Spain
A solid all-round choice. Ranked 11 of 40, strongest on climate, softest on retiree visa.
Key facts
Visa & residency
~EUR 2,400/mo single (400% of IPREM, about EUR 28,800/yr), plus ~EUR 600/mo (100% IPREM) per dependent family member.
Requires full private health insurance covering all risks of the public system with no co-pays (travel insurance not accepted). No work permitted; visa is valid one year and renewable, leading toward long-term residence.
Healthcare
Spain's public SNS offers world-class care once you are entitled. Non-working foreign residents cannot rely on it initially; after 12 months of legal residence they can pay into the Convenio Especial for primary, specialist and hospital care (prescriptions and dental excluded).
Full private cover is required for the visa; as a public-system proxy, the Convenio Especial costs ~EUR 157/mo for over-65s (vs ~EUR 60/mo under-65), and private plans for a 65-year-old are broadly in that range or higher.
Cost of living
~$1,900-2,600 single incl. rent (Madrid single-person costs ~EUR 826/mo excl. rent plus central 1-bed rent); cheaper outside the capital.
Madrid 1-bed city-centre rent averages ~EUR 1,417/mo (Numbeo, 2026); expat-favourite cities like Valencia and Alicante run well below Madrid.
Safety & climate
Ranks 27th on the Global Peace Index (score 1.654), a safe country overall; pickpocketing and petty theft in busy tourist cities like Barcelona and Madrid are the main caveat.
The most climatically diverse country in Europe: hot summers (Aug ~30C) and mild coastal winters, with greater extremes inland. Rain falls mainly in autumn on the Mediterranean side; the southeast is very dry.
Community & language
Over 7.2 million foreign nationals (~14.6% of the population) as of early 2026, one of Europe's largest expat populations. EF EPI 2025 scores Spain 540 (moderate proficiency), so some Spanish is advisable outside expat hubs.
Spanish (Castilian) is the official language, with co-official regional languages in some areas; English proficiency is moderate, so learning Spanish helps daily life.
Taxes
Yes, Spain taxes the worldwide income of tax residents, including foreign private pensions, at progressive rates of 19%-47%. US Social Security is generally taxed only in the US, and government pensions typically only in the source country.
Spain has double-tax treaties with over 90 countries, including the US, UK, Germany and France; treaties allocate pension taxing rights (government/civil-service pensions often taxed only in the paying country).
Compare Spain with its closest rivals
The three countries whose RetireScore sits nearest.
