Anyone seriously considering an international move — remote workers, families, retirees, founders. You know you want to leave; you just haven't found where you'd actually feel at home.

How is this different from just asking ChatGPT?

ChatGPT gives you an opinion. We give you a score from open data: climate normals, OECD tax tables, WHO healthcare index, Ookla internet speeds. Every number has a source. The quiz learns your trade-offs and ranks accordingly — no generic 'Portugal is great' advice.

How do you score countries?

Ten dimensions (climate, cost, tax, visa, healthcare, safety, language, internet, family, banking), each scored 0–10 from open data. We combine them geometrically, meaning one bad dimension really matters — it can't be averaged away. Hard deal-breakers exclude a country entirely.

Will more countries get a detailed map like Italy?

Yes. Italy is our proof of concept — 8,000 places, comune-level climate, prices, internet, demographics. Portugal, Spain, and UAE are next. Subscribe in the atlas to be notified per country.

Climate normals are 1991–2020 (the WMO 30-year standard — the most meaningful baseline). Tax, visa, and language data refreshes annually. Every number shows its source and year inline — nothing is hidden.

🇪🇸Spain · Infrastructure

Spain — Infrastructure

Setting up in Spain: FTTH 95 % urban, Movistar/Vodafone/Orange/MásMóvil, free electricity market, tap water, Cl@ve digital ID, south-east water crisis. Speeds across 10 cities.

A stylised Spanish utility stack: at the top three fibre lines labelled FIBRA, in the middle a Cl@ve symbol and a phone with a QR code, at the bottom five coloured bins (blue, green, yellow, brown, grey), plus a tap and a Schuko plug — The utility stack: what to set up in the first week

Spain has completed its fibre modernisation: 95 % of urban homes sit inside FTTH coverage, median fixed-broadband speed 280 Mbps (Ookla 2026). , the free digital ID, unlocks every government portal from Agencia Tributaria to the ayuntamiento. Tap water is drinkable. The structural infrastructure problems of 2026 are not the internet but the south-east water crisis and the heating gap in Madrid and the northern districts.

Spain as a utility stack

Spain in 2026 is a country of mostly completed infrastructure. FTTH fibre covers 95 % of the urban housing stock (CNMC, the telecoms regulator); 5G reaches 95 % of urban territory; the digital ID layer (, DNIe, NIF) is mandatory for most government services. 50 % of national electricity comes from renewables; Spain sits in the top 3 of the EU for wind and solar generation.

A standard first-week setup: internet (fibre triple-play), electricity (free market), water (through the ayuntamiento, automatic), waste (bundled into water or IBI), mobile, Cl@ve. Most of it is online via app or operator website with NIE and a Spanish IBAN.

Indicative monthly cost for a 60-80 m² flat in Madrid: internet + TV + mobile bundle €40-65, electricity €70-130 (higher in winter with electric heating), gas €15-35 if applicable, water €15-30, mobile beyond the bundle €0-15. Total €170-280/month of utilities excluding rent. Close to the Italian level, above Portuguese.

What separates Spain from neighbours. Tap water is drinkable nationwide. Triple-play bundles are standard. Digital ID is advanced, at the level of Estonia and Finland. 5G coverage is one of the best in the EU. Heating in southern and Mediterranean regions is weak (flats without centralised systems); in Madrid and the north central heating is widespread.

Internet: fibre from Movistar/Vodafone/Orange/MásMóvil

The Spanish internet market has four large players and is more competitive than the Portuguese one. (Telefónica España, the former monopolist, around 35-40 % of retail), historically the largest fibre network. , the second player with its own network and active FTTH rollout. , the third, strengthened after its 2024 merger with MásMóvil. , fourth (since 2024 part of Orange), runs the low-cost brands Yoigo and Pepephone. Digi Mobil, the Romanian challenger, is growing fast in the low-cost segment.

MVNOs. Pepephone, Lowi (Vodafone network), Simyo (Orange), O2 (Telefónica low-cost). Often €15-25/month cheaper than the main operators for the same data allowance.

Connection types. (Fiber to the Home), fibre directly to the flat, up to 1 Gbps symmetric on Movistar and Vodafone, up to 10 Gbps on Movistar premium plans (since 2024). FTTC (Fiber to the Cabinet), fibre to the street cabinet, copper from there, usually up to 200 Mbps. In cities FTTH dominates; FTTC sits in older districts only. Rural Spain runs partly on FTTH via the Plan UNICO programme, partly on 4G/5G FWA.

