How Much Does It Cost To Move To Spain?
I’m an American who moved to Spain in September of 2024. But when I first seriously started the process, like most people, the first question I asked was, how much does it cost to move to Spain?
While I didn’t expect it to be a super cheap process, I did plan to keep it within a budget. So as I went along the process, I figured I would document what I spent. Doing that also outlined the process of making the move, if you are interest in doing the same.
Please note that all prices are what I paid at the time. I cannot vouch for future prices as the price of everything seems to be going up on almost a daily basis. So it’s best to double check first as you start the process if your budget is critical.
1. Immigration Attorney
Not everyone will require an immigration attorney to make this move. I hired one simply because of my business structure. I’m applying for Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa, and I want to be sure all my T’s are crossed, so to speak. Plus, I feel more secure knowing that somebody who knows what they are doing, has my back. But not everyone who makes this move uses an attorney. It’s entirely possible to do everything yourself.
I used an immigration attorney that I will not promote here because they dropped me (and a whole group of others) as a client about halfway through the process. I was not happy. But I’ll post the price here to give you a rough estimate. From the research I’ve done, this is sort of a “middle-of-the-road” price. There are some who charge more and some who charge less. Personally, I would be cautious with anyone charging significantly less.
Cost for attorney: $1299 for their digital nomad package.
However, this amount was not paid up front. They took payments in stages as the process moved along. I also managed to find a discount through another website.
So my actual cost was only: $1169.
2. The Background Check
This was super easy to do. The FBI calls this a “Identity History Summary Check“. Basically, you submit a form that you fill out online, and then you go to a local participating business (in my case, the main post office in Portland, Maine), where they take your fingerprints. Getting the results once your fingerprints have been electronically submitted was incredibly fast. I had my results before I finished walking back to my car!
Cost for background check: $18
Cost for fingerprints: $50
3. Apostille Stamps
These are official stamps accepted in many countries. Think of it like a notary stamp on steroids. These are not cheap and can have a long turn-around time, so plan accordingly. So far, I need one done for my background check. The current cost is $149, and the company I’m using is Southeast Spanish Inc.
I also had to get a State Apostille from the same company. This was an additional $149.
Cost for 2 Apostille stamps: $298
4. Plane Tickets
Thankfully, one-way tickets are much more affordable than round trip tickets. But you still have to plan you airfare carefully. I highly recommend haunting Google Flights to make sure you not only keep an eye on what ticket prices are doing, but also to figure out what the most affordable day to fly is. You can even sign up for email alerts on the flight you want to keep an eye on.
I should add that the airline wouldn’t let me fly to Spain without showing them a return flight. They want to know that you’ll be leaving the country. So in a panic, I purchased a $40 ticket from Spain to Albania to satisfy that requirement. So I include that here as well.
Final flight cost: $667
5. USDA Veterinarian
If you are taking a cat or dog with you when you move abroad, you’ll need to track down your closest USDA certified vet. Not all vets have this certification, and most are found in bigger cities. I was given a range of between $200 and $600.
Your pet will need a very specific type of microchip, and thankfully, my pup already had that type. Specifically, they have to have 15 digits in the microchip number. If you pet’s microchip has fewer numbers, you’ll need to get a new microchip to make the move.
Total for USDA vet: $300
6. Shipping Baggage
For anyone who has followed me on Facebook since I left, you know that my baggage saga was an epic disaster. But in the end, I actually got my luggage. So it wasn’t as bad as it could have been! At this point, I have lost track of the exact amount I spent. But I know the ballpark for sure.
Shipping 3 large suitcases: $600
7. Arrival Stay
When we first arrived, we flew into Madrid and stayed for 3 days. I did this specifically because I found a vet who could get my dog her passport on the same day we landed. She was a traveling vet who met us in a cafe in the middle of Madrid.
That initial stay: $294.
That passport visit for my pup was: $97
After that, I spent $30 on a train ticket to Alicante along with $4.95 for a tram ticket. Once I arrived, I stayed at an Airbnb that was $575 per month. I stayed for 2 months before I found my apartment.
So How Much Does It Cost To Move To Spain?
My grand total to move to Spain came to: $4677.95
Could I have made the move cheaper? Yes, absolutely.
Could I have done it without an attorney? Yes, probably.
Will your move to Spain cost the same? No, probably not.
There are so many varying factors when you make a move like this. So it’s virtually impossible to say how much your move will end up being. But your best bet is to open up a spreadsheet and start researching costs. That way, nothing will come as a surprise when it comes time to actually pay for everything.
All in all, this is definitely one of my cheaper moves. Moving around the US has cost me more than double that. And the fact that I didn’t pay everything in one lump sum was totally helpful. I did a little at a time, as the bills came in. So this move to Spain was actually one of the easiest and most affordable moves I’ve made. I guess it really pays to sell or get rid of almost everything you own! Downsizing is key. Don’t skip that part! You’ll be starting a new life, so really start fresh. Let everything go. There is no freer feeling than being free of stuff, and it will save you a lot of money in the long run.
