So you wanna move to Spain, huh? Join the club. You’re gonna love it!
If you’re looking for a country with a laid-back lifestyle, year-round sunshine, high quality of life and delicious cuisine, you can’t find a better place than Spain.
I’ve been living here since February 2019. Last year, my permanent residency was approved (which means I can now live in Spain indefinitely).
But I’ll admit: Between getting my visa denied (and later approved)… to dealing with all of the bureaucracy and paperwork…. to finding a place to live…
Moving here wasn’t a cakewalk. And I had to figure a lot of stuff out on my own. The hard way.
So in this guide, I’m going to outline the steps you need to take to move to Spain — and what I wished I had known from the start.
Hope it helps!
But first…
Are you sure you really *want* to move to Spain?
Before you respond “well, DUH,” lemme explain…
I’m asking that because I know it’s easy to idealize a country from afar and then when you get there, realize that maybe it’s not as great as you imagined. No country is perfect obviously. But you need to determine what’s important to you and what you’re able to live without.
What drew me to Spain more than anything was the relaxed way of living and work/life balance. Before the consulate general of New York approved my visa (more on that whole ordeal in a bit), he asked me “why do you want to move to Spain?”
My response?
“Because in Spain, people don’t live to work. They work to live.”
Here, most people work the bare minimum that they have to –- and spend the rest of their time enjoying life. Long lunch breaks, 3-hour siestas and street parties are the norm in Spain.
Check out this blog post for more reasons why I love living here.
And here are some of the not-so-great parts about living in Spain.
1. Spanish salaries are no bueno
If you want to move to Spain, I highly recommend either running your own freelance business (like moi) or working remotely for a US-based company. Because the unemployment rate is quite high in Spain (12.29% as of early 2024). If you manage to find a job, the salary will probably be much lower than you’re used to. At least if you’re coming from the US.
Minimum wage (as of 2024) is €1,134 ($1,214 USD) and the cost of housing has skyrocketed in the last few years since COVID. Most people can’t afford to live on their own since the rents are so high (at least in major cities like Barcelona and Madrid). So they have to have flatmates.
If you’re comparing to a city like New York or San Francisco, then yeah, Barcelona and Madrid are cheap. But they aren’t as affordable as they might seem at first glance, especially when you factor in salaries. So that’s something to keep in mind if you’re planning on working in Spain.
If not, keep reading…
2. Apartments are old and poorly insulated
I’ve lived in about ten (?) apartments in Barcelona over the years, and most of them had thin walls and poor insulation.
(Fun fact: Someone once told me the Spanish designed them this way intentionally to drive up electricity bills.)
The majority of apartments in Spain (or at least Barcelona) don’t have AC or heating either. That, combined with the poor insulation, means they tend to get unbearably hot and stuffy in the summer.
Meanwhile, the winters are coooold. To stay warm, I stay bundled up in a sweatshirt and fuzzy socks and cling to a hot water bottle most of the time. I’ve adapted. But I definitely long for the days when I had central heating and air (and life indoors felt a bit more comfortable).
Poorly insulated apartments also mean that the walls and doors tend to be paper thin so you can hear just about everything outside. And in noisy cities like Barcelona, that’s not ideal.
I’ve lived in apartments where I could hear everything from the streets (including conversations). So I had to sleep with ear plugs, a noise machine and a fan – and I would still sometimes be woken up at 2AM by drunk tourists screaming on the street.
If you want a nice, modern, well insulated apartment (with heating and AC), then you can expect to pay a lot more for it (both in rent and the electricity bill).
Which brings me to my next point…
3. Electricity is expensive
Electricity is very high in Spain so if you *do* live in a place with heating and AC, you’ll want to be mindful of how much you use it. Or be ready for some hefty bills.
4. Bureaucracy is a pain
For example…
Getting a cita previa (appointment) for residency can take ages. The main online appointment system shows 0 time slots available 95% of the time. When a time slot becomes available and you click it, it disappears. So you have to keep trying until you finally luck out… or pay someone (or a bot) to do it for you.
