Moving to Spain from New York
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New York to Spain — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New York to Spain, you would find that Spain is 26.2% cheaper than New York. A $75,000 salary in New York would need to be roughly €52,859 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 Albany, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from New York to Spain.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €52,859
To maintain the same standard of living in Spain
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 10.2% less
Groceries
pay 33.8% less
Transportation
pay 7.6% more
Housing
pay 44.0% less
Childcare
pay 70.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 43.6% 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 27% less than cities in New York.
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 New York to Spain, based on official data.
people moved from United States to Spain · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New York to Spain.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Spain performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Spain performs significantly better than New York 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
New York 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 New York 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 | Albany | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C) | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/58°F (26°/14°C) | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Albany | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C) | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) |
| Feb | 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) |
| Mar | 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C) | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) |
| Apr | 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C) | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) |
| May | 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C) | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) |
| Jun | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C) | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C) | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) |
| Aug | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C) | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) |
| Sep | 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C) | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C) | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C) | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) |
| Dec | 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°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 New York?
Yes — Spain is on average about 19% cheaper than New York. 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 €13,215 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 New York?
Spain performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Spain compared to New York?
The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 58°F in Albany. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Albany gets 39.4 in.
What language do they speak in Spain?
The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In New York, the official language is English.
