By Arturo García de la Cruz · Immigration Lawyer at MoveWise · Last updated: 30 October 2026

💡 The short answer: The best place to live in Spain depends on your profile. Remote workers usually choose Madrid, Valencia, Málaga or Las Palmas; retirees the Costa Blanca, the Costa del Sol or the Canary Islands; budget movers Granada, Murcia or Galicia, where a 50 m² flat lists at about €505 to €560 a month. Wherever you settle, your visa sets the floor: €2,849 gross a month for the Digital Nomad Visa filed from Spain, €2,400 for the Non-Lucrative Visa.

Key facts (October 2026 data)

• Rents: the national asking rent was €15.1 per m² a month in September 2026 (Idealista), from about €10 to €11 in Granada, Murcia and Galicia's cities to €23.4 in Madrid.
• Sunshine: 2,905 hours a year at Málaga airport and 2,851 in Alicante, against 1,610 at Bilbao airport (AEMET climate normals, 1981–2010).
• Mildest winters: Gran Canaria airport averages 17.9°C in January; Madrid averages 6.3°C (AEMET).
• Rent caps: on 30 September 2026, 317 municipalities in five regions had declared stressed housing zones, 271 of them in Catalonia; Madrid, the Valencian Community, Andalusia, Murcia, the Balearics and the Canaries had none.
• Languages: Spanish everywhere; Catalan, Valencian, Basque or Galician are also official in six regions.
• 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 (€28,800 for the first year) plus €600 a month per family member (art. 62 Real Decreto 1155/2024); to renew, you must have lived in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year (art. 64.2.f).
• Upfront rent: 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).

This guide is for non-EU nationals choosing where to live in Spain: remote workers, retirees, families and budget movers. You will leave with a shortlist for your profile, a region-by-region comparison of climate, rent, languages and healthcare, and the visa that fits you.

It was prepared by MoveWise's Spain Legal Managers, who check applicants' income and documents every week. Every rent, temperature and threshold has a named, dated source, and every figure of our own is a sum you can check.

The pitfall it helps you avoid: choosing a place on lifestyle alone and discovering later that your income, your health insurance or the time you plan to spend in Spain does not fit the visa you need.

In this guide:

• What changed in 2026
• Is this guide for you? Which visa fits your profile
• The best places to live in Spain by profile
• Spain region by region
• How the regions compare
• Can you live there on the visa minimum?
• Visas and paperwork wherever you settle
• Choosing and moving, step by step
• Timeline: what to realistically expect
• How much it costs to move
• Most common mistakes (and how to avoid them)
• Frequently asked questions
• How MoveWise can help

What changed in 2026

👉 Rents are still rising, but more slowly. Idealista's national asking rent reached a record €15.3 per m² in July and stood at €15.1 in September 2026: 5.6% more than a year earlier, but 0.4% less than in the previous quarter, the first quarterly fall since 2021.

👉 Higher Digital Nomad Visa thresholds. The minimum wage (SMI) rose to €1,221 a month in 14 payments (Real Decreto 126/2026), so the Digital Nomad Visa minimum is €2,849 gross a month on the basis we use for applications filed in Spain. The IPREM index is still €600, so Non-Lucrative Visa figures did not change.

👉 No more passport stamps for visitors. Since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) records short-stay travellers' entries digitally instead of stamping passports (European Commission). If you scout places as a visitor and then apply for the Digital Nomad Visa from Spain, keep your boarding passes. Long-stay (D) visa and residence permit holders are outside the EES.

👉 A provisional housing decree. Real Decreto-ley 29/2026, in force since 8 October 2026, caps annual rent updates at 2% unless landlord and tenant agree otherwise, and requires seasonal leases to state a real reason and to last more than 31 days and, as a rule, no more than 12 months (BOE consolidated text). It still has to be approved by Parliament; if it is not, its measures lapse.

Is this guide for you? Which visa fits your profile

Yes, if you are a non-EU national planning to live in Spain for longer than a holiday. The place you choose changes your costs; the visa you hold decides what you must prove and how much time you must spend in Spain.

✅ Remote employees and freelancers working for employers or clients outside Spain: the Digital Nomad Visa. Self-employed applicants may earn up to 20% of their income from Spanish clients. See our Spain Digital Nomad Visa requirements guide.

✅ Retirees and people living on pensions, investments or savings: the Non-Lucrative Visa, which does not allow you to work in Spain. See our Non-Lucrative Visa requirements checklist.

✅ Families: both visas allow a spouse or partner and children to join you, and the income required rises with each member. Our guide to bringing your family on the Digital Nomad Visa shows the numbers.

✅ Students: a study visa, with its own rules.

👉 Undecided between the two main routes? Read our comparison of the Non-Lucrative Visa and the Digital Nomad Visa.

