Moving to Spain from Japan
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Japan to Spain — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Japan to Spain, you would find that Spain is 31.5% more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,124,875 salary in Japan would need to be roughly €86,970 in Spain to maintain the same lifestyle, 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.
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 Japan to Spain.
What does your salary buy?
¥12,124,875 → €86,970
To maintain the same standard of living in Spain
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.3 times more
Groceries
pay 11.6% less
Transportation
pay 10.0% more
Housing
pay 41.7% more
Childcare
pay 7.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.7% more
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 30% more than cities in Japan.
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 Japan to Spain, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Japan 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
Japan performs better than Spain across all safety metrics.
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 Japan leads in adult obesity rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Spain performs significantly better than Japan across all environment metrics.
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
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Spain leads in gdp per capita.
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
Japan generally does better on family life, though Spain leads in education spending.
Data: National Tax Agency Japan, 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 | Tokyo | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting Spain
Visa Free
Spain passport holder visiting Japan
Visa FreeData: 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 Japan?
No — Spain is on average about 32% more expensive than Japan. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Spain?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €21,742 in Spain on a ¥12,124,875 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?
Japan performs better than Spain across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Spain is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan. About 78% of people in Spain feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Spain compared to Japan?
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in adult obesity rate. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Spain, compared to 26.1 in Japan. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Spain compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Spain?
The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
