Moving to Spain from Arkansas

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Arkansas to Spain — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Arkansas to Spain, you would find that Spain is 9.4% cheaper than Arkansas. A $75,000 salary in Arkansas would need to be roughly €69,356 in Spain to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Arkansas to Spain.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 €69,356

To maintain the same standard of living in Spain

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 7.0% less

Groceries

pay 11.9% less

Transportation

pay 46.1% more

Housing

pay 31.6% less

Childcare

pay 56.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 23.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.8717 EUR (June 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Arkansas to Spain, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
13,218 ↑ 14% vs 2022

people moved from United States to Spain · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Spain?

Top countries of origin for Spain's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Arkansas to Spain.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

AR
38.3%
ES
23.8%

Spain performs significantly better than Arkansas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

AR
84.9%
ES
94.0%

Spain performs significantly better than Arkansas across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

AR
4.2%
ES
12.1%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

AR
$47,319
ES
$46,400

Arkansas performs better than Spain across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

AR
73.8 yrs
ES
82.5 yrs

Spain performs significantly better than Arkansas across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Little Rock Rain: 50.0 in/yr (1271 mm)
72° / 53°F

Avg. annual high / low

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Little Rock Madrid
Jan–Mar 56°/38°F (13°/3°C) 55°/40°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) 73°/53°F (23°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/70°F (32°/21°C) 86°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) 58°/44°F (14°/7°C)
View all months
Month Little Rock Madrid
Jan 49°/33°F (9.7°/0.4°C) 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C)
Feb 54°/36°F (12.4°/2.4°C) 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C)
Mar 64°/44°F (17.6°/6.8°C) 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C)
Apr 73°/53°F (22.7°/11.6°C) 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C)
May 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.4°C) 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C)
Jun 88°/69°F (31.2°/20.7°C) 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C)
Jul 92°/73°F (33.4°/22.7°C) 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C)
Aug 92°/72°F (33.3°/22.2°C) 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C)
Sep 84°/65°F (29.1°/18.1°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C)
Oct 73°/54°F (23.0°/12.3°C) 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C)
Nov 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.6°C) 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C)
Dec 51°/35°F (10.7°/1.7°C) 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Spain. To live, work, or study long-term in Spain, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Spain's immigration authority.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Spain

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Spain without a visa.
Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Spain passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Spain than Arkansas?

No — Spain is on average about 6% more expensive than Arkansas. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Spain?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €17,339 in Spain on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Spain?

Usually fine from major cities in Spain. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in Spain compared to Arkansas?

Spain performs significantly better than Arkansas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Spain compared to Arkansas?

The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 72°F in Little Rock. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Little Rock gets 50.0 in.

What language do they speak in Spain?

The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In Arkansas, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

ES
Population 2,915,918 47,163,418
Currency United States Dollar ($) Euro (€)
Languages English Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +34
Time zones 11 2
Emergency number 911 112