Moving to Spain from Barbados

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Barbados to Spain — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Barbados to Spain, and you’d need to navigate life in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Barbados to Spain, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2019
5 ↑ 67% vs 2018

people moved from Barbados 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

How Barbados and Spain stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BB
15.3
ES
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BB
10.0
ES
3.5

Spain performs significantly better than Barbados across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BB
$1,153
ES
$4,935
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BB
29.7
ES
44.8

Barbados generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BB
19.0
ES
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BB
2.5t
ES
4.5t

Barbados generally does better on environment, though Spain leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BB
37.6
ES
36.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BB
87.5%
ES
43.2%

Spain generally does better on infrastructure, though Barbados leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BB
8.0%
ES
12.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BB
$17,400
ES
$46,400

Barbados generally does better on employment & economy, though Spain leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BB
78.5 yrs
ES
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BB
9.6
ES
2.5

Barbados generally does better on family life, though Spain leads in life expectancy.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Barbados, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Barbados 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.

Barbados passport

Barbados passport holder visiting Spain

Visa Free
Barbados passport holders can enter Spain without a visa.
Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Barbados

Visa Free
Spain passport holders can enter Barbados without a visa.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Spain?

With 36.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Spain can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Barbados and Spain.

Is Spain safe for expats?

Spain performs significantly better than Barbados across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Spain is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 15.3 in Barbados.

How is healthcare in Spain compared to Barbados?

Barbados generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Spain, compared to 29.7 in Barbados. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Barbados: 77).

What language do they speak in Spain?

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

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At a Glance

BB ES
Population 302,674 47,163,418
Currency Barbadian Dollar (BBD) Euro (€)
Languages English Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +1246 +34
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112