By Camila Sánchez García · Immigration Lawyer at MoveWise · Last updated: 10 November 2026

💡 The short answer: Moving to Spain takes three amounts of money: the funds your visa makes you prove, the one-off costs of the move, and a buffer for your first months. On October 2026 figures, a single remote worker moving to Valencia should have about €6,000 to €7,600 saved, plus a salary that meets the €2,849 gross Digital Nomad Visa threshold. A retired couple on the Non-Lucrative Visa must show €36,000 for year one, and far more if living only on savings.

Key facts for a 2027 move

• Digital Nomad Visa (DNV): 200% of the minimum wage (Real Decreto 126/2026). From Spain we prepare to €2,849 gross a month, +€1,068.38 for the first family member and +€356.13 for each additional one; many consulates publish €2,442.
• Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV): €28,800 for the first year (€2,400 a month) plus €7,200 per family member, as income or savings (art. 62 Real Decreto 1155/2024). The renewed permit lasts two years and your means must cover that whole period (arts. 62.2 and 64.2.b), so twice the annual amount.
• Spanish fees are small: €16.08 for the first residence card (TIE) and €10.94 for the NLV form 790-052 (Orden PJC/617/2025).
• Consular visa fees depend on your passport: in Washington, the 2026 DNV visa fee is $190 for US citizens and $3,020 for Australians.
• Renting: a one-month deposit (fianza) plus an extra guarantee of at most two months on a home lease of up to five years (art. 36 Ley de Arrendamientos Urbanos): with the first month, four months' rent at most.
• Agency fees: paid by the landlord (art. 20 Ley de Arrendamientos Urbanos, as amended by Ley 12/2023).
• Health insurance: no copayments, no waiting periods; €60.02 to €79 a month for a 24-year-old or a middle-aged adult in Madrid (Kelisto, October 2026).
• Self-employed: reduced flat rate (tarifa plana) of €80 plus the MEI surcharge, about €88.64 a month for 12 months (2026 figure, usually updated early in the year).
• Rents: €15.1 per m² nationally in September 2026, up 5.6% in a year (Idealista), so deposits rise too.

This guide is for non-EU nationals moving to Spain on the Digital Nomad Visa or the Non-Lucrative Visa: remote employees, freelancers, retirees and families. It answers one question: how much money you need in the bank before you leave, and how much your first year will cost. You will be able to separate the money you must prove from the money you can spend, and build a first-year budget line by line.

It was prepared by MoveWise's Spain Legal Managers, who check applicants' income and savings against these thresholds every week. Every amount comes from a named, dated source or is labelled as our estimate; what we could not source is listed for you to price, not invented.

The pitfall it helps you avoid: spending the money you must prove on the move itself. A deposit paid from your visa savings weeks before the bank certificate can leave you below the threshold on the day it matters.

In this guide:

• What changed in 2026
• Is this guide for you?
• The four pots of money you need
• Pot 1: the money your visa makes you prove
• Pot 2: official fees
• Pot 2: documents, apostilles and sworn translations
• Pot 2: health insurance in your first year
• Pot 3: housing, deposits and your first weeks
• If you are self-employed: Social Security in year one
• The move itself: flights, shipping and currency
• Pot 4: your monthly living costs
• Three first-year budgets
• How much to have saved before you move
• Budget your move, step by step
• Timeline: when the money goes out
• Most common money mistakes
• Frequently asked questions
• How MoveWise can help

What changed in 2026

👉 The DNV threshold rose: the minimum wage went up to €1,221 a month in 14 payments (Real Decreto 126/2026), so we now prepare to €2,849 gross a month from Spain. The IPREM is still €600, so NLV figures are unchanged.

👉 New consular fees from 1 January 2026. Fees are set by nationality under reciprocity, and Washington says it revises them quarterly with exchange rates (Consulate General in Washington).

👉 A provisional housing decree. Real Decreto-ley 29/2026, in force since 8 October 2026, still has to be validated by the Congress of Deputies. With Parliament dissolved for the 29 November general election (Real Decreto 806/2026), the vote falls to the Congress's Standing Committee (Diputación Permanente) and is expected by 12 November 2026; if the decree is not validated, its measures lapse. While it lasts, landlords cannot require you to take out rent-default insurance or pass on agency fees "directly or indirectly", and the extra guarantee on a temporary lease is capped at one month (BOE consolidated text of the Urban Leases Act).

