Moving to Thailand from Spain
What to Expect
Considering a move from Spain to Thailand? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Spain to Thailand, you would find that Thailand is 28.2% cheaper than Spain overall. A €65,700 salary in Spain would need to be roughly THB1,689,105 in Thailand to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Thai. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bangkok averages 91°F vs 68°F in Madrid, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Spain and Thailand.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → THB1,689,105
To maintain the same standard of living in Thailand
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 66.3% less
Groceries
pay 11.9% less
Transportation
pay 25.6% less
Housing
pay 51.5% less
Childcare
pay 4.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 20.7% 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 Thailand cost about 33% less than cities in Spain.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Thailand compared to Spain.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Spain performs better than Thailand across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Thailand leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Spain generally does better on environment, though Thailand leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Spain generally does better on infrastructure, though Thailand leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Thailand generally does better on employment & economy, though Spain leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Spain performs better than Thailand across all family life metrics.
Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Madrid | Bangkok |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) | 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 93°/78°F (34°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) | 89°/73°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Madrid | Bangkok |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) | 90°/70°F (32.0°/21.0°C) |
| Feb | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.3°C) |
| Mar | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) | 93°/77°F (33.7°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) | 95°/79°F (34.9°/26.1°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) | 93°/78°F (34.0°/25.6°C) |
| Jun | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.4°C) |
| Jul | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.0°C) |
| Aug | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) | 90°/77°F (32.5°/24.9°C) |
| Sep | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) | 90°/76°F (32.3°/24.6°C) |
| Oct | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.3°C) |
| Nov | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.1°C) |
| Dec | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) | 88°/69°F (31.3°/20.8°C) |
Data:
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología,
Thai Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain and Thailand. To live, work, or study long-term in Thailand, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Thailand's immigration authority.
Spain passport holder visiting Thailand
Visa Free
Thailand passport holder visiting Spain
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Thailand than Spain?
On average Thailand is about 32% less expensive than Spain, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Thailand?
Budget about THB422,276 for 3 months in Thailand (based on a €65,700 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Thailand?
Connectivity is usually fine (Thailand: 17.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Thailand offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Thailand safe for expats?
Spain performs better than Thailand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Thailand is 4.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain. About 67% of people in Thailand feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Thailand compared to Spain?
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Thailand leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 9.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Thailand, compared to 44.8 in Spain. Thailand scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).
What's the weather like in Thailand compared to Spain?
The average high temperature in Bangkok is 91°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Bangkok receives around 59.0 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.
What language do they speak in Thailand?
The official language in Thailand is Thai. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.
