Spain

Southern Europe

EuropeEUSchengen

Outstanding lifestyle, climate and culture with a modern Startup Law and digital-nomad visa, but a long 10-year citizenship path and generally no dual citizenship.

72
Overall score
Good · 98% data coverage
Language
Spanish
Currency
EUR
Citizenship
10 years
Personal tax
Up to 47% (+ regional)
Cost of living
€1,700 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown
67
Access
17%
71Residence12%
58Citizenship and passport5%
68
Earning power
25%
59Salary and work12%
77Buying power13%
58
Business and wealth
20%
42Taxes7%
66Business8%
66Investment5%
83
Daily life
25%
82Quality of life18%
87Education7%
86
Rights and institutions
13%
90Freedom6%
82Rule of law7%

Pros

  • Excellent lifestyle & climate
  • Digital nomad visa + Beckham regime
  • Affordable public universities

Cons

  • 10-year naturalisation
  • Dual citizenship limited
  • High personal taxes

Best for

Remote workersStudentsLifestyle-first movers

Score profile

Access
Residence
71
Citizenship
47
Passport
96
Earning power
Salary & work
59
Buying power
77
Cost of living
58
Economy
80
Business and wealth
Taxes
42
Personal tax
15
Corporate tax
29
Business
66
Investment
66
Wealth building
58
Daily life
Safety
76
Healthcare
88
Environment
84
Infrastructure
81
Education
87
HDI
92
Rights and institutions
Freedom
90
Rule of law
82
How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence
Openness to residents
Good
71
Migrant stock18.5% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality0.62 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
Digital Nomad VisaStartup Law entrepreneurNon-lucrative visaWork permit
StudentStudent visa; up to 30 hrs/week work allowed.
WorkHighly Qualified Professional & general work authorisations.
Self-employedAutónomo route or Startup Law entrepreneur visa via ENISA endorsement.
PermanentLong-term residence after 5 years.
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
Moderate
47
Years required10
Dual allowedLimited (allowed for Ibero-American & a few countries; otherwise renounce)
LanguageA2 Spanish (DELE) + CCSE civics exam
Residence10 years legal residence (2 for Ibero-American nationals)
NotesCitizens of former colonies and Sephardic Jews enjoy reduced timelines and dual-nationality rights.
Passport
Passport power
Excellent
96
191 / 198
Mobility
#4
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free143
  • On arrival39
  • eTA9
  • Visa required7

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Moderate
59
Output per worker$108,590 PPP (2024)
Unemployment10.4% (2025)
Participation57.4% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$2,737 · $4,297 PPP (2024)
Tech (IT & comms)$3,602 · $5,655 PPP (2024)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

FreelanceStrong nomad hubs (Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Canaries)
Job marketBeckham regime offers 24% flat tax for qualifying new arrivals.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Good
77
GNI / person$59,830 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$28,328 PPP (2023)
Price level69 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality33.4 Gini (2023)
Inflation2.7% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Moderate
58
Price level69 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent€900–1,500 (1BR major city)
Monthly€1,700
CitiesMadrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga
Economy
Economic strength
Excellent
80
Output & income
GDP$1.9T (2025)
GDP / person$38,627 (2025)
GNI / person$59,830 PPP (2025)
GDP growth3.5% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation2.7% / yr (2025)
Unemployment10.4% (2025)
Output per worker$108,590 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture2.7% of GDP (2025)
Industry19.6% of GDP (2025)
Services68.4% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
TourismAutomotiveFood & agricultureRenewable energyTextiles & fashion
Top exports
Vehicles & partsFood & agricultural productsMachineryPharmaceuticals
TypeHigh-income, services- and tourism-led
Key sectorsTourism, Car manufacturing, Agri-food
SummaryA large diversified economy where tourism, carmaking and agri-food sit alongside growing renewables.
CurrencyEuro (eurozone member)

Business and wealth

Taxes
Tax friendliness
Limited
42
Personal19–47%+ (state + region; up to ~54% in some regions)
Corporate25% (15% for new companies, first two profitable years)
Capital gains19% / 21% / 23% / 27% / 28% bands
DividendsSame savings-income bands (19–28%)
Exit taxYes: for large shareholdings on emigration
Foreign companiesCFC rules apply
Personal tax
Personal tax
Low
15
Personal19–47%+ (state + region; up to ~54% in some regions)
FreelanceAutónomo: monthly social-security quota by income bracket
Capital gains19% / 21% / 23% / 27% / 28% bands
DividendsSame savings-income bands (19–28%)
Exit taxYes: for large shareholdings on emigration
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
Low
29
Corporate25% (15% for new companies, first two profitable years)
Capital gains19% / 21% / 23% / 27% / 28% bands
DividendsSame savings-income bands (19–28%)
Foreign companiesCFC rules apply
Business
Business friendliness
Good
66
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality0.62 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness1.11 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign companyYes: full foreign ownership
Local companyS.L. (€3,000 capital, €1 under new rules); NIE required
FreelanceAutónomo: monthly social-security quota by income bracket
Investment
Investing environment
Good
66
Market cap68% of GDP (2025)
Private credit74% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gainsSavings-income bands 19–28%; wealth & 'solidarity' taxes can apply
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxRegional wealth tax + state solidarity tax on large fortunes
BrokersGood: Interactive Brokers, DEGIRO, MyInvestor
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
Moderate
58
Salary & work
Moderate
59
Business
Good
66
Investment
Good
66
Tax friendliness
Limited
42
Cost of living
Moderate
58

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Good
76
Personal safety
Homicide rate0.7 per 100,000 (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability
Control of corruption0.71 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability-0.00 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Excellent
88
Outcomes
Life expectancy83.9 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality3.2 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians4.29 per 1,000 (2022)
Hospital beds2.91 per 1,000 (2023)
Health spending$4,935 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemUniversal public + private
InsurancePublic via social security; private insurance for visas
Average cost€600–1,200 / yr private cover
Environment
Environment score
Excellent
84
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure10.1 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress43.3% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Excellent
81
Digital infrastructure
Internet use95.8% (2024)
Internet resilience70 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed93 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed69 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access100.0% (2023)
Grid losses8.3% of output (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality3.80 / 5 (2022)
Rail density31.9 km / 1,000 km² (2021)
Air connectivity13,423 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Excellent
87
Attainment
Expected schooling17.8 years (2023)
Mean schooling10.8 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment94% gross (2024)
Education spending4.6% of GDP (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition€1,000–2,500 (EU) / €1,500–3,500 (non-EU public)
Public universityPer-credit pricing; low at public universities
LanguagesSpanish, English (growing)
Student workUp to 30 hrs/week with student stay authorisation
HDI
Human development score
Excellent
92
HDI0.918 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy83.7 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling17.8 years (2023)
Mean schooling10.8 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$46,008 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Excellent
90
Freedom in the World90 / 100 (Free)
Sources
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Excellent
82
Rule of Law percentile82 / 100
Sources
Resources
Official references
Spain Startup Law / ENISAenisa.esAgencia Tributariasede.agenciatributaria.gob.esMinistry of Inclusion: Migrationinclusion.gob.esUNDP Human Development Report 2025hdr.undp.orgInternet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Indexpulse.internetsociety.orgWorld Bank World Development Indicatorsdata.worldbank.orgILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)ilostat.ilo.org
Quick links
Spain visa & immigrationgoogle.comSpain tax residency rulesgoogle.comSpain citizenship requirementsgoogle.comCost of living in Spaingoogle.com

Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.