Yes, it is possible to move to Spain with just savings by applying for a Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV), which requires proving sufficient funds to live without working. For 2025/2026, a single applicant must generally show at least €28,800–€32,000 in savings, plus, private health insurance and, in many cases, proof of accommodation.
Spain Non-Lucrative Visa
The Non-Lucrative Visa works best if you want to live in Spain and do not need a Spanish employer. It suits people with pensions, rental income, dividends, business income from abroad or strong savings. You must show that you can cover your stay without working in Spain or using public funds.
How Much Money Do You Need? For non-EU citizens—including Britons post-Brexit—the minimum required income is €2,400 per month or €28,800 per year. This is based on the IPREM (Indicador Público de Renta de Efectos Múltiples), which remains at €600 per month in 2025.
For the Spain Passive Income Visa, you must show at least 400% of IPREM per year for the main applicant and 100% of IPREM per year for each dependent. In practice, most recent guidance and expert sources for 2025 show: Main applicant: About €2,400 per month (≈ €28,800 per year).
Except for prescriptions for medicine, access to the public healthcare system, including primary care, specialised care, hospital treatments and emergency care, is free of charge, without co-payments.
A good salary in Spain is above the national average of €31,600 per year. A gross annual salary of €35,000 or more is comfortable, especially outside expensive cities. In Madrid or Barcelona, a net monthly income of €2,700 is often seen as sufficient for a comfortable living for a single person.
It's a place that will pay you to live there. That's right—certain regions of Spain are offering financial incentives of up to €15,000 to remote workers and digital nomads who relocate.
The retirement visa income requirement remains €28,800 (~$31,050) annually, with an extra €7,200 (~$7,763) per dependent. Spain's tax rates for 2025 range from 19% to 47% for ordinary income and 19% to 30% for savings income.
Personal income tax (IRPF) Residents are taxed on worldwide income, split between general income (salary, business, rental) and savings income (interest, dividends, capital gains). General rates are a state scale plus a regional scale, so totals vary by autonomous community each year.
Summary: Moving to Spain With Confidence
The best option depends on your lifestyle, budget, and long-term plans. Renting offers freedom and less risk. Buying builds stability and ownership. Hence, short-term residents may benefit from renting, whereas long-term settlers may find buying better.
7 Biggest Mistakes When Moving to Spain
Non-EU visitors — including Americans, Canadians, Australians, and others — must pay for all treatment unless they have travel insurance. Private hospitals do not accept EHIC/GHIC at all. They require payment by card or cash, often before treatment begins.
Okay, first things first, healthcare is significantly better in Spain than it is in the States. Spain's healthcare system is ranked 26th in the world by Statista, with the U.S. coming in at a lowly 69th place.
The "£97 rule" in Spain refers to a Schengen area entry requirement (now around €118/day or €1,065 minimum) for non-EU citizens, requiring proof of sufficient funds for their stay, though Spanish officials call the media hype a "hoax," stating it's rarely enforced for typical tourists but applies to all Schengen countries, not just Spain, and requires showing funds, accommodation, and return tickets.
To increase your chances of finding a job in Spain as an EU citizen, it's crucial to understand which jobs are in high demand. Sales, engineering, customer service, marketing, tourism, finance, legal, healthcare, information technology, and data processing are among the most popular jobs in Spain in 2024.
The new residency rules, uncertainty around healthcare, tightening financial situations, and job market difficulties are just a few of the problems they face. These issues have transformed what was once an ideal expat experience into a situation filled with red tape and cultural hurdles.
As of the latest data, a Big Mac in Spain costs about $7.70, cheaper than in France ($11.42), but slightly more than in the UK ($6.99). While it offers a rough benchmark of local purchasing power, real dining costs in Barcelona can vary widely depending on where and how you eat.