Retire in Spain

To retire in Spain from outside the EU you need €2,400 a month (or €28,800 for the first year) for the non-lucrative visa. Prices run at about 69% of the US, and foreign pensions are taxed at roughly 19% to 47%.

What it takes, what it costs, and where retirees settle, from Spain's law and official data. Checked on Oct 8, 2026.

Puente Nuevo and the old town of Ronda, Andalusia

Retiree visa: From €2,400/mo (about $2,680)
Price level: ~69% of the US
Tax on a foreign pension: 19% to 47%
Travel advisory: Level 2 of 4
Health spending: $3,107/person
US tax treaty: Yes

Do you qualify?

Retirees from outside the EU move to Spain on the non-lucrative residence visa: a residence permit for people who live on their own means, from savings or regular income such as a pension, and do not work in Spain, either locally or remotely.

Non-Lucrative visa: documents and fees

Your qualifying income, per month (USD)

Non-Lucrative€2,400/mo (about $2,680)

OtherOther routeson the visa page

Retiring in Spain, topic by topic

Visa

Non-Lucrative visa requirements

Documents, government fees and the other routes to residency.

Healthcare

Healthcare for retirees

The hospitals retirees use, what insurance covers, and Medicare abroad.

Money

Banking, pensions and tax

How US, UK and Canadian pensions reach a local bank, and what you report at home.

Budget

Cost of living

Official prices and a budget built from your own rent.

What it costs

Household prices in Spain run at about 69% of US levels. Rent is the line nobody publishes officially, so the cost of living page builds your budget from your own rent.

Build your budget

Official poverty line, person living alone, per month, 2025 survey

Spain€1,018 (about $1,140)

INE. Checked Oct 8, 2026.

Where retirees settle

Valencia

City on the Mediterranean, 840,792 people (2025)
Vithas Valencia 9 de Octubre, 24-hour emergency

Málaga

Costa del Sol city, 599,063 people (2025)
Vithas Xanit Internacional in nearby Benalmádena, JCI accredited

Alicante

Costa Blanca city, 366,221 people (2025)
Vithas Hospital Alicante, 94 beds

Madrid

Capital, 3.51 million people (2025), 663 m above sea level
HM Sanchinarro university hospital

Wikidata; Vithas Valencia; Vithas Xanit; Vithas Alicante; HM Sanchinarro. Checked Oct 8, 2026.

Spain compared

All 9 comparisons with Spain

More guides on Spain

Buying Property in SpainUpdated Aug 13, 2026

Visiting Spain first

Most people spend a few weeks in Spain before they apply for anything. Two things to sort out for that trip:

Kiwi.com

Flights to Spain

Compare routes and dates before a scouting trip.

Airalo

eSIM for Spain

Mobile data from the day you land, without a local SIM.

Partner links: we may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you. How this works.

Retiring in Spain: questions

Is Spain safe for retirees?

The US State Department rates Spain Level 2, exercise increased caution.

Do I pay tax in Spain on my pension?

Yes. Spain taxes residents on worldwide income, so a foreign pension is taxed at roughly 19% to 47%, depending on the region. Under the US-Spain treaty a private pension is taxable only in Spain, while US Social Security may also be taxed by the US, and Spain then deducts the US tax paid. US citizens still file a US return.

Can Americans retire in Spain?

Yes. Most use the non-lucrative visa, which needs €2,400 a month (400% of IPREM) or €28,800 for the first year, Spanish health insurance and no work in Spain.

Where do retirees live in Spain?

On the coast in Valencia, Alicante on the Costa Blanca or Málaga on the Costa del Sol, each with a private hospital with a 24-hour emergency department, or in Madrid, the capital.

Does Spain want Americans to move there to retire?

The non-lucrative visa is open to people from outside the EU who can support themselves without working. The golden visa for property buyers ended on 3 April 2025.

Retire in Spain

Do you qualify?