Moving to Spain from Massachusetts
What to Expect
Considering a move from Massachusetts to Spain? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Massachusetts to Spain, you would find that Spain is 26.5% cheaper than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly €49,820 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 59°F in Boston, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Massachusetts and Spain.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €49,820
To maintain the same standard of living in Spain
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 16.4% less
Groceries
pay 31.0% less
Transportation
pay 17.1% more
Housing
pay 50.7% less
Childcare
pay 72.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 43.1% 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 35% less than cities in Massachusetts.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Massachusetts to Spain.
people moved from United States to Spain · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Spain compared to Massachusetts.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Spain performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Spain performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Massachusetts performs better than Spain across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Spain performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Boston | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Boston | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) |
| Feb | 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) |
| Mar | 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) |
| Apr | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) |
| May | 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) |
| Jun | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) |
| Aug | 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) |
| Sep | 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) |
| Oct | 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) |
| Nov | 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) |
| Dec | 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología
Visitor Visa Requirements
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 holder visiting Spain
Visa Free
Spain passport holder visiting United States
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 Massachusetts?
On average Spain is about 24% less expensive than Massachusetts, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Spain?
Budget about €12,455 for 3 months in Spain (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Spain?
From major Spain cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Massachusetts and Spain are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Spain compared to Massachusetts?
Spain performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Spain compared to Massachusetts?
The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Spain?
The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In Massachusetts, the official language is English.