👉 Rents, and therefore deposits, rose 5.6% in the year to September 2026 (Idealista rental reports).

Is this guide for you?

Yes, if you plan to live in Spain on remote income, a pension or savings, and you want a savings target rather than a monthly cost of living.

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

✅ Retirees and people living on savings or passive income: the Non-Lucrative Visa. See our Non-Lucrative Visa requirements checklist.

✅ Families on either visa: every member adds to the threshold and to the one-off costs.

❌ You only want the monthly cost of living: our cost of living in Spain guide prices six cities line by line. This guide reuses its monthly budgets and adds everything around them.

❌ EU citizens need neither visa; buyers face purchase taxes this guide does not cover.

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

The four pots of money you need

Moving budgets fail when everything is lumped together. Think in four pots, because each follows different rules:

1. Visa money: the income or savings you must prove. Not a cost, but not free to spend: it must still be there when your bank certificate is issued and, for NLV holders living on savings, at the first renewal.
2. One-off costs: fees, documents, translations, insurance, flights, shipping, temporary accommodation. Gone once spent.
3. Refundable money tied up: the rental deposit and any extra guarantee. You should get it back when you leave, but cannot use it meanwhile.
4. Living costs and a buffer: rent, bills, food and transport from month one, plus a reserve.

Pot 1: the money your visa makes you prove

The threshold is the first number in your budget, because it decides whether you can move at all. It is a legal minimum, not an estimate of what life costs.

Digital Nomad Visa: income first, savings as a top-up

You must prove gross income of 200% of the minimum wage, plus 75% for the first family member and 25% for each additional one. The Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE-CE) publishes no euro figure, so two bases are in use:

• Filed from Spain with the UGE-CE: we prepare to €2,849 a month (€17,094 ÷ 12 × 200%), about US$3,189 or £2,385: €3,917.38 for a couple and €4,629.64 for a family of four.
• At consulates: same logic.

The threshold is gross: tax and Social Security come out before you pay rent. In our practice, savings can cover an income shortfall: the monthly gap times the months of the permit. Missing €200 a month on a three-year permit means €200 × 36 = €7,200 that must stay in your account.

Non-Lucrative Visa: income or savings, and the renewal at month 12

You must show €28,800 for the first year (400% of the IPREM) plus €7,200 per family member: €36,000 for a couple, about US$40,295 at the ECB rate of 23 October 2026 (published in the BOE). It can be pensions, rents, dividends, interest or savings in your name, never income from work.

Two rules make it bigger than it looks:

• A stable balance. The Consulate General in Houston asks for 12 months of statements "with a stable balance", and many consulates also want the 31 December balance and the previous year's average. Money moved in just before the appointment invites questions.
• The first permit lasts one year. The renewal lasts two years, and you must prove means for the whole new period (arts. 62.2 and 64.2.b Real Decreto 1155/2024), that is twice the annual amount: €57,600 for one person, €72,000 for a couple (about US$80,590). If you live on savings, you need that sum after paying for year one; a pension or other regular passive income that meets the monthly figure can count instead.

💡 Pro tip: our NLV checklist recommends showing about 20% more than your consulate's figure: €43,200 instead of €36,000 for a couple, so a weaker currency between the bank certificate and the decision does not sink the file.

⚠️ Common mistake: paying a deposit or a moving company from the account you use as proof of funds, weeks before the bank certificate. Keep the visa money in one account and pay the move from another.

👉 Planning to retire in Spain? Ask a MoveWise Client 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, today and at the first renewal.

Pot 2: official fees

Spain's own fees are small. The consular visa fee, set by your nationality, can be large.

Fees paid in Spain

• DNV, form 790 code 038: per applicant, family included. The UGE-CE FAQ and the government portal show different amounts, so pay exactly what the official form calculates; our budgets allow €100 per person, enough for either.
• NLV, form 790 code 052: €10.94 per applicant, €16.40 at renewal (Orden PJC/617/2025); Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles collect it in dollars, $13 in 2026.
• Residence card (TIE), form 790 code 012: €16.08 first card, €19.30 renewal.
• NIE on request, if you need one before your visa: €9.84.
• Padrón: Madrid's 2026 service charter lists no fee; check your town hall.

