Moving to Spain from Ecuador

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ecuador to Spain, you would find that Spain is 83.2% more expensive than Ecuador overall. A $75,000 salary in Ecuador would need to be roughly €115,565 in Spain to maintain the same lifestyle.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 €115,565

To maintain the same standard of living in Spain

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 2.8 times more

Groceries

pay 62.7% more

Transportation

pay 77.8% more

Housing

pay 2.3 times more

Childcare

pay 79.7% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 32.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.876 EUR (July 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 Ecuador to Spain, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
21,762 ↑ 21% vs 2022

people moved from Ecuador 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 Ecuador to Spain.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

EC
27.0
ES
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

EC
23.4
ES
3.5

Spain performs significantly better than Ecuador across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

EC
$1,238
ES
$4,935
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

EC
23.1
ES
44.8

Ecuador 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

EC
23.0
ES
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

EC
2.6t
ES
4.5t

Ecuador 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

EC
15.0
ES
36.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

EC
6.8%
ES
43.2%

Spain generally does better on infrastructure, though Ecuador leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

EC
3.4%
ES
12.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

EC
$14,300
ES
$46,400

Ecuador 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

EC
77.5 yrs
ES
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

EC
18.1
ES
2.5

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

Data: Servicio de Rentas Internas del Ecuador, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Quito Rain: 43.2 in/yr (1098 mm)
71° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Quito Madrid
Jan–Mar 70°/50°F (21°/10°C) 55°/40°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 70°/50°F (21°/10°C) 73°/53°F (23°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/49°F (22°/9°C) 86°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/49°F (21°/10°C) 58°/44°F (14°/7°C)
View all months
Month Quito Madrid
Jan 70°/50°F (21.2°/9.8°C) 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C)
Feb 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C) 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C)
Mar 69°/50°F (20.8°/10.1°C) 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C)
Apr 70°/50°F (20.9°/10.2°C) 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C)
May 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C) 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C)
Jun 70°/50°F (21.1°/9.8°C) 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C)
Jul 71°/49°F (21.5°/9.4°C) 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C)
Aug 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.6°C) 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C)
Sep 72°/49°F (22.3°/9.4°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C)
Oct 71°/49°F (21.8°/9.5°C) 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C)
Nov 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.6°C) 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C)
Dec 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.7°C) 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C)

Data: Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología - INAMHI Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología - INAMHI, Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ecuador 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.

Ecuador passport

Ecuador passport holder visiting Spain

Visa Required
Ecuador passport holders need a visa to enter Spain.
Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Ecuador

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

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 Ecuador?

No — Spain is on average about 76% more expensive than Ecuador. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Spain?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €28,891 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?

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 performs significantly better than Ecuador across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Spain is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 27.0 in Ecuador.

How is healthcare in Spain compared to Ecuador?

Ecuador 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 23.1 in Ecuador. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ecuador: 77).

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

The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 71°F in Quito. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Quito gets 43.2 in.

What language do they speak in Spain?

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

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At a Glance

EC ES
Population 17,289,554 47,163,418
Currency United States Dollar ($) Euro (€)
Languages Spanish Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +593 +34
Time zones 2 2
Emergency number 911 112