Moving to Wisconsin from Spain

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Spain to Wisconsin, you would find that Wisconsin is 58.6% more expensive than Spain overall. A €65,374 salary in Spain would need to be roughly $77,443 in Wisconsin to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Madison averages 56°F vs 68°F in Madrid, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Spain to Wisconsin.

What does your salary buy?

€65,374 $77,443

To maintain the same standard of living in Wisconsin

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 6.0% more

Groceries

pay 42.7% more

Transportation

pay 5.1% less

Housing

pay 49.3% more

Childcare

pay 3.7 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 50.2% 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 Wisconsin

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 Wisconsin, 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 Wisconsin.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

ES
23.8%
WI
37.8%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

ES
94.0%
WI
89.5%

Spain performs better than Wisconsin 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%
WI
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$46,400
WI
$59,333

Wisconsin 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
WI
77.7 yrs

Spain performs better than Wisconsin 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

Madison Rain: 34.5 in/yr (876 mm)
56° / 37°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madrid Madison
Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 68°/46°F (20°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 78°/57°F (25°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C)
View all months
Month Madrid Madison
Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C)
Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C)
Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C)
Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C)
Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C)
Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C)
Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C)
Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C)
Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°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 Wisconsin than Spain?

No — Wisconsin is on average about 3% more expensive than Spain. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Wisconsin?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $19,361 in Wisconsin on a €65,374 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Wisconsin?

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

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

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

The average high temperature in Madison is 56°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Madison receives around 34.5 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.

What language do they speak in Wisconsin?

The official language in Wisconsin 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 5,686,986
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