❌ EU citizens need neither visa: the places and prices apply to you, the visa sections do not.

❌ People who want a job with a Spanish employer need a different permit; neither of these visas covers it.

❌ Short stays: visa-exempt nationals (for example US, UK, Canadian and Australian citizens) can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period as visitors. To stay longer you need a visa or a residence permit.

👉 Book a free consultation with a MoveWise Client Manager to check which visa fits your plans — tell us where you want to live and what you earn, and we will tell you honestly whether the Digital Nomad Visa fits. You can also see how our Spain Digital Nomad Visa service and our Spain Non-Lucrative Visa service work.

The best places to live in Spain by profile

Start from who you are, not from a ranking. These shortlists use the data in this guide; the regional sections below give the detail.

For remote workers and digital nomads

• Madrid: the centre of the high-speed rail network, Spain's largest airport and the highest rents (€23.4 per m², Idealista, September 2026). See moving to Madrid.
• Valencia: a large city on the sea, at €16.3 per m², with 2,696 hours of sunshine a year (AEMET) and a 2025 average high-speed fare to Madrid of €27.04, the lowest of the main routes from Madrid (CNMC).
• Málaga: 2,905 hours of sunshine and a January average of 12.1°C (AEMET), an international airport and rents of €16.5 per m².
• Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: the mildest winters in this guide (17.9°C in January at the airport) and city rents of €16.13 per m² (Fotocasa, September 2026), with longer flights to the mainland.
• Barcelona: a large international community and rent controls in a stressed zone, but the second-highest rents (€20.1 per m² on Idealista, €23.15 on Fotocasa).

Our ranking of the best cities in Spain for digital nomads scores these cities one by one.

For retirees

• Alicante and the Costa Blanca: 2,851 hours of sunshine, only 311 mm of rain a year (AEMET) and rents of €13.9 per m² in Alicante city. See moving to the Costa Blanca.
• Málaga and the Costa del Sol: one of the mildest mainland winters (12.1°C in January at Málaga airport) and an international airport. See moving to the Costa del Sol.
• Valencia: big-city hospitals, culture and transport, at a lower rent than Madrid or Barcelona.
• Murcia: the lowest rent of any large city in this guide (€10.16 per m², Fotocasa, September 2026) and one of the cheapest set lunches (€13.50 on average in the region).
• The Canary Islands: the most stable year-round temperatures, at the cost of island prices and distance from family in Europe.

For families

• Madrid: many international schools, with indicative primary tuition from about €7,000 a year to €30,000 or more at the premium end (Tutopiya comparison, January 2026). OCU's 2026–27 survey puts the average total spend per pupil at about €1,300 a year in public schools and more than €8,700 in private ones.
• Valencia and Málaga: large cities with international schools and beaches, at rents about 30% below Madrid's (€16.3 and €16.5 per m² against €23.4).
• The Basque Country and Galicia: smaller cities and a cooler climate, where children study the regional language at school as well as Spanish.

On a budget

• Granada: €10.8 per m² (Idealista, September 2026), so a 50 m² flat lists at about 10.8 × 50 = €540.
• Murcia: €10.16 per m², about €508 for 50 m².
• Galicia: A Coruña €11.1, Vigo €11.2 and Santiago de Compostela €10.1 per m² (Idealista, December 2025). See moving to Galicia.
• Extremadura and inland Spain: among the lowest rents in the country, with fewer international services. See moving to Extremadura.

⚠️ Common mistake: expecting a cheap city to lower the visa bar. The income you must prove is the same in Murcia as in Madrid.

For English speakers (British, American and others)

The Costa Blanca and the Costa del Sol have long-established English-speaking communities, with English-speaking services in many towns; Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga have the broadest international communities overall. Some visa points differ by passport:

• British citizens are non-EU nationals since 2021 and need a visa to stay more than 90 days in any 180. UK employees can usually keep paying into the UK system with a certificate of coverage under the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
• US citizens can do the same under the Spain–US social security agreement in force since 1988.
• In your currency (ECB rates of 23 October 2026): €2,849 ≈ £2,385 or US$3,189; €2,400 ≈ £2,009 or US$2,686.

For the best climate and winter sun

• Gran Canaria: 17.9°C in January and 23.8°C in July at the airport, with 151 mm of rain a year.
• Málaga: 12.1°C in January, 25.5°C in July, 2,905 hours of sunshine.
• Alicante: 11.7°C and 25.5°C, 2,851 hours of sunshine and 37.5 rainy days a year.
• Valencia: 11.8°C and 25.6°C, 2,696 hours of sunshine.

All figures are AEMET's 1981–2010 normals; a "rainy day" is one with at least 1 mm of rain.

