Moving to Minnesota from Spain

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Spain to Minnesota, you would find that Minnesota is 29.0% more expensive than Spain overall. A €67,000 salary in Spain would need to be roughly $96,800 in Minnesota to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Minneapolis averages 55°F vs 68°F in Madrid, making it significantly cooler.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Minnesota cheaper than Spain?

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

Restaurants

pay 10.7% more

Groceries

pay 35.3% more

Transportation

pay 0.5% more

Housing

pay 37.5% more

Childcare

pay 2.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 59.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (November 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.

What salary do you need in Minnesota?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → $96,800

To maintain the same standard of living in Minnesota

Calculate with your salary →

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 Minnesota cost about 11% more than cities in Spain.

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Minnesota

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?

How many people actually move from Spain to Minnesota, based on official data.

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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Spain to Minnesota.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate World Health Organization, 2024

share of adults with obesity

ES
15.3%
MN
33.9%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access World Bank, 2024

share of households with internet

ES
95.8%
MN
91.0%

Spain performs better than Minnesota across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

ES
10.4%
MN
4.3%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$38,627
MN
$68,478

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

ES
83.9 yrs
MN
79.1 yrs

Spain performs better than Minnesota across all family life metrics.

Weather in Minnesota vs Spain

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Minneapolis Rain: 30.6 in/yr (778 mm)
55° / 37°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madrid Minneapolis
Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 31°/15°F (0°/-10°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 69°/48°F (20°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 78°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 42°/26°F (6°/-3°C)
View all months
Month Madrid Minneapolis
Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 24°/8°F (-4.6°/-13.6°C)
Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 29°/13°F (-1.7°/-10.7°C)
Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 41°/24°F (5.2°/-4.3°C)
Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 58°/37°F (14.3°/2.9°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 69°/49°F (20.8°/9.4°C)
Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 79°/59°F (26.0°/14.9°C)
Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 83°/64°F (28.6°/17.8°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 80°/62°F (26.9°/16.6°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 72°/52°F (22.1°/11.3°C)
Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 58°/40°F (14.4°/4.3°C)
Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C)
Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 27°/12°F (-2.7°/-10.9°C)

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

Can you move from Spain to Minnesota?

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 Minnesota than Spain?

No — Minnesota is on average about 29% more expensive than Spain. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Minnesota?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $24,200 in Minnesota on a €67,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Minnesota?

Usually fine from major cities in Minnesota. 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 Minnesota compared to Spain?

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

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

The average high temperature in Minneapolis is 55°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Minneapolis receives around 30.6 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.

What language do they speak in Minnesota?

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

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At a Glance

ES
Population 49,355,143 5,830,405
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