Triple-play and quad-play. The standard bundle is internet + TV + mobile (1 to 4 SIMs):

Entry triple-play (500 Mbps FTTH + 100 TV channels + 1 SIM): €€ 30-45/month. The standard family setup.
Premium (1 Gbps + 200 channels + 2 SIMs): €55-80/month. For remote work and larger families.
Internet only, no TV: €25-35/month entry, €40-60/month gigabit.
Family quad-play (4 SIMs + 1 Gbps + sport): €60-100/month. Often includes LaLiga or Movistar+ Premium.

Activation and contract. Through the operator website (movistar.es, vodafone.es, orange.es, masmovil.com) or in store: NIE + Spanish bank IBAN + passport. An installer comes by appointment, 5-10 working days (FTTH already laid in the building) or 2-4 weeks (new rollout). Contracts are typically 12 or 24 months, with an early-exit fee of €60-150. Since 2024 the CNMC has required operators to also offer contracts without commitment (sin permanencia) at 5-10 % more.

What to check. Verify FTTH coverage at the address before signing, on the operator website ("Comprueba tu Cobertura"); if the address is FTTC-only, the headline 1 Gbps becomes a real 100-200 Mbps. Ask the landlord "hay fibra óptica en el edificio?" during viewings. Without fibre at the address you will pay for a gigabit bundle and receive FTTC.

Fixed broadband speed by city

Median speed depends on FTTH density and new-build concentration. Ookla publishes the Speedtest Global Index quarterly; Q1 2026 picture across Spain:

Reading the chart. Madrid (432 Mbps median) and Barcelona (415) are almost fully FTTH across central districts and suburbs. Soria (132), Teruel, Cuenca carry significant FTTC + DSL share in older neighbourhoods. This does not mean fibre is absent in Soria; new districts have it, but the weighted median drops because of older areas.

Before renting, check the address at Movistar/Vodafone/Orange and ask the landlord "hay fibra en el edificio?". If the address is FTTC-only, a year from now you will be on slow DSL paying for a gigabit plan. Also check 5G coverage (mapa de cobertura 5G) if you plan heavy mobile work.

Speed testing. Speedtest by Ookla is free and runs from a native app. If your plan is 1 Gbps and the test reads 300 Mbps, the cause is likely FTTC or a weak Wi-Fi router. The standard Movistar HGU or Vodafone router typically delivers 800-950 Mbps over Wi-Fi 6 on 5 GHz; beyond that requires Ethernet.

Mobile and 5G

The Spanish mobile market has four main operators: Movistar (Telefónica), Vodafone España, Orange España, MásMóvil (part of Orange since 2024). Plus MVNOs: Pepephone, Lowi, Simyo, O2, Digi Mobil, Finetwork. Entry tariff "unlimited minutes + 100 GB" costs €€ 12-18/month for standalone SIMs; bundled with triple-play it is usually cheaper or free.

5G coverage. 95 % of urban Spain has 5G (CNMC 2026), one of the highest in the EU. Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga, Seville run mid-band 5G (3.5 GHz, up to 1 Gbps) widely. Smaller cities and rural areas mostly run NSA 5G (on the 4G network) with 200-400 Mbps real speeds. Canaries and Balearics: solid 5G in the island capitals, 4G elsewhere.

EU roaming. Included by the "roam like at home" directive: your tariff works across all 27 EU states + Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein with no surcharge. The fair-use cap is typically 70 % of monthly data; beyond that, the local rate of the country applies. Russia, Ukraine, Belarus are not included; standard roaming runs €5-15 per MB. The UK post-Brexit is back to fair-use caps of 5-12 GB/month with most operators.

SIM or eSIM. All four operators support eSIM: activate via QR code without a shop visit. A physical SIM requires a store visit with passport, NIE and Spanish address (or a foreign one for tourists), 10-15 minutes of paperwork. A pré-pago (prepaid) SIM works without long-term commitment, handy for the first months.

Number porting (portabilidad) is free and takes 1-3 working days. No penalty from the old operator; only a migration code from their app. All four operators have simplified migration: enter the number on the website and porting starts automatically after SMS confirmation.