For a trial stay of up to three months

• Visitors: if your passport is visa-exempt, you can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period, which is enough to test a city before you commit.
• Where: Valencia, Málaga and Las Palmas combine a mild autumn and winter with frequent flights, so you can visit other candidates.
• Renting: a seasonal lease must now state a real reason and run more than 31 days (RDL 29/2026, provisional), and since 1 July 2025 short-term and seasonal rentals advertised online must show a national registration number (Real Decreto 1312/2024).

💡 Pro tip: a trial stay can become your application. The Digital Nomad Visa can be filed from Spain while you are legally in the country as a visitor, so prepare your documents before you travel and file well before your 90 days run out.

Spain region by region

Spain has 17 autonomous regions, and each runs its own health service and schools and sets part of your income tax. For each region below: climate (AEMET 1981–2010 normals), rent (asking prices from Idealista or Fotocasa, with the month), languages, health service, rent controls and who it suits.

Madrid

• Climate: continental. 6.3°C in January and 25.6°C in July at Retiro park, where July afternoons average 32.1°C; 421 mm of rain on 59.4 days a year.
• Rent: €23.4 per m² in the city and €21.6 in the region (Idealista, September 2026): 23.4 × 50 = €1,170 for 50 m²; 23.4 × 80 = €1,872 for 80 m².
• Language and health: Spanish only; Servicio Madrileño de Salud (SERMAS).
• Rent controls: no stressed zones declared.
• Getting around: the 30-day Zone A pass costs €32.70 in 2026, and over-65s travel free with the annual Abono +65.
• Suits: careers, families who want international schools, big-city lovers. Less suited to: anyone who wants the sea or the lowest rent.

Catalonia: Barcelona, the Costa Brava and the Costa Daurada

• Climate: Mediterranean. 9.2°C in January and 23.9°C in July at Barcelona airport, 588 mm of rain on 53.3 days; at Reus airport, near Tarragona, 9.0°C and 24.2°C.
• Rent: Barcelona €20.1 per m² on Idealista and €23.15 on Fotocasa (September 2026), so 50 m² lists at €1,005 to €1,158; the Catalan regional average is €15.9.
• Language and health: Catalan and Spanish are both official, and Catalan is widely used in schools and local government; Servei Català de la Salut (CatSalut).
• Rent controls: Barcelona was one of 271 Catalan municipalities declared stressed zones on 30 September 2026. There, the rent on a new lease cannot exceed the previous rent for the same home (updated), with tighter caps for large landlords. In October 2026 the Generalitat extended Barcelona's declaration for a year and declared 53 more towns, changes that apply once published in the BOE.
• Worth knowing: Barcelona had Spain's most expensive water in OCU's 2025 study, €516 a year; the T-usual zone 1 pass costs €22.80 a month in 2026.
• Suits: international professionals, creative and tech workers, families who want a big city by the sea. See moving to Catalonia.

Valencian Community: Valencia, Alicante and the Costa Blanca

• Climate: among the sunniest in this guide. Valencia: 11.8°C in January, 25.6°C in July, 2,696 hours of sunshine and 46.3 rainy days. Alicante: 11.7°C and 25.5°C, 2,851 hours of sunshine, 311 mm of rain on 37.5 days.
• Rent: Valencia €16.3 per m² on Idealista and €18.96 on Fotocasa; Alicante €13.9, up 5.9% in a year, the fastest rise among the six largest expat cities (Idealista, September 2026).
• Language and health: Valencian and Spanish are both official; the regional health service is run by the Generalitat Valenciana's Conselleria de Sanitat.
• Rent controls: no stressed zones declared.
• Everyday costs: OCU's 2026 supermarket study found Spain's three cheapest cities to shop in (Torrent, Villarreal and Santa Pola) all in this region; monthly passes cost €35 in both Valencia (SUMA, one zone) and Alicante (Móbilis).
• Taxes: the region sets its own part of the income-tax scale, so rates differ from other regions; ask a qualified tax adviser how they apply to you.
• Suits: remote workers, retirees, families who want a large city on the sea. See moving to Valencia.

Andalusia: Málaga, the Costa del Sol, Seville, Granada and Cádiz

This is the answer to "the best place to live in southern Spain": the right city depends on whether you want the coast or the interior.

