Daydreaming about starting a new life somewhere welcoming and sunny? Whether you want to pursue training or education you can’t find at home, make a big career change, or give your family the best life possible, you may be thinking about moving to another country.
Depending on how different the culture and climate are from your home country, moving abroad can be a big shake-up, so it’s important to choose a destination that promises the best opportunities and quality of life for you.
From working expatriates and retirees looking to settle down to digital nomads who are regularly on the move, we can proudly say that Spain is consistently ranked in the top two countries for expats and remote workers alike.
Best countries for expats
For the last ten years, the InterNations Expat Insider report has surveyed thousands of expats across the globe to definitively rank the best places for foreigners to live.
The 2023 report polled 12,000 respondents, representing 177 nationalities across 181 territories, to rank 53 countries based on expatriate satisfaction levels.
Factors analysed include quality of life, how easy it is to settle in there, opportunities for working abroad, and experiences with personal finance, administration, and learning the language.
Perhaps surprisingly, fellow Spanish-speaking country Mexico came in first place due to its welcoming culture, despite consistently ranking in the bottom five countries when it comes to safety.
This year, Spain is the only European country to make the top five, climbing from fifth place in 2022 to claim a silver medal in second place for 2023.
Spain has placed in the top ten for quality of life every year since the first InterNations annual report, and continues to rank highly for leisure, culture, recreation, and climate.
Best cities for remote workers
Spain is not just one of the best countries to move to as a foreigner, but also hosts four of the top ten cities for remote workers – three of which rank in the top five.
According to a survey by a Dutch travel website, the number one city for teleworkers is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Spain’s Canary Islands, with Malaga on the Costa del Sol close behind in third place.
The fourth spot on the list is taken by Palma de Mallorca on the island of Mallorca, while another Andalusian city – Seville – slides into seventh place.
Over 120 cities around the world were evaluated through a series of questionnaires based on their quality of life, telecommunications, accessibility, and climate.
The relatively low cost of living, fast and reliable internet, and high standards of education, healthcare, public services, and safety contributed to so many Spanish cities making the list – not to mention Spain’s bounty of beautiful beaches!
Best countries for digital nomads
Popular travel search engine Kayak has released a Work from Wherever Index to help digital nomads choose the best country for them to move to as a remote worker.
Its 2023 ranking evaluates 100 countries based on several important factors. These include travel accessibility, local cost of living, health and safety, social life, weather – and, of course, remote work facilities, such as the availability of visas, high internet speeds, and co-working spaces.
While it was pipped to the post by neighbouring Portugal, Spain takes a respectable second place – and was actually evaluated several points higher for accessibility and remote work opportunities.
Other nations that ranked highly in Kayak’s list of countries include Romania, Mauritius, and Japan, which round out the top five cities in the world for remote workers.
While Portugal may be overall number one here, it just made the InterNations Expat Insider top ten countries list, ranking eight places below Spain’s second spot.
Spain also comes out on top for the best cities for digital nomads mentioned above, as Portugal only has two cities in the top ten and one in the top five.
Planning to move to Spain?
Convinced that Spain is the top destination for you? Whether you want to move to Spain full-time and eventually earn Spanish citizenship or live here temporarily as a remote worker on a digital nomad visa, you’re in the right place.
Read through our enlightening blogs covering topics such as reasons to move to Spain, the best places to live in Spain, and a range of Spanish tax information to learn more about what it’s like immigrating to Spain.
Then, when you’re ready to take the first serious step towards moving to Spain, get in touch with our Spain immigration lawyers. The local experts at Manzanares Abogados can advise you on the most appropriate visa for your circumstances and help with your application.
Call one of our offices on +34 952 82 41 12 (Marbella), +34 952 59 50 42 (Alhaurin), or +34 971 30 31 32 (Ibiza) to set up your consultation.
You can also email enquiries to clientservices@manzanareslawyers.com and we’ll be in touch with more information.
