Moving to Spain from California
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from California to Spain — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from California to Spain, you would find that Spain is 43.7% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly €37,700 in Spain to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Spain cheaper than California?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 21.8% less
Groceries
pay 38.9% less
Transportation
pay 14.2% less
Housing
pay 59.8% less
Childcare
pay 70.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 44.9% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Spain?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €37,700
To maintain the same standard of living in Spain
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Spain cost about 38% less than cities in California.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Spain
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from California to Spain, based on official data.
people moved from United States to Spain · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from California to Spain.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Spain performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Spain performs significantly better than California across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
California performs better than Spain across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Spain performs significantly better than California across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Spain vs California
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Los Angeles | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/49°F (21°/10°C) | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/64°F (29°/18°C) | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Los Angeles | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/48°F (20.1°/8.8°C) | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) |
| Feb | 69°/49°F (20.3°/9.6°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) |
| Mar | 70°/51°F (21.2°/10.6°C) | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) |
| Apr | 73°/53°F (22.6°/11.9°C) | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) |
| May | 74°/57°F (23.6°/13.9°C) | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) |
| Jun | 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.7°C) | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 83°/64°F (28.4°/17.6°C) | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) |
| Aug | 84°/64°F (29.1°/17.8°C) | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) |
| Sep | 83°/63°F (28.4°/17.3°C) | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) |
| Oct | 78°/59°F (25.8°/14.8°C) | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) |
| Nov | 73°/52°F (22.7°/11.1°C) | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) |
| Dec | 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C) | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología
Can you move from California to Spain?
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 holder visiting Spain
Visa Free
Spain passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 California?
Yes — Spain is on average about 44% cheaper than California. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Spain?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €9,425 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 California?
Spain performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Spain compared to California?
The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 75°F in Los Angeles. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Los Angeles gets 14.9 in.
What language do they speak in Spain?
The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In California, the official language is English.
