Jobs and wages by regionArticle 3 of 5 · 4 min read
Where in Spain can you work in English?
A guide to the Spanish cities where you can work in English, the sectors that hire without Spanish, typical pay, and where you will need Spanish. For newcomers who do not yet speak Spanish and want an office or remote-friendly job.
Key rules
- Best cities: Barcelona and Madrid lead clearly for English-language jobs, ahead of Málaga, Valencia, Seville and Bilbao.
- Outside the hubs: In smaller cities and inland regions, Spanish is close to essential.
- Pay: Pay varies widely by sector, from about €12,000 for English teaching to €35,000–60,000 or more in tech in Madrid and Barcelona.
- Ads saying English only: Many ads that say English only still expect some Spanish, so read the requirements.
The short answer
Barcelona and Madrid lead clearly for English-language work. Málaga, Valencia, Seville and Bilbao come next, with fewer options. Outside these and the tourist coasts, Spanish is close to essential.
Which cities offer English-language work
- Barcelona: the largest mix of international employers. Tech, startups, pharma, mobile, gaming, and many multinational headquarters and service centres.
- Madrid: regional headquarters of multinationals, consulting, finance and tech. Big banks, consultancies and tech firms hire here.
- Málaga: a growing tech hub, with a cybersecurity centre, telecoms and consulting firms. Many remote workers live here too.
- Valencia: large online retailers, startups and shared-service centres for foreign markets.
- Seville: consulting and aerospace employers.
- Bilbao: a smaller English-using community.
- Canary Islands: popular with remote workers and home to call centres.
Sectors where English is often enough
English alone is commonly enough in:
- tech and software, in startups and multinationals
- customer support and shared-service roles for foreign markets
- online gaming
- international finance and fintech
- consulting for international teams
- remote work for employers outside Spain
- English teaching
- some tourism and hospitality jobs on the coasts and islands
Many ads that say "English only" still expect some Spanish. Outside Madrid, Barcelona and the tourist coasts, English alone is less often enough.
What it pays
These are typical ranges, not official figures. All are gross, per year.
| Type of job | Typical pay |
|---|---|
| Multilingual customer support or shared-service centre | €18,000–28,000 |
| Tech and international-company roles in Madrid and Barcelona | €35,000–60,000 or more |
| English teaching | €12,000–20,000 |
Support and shared-service jobs pay a modest premium over local entry-level jobs, which are often near the minimum wage (about €16,500 a year in 14 payments for 2025). The average Spanish gross salary is around €28,000–30,000. Check current pay in live job ads for your city and sector before you plan your budget.
Where you need Spanish
Spanish is rarely optional in:
- the public sector
- healthcare
- law
- retail
- education, apart from private international schools
- small and medium businesses
Even in English-led jobs at larger Spanish firms, you often need Spanish for daily life and for promotion.
Outside Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga and the Balearic and Canary tourist areas, most employers work only in Spanish. English-only jobs there are mostly remote work, international firms, tech or customer-support centres, and English teaching.
Tourist coastal towns allow some work in English, German or other languages, but usually with Spanish at B1 level or better.
Regional languages (Catalan, Basque, Galician, Valencian) can be an extra asset. They can be a requirement, especially in public jobs.
If you work remotely for an employer abroad, the local language matters much less for your job. It still matters for daily life.
How to use this
- Pick a hub city that matches your sector.
- Search for roles that list English as the working language, and read the ad for any Spanish requirement.
- Start Spanish lessons early. It widens your choices and your chances of promotion.
The questions below cover smaller cities, coastal towns, pay and promotion.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Spanish for tourist coastal towns?
Usually yes, at B1 or better. Coastal towns allow some work in English, German or other languages, but local employers still expect basic Spanish.
Does working in English pay more than local jobs?
Only a little in support roles. Multilingual customer support and shared-service jobs typically pay €18,000–28,000 gross a year, a modest step above entry-level local jobs, which are often near the minimum wage of €17,094 a year in 14 payments for 2026. Tech roles in Madrid and Barcelona often pay €35,000–60,000 or more, while English teaching often pays €12,000–20,000.
Will English alone be enough to get promoted?
Often not. In larger Spanish firms, even English-led jobs tend to need Spanish for daily life and for moving up. Public sector, healthcare, law, retail and small businesses nearly always need Spanish too.
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Always verify important information with the relevant official authority or a qualified adviser before acting. This website uses large language models together with various public data sources, official government documents and other established sources. Due to the amount of data on this website, some information might be wrong. Information may also be incomplete or outdated.