{"id":3367,"date":"2025-07-21T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/?p=3367"},"modified":"2025-07-21T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T00:00:00","slug":"less-stress-more-paella-how-to-retire-to-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/?p=3367","title":{"rendered":"Less Stress, More Paella: How to Retire to Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Friendly, welcoming locals. Great food. A comfortable climate essentially everywhere in the country. A reasonable cost of living, and a world-class healthcare system. There are countless reasons Spain is a popular retirement destination, coming in at #6 on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/expatsi.com\/communities\/retirees\/2025-best-retirement-countries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">International Living\u2019s list of Top 10 Retirement Destinations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for 2025 and at #11 on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/expatsi.com\/communities\/retirees\/most-popular-countries-for-retirees\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cigna Healthcare\u2019s list<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which cites all those factors as well as Spain\u2019s arts and culture and its non-lucrative visa as reasons for its popularity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">why<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of retiring to Spain is easy. The <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> takes some preparation. So go ahead and download Duolingo (or your language-learning app of choice \u2014 speaking Spanish in Spain will enrich your experience) and start gathering your documents to make your move.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>The Non-Lucrative Visa<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spain\u2019s non-lucrative visa (NLV) is the visa of choice for retirees who plan to live in Spain without working. So retirees, people with passive income, and independently wealthy people can all come and stay using the NLV, as long as they meet all the other criteria. Specifically:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Proof of income.<\/em> As of 2025, you\u2019re required to show a minimum of about \u20ac2,400\/month (around $2,600 USD).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Private health insurance.<\/em> Holders of the NLV aren\u2019t eligible for Spain\u2019s public health system (until you get permanent residency or citizenship), so you\u2019ll still need private coverage.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Criminal background check<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<li><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medical certificate<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Proof of unemployment.<\/em> If you\u2019re below Spain\u2019s retirement age of 66, you\u2019ll need a termination letter from your most recent employer or, if you\u2019re self-employed, an affidavit promising you won\u2019t work while you\u2019re living in Spain.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also bring your spouse or partner and your dependent children (and\/or parents) under your NLV, but you\u2019ll have to provide evidence of additional income for each dependent.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The one-year NLV can be renewed for up to five years of residency, at which point you can apply for permanent residency and, eventually, citizenship.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Acquiring your NLV<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll apply for your NLV through your nearest Spanish consulate. Depending on the consulate, you may or may not have to schedule an appointment, and then show up with your application and necessary paperwork (Spain\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.exteriores.gob.es\/Consulados\/losangeles\/en\/ServiciosConsulares\/Paginas\/Consular\/Visado-de-residencia-no-lucrativa.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">full list of requirements<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). Typically, you\u2019ll receive your visa within three months, at which point you can make your big trip.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you arrive, you\u2019ll have 30 days to register for your residence card. When you have that, you can head to your nearest police station to apply for your NIE (your national identity number), which you\u2019ll need for things like opening a bank account, buying a house, and joining Spain\u2019s nationalized medical insurance program, if you choose to.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Living as a Retiree in Spain<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While Spain\u2019s cost of living is far more reasonable compared to that in the U.S., it still varies depending on where and how you plan to live. A comfortable lifestyle in Barcelona could cost you $4,000 a month, whereas you might be able to live modestly for $1,000 per person in M\u00e1laga (one of Expatsi\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/expatsi.com\/communities\/retirees\/cheapest-retirement-cities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cheapest retirement cities in the world<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most American expats live in Madrid or Barcelona, but you\u2019ll have a wide range of options based on your preferred weather, geography, and pace of life. That said, only 28% of Spanish people speak English fluently, and you\u2019re more likely to find them in larger cities (or Costa Blanca towns like Benidorm). It\u2019s a good idea to start learning Spanish now, not just for ease of living but also for making friends and becoming a part of your new community.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Until you\u2019re eligible for permanent residence in Spain, your healthcare will be covered by your private insurance (or you can sign up for Spain\u2019s nationalized medical insurance). Even without the public system, your private insurance is likely to be far more affordable than in the U.S., and you\u2019ll have access to modern, well-equipped facilities and qualified providers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cSpain is a good place to get old,\u201d says Expatsi partner Alastair, half of \u201cAl and Alison\u201d and cofounder of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/movingtospain.com\/?aff=a0dcd13d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moving to Spain<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u201cOlder people are recognized as part of the community, not just shuffled into retirement homes and put out to pasture,\u201d often integrated into multigenerational families and holding a respected place in society. Combine that with great healthcare and a reasonable cost of living, he says, and you have an attractive destination for your retirement years.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>End-of-Life Care<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it\u2019s not the most fun part of planning your retirement abroad, it\u2019s important to know that if your health needs change, you won\u2019t be left scrambling for support \u2014 and if you plan for Spain to be the last place you ever live, end-of-life care will probably be one of those health needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spain launched a National Plan for Palliative Care in 2007 to improve the quality of end-of-life care nationwide, but implementation has been uneven across regions \u2014 it\u2019s something you\u2019ll want to research as you decide where in Spain to settle down. That said, most hospitals in Spain offer palliative care, and most of Spain has access to palliative care services, even if they\u2019re not necessarily provided by a specialist. Most at-home services aren\u2019t covered by Spain\u2019s national health services, so if that\u2019s a priority for you, be sure to secure private insurance that factors it in.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s also worth creating an advance directive (also known as a living will), so your wishes are known and respected, even if the rest of your family is far away. You can make yours at the same time you\u2019re writing or translating your regular will and then register it with your regional government.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No one likes thinking about the end of life just as you\u2019re launching off into the next stage of it. But making your plans now makes it that much easier to enjoy the great weather, culture, views, and easy living that inspired you to choose Spain in the first place. For expert advice on all the important steps of making your move to Spain, we recommend our partners at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/movingtospain.com\/?aff=a0dcd13d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moving to Spain<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to help you make those golden years truly golden.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Friendly, welcoming locals. Great food. A comfortable climate essentially everywhere in the country. A reasonable cost of living, and a world-class healthcare system. There are countless reasons Spain is a popular retirement destination, coming in at #6 on International Living\u2019s list of Top 10 Retirement Destinations for 2025 and at #11 on Cigna Healthcare\u2019s list, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2825,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[51],"class_list":["post-3367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-visas-residency-citizenship","tag-spain"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3367"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3367\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2825"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}