Moving to Spain from Moldova

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Moldova to Spain — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Moldova to Spain, you would find that Spain is 78.6% more expensive than Moldova overall. A MDL1,319,485 salary in Moldova would need to be roughly €95,906 in Spain to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Moldova to Spain.

What does your salary buy?

MDL1,319,485 €95,906

To maintain the same standard of living in Spain

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 2.2 times more

Groceries

pay 86.6% more

Transportation

pay 2.1 times more

Housing

pay 2.1 times more

Childcare

pay 38.3% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 71.5% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 MDL = 0.0498 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?

Real numbers on people moving from Moldova to Spain, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
1,634 ↓ 22% vs 2022

people moved from Moldova 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

How Moldova and Spain stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

MD
2.3
ES
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MD
9.1
ES
3.5

Spain performs significantly better than Moldova across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MD
$1,181
ES
$4,935
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

MD
32.5
ES
44.8

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Moldova 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

MD
58.0
ES
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MD
3.4t
ES
4.5t

Moldova 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

MD
24.4
ES
36.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MD
12.6%
ES
43.2%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MD
1.6%
ES
12.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MD
$15,700
ES
$46,400

Moldova 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

MD
72.4 yrs
ES
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MD
11.6
ES
2.5

Moldova generally does better on family life, though Spain leads in life expectancy.

Data: State tax Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Moldova 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.

Moldova passport

Moldova passport holder visiting Spain

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

Spain passport holder visiting Moldova

Visa Free
Spain passport holders can enter Moldova 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 Moldova?

Day-to-day costs in Spain run about 46% higher than Moldova on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Spain?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a MDL1,319,485 comparable salary, that's around €23,976 in Spain for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Spain?

With 36.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Spain can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Moldova and Spain.

Is Spain safe for expats?

Spain performs significantly better than Moldova across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Spain is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Moldova.

How is healthcare in Spain compared to Moldova?

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Moldova leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Spain, compared to 32.5 in Moldova. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Moldova: 71).

What language do they speak in Spain?

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

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At a Glance

MD ES
Population 3,287,326 47,163,418
Currency Moldovan Leu (MDL) Euro (€)
Languages Romanian Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +373 +34
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112 112