Moving to Kentucky from Spain

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Spain to Kentucky, you would find that Kentucky is 36.2% more expensive than Spain overall. A €65,374 salary in Spain would need to be roughly $72,984 in Kentucky to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

€65,374 $72,984

To maintain the same standard of living in Kentucky

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 1.7% less

Groceries

pay 36.6% more

Transportation

pay 14.9% less

Housing

pay 45.6% more

Childcare

pay 2.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 36.8% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.15 USD (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.

Get free moving quotes to Kentucky

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
6,460 ↑ 46% vs 2022

people moved from Spain to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

ES
23.8%
KY
38.2%

Spain performs better than Kentucky across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

ES
94.0%
KY
87.4%

Spain performs better than Kentucky across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

ES
12.1%
KY
3.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$46,400
KY
$50,135

Kentucky performs significantly better than Spain across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ES
82.5 yrs
KY
73.5 yrs

Spain performs better than Kentucky across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

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

Bowling Green Rain: 49.9 in/yr (1267 mm)
69° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madrid Bowling Green
Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 52°/31°F (11°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 78°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 87°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 59°/38°F (15°/3°C)
View all months
Month Madrid Bowling Green
Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.1°C)
Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 50°/30°F (10.0°/-1.3°C)
Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 60°/37°F (15.4°/2.8°C)
Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 70°/46°F (20.9°/7.6°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.8°C)
Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 86°/64°F (30.1°/17.7°C)
Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 89°/68°F (31.9°/19.9°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 89°/66°F (31.6°/18.9°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.4°C)
Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C)
Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 59°/38°F (15.2°/3.1°C)
Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 48°/29°F (8.8°/-1.6°C)

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Spain passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Spain

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Spain 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 Kentucky than Spain?

Generally yes: Kentucky runs about 3% cheaper than Spain on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Kentucky?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,374 comparable salary, that's around $18,246 in Kentucky for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Kentucky?

Working remotely from Kentucky's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Spain and Kentucky.

How is healthcare in Kentucky compared to Spain?

Spain performs better than Kentucky across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Bowling Green is 69°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Bowling Green receives around 49.9 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.

What language do they speak in Kentucky?

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

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At a Glance

ES
Population 47,163,418 4,339,367
Currency Euro (€) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +34 +1
Time zones 2 11
Emergency number 112 911