Power, gas, water, waste

Electricity. The Spanish power market has been partly liberalised since 2003. Two segments coexist. Mercado regulado (PVPC), the regulated tariff for households below 10 kW capacity; the kWh price fluctuates hourly, tracking the OMIE wholesale price; on average cheaper than the free market by 5-15 %, but pricier in winter peaks 18:00-22:00. PVPC suppliers (Comercializadoras de Referencia): Iberdrola Clientes, Endesa Energía, Naturgy, EDP España, CHC Energía. Mercado libre, fixed tariffs over 12 months; dozens of operators compete.

Free-market suppliers. (the largest, around 35 % of retail), (the second, Italian-Spanish Enel), (the third, strong in gas), EDP España, Repsol Eletricidad, TotalEnergies, Holaluz (100 % renewables), Som Energia (cooperative with a renewables focus), Audax. Average kWh price € 0; spread between best and worst tariffs runs 15-30 %.

Tarifa social. Bono Social, the state discount on electricity for low-income, families with children, pensioners, persons with disability. 25-65 % off depending on category. Applied through your current supplier; renewed every 2 years. Winter 2022-2024 saw it widened to middle income during the energy crisis.

Gas. Not universal: natural gas reaches Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Valencia, Zaragoza, Seville, the northern coast. In central Andalusia and mountain Castile the option is electric only or bottled gas (bombona de butano in red-orange Repsol bottles, €18-25 for a 13 kg bottle). Natural-gas suppliers match electricity: Naturgy, Iberdrola, Endesa, EDP. Dual-fuel bundles (power + gas at one supplier) cut 5-10 %. Gas costs €15-50/month in winter where available.

Water. Hook-up runs through the municipal operator. Canal de Isabel II in Madrid (state-owned), Aigües de Barcelona, EMASESA in Seville, EMACSA in Córdoba, EMALSA in Las Palmas. Tariff €15-35/month for a two-person flat, including sewerage. 99 % of Spanish tap water meets WHO standards (per AECOSAN data). Water is very hard in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia (high calcium), softer in the north (Basque Country, Cantabria) and Seville. Taste is normal but a Brita filter improves tea and coffee. In most cafés the bottled mineral (Lanjarón, Solán de Cabras, Aquabona) is served as ritual, not necessity.

Waste and contenedores. Separated collection across 4-5 streams in most municipalities via street containers: azul (blue, paper and cardboard), verde (green, glass), amarillo (yellow, plastic bottles and metal cans), gris (grey, residual), marrón (brown, organic). Organic separation, a dedicated stream since 2022 in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, Seville. Containers sit on the street every 80-200 metres. The collection fee is bundled into IBI (Tasa de Basuras in most municipalities) or the water bill; €60-150/year for a family.

Contracts. When you move in, the electricity, gas and water contracts usually carry over from the previous tenant and need to be transferred to your name through the supplier's website. Documents: NIE, lease contract, ID. Without transfer, bills keep arriving in the previous name; non-payment cuts service.

Renewables. 50 % of Spanish electricity comes from renewables in 2025 (REE, the grid operator). Wind, solar, hydro. Several days a year hit 100 % renewable generation. Holaluz, Som Energia and "100 % verde" options at Iberdrola and Endesa deliver certified renewable generation at the same price or a symbolic premium.

Cl@ve and Correos

, Spain's free digital ID. eIDAS level "substantial" or "high" depending on activation method, recognised across the EU. Free (€€ 0/year). Unlocks: Agencia Tributaria (Renta, IRPF, IVA filings), Seguridad Social, SEPE (employment service), the ayuntamiento (padrón, IBI, municipal services), Portal del Catastro, regional SNS portals (Mi Salud, La Meva Salut), schools, digital signature.

Three variants.

Cl@ve PIN, a temporary SMS code for one-off authorisation. "Substantial" level, sufficient for most non-critical services.
Cl@ve Permanente, permanent password + SMS. "Substantial" level, unlocks 95 % of services.
Cl@ve con Certificado Digital, a digital certificate installed in the browser or mobile app. "High" level, gives full access including critical operations (changing the bank account at Agencia Tributaria, exporting filings).

Activation. Two routes: online at clave.gob.es with DNIe or a certificate from the Acceda app; or in person at a Comisaría / ayuntamiento / Agencia Tributaria office by appointment with passport, NIE and TIE, taking 20-30 minutes with an officer, free. After activation, two-factor authentication via SMS or the Cl@ve Móvil app.

