. With private schools (OCU: more than €8,700 a year per pupil) it rises to about €4,897. On the Digital Nomad Visa, a family of four must show €4,629.64 gross from Spain.

How much money do I need to live in Spain on a visa?

€2,849 a month gross for the Digital Nomad Visa filed from Spain (many consulates publish €2,442), or €2,400 a month for the Non-Lucrative Visa, plus increments for each family member. These are legal minimums, not living costs: check that your income after tax covers a realistic budget for your city.

Is Spain expensive to live in?

No, not compared with the UK, the US or Australia, but it is no longer cheap: asking rents rose 5.6% and consumer prices 4.9% in the year to September 2026. A 50 m² flat in Madrid lists at about €1,170 a month, against an average London private rent of about €2,792.

How much does it cost to move to Spain?

€2,500 to €5,500 in fixed costs is a realistic range for a single person or a couple, on our two worked examples, before sworn translations, flights and temporary accommodation. Most of it is rent: the first month, a one-month deposit and possibly up to two months of extra guarantees. Official fees are small.

What are the cheapest cities in Spain to live in?

€13.4 per m² in Seville and €13.9 in Alicante make them the cheapest of the six large expat cities (Idealista, September 2026). Smaller cities are cheaper still, such as Granada at €10.8 per m² and Murcia at €10.16 (Fotocasa). For groceries, OCU's cheapest cities are all in the Valencia region.

Can I live in Spain on €2,400 a month?

Yes, as a single person in any of the six cities we priced: our budgets run from €1,527 to €2,038. €2,400 is also the Non-Lucrative Visa minimum for one person, but below the Digital Nomad Visa minimum. A couple needs €3,000 for the Non-Lucrative Visa, which does not cover our Madrid or Barcelona couple budgets.

Is the Digital Nomad Visa income requirement gross or net?

Gross. The €2,849 we prepare to for applications filed from Spain, and the €2,442 many consulates publish, are measured before income tax and Social Security. Your living costs are paid from net income, so ask a tax adviser what will be left. Self-employed people pay about €88.64 a month in contributions in their first year.

How MoveWise can help

A budget only works if the visa does too. Your Spain Legal Manager connects the two:

• Eligibility assessment first (Module 1). We compare your income or savings with the right threshold (UGE-CE or your consulate, family included), check your insurance and accounts, and tell you honestly which visa, if any, fits your numbers.

• Full preparation and submission (Module 2). Documents, apostilles and sworn translations sequenced so nothing expires, and filing with the UGE-CE or your consulate, with follow-up until the decision.

• After approval. Padrón, TIE and, for the self-employed, Social Security and tax registration through our partners, plus our Residency Setup support.

• Tax orientation. Our partner tax advisers can tell you what your gross income becomes in Spain.

Our guarantee: a full refund of our fee if your application is refused, under the conditions of our service agreement. Our clients have left more than 500 client reviews on Trustpilot.

👉 Book a free consultation with a MoveWise Client Manager — tell us your income, your family and the city you have in mind, and we will tell you whether your numbers work for the visa and for daily life.

Sources and legal references

• BOE — Real Decreto 126/2026 (minimum wage 2026)
• BOE — Orden PJC/617/2025 (fees for Forms 790-052 and 790-012)
• BOE — Real Decreto-ley 29/2026, consolidated text
• BOE — ECB euro reference rates of 23 October 2026
• UGE-CE — Digital nomads FAQ
• Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones — Non-lucrative residence (Hoja 6)
• Consulado General de España en Washington — Telework visa
• Agencia Tributaria: State income tax scale, tax residence, VAT measures 2026
• Ministerio de Hacienda — Tax measures, 29 September 2026
• Ministerio de Sanidad — Convenio especial
• Ministerio de Transportes — Transport aid for 2026
• INE — Consumer Price Index, September 2026
• Idealista — Rental price reports
• OCU — Supermarket study 2026
• GOV.UK — Get a document legalised
• Ley 12/2023, de 24 de mayo, por el derecho a la vivienda; Ley 29/1994 de Arrendamientos Urbanos, arts. 20 and 36; Real Decreto 1312/2024; Real Decreto 576/2013; Real Decreto 1155/2024, art. 62; Ley 14/2013, art. 76

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules and consular practice change frequently; the information was verified on 27 October 2026. For advice on your situation, speak to a qualified professional.

Contact Us

While the requirements for obtaining a visa for Spain are straightforward, preparing the necessary documents and navigating the application process can be challenging. Mistakes or incomplete paperwork could put your application at risk.

If you have any doubts or questions about the process, you can book a free consultation for the following visa types, we’ll be there to help you every step of the way:

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