• Climate: Málaga airport has 12.1°C in January, 25.5°C in July and 2,905 hours of sunshine; Cádiz 12.7°C and 24.6°C, with the sea keeping summers milder. Inland, Granada airport has 2,917 hours of sunshine but a cold winter (6.5°C in January), and Seville, in the Guadalquivir valley, has the hot inland summers the region is known for.
• Rent: Málaga €16.5, Seville €13.4 and Granada €10.8 per m² (Idealista, September 2026); a 50 m² flat lists at about €825, €670 and €540.
• Language and health: Spanish only; Servicio Andaluz de Salud (SAS).
• Rent controls: no stressed zones declared.
• Getting around: Seville's 30-day bus pass costs €21.20 in 2026; Málaga keeps a 40–50% discount on its monthly bus card. The 2025 average high-speed fare to Madrid was €37.61 from Málaga and €38.41 from Seville (CNMC).
• Suits: Málaga and the Costa del Sol for remote workers and retirees; Seville for city life at a lower rent; Granada for budget and university life; Cádiz for a smaller coastal city. See moving to Málaga y moving to Seville.

Region of Murcia

• Climate: the Costa Cálida shares the dry Mediterranean climate of neighbouring Alicante.
• Rent: Murcia city €10.16 per m² (Fotocasa, September 2026), about €508 for 50 m²; Idealista puts the city at €9.9 and the region at €9.5 (September 2026).
• Language and health: Spanish only; Servicio Murciano de Salud.
• Everyday costs: the average set lunch (menú del día) costs €13.50 in Murcia and the Canaries, the lowest regional figures, against €14.70 nationally.
• Suits: retirees and budget movers who want the Mediterranean. See moving to Murcia.

Basque Country: Bilbao and San Sebastián

• Climate: Atlantic. Bilbao airport has 9.3°C in January and 20.4°C in July, 1,610 hours of sunshine and 1,134 mm of rain on 124 days a year.
• Rent: San Sebastián €18.4 per m² (down 2.5% in a year) and Bilbao €15.7 (down 0.3%) in September 2026 (Idealista); 50 m² lists at about €920 and €785.
• Language and health: Basque (euskera) and Spanish are both official; Osakidetza.
• Rent controls: 18 Basque municipalities had declared stressed zones by 30 September 2026, Bilbao among them since 31 October 2025.
• Worth knowing: the Basque Country had the most expensive average set lunch, €16.30; it also collects its own income tax under a historic system (concierto económico), so check with a tax adviser before relying on rules written for the rest of Spain.
• Suits: food lovers, families, people who prefer green landscapes and mild summers to heat. See moving to Bilbao.

Galicia and the green north: Asturias and Cantabria

• Climate: Atlantic, mild and wet, with cool summers.
• Rent: A Coruña €11.1, Vigo €11.2 and Santiago de Compostela €10.1 per m² (Idealista, December 2025); Galicia as a whole €9.4.
• Language and health: Galician and Spanish are both official in Galicia; Servizo Galego de Saúde (SERGAS).
• Rent controls: 2 municipalities in Galicia and 5 in Asturias had declared stressed zones by 30 September 2026.
• Worth knowing: Ourense had Spain's cheapest water in OCU's 2025 study, €148 a year.
• Suits: budget movers, nature lovers, people who want a quieter life and can live with rain. See moving to northern Spain.

Balearic Islands: Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza

• Rent: high and rising fast. In September 2026 Palma was €19.6 per m², up 7.3% in a year, and the islands €20.2 (Idealista).
• Language and health: Catalan and Spanish are both official; Servei de Salut de les Illes Balears (IB-Salut).
• Rent controls: no stressed zones declared.
• Worth knowing: a couple renting 80 m² in Palma spends about €2,929.20 a month before transport on our method (€1,568 rent + €1,361.20 other costs), close to the Non-Lucrative Visa minimum for two, €3,000.
• Suits: people with a comfortable income who value island life and short flights to the rest of Europe. See moving to the Balearic Islands.

Canary Islands: Gran Canaria and Tenerife

• Climate: spring-like all year. Gran Canaria airport has 17.9°C in January and 23.8°C in July, with 151 mm of rain on 22.1 days.
• Rent: €16.22 per m² across the islands in June 2026, up 10.4% in a year (Fotocasa); in September 2026 Fotocasa put Las Palmas de Gran Canaria at €16.13 and Santa Cruz de Tenerife at €15.20. In June, the resort municipalities listed higher than the capitals: Mogán €21.55, San Bartolomé de Tirajana €21.49, Arona €19.93 and Adeje €19.87, against €12.73 in San Cristóbal de La Laguna.
• Language and health: Spanish only; Servicio Canario de la Salud.
• Worth knowing: the islands apply their own indirect tax (IGIC) instead of Spanish VAT, and run one hour behind mainland Spain, which can help if you work with UK or Irish clients. Flights to the mainland and the rest of Europe are longer than from the coasts.
• Suits: remote workers and retirees who want mild weather all year. See moving to the Canary Islands.