Consular visa fees: your passport sets the price

Every NLV, and the DNV when you apply from abroad, goes through a consulate, which charges a visa fee by reciprocity. Two official examples for 2026:

• DNV, Consulate General in Washington, from 1 January 2026: US citizens $190 (about €170), UK citizens $963 (about €860), Canadians $1,566 (about €1,399), Australians $3,020 (about €2,698), others $106.
• NLV, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles: US citizens $140 (about €125), other nationalities $106, with different rates for Australian, Canadian and UK nationals among others (Chicago, Los Angeles).

Visa centres such as BLS add their own service charges, and fees are not refunded if the visa is refused.

💡 Pro tip: the route can change the bill. An Australian couple applying for the DNV in Washington would pay 2 × $3,020 in visa fees alone; filing from Spain with the UGE-CE has no consular fee (you pay the Tasa 790-038 instead), but it is a legal route only if you are lawfully in Spain on the filing day, for example within your permitted visa-free stay, and you meet every requirement. Choose the route with your adviser before you book anything.

Pot 2: documents, apostilles and sworn translations

Documents are the least predictable line: the cost depends on your country, the number of documents and your family. We do not publish averages we cannot source; this is what drives the bill.

• ✅ Criminal record certificates for every adult, from every country lived in during the last five years.
• ✅ Apostilles (or consular legalisation outside the Hague Convention) on each official document. In the UK, the standard paper service costs £45 per document plus postage (GOV.UK). The cheaper e-Apostille (£35) is not available for ACRO police certificates, DBS or Disclosure Scotland certificates, or birth and marriage certificates, so most visa documents go through the paper service.
• ✅ Sworn translations into Spanish by a traductor jurado appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, usually priced per page or per document, apostille page included.
• ✅ Notarial and bank work: stamped or notarised bank statements (DNV); a sworn statement before a notary (Houston asks for one) and a medical certificate no older than three months (NLV); balance certificates, which some banks charge for.

Our apostille guide for Spain explains which documents need what.

💡 Pro tip: sequence documents so you never pay twice. Apostille first, then translate, because the apostille is translated too. Time the criminal record to the filing date: in our practice we treat certificates from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and EU countries as valid for six months, others for three.

⚠️ Common mistake: apostilling a notary's copy. Spain is strict: the apostille must certify the document issued by the competent authority (the police certificate itself), especially for criminal records.

Pot 2: health insurance in your first year

Health cover is a visa requirement, and the cheapest policies usually fail it.

• ✅ DNV: public cover through Spanish Social Security, or equivalent private insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain, without copayments or waiting periods; travel and reimbursement-only policies are refused (UGE-CE FAQ). Self-employed applicants get public cover once they join RETA; employees on a home-country certificate of coverage need private insurance.
• ✅ NLV: consulates ask for a policy valid for at least one year, with no deductible, copayment, waiting period or coverage limit (for example Los Angeles).
• ✅ Cost: 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). We found no published prices for over-60s; our budgets allow €150 a month per person, so get real quotes.
• ✅ Later: after one year of residence with padrón registration, the public health buy-in (convenio especial) costs €60 a month under 65 and €157 from 65 (Ministerio de Sanidad). In year one it is not available.

💡 Pro tip: before you pay, ask for a certificate in Spanish stating "sin copagos" and "sin carencias", and ask whether the insurer bills monthly or the whole year upfront. Our health insurance guide for the Digital Nomad Visa explains the wording.

Pot 3: housing, deposits and your first weeks

Housing is the largest cash outflow of the move, in two stages: somewhere to stay while you wait, then the long-term lease.

While you wait for the decision

If you file the DNV from Spain, you and every family member in the application must be physically and legally in Spain on the filing day. The UGE-CE must decide within 20 working days, or positive administrative silence applies (art. 76 Ley 14/2013), but the formal resolution and the card take longer. Budget several weeks of temporary accommodation from real quotes for your dates: prices vary too much by city and season for one figure.

• ✅ Since 1 July 2025, short-term and seasonal rentals advertised online must show a national registration number (Real Decreto 1312/2024); a listing without one is a warning sign.
• ✅ Since 10 April 2026, short-stay visitors' passports are no longer stamped at Schengen borders, so keep every boarding pass to prove your lawful entry.

