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Europe · Spanish · updated 2026-10

Moving to Spain: visas, cost of living & citizenship

A single person needs about $2,150 a month to live in Madrid, and a family of four about $4,600, including rent. Spain usually lets you apply for permanent residence after 5 yrs, with citizenship after 10 yrs, and dual citizenship is limited. You can move here without a job offer through the Digital nomad visa and the Non-lucrative visa.

Monthly budget
$2,150
Low cost
Safety
73
Safe
Stability
65
Stable
Family
77
Excellent
Main city
Madrid
Language
Spanish
Permanent residence
5 yrs
Citizenship
10 yrs
Dual citizenship
Limited
Digital nomad visa
Yes
What can your passport do in Spain?Pick your nationality to see your exact access, visit rules and personal score.
Open the interactive index →

Cost of living in Spain, per month in US$

One person
$2,150
Family of four
$4,600
RentGroceriesTransportUtilities & internetEating out & leisureOther
1-bed flat, Madrid centre
$1,100
Estimate
3-bed family flat
$2,050
Estimate
Price level
69
US = 100
Income per person
$3,093
GNI ÷ 12, World Bank

Safety

Safety score
73
Safe
Homicides per 100k
0.69
US 5.8 · UK 1.0 · Japan 0.2

Political stability & governance

Political stability+0.18
Rule of law+0.87
Control of corruption+0.65
Government effectiveness+1.13
−2.5 weak0strong +2.5

Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank. Stable overall (65/100).

Family-friendliness

Family score
77
Excellent
Child outcomes (HCI)
0.728
Health & schooling, 0–1
Under-5 mortality
3.2
per 1,000 births
Life expectancy
83.9 yrs
at birth
Health spending
$3,107
per person / year
Education spending
4.6%
of GDP

Spouse and children can join on most work and residence permits, and spouses can usually work. Public schooling is free; international schools are common in the capital.

Visa & residence routes

Remote work
Digital nomad visa€2,849/month gross in 2026 (200% of the minimum wage).
Passive income
Non-lucrative visaAbout €2,400/month of passive income. No work allowed.
Job offer
Highly Qualified ProfessionalSkilled job offer, processed quickly by the UGE.

Some passports also get: Citizenship after only 2 years of legal residence, and you keep your original nationality.

Who gets easier access to Spain

EU/EEA free movement: you can live and work here with simple registration.

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Citizenship after only 2 years of legal residence, and you keep your original nationality (22 nationalities)

Citizenship after only 2 years of legal residence, and you keep your original nationality.

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Visiting: 93 passports can visit visa-free, 0 with an electronic travel authorisation, 0 get a visa on arrival, 0 can apply for an eVisa and 105 need a visa in advance (Passport Index dataset).

Road to permanent residence & citizenship

ArrivePRCitizen024681012+ yrs
Permanent residence
5 yrs
Citizenship
10 yrs
2 years for Ibero-American nationals and Filipinos
Dual citizenship
Limited

Spain closed its golden visa in April 2025. Dual citizenship is mainly for Ibero-American countries, the Philippines, Portugal and treaty partners.

Last checked 2026-10.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to live in Spain?

About $2,150 a month for one person and $4,600 for a family of four in Madrid, including rent. A city-centre 1-bedroom flat costs around $1,100 a month and a 3-bedroom around $2,050. Prices are 69% of US levels. Spain is the 53rd cheapest of the 76 countries in the index.

Is Spain safe to live in?

Spain scores 73/100 for safety (safe), ranking 30th of 76. The homicide rate is 0.69 per 100,000 people (US 5.8, UK 1.0, Japan 0.2).

Is Spain politically stable?

Spain scores 65/100 for stability (stable), ranking 38th of 76, based on the World Bank's indicators for political stability, rule of law, control of corruption and government effectiveness.

Is Spain good for families?

Spain scores 77/100 for family-friendliness (excellent), ranking 27th of 76. Life expectancy is 83.9 years and under-5 mortality is 3.2 per 1,000 births. Spouse and children can join on most work and residence permits, and spouses can usually work. Public schooling is free; international schools are common in the capital.

How long does it take to get permanent residence in Spain?

Usually 5 yrs of legal residence.

How long until I can become a citizen of Spain?

Usually 10 yrs of residence. 2 years for Ibero-American nationals and Filipinos. Dual citizenship: limited.

Can I move to Spain without a job offer?

Yes. Digital nomad visa: €2,849/month gross in 2026 (200% of the minimum wage). Non-lucrative visa: About €2,400/month of passive income. No work allowed.

Does Spain have a digital nomad visa?

Yes: the Digital nomad visa. €2,849/month gross in 2026 (200% of the minimum wage).

Who can live and work in Spain without a visa?

you can live and work here with simple registration. (EU / EEA free movement: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland.)

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See also: cheapest countries to live · safest countries · most stable countries · best countries for families · where citizens of Spain can move