Moving to Spain from Canada
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Canada to Spain — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Canada to Spain, you would find that Spain is 10.4% cheaper than Canada overall. A CA$106,294 salary in Canada would need to be roughly €60,621 in Spain to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Madrid averages 68°F vs 52°F in Ottawa, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Canada to Spain.
What does your salary buy?
CA$106,294 → €60,621
To maintain the same standard of living in Spain
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 5.6% more
Groceries
pay 19.5% less
Transportation
pay 15.5% more
Housing
pay 26.7% less
Childcare
pay 33.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 25.8% 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.
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 6% less than cities in Canada.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Spain
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Canada to Spain, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Canada to Spain.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Spain generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Canada generally does better on environment, though Spain leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Canada generally does better on infrastructure, though Spain leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Canada performs better than Spain across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Canada generally does better on family life, though Spain leads in infant mortality.
Data: Canada Revenue Agency, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ottawa | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ottawa | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) |
| Feb | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) |
| Mar | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) |
| Apr | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) |
| May | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) |
| Jun | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) |
| Aug | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) |
| Sep | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) |
| Oct | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) |
| Nov | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) |
| Dec | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada 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.
Canada passport holder visiting Spain
Visa Free
Spain passport holder visiting Canada
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 Canada?
Yes — Spain is on average about 8% cheaper than Canada. 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 €15,155 in Spain on a CA$106,294 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Spain?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Spain has 36.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Spain safe for expats?
Spain generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Spain is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Canada. About 78% of people in Spain feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Spain compared to Canada?
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Spain, compared to 25.0 in Canada. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).
What's the weather like in Spain compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.
What language do they speak in Spain?
The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
