Living in Spain
Rent, health cover and ways to get residency for a foreign retiree in Spain, checked 2026-09-26.
Rent for a one-bedroom flat
| City | Centre | Outside centre |
|---|
| Madrid | €1,341 | €1,043 |
| Barcelona | €1,464 | €1,143 |
| Valencia | €1,252 | €926 |
Short-term and furnished lets in these cities often cost well above the average.
Healthcare
Visa applicants need private insurance with no co-pays. After a year of residence you can buy into public care through the regional convenio especial.
- Private, no co-pay, age 35–45: €55–€115 a month
- Public convenio especial (Madrid), under 65: €60 a month
Residency routes
- EU registration certificate (EU/EEA citizens): Register within three months with proof of work or enough resources and health insurance.
- Non-lucrative visa (Non-EU, living off savings or passive income): €28,800 a year (400% of IPREM), plus €7,200 per dependant. No work allowed in Spain.
- Digital nomad visa (Non-EU remote workers): €2,849 a month (200% of the minimum wage); at most 20% of income from Spanish clients.
Tax on a portfolio
- The general scale is state + regional; regions set their own half, so actual rates differ by a few points.
- The combined income + wealth tax cap (60%) is not modeled.
- Wealth tax counts all assets; the home is exempt up to €300k. Only the portfolio is counted here.
When can you retire? · Where to retire