Question 1

Can I buy a house in Spain for $50,000?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but only in specific places and usually with significant compromise. $50,000 (roughly €46,000) will buy a small village house in inland rural Spain: Galicia, Aragon, parts of Castilla y Leon, Extremadura, and inland Andalusia all have stock at this price point. Properties typically need substantial renovation, sit in shrinking villages with limited services, and are well away from coastal or metropolitan demand. Coastal Spain, Madrid, Barcelona, and the popular costas are entirely out of reach at this budget. The Spanish "1 euro house" schemes (Italy-style village revival) exist on a smaller scale and come with renovation obligations. Buying gives no residency rights since the Golden Visa was abolished in April 2025. Transaction costs add 10 to 12 percent on top (transfer tax, notary, registration). For the full cost picture, see our Spain cost of living page.

Question 2

Can I live in Spain permanently if I buy a house?

Accepted Answer

No. Buying property in Spain does not grant residency. The Golden Visa programme, which previously offered residency in exchange for a €500,000 property investment, was abolished in April 2025. US citizens can buy Spanish property freely without residency status, but a purchase only gives the right to occupy the home during the standard 90-days-in-180 Schengen tourist window. To live in Spain permanently you still need a visa: the Non-Lucrative Visa (proof of passive income), the Digital Nomad Visa (remote work income), or an employer-sponsored work visa. After five years of continuous legal residency you can apply for permanent residency; after ten years for citizenship (two years for citizens of former Spanish colonies). For the full cost picture, see our Spain cost of living page.

Question 3

Can you live in Spain with $2000 a month?

Accepted Answer

Yes, for a single adult outside Madrid or Barcelona, though it now sits just below the moderate benchmark. $2,000 a month is about 7 percent under Spain's moderate single-person benchmark of $2,150, but well above the budget tier ($1,290), so living modestly in a regional city remains workable on this budget. In Valencia, Seville, Granada, Malaga, or smaller towns, a one-bedroom rents for $550 to $850 and groceries for one run $250 to $350. Add utilities ($110 to $160), transport (a monthly metro pass is $30 to $50), and reasonable discretionary spending, and you land around $1,500 to $1,800. The picture changes in central Madrid or Barcelona, where one-bedrooms typically run $1,100 to $1,700 and $2,000 becomes tight unless you accept a shared flat or a longer commute. For a couple, $2,000 a month total is well below comfort. For the full breakdown, see our Spain cost of living page.

Question 4

Can you live on $1000 a month in Spain?

Accepted Answer

$1,000 a month is well below Spain's budget single-person benchmark of $1,290, so it is tight and only technically possible for a frugal single adult in a cheaper part of the country. Realistic only with: a shared flat or a room rental ($300 to $450 in Granada, Malaga inland, Murcia, or smaller towns), home-cooked meals from supermarket groceries ($200 to $250), no car, and minimal discretionary spending. Forget central Madrid, Barcelona, or coastal tourist areas. Public healthcare access requires either an EU residency status or paying into the social security system, so $1,000 budgets often skip insurance, which is risky. For most US movers, $1,000 sits well below the practical comfort floor; the moderate benchmark of $2,150 is a more realistic target. For the full breakdown, see our Spain cost of living page.

Question 5

How much money is needed to live comfortably in Spain?

Accepted Answer

Comfortable single-person living in Spain runs $2,150 per person per month on the moderate benchmark, which covers rent, groceries, utilities, transport, and modest discretionary spending. A couple typically lands around $3,250 to $3,750. Location moves the number meaningfully: Madrid and Barcelona run 25 to 40 percent above the national average, mostly through housing, while Valencia, Seville, Malaga, and inland towns sit 10 to 25 percent below. Spain's universal public healthcare (covered through social security contributions or private equivalents for non-EU residents) keeps medical costs low compared with the US. Eating out is consistently cheap by Northern European or US standards, and groceries are roughly 30 to 40 percent below US prices. For the full breakdown, see our Spain cost of living page.

Question 6

How much money do I need in the bank to get residency in Spain?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the visa route. The Non-Lucrative Visa (the main passive-income route for retirees and the wealthy) requires demonstrating annual income or assets equivalent to 400 percent of the IPREM, roughly €28,800 per year for the main applicant in 2026, plus 100 percent of the IPREM (around €7,200) per dependent. Most applicants show this as a combination of bank balances and pension or investment income; consulates typically want to see balances covering 12 months of the threshold. The Digital Nomad Visa requires monthly income of around €2,650 (roughly 200 percent of Spanish minimum wage). The old Golden Visa investor route was abolished in April 2025 and no longer exists. Private health insurance is mandatory for all non-work visas. For the cost of living picture, see our Spain cost of living page.

Question 7

Is it better to retire to Portugal or Spain?

Accepted Answer

Both are popular US retirement destinations and the right choice depends on tax setup and lifestyle. On cost, Portugal is slightly cheaper ($2,025 versus Spain's $2,150 moderate). On tax, Portugal's old NHR scheme (which exempted most foreign retirement income for 10 years) closed to new applicants in 2024; the replacement IFICI scheme is narrower and excludes retirees. Spain's tax regime treats foreign pensions as ordinary income (progressive rates from 19 to 47 percent), with the US/Spain tax treaty preventing double taxation. On healthcare, both rank well globally; Spain's public system is broader, Portugal's private care is generally faster. On weather and lifestyle, Spain offers more variety (coast, mountains, major metros); Portugal feels smaller and slower. Visa routes are broadly comparable. For the Spain cost picture, see our Spain cost of living page.

Question 8

Is it cheaper to live in Portugal or Spain?

Accepted Answer

Portugal is slightly cheaper than Spain on the moderate benchmark: Portugal runs $2,025 per person per month against Spain at $2,150, a gap of $125 a month or about 6 percent. Housing accounts for most of the difference. A one-bedroom in Lisbon or Porto runs $900 to $1,400, while Madrid and Barcelona run $1,100 to $1,700; secondary towns in both countries are far cheaper. Outside the capitals the gap narrows or reverses: Valencia and Seville are roughly the price of Coimbra and Braga. Groceries are similar in both. The fairer comparison is composition, not totals: Portugal's NHR retirement tax regime was rolled back in 2024, and Spain's Beckham Law applies to working professionals only. For the full Spain breakdown, see our Spain cost of living page.

Question 9

Is it hard for a US citizen to move to Spain?

Accepted Answer

Moving to Spain as a US citizen is moderately hard: more bureaucratic than a domestic US move, much easier than (say) moving to Switzerland. As a tourist, US citizens can stay 90 days in any 180 within the Schengen area. For longer stays, you apply at a Spanish consulate in the US before relocating. Common routes: the Non-Lucrative Visa (proof of passive income of roughly €2,400/month for a single applicant in 2026, plus private health insurance, no work allowed), the Digital Nomad Visa (remote work for non-Spanish employers, income proof of around €2,650/month), and the standard Work Visa (employer-sponsored, harder to obtain). Golden Visa was abolished in April 2025. Allow three to six months for the visa process. For the full cost picture, see our Spain cost of living page.

Spain Cost of Living Questions