There are a lot of hair-pulling moments when it comes to getting your documents in order. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!
5. Taxes are high
At least compared to the US. So be prepared to give up a lot of your salary to la hacienda (tax collectors).
Good news is that at least you know your tax dollars are actually going somewhere (funding healthcare, education, safety etc).
Still convinced that you wanna move to Spain? Ok, let’s dive into how to make that happen.
1. Determine where you want to live in Spain (and why)
Do you wanna live in a big city like Barcelona or Madrid? A smaller coastal town or one in the mountains?
I chose Barcelona because I wanted to be in a bigger city but one that was close to the mountains and sea. I loved Barcelona’s cosmopolitan vibe, along with its proximity to medieval mountain towns and beautiful beaches (Costa Brava, I’m talkin’ to you!).
(BTW, if you’re thinking about moving to Barcelona, here are some things to know about living in Barcelona.)
But I considered Madrid for other reasons. People are friendlier and there’s more of a Spanish culture (which is quite distinct from the Catalan culture in Barcelona).
While Madrid doesn’t have the beach, there are some beautiful medieval towns to visit close by (like Segovia, Avila and Toledo).
If you prefer a smaller, more laid-back coastal city, then you might want to consider Valencia or Malaga. They used to be known for being very affordable but the cost of living (or at least housing) has increased a LOT in both cities over the last few years. All the same, they’re still cheaper than Madrid and Barcelona.
Here’s a sneak peek at Valencia…
If you’re a nature-lover, then you could consider a place in the Canarias like Tenerife or Gran Canaries (a digital nomad hotspot). The cost of living is much cheaper there as well, but the islands are much further from mainland Europe. So if you want to travel, it will be more of a hassle.
There’s also Mallorca, an island known for its breathtaking beaches and calas (coves), dramatic cliffs and picturesque villages.
Here are a few other popular spots in Spain to consider:
- San Sebastián
- Sevilla
- Alicante
- Granada
- Cadiz
- Tarifa
And those places are just scratching the surface! If you’re unsure (or wanna get more ideas), I would browse Reddit threads like r/GoingtoSpain to ask questions/see what people have to say.
2. Plan out your budget
Once you have an idea of where you want to live, you can start planning out your budget. Barcelona and Madrid are two of the most expensive cities in Spain, so keep that in mind if you want to live there.
To give you an idea…
As of December 2024, you can expect to pay at least 1000 euros for a studio in Barcelona. And that’s if you don’t mind living in an old apartment in a less desirable neighborhood. Whereas if you live in a small town like Tarifa (in the south of Spain), 700 euros will get you a nice, modern one-bedroom apartment. You can check out a site like Idealista to get an idea of the prices of accommodation.
In Barcelona, landlords often require two months of rent for deposit, PLUS one month of agency fees and the first month of rent. So you’ll have to put down 3-4 months of rent for an apartment. If you rent a bedroom in a shared flat, then you’ll probably put down just one month deposit plus rent.
When I first moved to Barcelona in 2019, I was paying 500 euros per month for a nice bedroom in a shared flat. Now, I’m seeing prices closer to 700-800 euros per month.
The housing crisis is out of control in Barcelona and that’s one of the reasons why I’m considering moving.
Groceries, on the other hand, are pretty affordable in Spain (yup, even Barcelona). I spend a lot on groceries but that’s because I try to shop mostly organic. If that’s you, then you can expect to spend around 100-150 euros per week on groceries. Otherwise, you should budget at least 50 euros a week on groceries.
Eating out is also affordable and will set you back anywhere from 10 euros to 50 euros per person per meal, depending on where you go. I highly recommend taking advantage of the menu del dia, which is the lunch menu many restaurants have during weekdays. You can get an appetizer, main dish, dessert and drink for just 12-17 euros per person.
