Europe · Madrid
Cost of living in Spain
Spain is 38% cheaper than the US, ranking #58 of 203 countries we cover for cost of living. The local currency is EUR (€).
World Bank data through 2024 · last reviewed 2026-06.
What drives the cost here
Price levels by category, where the world average = 100. Above 100 is pricier than the global norm; below it is cheaper.
In Spain, housing & utilities is the priciest category relative to the world (148), while restaurants & hotels is the most affordable (111).
Category price levels: World Bank ICP 2021 (world average = 100) · source
What your money is worth here
A $100,000 US lifestyle would cost roughly $62,000 in Spain.
Quality of life
97/100 · #8 of 198Beyond cost — health, safety, and connectivity. The score is a transparent, equal-weight composite of the verified metrics below (see methodology).
About Spain
Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Spain remained neutral during both World Wars but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39) resulting in a dictatorship. A peaceful transition to democracy after the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975 and rapid economic modernization after Spain joined the EU in 1986 gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy. After a severe recession in the wake of the global financial crisis in 2008, Spain has posted solid years of GDP growth above the EU average.
Read the full background
Unemployment has fallen but remains high, especially among youth. Spain is the euro-zone's fourth-largest economy. The country has faced increased domestic turmoil in recent years due to the independence movement in its restive Catalonia region.
Background from the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived 2026-06-03.
Frequently asked
Is Spain expensive to live in?
Spain is 38% cheaper than the US, ranking #58 of the 203 countries we track. Its most expensive category relative to the world is housing & utilities; restaurants & hotels costs the least.
How much money do you need to live in Spain?
A lifestyle that costs $100,000 in the United States would cost roughly $62,000 in Spain, going by overall price levels. The salary translator turns your own figure into a local equivalent.
Is Spain cheaper than the United States?
Yes. Its overall price level is 61.9, against 100 for the United States.
What is the quality of life in Spain?
Spain scores 97 out of 100 on our quality-of-life index (#8 of 198), a composite of life expectancy, safety, health, and connectivity, with life expectancy around 84 years.
Every number, sourced.
We cite the exact source and year for each figure. Derived values are computed at build time, never hand-entered.
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