Inland Spain: Aragón, Extremadura and the interior

• Rent: Zaragoza €13.97 per m² (Fotocasa, September 2026), about €699 for 50 m²; Aragón €11.2 on Idealista, up 9.6% in a year. Extremadura and much of the interior list well below the national average.
• Getting around: the 2025 average high-speed fare between Madrid and Zaragoza was €41.57 (CNMC).
• Suits: budget movers and remote workers who do not need the sea, and who will learn Spanish quickly: there are fewer English-speaking services.

How the regions compare

Climate is covered region by region above; four more questions decide most moves: rent, healthcare, language and tax.

Rent: what a 50 m² flat lists at

Price per m² × 50, asking prices (source and month in brackets):

• Madrid: €1,170 (Idealista, September 2026)
• Barcelona: €1,005 to €1,158 (Idealista and Fotocasa, September 2026)
• Palma: €980 · San Sebastián: €920 (Idealista, September 2026)
• Málaga: €825 · Valencia: €815 (Idealista, September 2026)
• Las Palmas: €806.50 (Fotocasa, September 2026) · Bilbao: €785 (Idealista, September 2026) · Santa Cruz de Tenerife: €760 (Fotocasa, September 2026)
• Zaragoza: €698.50 (Fotocasa) · Alicante: €695 · Seville: €670 (Idealista, September 2026)
• Vigo: €560 · A Coruña: €555 · Santiago de Compostela: €505 (Idealista, December 2025)
• Granada: €540 (Idealista) · Murcia: €508 (Fotocasa, September 2026)

These are listing prices, not signed contracts, and small flats usually list above the average price per m², so treat them as a floor. The months differ, and rents have been rising, so older figures are likely to be higher today.

Healthcare

Spain has one national health system run by 17 regional services, and your visa decides how you get into it. Digital Nomad Visa holders registered with Spanish Social Security, including self-employed workers who pay into the self-employed scheme (RETA), use the public system; employees who keep paying into their home system with a certificate of coverage need private insurance in practice. Non-Lucrative Visa holders rely on private insurance at first. After one year of continuous residence, with padrón registration in the region and no other public cover, you can buy into the public system through the convenio especial: €60 a month under 65 and €157 from 65 (Ministerio de Sanidad).

Languages and schools

In the six regions with a co-official language, public schools teach in it as well as in Spanish. For children who arrive older, ask each school about its language model and support for newcomers; adults can live anywhere with Spanish.

Regional taxes

Once you are tax-resident, part of your income tax is set by your region, so rates vary from one region to another. Regions also set their own rules for wealth tax and inheritance and gift tax. The Basque Country and Navarre have their own tax systems, and the Canary Islands their own indirect tax. If you have significant savings or assets, ask a qualified tax adviser how these rules would apply to you.

Can you live there on the visa minimum?

As a single person, yes, everywhere in this guide: even Madrid's budget fits under both visa minimums. As a couple, Madrid and Barcelona do not fit the Non-Lucrative Visa minimum, and Palma and San Sebastián leave almost nothing. Remember that the Digital Nomad Visa figure is gross: income tax and social security come out of it.

How we calculate: rent at the price per m² above, plus the other monthly costs from our cost of living in Spain guide: €835.60 for a single person (utilities, groceries, eight set lunches, private health insurance at €75, personal spending) and €1,361.20 for a couple, with set lunches at the regional average (+€12.80 / +€25.60 in the Basque Country, −€9.60 / −€19.20 in Murcia and the Canaries). Seven city totals include a transport pass (in Bilbao, the Bidai Oro one-zone pass at €30.27 with its 2026 discount); the others are before transport.

A single person in 50 m²

Monthly budget, then the margin under the Digital Nomad Visa from Spain (€2,849) / the Non-Lucrative Visa (€2,400):

• Madrid: €2,038.30 · €810.70 / €361.70
• Barcelona: €1,871.40 · €977.60 / €528.60
• Palma: €1,815.60 before transport · €1,033.40 / €584.40
• San Sebastián: €1,768.40 before transport · €1,080.60 / €631.60
• Valencia: €1,685.60 · €1,163.40 / €714.40
• Málaga: €1,684.55 · €1,164.45 / €715.45
• Bilbao: €1,663.67 · €1,185.33 / €736.33
• Las Palmas: €1,632.50 before transport · €1,216.50 / €767.50
• Alicante: €1,565.60 · €1,283.40 / €834.40
• Seville: €1,526.80 · €1,322.20 / €873.20
• Granada: €1,375.60 before transport · €1,473.40 / €1,024.40
• Murcia: €1,334 before transport · €1,515 / €1,066

A couple in 80 m²

Monthly budget, then the margin under the Non-Lucrative Visa minimum for two (€3,000). The Digital Nomad Visa minimum for a couple is higher: €3,917.38 gross from Spain, or €3,358 at consulates that publish the lower figures.

