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Which place fits your household

You can find the places that suit your kind of household instead of the average expat.

The best place in Spain depends on who is moving. A family with teenagers, a remote worker and a retiree each need different things, so this section helps you find the places that suit your household rather than the average expat.

12 articlesAbout 1.1 hours of readingCity and region choice

Start with the first articleSee all 12 articles

Pick the article that fits your situation

  1. Best places for a single person or young professional

    Where to live in Spain if you are single or early in your career: which cities combine jobs, a social scene and affordable rooms, with typical room rents so you can compare. Written for newcomers arriving alone.

    4 min read

  2. Best places for a couple without children

    A guide for couples without children on where in Spain their income and lifestyle fit. It compares typical rents in big cities, coastal cities and mid-size cities, and shows what two incomes, one income or remote work can realistically afford.

    4 min read

  3. Raising young children in Spain, which places work best

    How to choose where to live in Spain with a child under 6: compare nursery places and cost, safety, access to a paediatrician and children's hospital, and what small towns usually lack. For families deciding between cities, coasts and rural areas.

    6 min read

  4. Choosing a Spanish city when school and language are your real constraint

    Pick your city by school type and teaching language first, then look for housing. This page is for families with school-age children, especially teenagers, who need a place where the school, the language and friendships work.

    5 min read

  5. Best places for retirees and pensioners

    How to choose where to live in Spain if you are retired: weigh hospital access, heat, flat streets, cost and community, and avoid ending up isolated in an expat enclave. Written for retirees and pensioners comparing towns.

    4 min read

  6. Best cities in Spain for remote workers

    A ranking of Spain's main cities for remote workers, based on fibre, housing cost and stability, coworking, airports and community. It also shows how to test that ranking against how steady and flexible your own income is.

    8 min read

  7. Best places for entrepreneurs and freelancers

    Helps freelancers and founders choose a Spanish city by where their clients and networks are, then check that desk and rent costs stay manageable. It compares the main hubs and the cheaper alternatives.

    4 min read

  8. Where to live in Spain if you speak little Spanish

    English works day to day in big cities, the Málaga coast and the islands, but rarely inland. This page is for newcomers with little Spanish who want to choose where to live and understand the cost to their integration.

    4 min read

  9. Should a region's co-official language rule it out?

    A regional language is rarely a reason to cross a region off your list. It matters mainly if you have school-age children or want a public-sector job. This page helps households decide how much weight to give it.

    4 min read

  10. Where to live well in Spain on a modest budget

    Shows where in Spain rents are lowest, what you give up in the interior and south-west, and how to pick a cheap place that is still liveable. For newcomers on a modest budget choosing where to settle.

    4 min read

  11. Choosing a place with health, accessibility or inclusion needs

    Helps you choose where to live in Spain if you need specialist medical care, a step-free home, or a welcoming environment as an LGBTQ+ person or a member of an ethnic or religious minority. It explains how care, buildings and acceptance differ by city and countryside.

    5 min read

  12. Places for pet owners and outdoor lifestyles

    Shows how pets and outdoor hobbies (hiking, skiing, surfing, sailing) should shape where you live in Spain. It covers pet rules, how hard pet-friendly rentals are to find, and which regions suit each activity. For people moving with animals or an active lifestyle.

    6 min read

About this topic

It is for anyone considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. You can filter by household shape, work pattern, language, budget, age, health and accessibility needs. Each article looks at one kind of household or one filter, so you can read the ones that match your situation.

Start with "Best cities in Spain for remote workers". It covers income stability, housing, fibre internet, coworking, community and airports. Those points also help when you compare places for almost any other household.

Key rules

  • Fibre coverage: Roughly 90–95 percent of premises in Spain have fibre-to-the-home coverage available.
  • Dog owner training: Dog owner training is not currently mandatory in Spain; civil liability insurance is required, and a free online course is under development.
  • Nursery: Nursery for ages 0-3 is not compulsory, and public places are limited, so coverage and price vary a lot by region.
  • Subsidies: Free or subsidised nursery often depends on household income and being registered at your address.
  • Order of choice: Decide school type and teaching language before you look at housing.
  • Regional language: In Catalonia, the Basque Country, Valencia and the Balearics, public schools teach largely in the regional language as well as Spanish.

Documents you may need

Which place fits your household: questions that cross several articles

Will not speaking Catalan, Basque, Galician or Valencian limit my job options?

Mostly only in public-sector work. Regional and local public jobs, teaching and some health posts often require or score the language, while private jobs and central State posts such as the national police or tax agency do not. Read "Should a region's co-official language rule it out?" and "Where to live in Spain if you speak little Spanish" next.

Where can I live cheaply without giving up healthcare?

Inland provinces such as Jaén, Ciudad Real, Zamora, Lugo and Badajoz have the lowest rents, roughly €400-600 for a typical flat. Big reference hospitals sit in the largest cities, so rural residents often travel 30-90 minutes or more for specialist care. Read "Where to live well in Spain on a modest budget" and "Choosing a place with health, accessibility or inclusion needs".

Do cheaper places mean lower pay?

Often yes. Average gross pay is about 31,000-34,000 EUR in Madrid, the Basque Country, Navarra and Catalonia, and about 23,000-26,000 EUR in places like Extremadura, Canarias and Andalucía. If your income does not depend on where you live, read "Best cities in Spain for remote workers"; if it does, read "Where to live well in Spain on a modest budget".

Is rent capped in the big cities?

Only in areas declared as stressed (zonas tensionadas), and only where the region applied the declaration. Barcelona, Bilbao, San Sebastián and Vitoria are covered; Madrid, Málaga and Valencia city have none. Rents rose roughly 5-12% a year in big cities, so compare options in "Best places for a couple without children" and "Best places for a single person or young professional".

How hard is it to find a home with a pet or limited mobility?

Both narrow your choice. Many listings in tight markets say no pets, though a landlord can only refuse if the lease says so, and a larger deposit helps. Many older blocks have no lift, and hilly old towns like Toledo, Cuenca and Granada's Albaicín are harder than flat cities like Valencia, Seville or Zaragoza. Read "Places for pet owners and outdoor lifestyles" and "Choosing a place with health, accessibility or inclusion needs".

Is safety a reason to rule out a big city?

Usually not. Most recorded crime is petty theft and violent crime is low. Rates run roughly 50-70 per 1,000 inhabitants in Barcelona, the Balearics and Canarias, and 30-40 or less in Galicia, Castilla y León and Extremadura. See "Raising young children in Spain, which places work best" and "Best places for retirees and pensioners".

Explore places

Where you live changes the details. See how Spanish regions and cities compare on rent, jobs, weather, safety and healthcare.

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For important relocation decisions, speak with a qualified human specialist.

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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.

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