3. Research Spanish visa requirements
In case you’re not sure what visa you want to apply for, here’s a brief overview of the long-term visas you can apply for (thanks ChatGPT lol):
- Student Visa: If you’re enrolled in a Spanish school (can include a language school)
- Work Visa: If you have a job offer from a company (for any type of job)
- Highly Skilled Professional Visa: If you have a job offer from a company for a highly skilled job
- Entrepreneur Visa: If you’re planning to start a business in Spain
- Self-Employed (Autónomo) Visa: If you’re a freelancer or entrepreneur starting your own business
- Non-Lucrative Visa: If you can support yourself financially without working for a Spanish company
- Family Reunification Visa: If you have relatives legally residing in Spain
- Digital Nomad Visa: If you’re a remote worker employed by a non-Spanish company
- Working Holiday Visa: If you want to work and travel in Spain for up to 12 months
After five years, you can apply for permanent residency. Just make sure you fully understand the eligibility requirements (which seem to be always changing… but from what I understand, you can’t spend more than 10 months outside of Spain within the five-year period).
Once you get your permanent residency, you can leave Spain for up to 12 months at a time. However, you must stay in Spain for 2.5 out of 5 years if you want to renew your permanent residency.
But back to the visas…
The digital nomad visa is the most popular option for remote workers these days. You can apply for the visa in the US or in Spain. But if you apply in the US, your visa will only be valid for one year. Whereas if you apply in Spain, you can get 3 years.
I had the non-lucrative visa (until I became a permanent resident). This was before the digital nomad visa was even available. The non-lucrative visa requires you to have at least 400% of the IPREM in savings and/or investments. As of 2024, this equals approximately €28,800.
When I applied, I only had $5,000 in savings. BUT I had consistent income from my remote job which my lawyer had said would be enough. Well… it wasn’t. My visa was rejected and I had to appeal.
My family members transferred me the money I needed to show for the appeal, and while the consulate raised a few eyebrows, my visa application was approved in the end.
That said, remote workers are now reportedly excluded from applying for the non-lucrative visa. My friend recently got a non lucrative visa but she had to sign an affidavit saying she would not be working in Spain. So they’re way stricter about that rule now.
If you apply for the non lucrative visa, make sure you have the amount they require in savings (around 28,800 euros as of 2024). Or at least in savings and stocks combined.
That said…
If there’s anything I’ve learned after living in Spain, it’s that a) lawyers don’t know everything. And b) nothing is black and white. What works for one person might not work for you. You might not check all the boxes but get lucky and the person reviewing your application is in a good mood that day so your visa gets approved. Or… the opposite could happen.
Before I applied for my permanent residency, I spoke with five different lawyers, who all told me that my residency would likely be rejected because I didn’t meet the requirements.
But then I spoke with another lawyer (who I had used in the past and liked) and she told me that it *would* be approved. Well… she was right! To my surprise, my permanent residency was approved in April of 2024.
If you have a significant other in Spain (or a reaaaally good friend), you could do pareja de hecho. Which is a legally recognized domestic partnership that gives you many of the same rights as a married couple in Spain, without having to get married. It’s basically a 5-year marriage without the long-term commitment. Then after 5 years, you can apply for permanent residency.
Pareja de hecho is much easier than going through the whole visa process. Plus, you get 5 years of residency right off the bat (whereas most visas give you just one or two).
Many people in Spain (or at least Barcelona) do pareja de hecho with close friends and somehow get away with it.
Funny story…
When I first went out with my ex boyfriend (from Argentina), he told me that he was married to his best friend. I was like… “huh? But you’re *not* gay?”
I thought it was so bizarre. Then I realized that by “married” he actually meant “pareja de hecho.” Meh, close enough I guess. I soon discovered that doing pareja de hecho with friends is *super* common in Barcelona. Not that I’m recommending it… 😅
BTW: Want to move to Spain but don’t have a source of income?
You might want to consider becoming a nomad copywriter (like moi). Or check out this list of digital nomad career options.
4. Get private health insurance
You’ll have to get private health insurance *before* you apply for your visa. At least that’s how it works for the non-lucrative visa.
If you live in Spain, you’ll be able to access the public healthcare system as well. But if you don’t work in Spain and contribute to social security, then you’ll have to pay a fee each month to get access.