• Madrid: €3,298.60 · €298.60 short
• Barcelona: €3,022.80 · €22.80 short
• Palma: €2,929.20 before transport · €70.80
• San Sebastián: €2,858.80 before transport · €141.20
• Valencia: €2,735.20 · €264.80
• Málaga: €2,729.10 · €270.90
• Bilbao: €2,703.34 · €296.66
• Las Palmas: €2,632.40 before transport · €367.60
• Alicante: €2,543.20 · €456.80
• Seville: €2,475.60 · €524.40
• Granada: €2,225.20 before transport · €774.80
• Murcia: €2,154.80 before transport · €845.20

What this means for retirees: health insurance without copayments costs more after 60. With our planning allowance of €150 a person instead of €75, a retired couple's budget rises by €150: €2,693.20 in Alicante (a €306.80 margin), €2,885.20 in Valencia (€114.80) and €3,079.20 in Palma before transport, €79.20 over the minimum. Our Non-Lucrative Visa checklist recommends showing about 20% more than your consulate's figure, about €3,600 a month 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 in savings. Savings do not lower your living costs, though, so choose the place on the income you will actually receive.

⚠️ Common mistake: preparing an application filed from Spain to the consular €2,442. For the Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE-CE) we prepare to €2,849, because the lower figure gives the reviewing officer a reason to question the file.

👉 Retiring to Spain? Ask a MoveWise Client Manager to check your pension and savings against the Non-Lucrative Visa rules — tell us where you want to live, and we will tell you whether your income or savings meet your consulate's figure with a safe margin for that place.

Visas and paperwork wherever you settle

Your visa is national: it lets you live anywhere in Spain. What changes with the place is where you register, which offices you deal with and how long appointments take.

The two main visas

• Digital Nomad Visa from Spain: filed online with the UGE-CE, a national unit, usually through a representative, while you are legally in Spain. If it does not decide within 20 working days, the application is treated as approved by positive administrative silence (art. 76 Ley 14/2013), although the formal resolution can arrive later. The permit lasts up to three years and is renewable for two-year periods.
• Digital Nomad Visa from a consulate: a visa of up to one year, after which you apply for the residence permit in Spain.
• Non-Lucrative Visa: filed at the Spanish consulate responsible for where you live now, not where you plan to live. You must show €2,400 a month for the applicant and €600 for each family member, for the whole period of the permit (Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones). Parents cannot be included; adult children only with a disability or health-based dependency (art. 61.3 Real Decreto 1155/2024).

What depends on where you live

• Padrón: you register at the town hall (ayuntamiento) of the municipality where you live. Each town has its own appointment system. See our padrón registration guide.
• Residence card (TIE): fingerprints and collection at a Policía Nacional office in your province, by appointment (cita previa); the fee is €16.08 for a first card (Orden PJC/617/2025). In our experience appointments are scarce in the largest cities, so plan with margin.
• Healthcare: your regional health service, as above.
• Renewals: Non-Lucrative Visa renewals go to the immigration office (Oficina de Extranjería) of your province; Digital Nomad Visa renewals go back to the UGE-CE.

Tax and the time you spend in Spain

• Tax residence: you become tax-resident if you spend more than 183 days in the calendar year in Spain or your main centre of economic interests is there (Agencia Tributaria). Residents are taxed on worldwide income.
• Beckham Law: Digital Nomad Visa employees who were not Spanish residents in the previous five years may be able to opt for a special regime (24% on employment income up to €600,000 for six tax years), if they meet its conditions; ordinary self-employed people are generally excluded. This is the State regime: the Basque Country and Navarre apply their own foral income-tax rules, so check with a local adviser there (Agencia Tributaria summary).
• The Non-Lucrative Visa 183-day rule: to renew, you must have lived in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year. A life split between winters in Spain and summers at home does not fit this visa.

💡 Pro tip: register on the padrón as soon as you have an address. It is needed for many local services, and the one year of continuous registration you need for the convenio especial only starts counting from that date.

Choosing and moving, step by step

1. Choose your visa first: it fixes the income you must prove, whether you may work and how long you must stay.
2. Shortlist two or three places from the profile lists.
3. Price each place: price per m² × the size you need, checked against listings, plus the other monthly costs.
4. Check your margin against the visa minimum, after tax for the Digital Nomad Visa and with family increments.
5. Get health insurance quotes for your age that meet your visa's rules: no copayments and no waiting periods.
6. Visit in the season you fear most: August inland, February in the north. Visa-exempt visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180.
7. Prepare your documents. In our practice we treat criminal records from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and EU countries as valid for six months and others for three, so request them last; apostilles and sworn translations take time.
8. File: from Spain with the UGE-CE for the Digital Nomad Visa, or at your consulate for the Non-Lucrative Visa or a consular Digital Nomad Visa.
9. After approval: sign a long-term lease, register on the padrón, book the TIE appointment and, if self-employed, register with the tax office (modelo 036) and Social Security (RETA).
10. Keep the clocks running: padrón history, days spent in Spain and renewal dates.