The long-term lease: up to four months' rent upfront

The Urban Leases Act (consolidated text on the BOE) sets the limits:

• ✅ Deposit (fianza): one month's rent for a home (art. 36.1).
• ✅ Extra guarantee: at most two months' rent on a home lease of up to five years, or seven if the landlord is a company (art. 36.5, a cap in force since March 2019).
• ✅ First month's rent, paid on signing.
• ✅ Agency and contract costs: the landlord's (art. 20, as amended by Ley 12/2023).

At Idealista's September 2026 prices, four months' rent is 4 × €1,170 = €4,680 for 50 m² in Madrid, 4 × €815 = €3,260 for 50 m² in Valencia and 4 × €1,650 = €6,600 for 100 m² in Málaga. Our rental deposits guide covers the practical side.

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

💡 Getting it back: photograph every room and meter reading on the day you move in and email the photos to the landlord. If the balance is not returned within one month of handing back the keys, it earns legal interest (art. 36.4). Unfurnished flats also need furniture, and suppliers may charge to connect utilities: price the flats you shortlist.

If you are self-employed: Social Security in year one

Self-employed DNV holders must join the self-employed scheme (RETA) after approval. In most files filed from Spain this replaces private health insurance, but it is a monthly cost from month one.

• ✅ Months 1 to 12: €80 plus the MEI surcharge, about €88.64 in 2026, if you were not self-employed in Spain in the previous two years (three if you already had the flat rate). Import@ss shows the exact amount when you register.
• ✅ Months 13 to 24: the same rate only if your expected net income is below the minimum wage, and only if you apply before month 12 ends.
• ✅ Afterwards: contributions follow your real net income, roughly €206 to €607 a month at the minimum base of each bracket in 2026 (Orden PJC/297/2026), plus an accountant (gestor) for quarterly returns.

For a single freelancer in Valencia, the flat rate instead of €75 of private insurance makes the month €1,699.24 rather than €1,685.60. The jump comes in year two, so plan for it now. See our guide to registering as autónomo.

The move itself: flights, shipping and currency

These costs are real but personal, so price them from quotes:

• ✅ Flights for everyone, plus any trip to a consulate appointment.
• ✅ Shipping or storage: ask at least three companies to quote the same inventory; our guide to moving companies in Spain explains what to compare.
• ✅ Pets: vet certificates, vaccinations and the airline's fee.
• ✅ Currency conversion: banks and transfer services charge a margin on the rate as well as a fee; on a deposit of several thousand euros, compare providers.

💡 Pro tip: stress-test your income. A salary of $3,300 a month is €2,948.27 at the October 2026 rate, above €2,849; if the euro strengthens by 5%, it becomes €2,807.88, below the line. Keep your margin in euros.

Pot 4: your monthly living costs

Our cost of living in Spain guide builds the monthly budget city by city from Idealista rents (September 2026), official transport passes, OCU supermarket data and insurance quotes. In short, private health insurance included and income tax excluded:

• Single person, 50 m²: about €1,527 (Seville) to €2,038 (Madrid); €1,685.60 in Valencia.
• Couple, 80 m²: about €2,476 (Seville) to €3,299 (Madrid); €2,693.20 for a retired couple in Alicante with over-60 insurance.
• Family of four in Málaga, 100 m²: €3,663.17 with public schools; about €4,896.50 with private schools.

Three first-year budgets

Each budget shows the visa money, one-off costs with a sourced amount, the refundable money tied up, 12 months of living costs and the savings to have before you leave. Our buffer is three months of living costs: it pays the first month's rent and absorbs surprises. It is our rule of thumb, not a legal requirement.

1. Single remote employee in Valencia (Digital Nomad Visa, US citizen)

Employee of a US company on a US certificate of coverage (so private insurance), filing from Spain, 50 m² flat.

