Moving to Cuba from Spain

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Spain to Cuba. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Havana averages 84°F vs 68°F in Madrid, making it significantly warmer.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
505 ↓ 49% vs 2015

people born in Spain live in Cuba · UN DESA

Who's moving to Cuba?

Top countries of origin for Cuba's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ES
0.7
CU
4.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ES
3.5
CU
5.4

Spain performs better than Cuba across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ES
$4,935
CU
$2,575
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

ES
44.8
CU
94.3

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cuba 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

ES
10.0
CU
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ES
4.5t
CU
1.9t

Spain generally does better on environment, though Cuba leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ES
36.0
CU
2.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ES
43.2%
CU
23.9%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ES
12.1%
CU
1.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$46,400
CU
$12,300

Spain generally does better on employment & economy, though Cuba leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ES
82.5 yrs
CU
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ES
2.5
CU
4.1

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

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Havana Rain: 46.8 in/yr (1189 mm)
84° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madrid Havana
Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 80°/66°F (26°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 85°/72°F (30°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 88°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 82°/70°F (28°/21°C)
View all months
Month Madrid Havana
Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 78°/65°F (25.8°/18.6°C)
Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.6°C)
Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 82°/67°F (27.6°/19.7°C)
Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 83°/70°F (28.6°/20.9°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 86°/72°F (29.8°/22.4°C)
Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 87°/74°F (30.5°/23.4°C)
Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 88°/75°F (31.3°/23.8°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 89°/75°F (31.6°/24.1°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 88°/75°F (31.0°/23.8°C)
Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 85°/73°F (29.2°/23.0°C)
Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C)
Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.5°C)

Data: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, Instituto de Meteorología Instituto de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain and Cuba. To live, work, or study long-term in Cuba, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Cuba's immigration authority.

Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Cuba

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Spain passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Cuba.
Cuba passport

Cuba passport holder visiting Spain

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

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Cuba?

With 2.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Cuba can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Spain and Cuba.

Is Cuba safe for expats?

Spain performs better than Cuba across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cuba is 4.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain.

How is healthcare in Cuba compared to Spain?

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cuba leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 94.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Cuba, compared to 44.8 in Spain. Cuba scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Havana is 84°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Havana receives around 46.8 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.

What language do they speak in Cuba?

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

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At a Glance

ES CU
Population 47,163,418 11,008,112
Currency Euro (€) Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC)
Languages Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +34 +53
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112 106