Timeline: what to realistically expect

Typical ranges, not guarantees:

• Three to six months before you move: choose the place, visit, gather documents, apostilles and sworn translations.
• Filing from Spain (Digital Nomad Visa): 20 working days for the UGE-CE to decide before positive silence applies; the formal resolution can take longer, and a request for more documents (requerimiento) pauses the clock.
• Filing at a consulate: longer, varying by consulate and season.
• First weeks in Spain: temporary accommodation, then the lease, padrón and the TIE appointment, whose waiting time depends on your province.
• After one year: the convenio especial becomes available; if you are tax-resident, Modelo 720 is generally due from 1 January to 31 March if a block of your assets abroad exceeds €50,000.
• Renewal: after up to three years for the Digital Nomad Visa; for the Non-Lucrative Visa, with more than 183 days a year in Spain.

How much it costs to move

Before your first normal month you typically need two to four months' rent, plus fees and documents.

✅ 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; the TIE, €16.08; an NIE certificate, €9.84 (Orden PJC/617/2025).

✅ Documents: a UK apostille costs £45 per document plus postage (GOV.UK); other countries set their own fees. Ask two or three sworn translators (traductores jurados) for quotes.

✅ Rent upfront: the first month plus a one-month deposit, and at most two months of extra guarantees; the landlord pays the agency. For 50 m², that is 2 × €1,170 = €2,340 in Madrid (up to €4,680 with the maximum guarantee) and 2 × €508 = €1,016 in Murcia (up to €2,032). For 80 m² in Palma: 2 × €1,568 = €3,136 (up to €6,272).

✅ If you are self-employed: your own Social Security contributions; new self-employed workers may qualify for a reduced flat rate (tarifa plana) for an initial period, then contributions depend on income.

💡 Pro tip: pay a long-term deposit only once you know your approval date. Landlords are often wary of newcomers without a residence card or Spanish payslip; in our practice a formal letter from your representative confirming the status of your application, with your bank statements, often helps.

Most common mistakes (and how to avoid them)

1. Choosing the place first and the visa second. Fix: check the income, the work rules and the days-in-Spain rule of your visa before you fall for a town.
2. Expecting a cheap city to lower the bar. Fix: the threshold is national; in a cheap city the visa minimum, not the cost of living, limits you.
3. Planning winters in Spain on a Non-Lucrative Visa. Fix: renewal needs more than 183 days in the calendar year; if you want a seasonal life, stay within 90 days in any 180 as a visitor instead.
4. Pricing a studio at the city average. Fix: small flats list higher per m²; check real listings in the neighbourhood you want.
5. Ignoring the resort premium. Fix: in the Canaries, the southern resort towns list about 30% to 35% above the island capitals (Adeje €19.87 against Santa Cruz de Tenerife's €15.20 per m²); look at the capitals and residential towns too.
6. Buying health insurance with copayments. Fix: visa rules exclude copayments and waiting periods for the Digital Nomad Visa, and consulates usually apply the same rule to the Non-Lucrative Visa; get quotes for your age before you choose an expensive island.
7. Treating the Digital Nomad Visa minimum as spending money. Fix: it is gross; work out your net income with a tax adviser, including the Beckham Law if you are an employee.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best place to live in Spain?

It depends on your profile. For remote workers, Madrid, Valencia and Málaga; for retirees, Alicante, the Costa del Sol and the Canaries; on a budget, Granada, Murcia and Galicia, where 50 m² lists at about €505 to €560 a month. Your visa sets the income floor everywhere: €2,849 gross for the Digital Nomad Visa from Spain, €2,400 for the Non-Lucrative Visa.

What is the best place for expats to live in Spain?

Valencia is the best all-round choice for most expats on our data: a large city on the sea with 2,696 hours of sunshine and rents of €16.3 per m², 30% below Madrid. Málaga and Alicante come close; Madrid and Barcelona offer the largest international communities at the highest rents.

What is the best place to live in southern Spain?

Málaga for most expats: 2,905 hours of sunshine, 12.1°C in January and an international airport, with rents of €16.5 per m². Seville is cheaper (€13.4) but hot inland; Granada is the cheapest (€10.8) with cold winters; Cádiz suits those who want a smaller coastal city. Alicante, further east, is another strong southern option.

Which part of Spain has the best climate to live in?