• Visa money: a salary of at least €2,849 gross a month (about US$3,189)
• 790-038 fee: €100 (our allowance; pay the amount on the form)
• TIE card: €16.08
• One-off costs with an amount: €116.08
• Deposit, 16.3 × 50: €815
• Extra guarantee, if the maximum is asked: 2 × €815 = €1,630
• Refundable money tied up: up to €2,445
• Living costs, 12 × €1,685.60: €20,227.20
• First-year total: €22,788.28, of which €2,445 refundable
• Buffer, 3 × €1,685.60: €5,056.80
• Savings before you move: €7,617.88 (€116.08 + €2,445 + €5,056.80), about US$8,527; €5,987.88 without the extra guarantee
• Plus your quotes: FBI record and apostille, degree or experience documents, translations, notarised bank statements, flight, temporary accommodation

12 × €2,849 = €34,188 gross a year covers the living costs, but it is taxed once you are tax-resident, so ask a tax adviser what will be left. Through the Washington consulate, add the $190 visa fee and, later, a 790-038 fee when you apply in Spain for the residence permit within the 60 days before the visa expires.

2. Retired couple in Alicante (Non-Lucrative Visa, US citizens)

Early-retired couple, both over 60, applying at a US consulate, 80 m² flat (see our guide to moving to Alicante).

• Visa money: €36,000 for the first year, as passive income or savings
• Consular visa fees, 2 × $140 = $280: about €250.16
• 790-052, 2 × €10.94: €21.88
• TIE cards, 2 × €16.08: €32.16
• First renewal around month 12: 790-052, 2 × €16.40 = €32.80; TIE cards, 2 × €19.30 = €38.60
• One-off costs with an amount: €375.60
• Deposit, 13.9 × 80: €1,112
• Extra guarantee, if asked: 2 × €1,112 = €2,224
• Refundable money tied up: up to €3,336
• Living costs, 12 × €2,693.20 (insurance allowance of €150 a month each): €32,318.40
• First-year total: €36,030, of which €3,336 refundable

The first year costs almost exactly the €36,000 the couple must prove: the threshold is a floor, not a cushion. Their savings target depends on where the money comes from:

• Pensions or other passive income cover the threshold (at least €3,000 a month for two, about US$3,358): €11,791.20 saved (€375.60 + €3,336 + a buffer of 3 × €2,693.20 = €8,079.60), about US$13,198.
• Savings only: they must pay for year one and still show €72,000 at renewal: €375.60 + €3,336 + €32,318.40 + €72,000 = €108,030, or €116,109.60 with the buffer, about US$129,961. A 20% margin on the renewal means adds €14,400.

Plus their quotes: two FBI records and apostilles, medical certificates, the notarised statement, translations, bank certificates, flights and shipping. Pensions and investment income become taxable in Spain once you are tax-resident, normally after more than 183 days a year there; speak to a tax adviser before you move.

3. Family of four in Málaga (Digital Nomad Visa, UK nationals)

One parent employed by a UK company on a UK certificate of coverage (so private insurance for all four), two children in public school, filing from Spain, 100 m² flat (see our guide to moving to Málaga).

• Visa money: €4,629.64 gross a month (about £3,876)
• 790-038 fees: 4 × €100 = €400 (our allowance)
• TIE cards, 4 × €16.08: €64.32
• UK apostilles for at least five documents (two criminal records, marriage certificate, two birth certificates), 5 × £45 = £225: about €268.73, plus postage
• One-off costs with an amount: €733.05
• Deposit, 16.5 × 100: €1,650
• Extra guarantee, if asked: 2 × €1,650 = €3,300
• Refundable money tied up: up to €4,950
• Living costs, 12 × €3,663.17: €43,958.04
• First-year total: €49,641.09, of which €4,950 refundable
• Buffer, 3 × €3,663.17: €10,989.51
• Savings before you move: €16,672.56 (€733.05 + €4,950 + €10,989.51), about £13,960; €13,372.56 without the extra guarantee
• Plus your quotes: translations, degree or experience documents, flights and temporary accommodation for four, shipping

With private schools (OCU: more than €8,700 a year per pupil), the month rises to about €4,896.50 and 12 months of living to €58,758. Who can join you, and when, is in our guide to bringing your family on the Digital Nomad Visa.