What does not work without Cl@ve. Filing Renta (the annual income tax) online (paper still possible but with delays). Requesting empadronamiento online (in-person at the ayuntamiento by appointment otherwise). Registering for school selection. Electronic notifications (notificaciones electrónicas). Without Cl@ve every interaction with the state requires an office visit, 1-3 hours each.

(Sociedad Estatal Correos y Telégrafos), the state postal operator, not privatised (a contrast to Portugal's CTT). Domestic letter delivery 2-5 days, registered (correo certificado) 3-7 days, international 7-21 days. Correos is also a large parcel operator (Correos app), payment counter and registration point for some documents. Competitors: SEUR, MRW, DHL, GLS on B2C parcels; Amazon Logistics on e-commerce.

When paper mail still matters. TIE-status letters from the Comisaría, Agencia Tributaria tax notices (unless "notificación electrónica" is enabled), ZBE and toll fines, IBI municipal bills, court rulings. Switching to electronic is possible via Cl@ve + opting into "notificaciones electrónicas" on each portal. This saves 2-3 weeks of delay and removes the risk of losing a letter during a flat move.

Heating and the water crisis

Spain's main residential infrastructure weakness is regionally specific. In Madrid, Castile and the north, central heating (calefacción central) in apartment buildings is common: a gas boiler in the basement, radiators in every flat, charged by surface area through the condominio (€80-200/month in winter). In modern new builds individual gas boilers (caldera individual) or electric heat pumps replace it.

In Andalusia, Valencia, coastal Catalonia, the Canaries and Balearics central heating is rare or absent. The climate is milder, and the construction standard never included it. January indoor temperatures of 12-16 °C are typical without heating. Solutions: portable oil radiators (calefactor de aceite, €40-80), electric fan heaters, reversible air conditioners (climatización aire acondicionado) for winter heat.

Energy certificate , A-G scale, mandatory since 2013 for sale and long-term rental. Old flats in Madrid Centro or Barcelona Gòtic are typically E-G; new builds in Madrid Río or Barcelona Sant Martí typically B-A. The gap in electricity and gas bills runs €100-200/month in winter. For long-term residence, look for B-C.

The water crisis. South-east Spain (Murcia, Almería, eastern Andalusia, Alicante) and Catalonia have seen multi-year drought. Catalonia declared a water emergency in 2024, capping consumption at 200 litres/person/day; pool refills, car washing, decorative fountains banned. After heavy rains in spring 2024 some restrictions were lifted; the structural deficit remains.

In Madrid, Seville, Bilbao, Santander water is not restricted; the crisis is localised to the eastern coast. When choosing a flat in Barcelona, Alicante or Murcia, check whether restrictions are in force; the ayuntamiento publishes status weekly.

Support programmes. The Plan de Recuperación (NextGenerationEU) since 2021 subsidises up to 80 % of window replacement, wall insulation, heat-pump installation and photovoltaic panels. Tenants cannot apply directly but can ask landlords to invest in energy efficiency; many are doing so against the promise of a long lease.

First-week connection plan

A sensible sequence:

Day 1. Get NIE at the Comisaría (by cita previa appointment; from a consulate if still abroad). Nothing connects without NIE.
Day 2. Register at the ayuntamiento () for a volante de empadronamiento. Required for the bank, SNS, children's school, Cl@ve enrolment.
Day 2-3. Buy a prepaid SIM at a Movistar, Vodafone, Orange or MásMóvil store, €€ 12-18/month. Pré-pago, no long-term contract. Alternative: eSIM via the operator app with NIE.
Day 3-5. Transfer electricity, gas and water contracts to your name via the supplier's website. Documents: NIE, lease, passport. 30-60 minutes online.
Day 5-7. Order triple-play internet (Movistar, Vodafone, Orange, MásMóvil) at the address. Check FTTH coverage online, activation 5-10 working days.
Week 2. Activate at the Comisaría / ayuntamiento / Agencia Tributaria. This unlocks Renta, Seguridad Social, SEPE, school and health portals.
Week 2-3. Apply for tarjeta sanitaria at the centro de salud serving your address. Required for free healthcare.
Week 3-4. If you have a car, get a Via-T transponder (for AP toll roads) and transfer insurance. If not, get Abono Transportes (Madrid) or T-usual (Barcelona).