Funnily enough, medical care at public hospitals tends to be better than private hospitals. The downside is that there is often a long wait to access specialists.
Private health insurance, on the other hand, gives you access to specialists quickly (or at least quicker) and without having to go through a GP. The cost will depend on the plan you get and the insurance company, but a decent plan will probably cost around 80 euros per month.
I highly recommend DKV Seguros, which had the best coverage of any plan I’ve had yet. With DKV, *all* of my visits and medical tests were covered. No copay or hidden fees.
With the plan I had, they cover up to $30,000 in emergency visits outside of Spain, along with pre-authorized doctor visits.
I once had to go to urgent care in the USA and didn’t have to pay anything. DKV covered the entire visit upfront. But I did have to contact them beforehand to find clinics that would fall under my coverage.
They reimburse for doctor visits outside of Spain as well, but you have to pay for the visit upfront (or at least I did). I visited an eye doctor in the US and had to pay $350 for the appointment. It took some back and forth and a lot of paperwork… but DKV did reimburse me for the visit a month or so later.
That said, the DKV app can be pretty misleading at times….
I once had to pay 100 euros out of pocket for an eye doctor visit in Spain because the app led me to believe that the doctor fell under my insurance. But turns out, they weren’t included in my plan. I wasn’t so happy about that.
I recently switched to Sanitas and almost immediately regretted it. They don’t cover some tests and procedures that are automatically covered with DKV (like fertility tests).
My plan with Sanitas covers a few free “medical acts” (doctor visits or tests). After that, I pay a small copay that increases in tiers:
- Around 4 euros for 7-10 medical acts
- 7 euros for 11-15 medical acts
- 10 euros for 16-999 medical acts.
So compared to the US, it’s not a lot. But with DKV, I paid the same amount (or less I think) for my plan but I had zero copays (no matter how many times I went to the doctor… and I went a lot lol).
Sanitas also only covers up to $12K euros for emergency visits outside of Spain.
Although I will say this…
When I was traveling abroad, Sanitas was *very* fast to respond to my emails and covered my doctor visits, no questions asked.
I had a $550 skin biopsy + doctor visit in Bali and didn’t pay a dime upfront. With DKV, I had to pay for most of my international doctor visits upfront and it was a big hassle to get reimbursed.
Sanitas also has a very easy-to-use app with telehealth visits. And they allow for monthly payments (which I don’t think is the case with DKV, for example).
Hard to find a plan that has it all I suppose!
TLDR; For customer service and response time, Sanitas is hard to beat. But DKV does offer much more coverage for the same price.
There are other companies out there as well, like Adeslas and MAPFRE. I would shop around and compare prices and coverage before committing to a plan. And make sure that the plan includes international coverage if you plan on traveling outside of Spain!
At the very least, make sure there is extensive coverage throughout Spain. The first health insurance plan I had (AME) didn’t have coverage outside of Cataluyna. Which I only realized several months into my coverage.
5. Apply for a visa
Once you sign up for health insurance, you can apply for a visa.
Depending on the visa you’re applying for, you may be able to apply for it in Spain (like the digital nomad visa). With the visa I applied for (non lucrative), you have to be outside of Spain when you apply.
You’ll have to show a clean criminal record, a certificate of good health and proof of sufficient funds. And you’ll have to get all documents officially translated by a certified translator.
I hired a lawyer for around 1200 euros to help with the process, cause I didn’t want to deal with the stress of pulling all the documents together, finding a translator etc.
But to be honest, I don’t know if it was really worth what I paid. Especially considering that my lawyer kinda ghosted me while I was waiting for my visa to be approved lol. Apparently this is quite common in Spain! At least she helped me with the appeal when my application was denied.
If you hire a lawyer, just don’t pay much more than what I did. I’ve found that many services that cater to foreigners charge waaaay more than they should. If you speak a bit of Spanish (and find immigration lawyers that cater to Spanish-speakers), you’ll probably get a much better price.