How much to have saved before you move

Add up these separate lines:

• ✅ Visa money, untouched until the decision (NLV on savings: enough for the first renewal too)
• ✅ Official and consular fees for every applicant
• ✅ Documents: criminal records, apostilles, translations, notarial work
• ✅ Health insurance: the first premium, or the year if billed annually
• ✅ Temporary accommodation for everyone, for several weeks
• ✅ Deposit plus up to two months' guarantee (refundable, but tied up)
• ✅ Three months of living costs (our rule of thumb)
• ✅ Self-employed contributions from month one
• ✅ Flights, shipping, furniture and pets, from quotes

👉 If your income meets the threshold, plan on roughly three months of living costs plus four months' rent plus fees and documents. If you rely on savings for the NLV, plan on far more, because the renewal comes before the money can recover.

Budget your move, step by step

1. Choose your visa and route (from Spain or a consulate) and note your threshold, family included.
2. Check your consulate's current fee for your nationality.
3. Price the rent in two or three cities (Idealista's price per m² × the size you need), then check real listings.
4. Take your city's monthly budget from our cost of living guide and adjust it.
5. Get quotes for compliant insurance, translations, temporary accommodation, flights and shipping.
6. Ring-fence the visa money in its own account.
7. Add the one-off and refundable lines, a three-month buffer and, for the NLV on savings, the first renewal.
8. Stress-test the exchange rate at 5% worse than today, then run the visa income check with a MoveWise Client Manager before paying a deposit or a flight.

Timeline: when the money goes out

Typical, not guaranteed:

• ➡️ Six to three months before filing: criminal records, apostilles, then translations; NLV bank certificates (31 December and average balances).
• ➡️ One to two months before: health insurance; NLV medical certificate.
• ➡️ At filing: the 790 fees and, at a consulate, the visa fee and any visa-centre charge.
• ➡️ While you wait: temporary accommodation if you filed from Spain.
• ➡️ After approval: first month's rent, deposit and any guarantee; padrón; the TIE fee and fingerprint appointment.
• ➡️ Months 1 to 12: living costs; self-employed contributions.
• ➡️ Around month 12 (NLV): renewal fees and proof of two years of means.
• ➡️ 1 January to 31 March after your first year as a tax resident: the Modelo 720 information return, generally if foreign assets exceed €50,000 in any one block; ask your tax adviser.

Most common money mistakes (and how to avoid them)

1. Spending the visa money on the move. Fix: separate accounts for proof of funds and for moving costs.
2. Moving money in just before the bank certificate. Fix: build a stable balance over months, and document any unavoidable lump sum.
3. Budgeting on the gross DNV figure. Fix: ask a tax adviser what tax and contributions will take.
4. Forgetting the NLV renewal. Fix: on savings, plan to show two years of means around month 12, after paying for year one.
5. Paying a long-term deposit before approval. Fix: rent temporarily and sign once you know your approval date.
6. Paying what you do not owe. Fix: on a home lease, agency costs are the landlord's and the extra guarantee is capped at two months.
7. Insurance with copayments or waiting periods. Fix: check the certificate wording before paying.
8. Documents in the wrong order or too early. Fix: apostille before translation; time criminal records to filing.
9. Ignoring the exchange rate. Fix: keep a margin in euros above the threshold and your budget.

Frequently asked questions

How much money do I need to move to Spain?

€6,000 to €7,600 in savings for a single remote worker moving to Valencia, on top of a salary of at least €2,849 gross a month, on our October 2026 figures. A family of four in Málaga needs about €13,400 to €16,700, and a retired couple living only on savings over €108,000, because of the first renewal.

How much does it cost to move to Spain?

€3,376 to €7,333 in our three examples, counting fees, UK apostilles and the maximum four months' rent a landlord can ask upfront, before flights, shipping, sworn translations and temporary accommodation. Housing is most of it: Spanish government fees are small. Your monthly living costs come on top.

How much does the Spain Digital Nomad Visa cost?

€200 per person is more than enough for the Spanish government fees if you file from Spain: the 790-038 fee shown on the official form plus €16.08 for the residence card. Through a consulate, add a visa fee set by nationality, from $106 to $3,020 at Washington in 2026. Documents, translations and insurance usually cost more than the fees.

How much savings do I need for the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa?

€28,800 for one person and €36,000 for a couple for the first year, in income or savings. If you rely on savings alone, the first renewal requires about two years of means again, €57,600 or €72,000, after you have paid for year one. We recommend showing about 20% more than your consulate's figure.

Can I move to Spain with no money?

