Moving to Spain from Florida

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Florida to Spain, you would find that Spain is 32.8% cheaper than Florida. A $75,000 salary in Florida would need to be roughly €45,000 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 78°F in Jacksonville, making it significantly cooler.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Spain cheaper than Florida?

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

Restaurants

pay 17.5% less

Groceries

pay 29.8% less

Transportation

pay 2.7% more

Housing

pay 49.6% less

Childcare

pay 58.5% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 32.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.8929 EUR (November 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.

What salary do you need in Spain?

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 → €45,000

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 29% less than cities in Florida.

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Florida 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 Florida to Spain.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2024

share of adults with obesity

FL
32.6%
ES
15.3%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2024

share of households with internet

FL
90.4%
ES
95.8%

Spain performs significantly better than Florida across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

FL
4.4%
ES
10.4%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

FL
$57,636
ES
$38,627

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2024

average years of life at birth

FL
77.5 yrs
ES
83.9 yrs

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

Weather in Spain vs Florida

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Jacksonville Rain: 51.7 in/yr (1312 mm)
78° / 59°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jacksonville Madrid
Jan–Mar 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) 55°/40°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) 73°/53°F (23°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/73°F (31°/22°C) 86°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/54°F (23°/12°C) 58°/44°F (14°/7°C)
View all months
Month Jacksonville Madrid
Jan 64°/44°F (18.0°/6.6°C) 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C)
Feb 67°/46°F (19.5°/7.9°C) 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C)
Mar 72°/52°F (22.4°/10.9°C) 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C)
Apr 78°/56°F (25.4°/13.6°C) 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C)
May 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C)
Jun 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.7°C) 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C)
Jul 90°/73°F (32.4°/22.7°C) 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C)
Aug 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.1°C) 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C)
Sep 86°/71°F (30.1°/21.6°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C)
Oct 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.1°C) 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C)
Nov 73°/53°F (22.9°/11.8°C) 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C)
Dec 66°/46°F (19.0°/7.9°C) 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C)

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

Can you move from Florida 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

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 Florida?

Yes — Spain is on average about 33% cheaper than Florida. 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 €11,250 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 Florida?

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

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

The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 78°F in Jacksonville. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Jacksonville gets 51.7 in.

What language do they speak in Spain?

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

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At a Glance

ES
Population 23,462,518 49,355,143
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