Living in Spain

Moving to Spain sounds romantic until you’re knee‑deep in paperwork and trying to open a bank account without the right number. A proper moving to Spain checklist makes the whole process far less stressful.These are the essentials you’ll actually need to sort out when relocating to Spain.1.

Spain ranks among the countries with the highest life expectancy in the world. According to data compiled by Visual Capitalist using figures from the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund, it places second among the 30 largest economies, with an average life expectancy of 84 years, just behind Japan.

English has long been a weak point in Spain – but one city stands out for exactly the opposite reason. That is the conclusion of the latest international report by Education First, a leading authority on English proficiency.In its most recent edition, one city clearly tops the Spanish ranking.

Spain now has more than five million foreign residents registered, and the appeal hasn’t faded.

Spain’s public healthcare system has a strong reputation inside the country, and the latest official data show that it is not just a safety net, but the default option for most people who live there. According to the Barómetro Sanitario 2025, prepared by Spain’s Ministry of Health and the Centr

Banking leads Spain’s highest-paying professions in 2026, with management and specialist roles reaching €250,000 a year, according to LHH Recruitment Solutions’ Salary Guide. Digital and e‑commerce roles also offer high pay, with digital directors earning up to €180,000 plus 30% variable in multinationals, and €130,000 plus 30% variable in SMEs.

Spain has the highest share of flat dwellers in the EU. In 2024, 65.3% of its population lived in multi-family homes, compared with 34.7% in single-family houses, according to Eurostat.

Barcelona remains one of Europe’s most talked‑about cities for good reason. Sea on one side, hills on the other, and modernist architecture on nearly every corner.

With the arrival of spring, the days begin to lengthen and natural light gradually replaces the darkness of winter. Evenings grow brighter – and little by little, routines shift to make the most of the extra daylight.

The gap between Spain’s capital city and the rest of the country has widened considerably. Madrid isn’t just expensive now, it’s eye-watering.

Ryanair is cutting 11% of flights from Girona-Costa Brava Airport this summer amid a dispute over rising airport fees. The reduction could mean fewer routes and higher fares for expats and Costa Brava residents, making early booking and alternative airport options increasingly important.

Climate change ranks low among homebuyers’ priorities, with just 12.1% citing it as a main concern when choosing a property, according to data from Unión de Créditos Inmobiliarios (UCI) – despite more than 2.7 million people living in high flood-risk areas. Instead, buyers focus primarily on traditional factors: price (72%) is the top concern, followed by a good location (48.8%) and whether they can afford the home on their salary (48.3%).

Spain has emerged as one of the EU’s frontrunners on gender equality, ranking fourth in Europe in the 2025 Gender Equality Index and scoring clearly above the EU average.

Spain has launched a national monthly public transport pass, officially called the Abono Único (or Single Season Ticket).

After years of post‑Brexit uncertainty, a long‑anticipated EU‑UK agreement on Gibraltar is finally moving towards publication.

Southern Spain is sold as a dream: sunshine year‑round, relaxed lifestyles, cheap living, and postcard‑perfect towns.

Essential expenses in Spain are taking an ever larger slice of household income, and the latest consumer spending data for 2026 show how sharply the picture changes from one province to another.

Essential costs in Spain are tightening their grip on household finances.

Nearly one in five people in the EU is aged 65 or older, yet in most member states, public pensions are insufficient to cover living costs.A study by German research firm DataPulse compared annual pre-tax public pensions with estimated expenses for those over 65, placing Spain among the few countrie

Spain’s coastline is vast, stretching from the Atlantic north down to Andalucía and across to the Mediterranean and islands. A decade ago, finding cheap houses for sale in Spain near the beach felt relatively straightforward in several regions.

Spain has become an increasingly popular destination for families looking to balance work, lifestyle, and wellbeing. For expat parents, the appeal often lies in the sunny climate, slower pace of life, and strong family-centred culture.

Spain’s nationwide train driver strike has been called off, just hours after it began, after rail unions reached an agreement with authorities on boosting investment, reinforcing staffing, and improving day‑to‑day safety conditions across the rail network.

Spain’s plan to regularise up to 500,000 undocumented migrants has generated intense interest — and a lot of misunderstanding.

Learn how to stay compliant with Spanish tax law when living rent-free in your parents’ property, avoiding penalties by understanding imputed income, declarations, and legal options for family housing arrangements.

Across much of inland Spain, villages have been losing residents for decades. La Rioja is among the regions where shrinking populations are putting pressure on schools, health services and local businesses.