My lawyer who helped me with the renewal of my non lucrative visa and permanent residency didn’t speak much English (I found her contact through my Argentinian ex boyfriend). She was waaaaay cheaper than my previous lawyer and other lawyers that cater to English-speakers.
For example, she only charged me 100 euros for the renewal process. And I think around 180 euros for the permanent residency (whereas other lawyers were quoting me at least 350). She was also the only lawyer who told me my permanent residency would be approved (and she was right). On top of that, she was very quick to respond and generous with her time. I could sing her praises forever… she’s the best.
If you have questions or want advice along the way, check out subreddits like Going to Spain and Facebook groups like Expats in Spain or Spain Immigration and Residency Questions. The Spain Immigration group in particular helped me a lot when I was going through the visa process.
6. Get to know Spanish culture
Before you move to Spain, there are a few things you should know about Spanish culture…
Let’s start with the food. Breakfast (or desayuno) is typically light. Popular options include tostadas (toast), pastries, and bocadillos (sandwiches). And believe it or not, it’s not uncommon for some to pair their morning meal with a beer (yup, you read that right lol).
Lunch is the most important meal of the day and typically happens between 2-4PM. In Madrid, people normally eat dinner at 9-11PM. While in Barcelona, people eat a bit earlier (normally 8-10PM).
Meal times are loooong and social. And tend to involve lots of tapas or shared plates (and vino of course). Oh and in certain parts of Spain (like Andalusia), you’ll get a free tapas with each drink you order!
Spain is also famous for its siesta culture. Many businesses close from 2-5PM, especially in smaller towns.
You’ll find that the Spanish loooove to spend time outdoors and on the streets. When my friend visited Spain from Portugal she said “wow, the Spanish really know how to live. They’re always out, eating, drinking and enjoying life.”
In Spanish, there’s even a word for this: botellón. Which is the tradition of sitting and drinking on the streets.
Doesn’t get more Spanish than that!
Check out this Reddit thread for more things to know about Spanish culture.
7. Learn the basics of Spanish
I highly recommend learning at least the basics of Spanish before moving to Spain. If you live in Barcelona, you could get away with just speaking English since the city is packed with foreigners and tourists – and most locals speak English. I’ve heard of people who have lived in Barcelona for years and only speak a few words of Spanish. But I don’t recommend that.
Nowadays, there are so many ways to learn too: online courses, Duolingo, Youtube videos, social media…
Once you have the basics down, you can watch movies and TV shows in Spanish with English subtitles. When you feel more confident, you can switch to Spanish subtitles. This helps a LOT with comprehension!
Personally, I like to learn languages the old fashioned way:
1. Buy a grammar book
2. Study all the basic conjugations for major verbs
3. Study the most important vocabulary and phrases (and write everything down in a notebook as you learn)
4. Watch Youtube videos and TV shows or movies in Spanish
5. Get out there and practice! Find Spanish-speaking friends who don’t speak English (then you’ll be forced to learn)
8. Find a place to live
Once your visa is approved (and you set foot in Spain), you can start looking for a place to live. Woohoo!
If you’re interested in sharing a flat with people, check out Idealista and Badi.
Prefer to rent a flat on your own? Idealista and Fotocasa are your best bet.
You could also join housing-related Facebook groups, especially if you’re in a big city like Barcelona or Madrid. For example, I’m part of the groups Rooms/flats for rent in Barcelona and Barcelona Housing and Rooms, Apartments for Rent, Sublets, Roommates Habitacio, where people post rooms and apartments for rent.
Here are a few more things to keep in mind:
1. You’ll need empadronamiento
In order to get your NIE and residency card (aka your TIE), you’ll have to get empadronamiento (more on that below), for which you will need to have an address. But it’s kind of a catch 22… because in order to rent an apartment in Spain, you will likely need your NIE.
One option is just to rent a place temporarily and use the address for empadronamiento. But not everyone will agree to this, so make sure you check with the landlord beforehand. If you know people in Spain, you could also borrow their address temporarily until you get everything sorted.
