Spain is many places, so which one are you picturing?

Terms used

• IRPF — The IRPF is Spain's personal income tax, partly set by the national government and partly by each region.
• IVA — The IVA is Spain's value-added tax (VAT) on goods and services, set nationally.
• ITP — The ITP is the property transfer tax paid when you buy a resale property, with rates set by each region.
• AJD — The AJD is stamp duty on certain legal documents, such as new-build purchases, with rates set by each region.

Key rules

• Name your region: Many claims about Spain describe only one region, so decide which region you mean before you judge.
• National rules: Immigration, residence permits, VAT, national social security and the main labour law are the same across Spain.
• Regional services: Healthcare, schools, housing policy and tourist-let rules are run by each region.
• Regional taxes: Regions set their own inheritance, gift, wealth and property transfer tax rates, and the Basque Country and Navarre run their own tax systems.
• Language: Some regions have a second official language that may matter for school and some public jobs.

Start by naming the place

Picture one region, not the whole country. Spain is split into 17 autonomous communities, plus the cities of Ceuta and Melilla. Advice, prices and rules you read about "Spain" often describe only one of them. Before you trust a generalisation, ask: which region is this about?

What differs from region to region

Climate. The north is humid and green. The interior is hot and dry. The Mediterranean coast is mild. The Canary Islands are subtropical.

Language. Spanish is spoken everywhere. Several regions have a second official language:

• Catalan in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.
• Valencian, a variety of Catalan, in the Valencian Community.
• Galician in Galicia.
• Basque (Euskera) in the Basque Country and the Basque-speaking part of Navarre.
• Aranese, a form of Occitan, in the Val d'Aran in Catalonia.

Asturian and Aragonese are protected, but not fully co-official. In these regions you will see the local language on road signs, in forms and in public broadcasting. In schools it is often the main language of teaching. Some regional public-sector jobs require it. How much people use it varies by area, and some Valencian areas are mostly Spanish-speaking.

Economy and wages. Madrid, the Basque Country and Catalonia have higher wages. Extremadura and Andalusia have lower wages and higher unemployment.

Housing and tourism. Housing costs vary a lot. Places with heavy tourism, such as the Balearics, the Canaries, the Costa del Sol and Barcelona, may restrict tourist lets locally.

Who decides what

Regions run most day-to-day public services. That means your experience of healthcare, schools and housing depends on where you live.

Regions decide:

• Healthcare. Each region runs its own health service.
• School education, including admissions, grants and regional language rules.
• Social services and care for dependent people.
• Housing policy and regional rental rules. Some regions can declare "stressed zones".
• Urban planning, tourism licensing, regional transport, consumer protection and shop hours.
• Police, in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Navarre.

The state decides:

• Immigration, nationality and residence permits.
• National social security rules and the main labour law.
• Foreign affairs and defence.
• Criminal and most civil law. Some regions have their own civil-law exceptions.
• VAT (IVA).

So a residence permit works the same everywhere, but a school place or a doctor's appointment does not.

Taxes are not the same everywhere

Regions set their own rates and deductions for several taxes: the regional part of income tax (IRPF), inheritance and gift tax, wealth tax, and the property transfer tax (ITP) and stamp duty (AJD) you pay when buying property. A figure quoted for Madrid can be wrong for Valencia or Catalonia.

The Basque Country and Navarre have their own tax systems, called foral systems, so rules there can differ more. Regional taxes and rules change often. Check current rates with the regional government.

Which statements hold nationally

Treat these as true across Spain:

• Immigration and residence rules.
• VAT.

Treat these as regional until you check:

• Language in school and at work.
• Healthcare and school arrangements.
• Rental rules and tourist lets.
• Wages, housing costs and climate.

What to do next

1. Write down the one or two regions you are considering.
2. For each, check the language in schools and public jobs, and the tax rates that apply to you.
3. When you read any advice, ask whether it names a region. If it does not, assume it may not apply to yours.

The questions below cover languages, regional decisions and taxes.

Frequently asked questions

Which regions have a second official language besides Spanish?

Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, the Valencian Community, Galicia and the Basque Country each have a co-official language, as does the Basque-speaking part of Navarre. These are Catalan, Valencian (a variety of Catalan), Galician and Basque. In the Val d'Aran in Catalonia, Aranese is co-official too.

Will I need the regional language for daily life or school?

You will see it on road signs, forms and public broadcasting, but you can usually manage in Spanish in daily life.

Which decisions are made by the region rather than by Spain as a whole?

Regions run healthcare, school education, social services, housing policy, tourist-rental licensing and regional transport. They also set regional income tax bands, inheritance and gift tax, wealth tax and property transfer tax. The state keeps immigration, residence permits, nationality, VAT and the main labour law, so check the regional government for anything else.

Do all regions pay taxes under the same system?

No, the Basque Country and Navarre have their own tax systems, and the other regions set their own rates on several taxes. Your inheritance, gift or income tax bill can differ depending on where you live. Check the rates with your region's tax office before you choose where to settle.