Moving to Spain from Montana

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Montana to Spain, you would find that Spain is 21.8% cheaper than Montana. A $75,000 salary in Montana would need to be roughly €58,726 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 58°F in Helena, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 €58,726

To maintain the same standard of living in Spain

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 11.8% less

Groceries

pay 25.9% less

Transportation

pay 27.9% more

Housing

pay 41.5% less

Childcare

pay 65.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 32.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate:1 USD = 0.878 EUR(June 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.

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 19% less than cities in Montana.

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Spain

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Montana 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 Montana to Spain.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MT
31.8%
ES
23.8%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MT
88.7%
ES
94.0%

Spain performs significantly better than Montana across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MT
3.7%
ES
12.1%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MT
$52,945
ES
$46,400

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

MT
76.8 yrs
ES
82.5 yrs

Spain performs significantly better than Montana 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.

HelenaRain: 11.2 in/yr (285 mm)
58°/33°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsHelenaMadrid
Jan–Mar40°/18°F (4°/-8°C)55°/40°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun67°/41°F (19°/5°C)73°/53°F (23°/12°C)
Jul–Sep81°/50°F (27°/10°C)86°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec45°/22°F (7°/-6°C)58°/44°F (14°/7°C)
View all months
MonthHelenaMadrid
Jan33°/13°F (0.7°/-10.6°C)50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C)
Feb39°/17°F (3.7°/-8.4°C)54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C)
Mar48°/24°F (9.0°/-4.3°C)61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C)
Apr58°/32°F (14.3°/0.1°C)65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C)
May67°/41°F (19.5°/4.9°C)72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C)
Jun76°/49°F (24.3°/9.2°C)83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C)
Jul86°/54°F (29.8°/12.4°C)90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C)
Aug85°/52°F (29.2°/11.2°C)88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C)
Sep73°/43°F (22.6°/6.2°C)80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C)
Oct59°/33°F (14.8°/0.3°C)67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C)
Nov43°/22°F (6.2°/-5.6°C)56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C)
Dec32°/12°F (-0.2°/-11.2°C)50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C)

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

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 Montana?

Yes — Spain is on average about 11% cheaper than Montana. 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 €14,682 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 Montana?

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

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

The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 58°F in Helena. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Helena gets 11.2 in.

What language do they speak in Spain?

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

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At a Glance

ES
Population989,41547,163,418
CurrencyUnited States Dollar ($)Euro (€)
LanguagesEnglishBasque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish
Driving sideRightRight
Calling code+1+34
Time zones112
Emergency number911112