When I arrived in Barcelona, I rented a room in a shared flat (through the app, Badi) and was able to get empadronamiento that way.
2. Most rentals are short-term (especially in holiday spots)
Holiday destinations (like Cadiz and Mallorca) offer short-term rentals from September to June. That way, landlords can jack up the prices for the summer.
Most rentals in Barcelona are short-term as well (up to 11 months). There’s a reason for this…
For short-term rentals, the tenant is responsible for paying agency fees (which are 10% of the annual rent). Whereas for long-term rentals, a new law was recently implemented that states that landlords have to pay the agency fees.
So to get around this, landlords in Barcelona pretty much only offer short-term rentals now. That also allows them to jack up the price once the 11-month contract is over. Win-win for them.
3. Many landlords in Barcelona require tenants to have a work contract in Spain
So if you have a remote job for a US company… or are freelance like me, you’ll find it quite difficult to find an apartment.
For the first apartment I rented in Spain, my ex boyfriend’s friend (who has a Spanish passport and had a work contract in Spain) co-signed our agreement. For the current apartment I’m in, I showed my landlord more than a year’s worth of savings… and that sufficed. But many landlords won’t agree to that.
4. Get a contract in writing that states the conditions of the lease
And take photos and videos of everything when you move in! Because many landlords will find ANY excuse to not give back the deposit at the end.
One last thing…
5. Be careful of scams
Not sure about other cities in Spain but there are a LOT of scams in Barcelona. Be wary of any prices that are super low. Never give money to somebody without seeing a place or meeting them in person. And if you decide to rent an apartment (and put down the deposit), make sure to get the ID of the person who you are giving money to.
It hasn’t happened to me but I’ve heard a lot of stories of people who have put down the deposit (and even been handed the keys to an apartment) only to get scammed in the end.
9. Get a SIM card
Phone plans are super cheap in Spain (at least compared to the US). I had a phone contract with Orange and got scammed, so I don’t recommend going that route.
Instead, I would get a prepaid plan (prepago) and pay each month. As much as the phone providers will want to make you think otherwise, it’s cheaper that way. And you won’t end up with unexpected charges at the end of the month.
I pay 15 euros per month with Vodafone and that gives me 100GB per month. Actually this month I got 240GB! Not sure why… but hey, I’ll take it lol.
When I travel to the US and throughout the EU, I get 10GB with my plan.
You can walk into any Vodafone store to get a SIM card or sign up here.
10. Get empadronamiento
Back to this lovely thing called “empadronamiento”…
So empadronamiento is a city hall registration informing the city where you live. Once you have an address in Spain, you can get it. You’ll just need to fill out a brief application (which you can get from the city hall – aka the “ajuntamant” in Barcelona) and bring the housing contract of where you’re living, along with your passport.
It’s super easy and doesn’t take long.
The NIE on the other hand…
Well that’s a whole ‘nother story.
11. Get your NIE and TIE
A NIE is a unique number assigned to all foreigners in Spain. This number will never change, even if you leave Spain and come back. Your TIE is a residency card that you will have to get after you get your NIE. And then you renew it every few years (or however long the card lasts).
You’re meant to apply for your NIE within the first three months of arriving in Spain. You can apply for an appointment for a NIE and TIE here (but keep in mind the site might not work outside of Spain).
As mentioned earlier, this is the not-so-fun part of living in Spain. There is a LOT of demand for appointments and only a couple slots that open per day. So you will have to try over and over again to get an appointment.
I recommend trying all different hours of the day, especially early in the morning and on weekdays like Mondays or Tuesdays. Then check throughout the day to see if there are any cancellations.
If you have a lawyer, they should help you get an appointment (but make sure of this before you hire them because they may charge extra).
I used a bot called Robotcita because I didn’t wanna deal with the hassle (and I’m too cheap to pay someone 100+ euros to get me an appointment lol).
With Robotcita, you pay at least 25 euros, depending on when you want an appointment. If you can wait a month or longer, then you’ll get a cheaper price. Whereas if you want an appointment ASAP, you’ll have to pay more.