What not to rush. Switching mobile operator: doable 1-3 months in, porting is free. Switching power supplier: makes sense after the first annual cycle when real consumption is known. Buying heaters: wait for the first real winter night; in summer it is hard to gauge how cold the flat actually gets (especially in Andalusia and on the coast).

Frequently asked

Which internet provider should I pick?

Four large operators with their own networks: (Telefónica España, former monopolist), , , (part of Orange since 2024). Entry triple-play (internet + TV + mobile) €€ 30-45/month, premium 1 Gbps €55-80/month. Plus MVNOs Pepephone, Lowi, Simyo, O2, Digi Mobil, Finetwork at €15-25 cheaper. Verify FTTH coverage at the address before signing, on the operator website ("Comprueba tu Cobertura"); if the address is FTTC-only, the headline 1 Gbps becomes a real 100-200 Mbps. Contracts run 12 or 24 months with an early-exit fee of €60-150. Since 2024 plans without commitment (sin permanencia) are available at 5-10 % more.

What is Cl@ve?

, Spain's free (€€ 0/year) digital ID at eIDAS "substantial" or "high" level. Unlocks Agencia Tributaria (Renta, IRPF, IVA), Seguridad Social, SEPE (employment service), the ayuntamiento, Portal del Catastro, regional SNS (Mi Salud, La Meva Salut), schools. Three variants: Cl@ve PIN (one-off SMS code, substantial), Cl@ve Permanente (permanent password + SMS, substantial), Cl@ve con Certificado Digital (high). Activation at the Comisaría, ayuntamiento or Agencia Tributaria takes 20-30 minutes with passport, NIE and TIE; or online at clave.gob.es with a DNIe. After activation, two-factor authentication via SMS or the Cl@ve Móvil app.

Is tap water safe?

Yes: 99 % of Spanish tap water meets WHO standards per AECOSAN (the regulator). Hard in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and most of the south (high calcium), softer in the north (Basque Country, Cantabria) and Seville. Limescale in kettles and washing machines builds faster in Madrid but is harmless. A Brita filter improves tea and coffee. In most cafés a bottled mineral (Lanjarón still, Solán de Cabras, Aquabona, Mondariz) is a ritual rather than a necessity; it costs €1-3 in restaurants. Children and pregnant women can drink tap water without restriction. In south-east Spain (Murcia, Almería) drought years bring temporary restrictions, but quality does not suffer.

What plug type does Spain use?

Schuko (Type F, 230 V / 50 Hz), as in most of continental Europe. Type C (flat two-pin) plugs fit a Schuko socket without an adapter. Italian Type L (three pins in a row) also fits Schuko with no or a minimal adapter. UK Type G and Swiss Type J need an adapter. Apple iPhone and Mac chargers, plus USB-C bricks from most brands, are universal and work with any Type C/F socket. Older Spanish homes (pre-1980s) sometimes carry two-pin Type C without earthing; for modern electronics an earthed adapter is safer.

How does the free electricity market work?

The market is partly liberalised since 2003. Two segments coexist. Mercado regulado (PVPC), the regulated tariff for households below 10 kW capacity; the kWh price fluctuates hourly, tracking OMIE wholesale; on average cheaper than the free market by 5-15 %, but pricier in winter peaks 18:00-22:00. PVPC suppliers: Iberdrola Clientes, Endesa Energía, Naturgy, EDP España, CHC. Mercado libre, fixed tariffs over 12 months; competitors include (35 % of retail), (Enel), , EDP España, Repsol, TotalEnergies, Holaluz (100 % renewables), Som Energia (renewables cooperative). Average kWh price € 0; spread 15-30 %. Tarifa social: Bono Social for low income, families, pensioners at 25-65 % off. 50 % of Spanish electricity from renewables in 2025.

How is waste collection organised?

Separated collection across 4-5 streams in most municipalities via street containers: azul (blue, paper and cardboard), verde (green, glass), amarillo (yellow, PET plastic bottles and metal cans), gris (grey, residual), marrón (brown, organic). Organic, a dedicated stream since 2022 in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, Seville and expanding. Containers sit on the street every 80-200 metres. The fee is bundled into IBI (Tasa de Basuras in most municipalities) or the water bill; €60-150/year for a family in Madrid, €80-200/year in Barcelona. Not sorting carries a €60-500 fine.

Verified · 2026-04-15

Open the relocation checklist Back to Spain

All chapters ↑