Moving to Spain from Kuwait

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Kuwait to Spain, you would find that Spain is 78.7% more expensive than Kuwait overall. A KWD23,156 salary in Kuwait would need to be roughly €85,663 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 94°F in Kuwait City, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

KWD23,156 €85,663

To maintain the same standard of living in Spain

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 3.3 times more

Groceries

pay 64.7% more

Transportation

pay 2.1 times more

Housing

pay 44.0% more

Childcare

pay 64.3% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 KWD = 2.83 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 Kuwait to Spain, based on official data.

Moved in 2019
63 ↑ 26% vs 2018

people moved from Kuwait 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 Kuwait to Spain.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

KW
0.2
ES
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KW
9.2
ES
3.5

Kuwait generally does better on safety, though Spain leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

KW
$2,567
ES
$4,935
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

KW
22.9
ES
44.8

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kuwait leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

KW
45.0
ES
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KW
23.7t
ES
4.5t

Spain performs significantly better than Kuwait across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

KW
1.5
ES
36.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KW
3850.5%
ES
43.2%

Kuwait generally does better on infrastructure, though Spain leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

KW
2.1%
ES
12.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KW
$50,800
ES
$46,400

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

KW
79.1 yrs
ES
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KW
7.4
ES
2.5

Spain generally does better on family life, though Kuwait leads in education spending.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Kuwait, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kuwait City Rain: 4.6 in/yr (116 mm)
94° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kuwait City Madrid
Jan–Mar 73°/51°F (23°/11°C) 55°/40°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 104°/76°F (40°/25°C) 73°/53°F (23°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 114°/84°F (46°/29°C) 86°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) 58°/44°F (14°/7°C)
View all months
Month Kuwait City Madrid
Jan 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C) 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C)
Feb 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C) 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C)
Mar 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C) 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C)
Apr 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C) 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C)
May 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C) 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C)
Jun 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C) 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C)
Jul 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C) 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C)
Aug 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C) 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C)
Sep 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C)
Oct 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C) 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C)
Nov 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C) 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C)
Dec 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C) 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C)

Data: Meteorological Department Meteorological Department, Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kuwait 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.

Kuwait passport

Kuwait passport holder visiting Spain

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

Spain passport holder visiting Kuwait

Visa on Arrival
Spain passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Kuwait.

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 Kuwait?

No — Spain is on average about 31% more expensive than Kuwait. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Spain?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €21,416 in Spain on a KWD23,156 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?

Kuwait generally does better on safety, though Spain leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Spain is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Kuwait.

How is healthcare in Spain compared to Kuwait?

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kuwait leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Spain, compared to 22.9 in Kuwait. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kuwait: 78).

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

The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 94°F in Kuwait City. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Kuwait City gets 4.6 in.

What language do they speak in Spain?

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

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At a Glance

KW ES
Population 3,068,155 47,163,418
Currency Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD) Euro (€)
Languages Arabic Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +965 +34
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112 112