12. Sign up for the public healthcare system
As an immigrant in Spain, you can access the public healthcare system. But if you aren’t working in Spain (or contributing to the system), you’ll have to pay a monthly fee to access (60 euros per month for those under 65 and 157 euros per month for 65 and over).
If you think you may need it, I recommend signing up when you arrive since that will give you access to the best medical care. The private healthcare system is great if you don’t want to wait long and want immediate access to specialists. But the public healthcare system tends to have the best doctors.
I had a friend who got really sick and she first went to a private hospital that was covered by her insurance. But they had to transfer her to the public hospital in Barcelona since the medical care was better there. But since she didn’t sign up for public healthcare, she was stuck with a $10,000 bill at the end of her stay.
Don’t let this happen to you! In Barcelona, you can sign up for CAP Salut by applying online or in person at the nearest CAP center. All you’ll need to show is your empadronamiento certificate and NIE card. You can find out more here and apply here.
13. Open a bank account
I highly recommend opening a bank account in Spain ’cause it will make life much easier. Or at least open an account like Revolut or Wise, so you aren’t charged foreign transaction fees.
If you have your own flat or get a phone plan, you’ll need a Spanish bank account to pay bills. Unless your landlord wants you to pay rent in cash like mine does lol.
Having a Spanish bank account is also useful if you need to transfer money to small businesses and friends. In Spain we use Bizum (which is like the equivalent of Zelle in the US) and you can transfer money immediately to another account using the recipient’s phone number.
I used to have Sabadell but they charged me monthly fees so I switched to BBVA, which doesn’t charge any fees. I’ve been with them for the past few years and had a great experience overall. Highly recommend!
When opening a bank account in Spain, you can walk into any local branch. You’ll just need your passport, NIE and perhaps other documents.
14. Sort out your tax stuff
If you live in Spain more than 183 days of the year, then you’ll have to pay taxes. But Spain and the US have a tax treaty that prevents double taxation. So if you’re a US citizen paying taxes in the US, you’ll only have to pay the difference to Spain. Not sure how it works for other countries.
Residents are taxed at progressive rates (19% to 47%) depending on the region and income.
Here’s a quick summary:
| Taxable income | Rate |
| 0-12,450 | 19% |
| 12,451-20,200 | 24% |
| 20,201-35,200 | 30% |
| 35,201-60,000 | 37% |
| Over 60,000 | 45% |
| 300,000 and beyond | 47% |
One tax benefit is Beckham’s law, which allows certain foreigners living in Spain to pay a flat tax rate of 24% for up to five years (instead of being taxed on their worldwide income).
I set up a S-corp for my business to reduce the amount of taxes I pay. So (to my understanding), I set myself a salary as an “employee” of my own business — and then pay taxes based on that salary. I have an American friend who makes $300k+ year but only paid a couple thousand to the hacienda because he has this type of business set up.
But I’m not a tax expert by any means. I recommend speaking to an accountant after you arrive in Spain so that you aren’t hit with any hidden surprises at the end of the year!
15. Enjoy your new life in Spain!
Once you’re settled in, you’ll probably want to start building a social circle. I’ve met a lot of people through Bumble BFF (best for women meeting other women). You could also attend Meetup events. Or use Couchsurfing hangouts and the Amigos app, which allow you to meet up with people last minute.
If you work remotely, a coworking space can be a great way to meet people (and just get out of the house).
I use the app Croissant, which gives me access to a variety of coworking spaces in different cities around the world (including Barcelona). I love it because the hours roll over from month to month. Which works well for me because I travel so much.
But if you join just one coworking space, you’ll be able to join a community and attend coworking events. Which will make it easier to form friendships.
Hope that helps. Mucha suerte!
Psst: Want to move to Spain but don’t have a means of income?
Check out the Nomad Copywriter Starter Kit. You’ll get all the tools and resources you need to launch your own freelance copywriting business and become an expat (or digital nomad) like moi.
Here’s the link if you want to take a peek.