No, not on the Digital Nomad Visa or the Non-Lucrative Visa: both require you to prove income or savings, and the move itself costs several thousand euros. The Digital Nomad Visa needs a steady remote income of at least €2,849 gross a month from Spain; the Non-Lucrative Visa needs €28,800 for the first year.

Can I use my visa savings to pay the rental deposit?

No, not before your visa is decided. The money you prove must be in your account when the bank certificate is issued and, for the Non-Lucrative Visa on savings, at the first renewal. Pay the deposit, flights and fees from separate funds, and keep the visa money stable and untouched.

How much is a rental deposit in Spain?

One month's rent for a home, by law, plus an extra guarantee of at most two more months on a lease of up to five years (seven with a company landlord). With the first month's rent, the most you can be asked for upfront is four months' rent: €4,680 for a 50 m² Madrid flat at September 2026 asking prices.

Do I pay an estate agent's fee when renting in Spain?

No. On a long-term home lease, the agency's fees and the cost of drawing up the contract are paid by the landlord under the Urban Leases Act, as amended by the 2023 Housing Law. A provisional 2026 decree also bars passing them on indirectly; it stays in force only if Congress validates it, with a vote expected by 12 November 2026.

How much does health insurance cost for a Spanish visa?

€60 to €79 a month for a 24-year-old or a middle-aged adult in Madrid, for complete cover without copayments (Kelisto quotes, October 2026). Prices for over-60s are not published; we budget €150 a month per person and recommend getting quotes early. Travel insurance and policies with copayments or waiting periods are not accepted.

How much money do you need to move to Tenerife?

€2,849 gross a month for the Digital Nomad Visa filed from Spain, or €28,800 for the first year of the Non-Lucrative Visa: the visa minimums are the same in the Canary Islands as in the rest of Spain. Rents and taxes differ on the islands; our guide to moving to the Canary Islands covers them.

How MoveWise can help

The visa decides whether your budget can start at all. For people moving on the Digital Nomad Visa or the Non-Lucrative Visa:

• Eligibility assessment first (Module 1). We check your income or savings against the right threshold (UGE-CE or your consulate, family included, and the first renewal if you live on savings), your insurance and your accounts, and tell you honestly which visa and route fit your numbers.
• Full preparation and submission (Module 2). Your Spain Legal Manager sequences documents, apostilles and translations so nothing expires or is paid twice, prepares the financial file and submits it to the UGE-CE or your consulate, with follow-up until the decision.
• After approval. Padrón, TIE appointment and, for the self-employed, Social Security registration through our partners, plus our Residency Setup support.
• Tax questions. MoveWise does not give tax advice, but we can put you in touch with independent, qualified tax advisers we work with.

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 or savings, your family and the city you have in mind, and we will tell you which visa fits and how much you should have in the bank before you move.

Sources and legal references

• BOE — Ley 29/1994 de Arrendamientos Urbanos, consolidated text (arts. 20 and 36)
• BOE — Real Decreto 126/2026 (minimum wage 2026)
• BOE — Orden PJC/617/2025 (fees for forms 790-052 and 790-012)
• BOE — Orden PJC/297/2026 (Social Security contribution bases 2026)
• 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)
• Consulate General of Spain in Washington — Telework visa (fees from 1 January 2026)
• Consulate General of Spain in Houston — Non-lucrative residence visa
• Consulate General of Spain in Chicago — Non-working residence visa
• Consulate General of Spain in Los Angeles — Non-lucrative residence visa
• Ministerio de Sanidad — Convenio especial
• GOV.UK — Get a document legalised
• Idealista — Rental price reports
• Ley 12/2023, de 24 de mayo, por el derecho a la vivienda; Real Decreto-ley 7/2019 (art. 36.5 LAU guarantee cap); Real Decreto 806/2026 (dissolution of Parliament); Real Decreto 1155/2024, arts. 62 and 64; Ley 14/2013, arts. 74 quater and 76; Real Decreto 1312/2024; Real Decreto 576/2013

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules and consular practice change frequently; the information was verified on 10 November 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:

Digital Nomad Visa Spain -> BOOK TODAY a 100% Free Consultation

Non-Lucrative Visa Spain -> BOOK TODAY a 100% Free Consultation

Student Visa Spain -> BOOK TODAY a 100% Free Consultation

Hasta pronto!