The Canary Islands, if you want mild weather all year: 17.9°C in January and 23.8°C in July at Gran Canaria airport. On the mainland, Málaga, Alicante and Valencia combine 11.7°C to 12.1°C winters with 2,696 to 2,905 hours of sunshine. For cooler summers, the north: Bilbao averages 20.4°C in July, but rains on 124 days a year.

Where are the best expat communities in Spain?

The Costa Blanca and the Costa del Sol have the longest-established English-speaking communities, with English-speaking services in many towns. Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga have the broadest international communities, mixing remote workers, students and professionals. The north and the interior have fewer foreign residents, so Spanish matters more.

What is the best place to live in Spain for British people?

The Costa Blanca and the Costa del Sol are the traditional choices, with large British communities, sunny winters and many flights to the UK; the Canaries share UK time. Since 2021, British citizens need a visa to stay more than 90 days in any 180, and €2,849 is about £2,385 (ECB, 23 October 2026).

What is the best place to live in Spain as an American?

Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga suit most Americans: large international communities, airports and good healthcare. On the Digital Nomad Visa, €2,849 a month is about US$3,189 (ECB, 23 October 2026), and US employees can usually keep paying US social security with a certificate of coverage under the Spain–US agreement.

What is the best place to live in Spain for 3 months?

Valencia, Málaga or Las Palmas, for mild weather, frequent flights and plenty of furnished rentals. Visa-exempt visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Seasonal leases must state a real reason and run more than 31 days (Real Decreto-ley 29/2026, still provisional), and online listings must show a registration number.

What is the cheapest good place to live in Spain?

Murcia, Granada and Galicia's cities on our data: 50 m² lists at about €508 in Murcia, €540 in Granada and €505 to €560 in Santiago, A Coruña and Vigo. A single person's budget there is about €1,330 to €1,400 a month before transport. The visa minimum does not fall with prices, so you still prove the full amount.

Can I live anywhere in Spain on a Digital Nomad Visa or Non-Lucrative Visa?

Yes. Both permits are valid throughout Spain, so you can live in any region and move later. Register on the padrón of the town where you live and update it when you move. Your TIE appointment and, for the Non-Lucrative Visa, renewals are handled in the province where you live.

Which region of Spain is best for retirees?

The Valencian Community and Andalusia's Costa del Sol suit most retirees: sunny, mild winters, established international communities and large hospitals nearby. The Canaries are best for warmth all year. On the Non-Lucrative Visa a couple must show €3,000 a month; on our budgets Alicante leaves a €306.80 margin for retirees, while in Palma their budget is already above it.

How MoveWise can help

Choosing where to live and choosing your visa are one decision, and we help you make it with real numbers. MoveWise's Spain team works every day on Digital Nomad Visa files filed with the UGE-CE and Non-Lucrative Visa files filed at Spanish consulates.

• Module 1, eligibility assessment: we check your income, savings, contract and family against the threshold that applies to you, tell you which route fits (from Spain or through a consulate) and what margin to aim for in the place you have chosen.
• Module 2, full preparation and submission: a Legal Manager prepares your file document by document, files it, and answers any request for more documents (requerimiento).
• Guarantee: a full refund of our fee if your application is refused, under the conditions of our service agreement.
• Track record: more than 500 client reviews on Trustpilot.

We also run regular free webinars on the Digital Nomad Visa where you can ask your questions live.

👉 Book a free consultation with a MoveWise Client Manager — tell us where you want to live and what you earn, and we will tell you honestly which visa fits and what you need to prove.

Sources and legal references

• Real Decreto 126/2026, minimum wage 2026 (BOE)
• UGE-CE, Frequently asked questions on the international teleworker permit
• Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones, non-lucrative residence permit (Hoja 6)
• Orden PJC/617/2025, fees for immigration procedures (BOE)
• Real Decreto-ley 29/2026, consolidated text (BOE)
• European Commission, Entry/Exit System
• Agencia Tributaria, tax residence
• Agencia Tributaria, special regime for workers moving to Spain (Beckham Law)
• Ministerio de Sanidad, convenio especial
• Seguridad Social, international social security agreements
• Exchange rates of 23 October 2026 (BOE)
• AEMET climate normals 1981–2010: Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, Málaga, Bilbao and other stations
• CNMC, 2025 railway report
• OCU, supermarket study 2026 y back-to-school costs 2026–27
• GOV.UK, getting a document legalised
• Rents: Idealista rental reports (September 2026, including Palma, San Sebastián and the Balearics y Bilbao; Galicia December 2025 via El Debate); Fotocasa (September 2026; Canary Islands regional and resort figures June 2026 via Diario de Avisos)
• Stressed housing zones: TaxDown, updated 13 October 2026

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules and consular practice change frequently; the information was verified on 30 October 2026. For advice on your situation, speak to a qualified professional.

Contáctenos

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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