How to move to Spain: Your relocation checklist

Everything you need to know about how to move to Spain: residence permits, visas, work opportunities, and more.

Marle

4 minute read

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Updated on 21 May 2025

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Moving

There are countless reasons to move to Spain, from its vibrant cities and sunny weather to its laid-back lifestyle, top-quality healthcare, and affordable cost of living.

If you’ve decided to move to Spain, it’s time to get started. To make your move easier, we’ve put together a step-by-step checklist for relocating to Spain.

To turn your dream of living in Spain into reality, it’s important to know where to begin.

Here’s your step-by-step guide on how to move to Spain:

1. Learn about Spain’s culture, language, and climate
2. Research job, study, or retirement opportunities
3. Choose the right city to live in
4. Prepare a realistic budget
5. Understand visa and residency requirements
6. Start your housing search
7. Translate and legalise important documents
8. Book your travel and wrap up at home
9. Apply for your residence permit
10. Register at the town hall (empadronamiento)
11. Get your NIE number (foreigner ID)
12. Set up healthcare and insurance
13. Open a bank account and get a local SIM card

Understanding the local way of life can help you settle in faster and avoid culture shock. Spanish culture is deeply rooted in traditions, social gatherings, and regional festivals. Read more about Spanish culture and traditions.

Spain has 4 main languages, but Spanish (Castilian) is spoken by 99% of the population. In places like Catalonia, Galicia, or the Basque Country, regional languages are also used. Learning Spanish will go a long way, especially in smaller towns.

Though Spain is known for its sunny weather, climate varies by region. For instance, winters in Madrid can be cold, while Malaga stays mild year-round. Pack accordingly and check our breakdown of weather averages to prepare.

What brings you to Spain? Whether it's work or education, research thoroughly:

• Studying in Spain
• Internships for international students
• Top companies for expats
• Average salaries in Spain

Your city of choice will shape your entire experience. Some cities are ideal for work, others for study, and some are perfect for beachside retirement. Explore the best cities to live in Spain and see what suits your lifestyle.

Use the cost of living in Spain to calculate how much you’ll need. Keep in mind city-to-city variations:

• Barcelona
• Valencia
• Malaga
• Seville

Having a solid budget that shows you can cover your living expenses in Spain will strengthen your visa application and improve your chances of approval.

Unless you’re an EU/EEA national, you’ll likely need a visa to move to Spain. Depending on your plans, explore options such as:

• Student visa
• Work visa
• Job-search visa
• Family Reunification visa
• Digital nomad visa
• Freelancer visa (also for starting a busines)

Look for housing 3–4 months in advance, especially in major cities with high demand, to secure the best options.

If it’s your first time living alone in Spain, it would be best to live with flatmates as you can make new friends and split the bills and responsibilities. To lower your rent, consider renting a studio or finding a roommate through platforms like HousingAnywhere.

To find the ideal rental house, look into the various neighbourhoods in the city and whether it has good public transport connections. Finally, know the average rent in Spanish citiesto set a realistic budget:

Here are the average rental prices in some popular Spanish cities:

Also, check your lease agreement and ask if utilities are included. If not, you need to arrange utilities in Spain separately.

Make sure to translate and apostille key documents (e.g., birth or marriage certificates) before moving. It’s much harder to do this once you’re abroad.

Before departing:

• Cancel rent, subscriptions, and utilities
• Close or freeze your bank account
• Ship belongings (if necessary)
• Book your ticket to Spain!

Once you arrive in Spain, you’ll need to apply for the residence permit within 30 days to legally live in the country.

If you’re staying between 3 and 6 months, apply for Tarjeta de Residencia. If you’re staying longer than 6 months, you’ll need to apply for your TIE card — Tarjeta de Identidad de Extanjero.

Anyone living in Spain for longer than 6 months is required to register their address at the town hall. Once you register, you’ll get your certificado de empadronamiento. With your empadronamiento you’ll be able to do lots of things, such as apply for your NIE number (tax number), buy a house, get health insurance, etc.

NIE number or Número de Identidad de Extranjero refers to your unique tax number. It’s an essential document for setting up your life in Spain and it’s a requirement for anyone living here for more than 3 months. The steps to getting your NIE number are simple.

Having health insurance in Spain is legally required. Your options:

• Public healthcare via social security (if employed)
• EHIC (temporary for EU citizens)
• Private insurance (recommended for students and freelancers)

Also, consider additional insurance like contents or liability, especially if renting or owning property.

Opening a Spanish bank account helps you avoid conversion fees, pay bills easily, and receive your salary.

A local SIM card gives you cheap mobile data and no roaming fees across the EU. Get connected as soon as you land!

There you have it! Moving to Spain can be super simple if you plan ahead and follow the tips in this relocation checklist. Following this checklist will also help you avoid the biggest mistakes when moving to Spain. Good luck!