Note

Best places in Spain for expats: how to choose

§ 1Start with how you will live

An expat is not one kind of buyer. Some work remotely, some are retired, some move with children, some commute home. The right area depends on where you will spend your days, what services you need and what you can do in Spanish. This page belongs to the chapter on the chapter on best places. It gives a method and the official figures that exist, and it ranks nothing.

§ 2The residence route

Living in Spain more than a few months a year requires the right to stay, and the route depends on your passport. The residency section of this handbook explains the routes we could read, and the nationality section explains each country’s position. Registration with the town hall, the padrón, is local and opens the door to healthcare and school applications, so ask the town hall how it works before you choose a place. The residence rules do not change with the region, but the practical procedures do.

§ 3Where foreigners buy

The property registrars report that foreigners made up 15.98% of home purchases in the second quarter of 2026, with 32.27% in the Balearic Islands, 31.03% in the Valencian Community and 29.33% in the Canary Islands. By province, Alicante stood at 46.43% and Málaga at 37.01%. These are shares of purchases, not of residents, and they include holiday buyers. A place with many foreign buyers tends to have English-speaking agents, clubs and services, and also more competition. It is a clue about the market, not about the quality of life.

§ 4Services and language

Check the nearest health centre and hospital, the pharmacy, the bank branch, the bus or train, and the shops you use. Ask whether the doctor’s surgery has staff who speak your language, and plan for the day when you must deal with an office in Spanish. More on places for retirees goes deeper on retirement and more on places for families on schools.

§ 5Rules that change with the region

The resale transfer tax is set by each region, and the Ministry of Finance table updated in September 2026 shows rates from 6.5% in the Canary Islands to 9% in Cantabria, with scales elsewhere. Tourist-let rules, which matter if you will let the home when you are away, also differ by region. The regional chapters in this section summarise what we could verify.

§ 6Isolation and community

A village with few foreign residents can be rewarding and also lonely, especially in winter. A large foreign community can be welcoming and can also insulate you from Spanish life. Visit in the off-season and talk to people who have lived there more than a year. Ask what they would do differently.

§ 7Work and income

If you will work, the residence route and the tax position matter. If you will keep income from abroad, the tax treaty and the rules on tax residence matter. The costs section and the residency section of this handbook explain the principles. Choose the place after you know your status, not before.

§ 8A trial period

Rent for a month or two in the area before you buy, in the season you will live there. You will learn the noise, the traffic, the neighbours and the pace of life, and you can still change your mind. More on places for a holiday home explains the differences for a home used only for holidays.

§ 9What we could not verify

We found no official ranking of areas for expats. The registry figures describe purchases, not residents.

§ 10More on this topic

More on places for investment explains how to think about location when buying to invest, using official figures with care and more on places for British buyers explains what British buyers should consider when choosing an area.

More on places for American buyers explains what American buyers should consider when choosing an area.

General information only. This is not legal, tax or financial advice. Check your own situation with a qualified adviser.