Digital nomads are remote workers who use technology to give them freedom to work from anywhere. Find out how to become a digital nomad with our guide.
Spain is one of the most popular destinations for British digital nomads to follow their work/lifestyle choices from because of its climate, proximity to the UK, its lower cost compared to some other major European destinations and that digital nomads can comply with taxation, visa requirements and employment laws.
When considering Spain as an option, digital nomad business owners should consider whether they can maintain effective relationships with clients, what their budget is, whether they can speak Spanish or are willing to learn and what type of location they want to settle in.
In this article you will discover a range of locations from cities to remote beach resorts that are great destinations for digital nomads, practical tips about what each is best for, pros and cons and information about tax and employment law and other considerations.
The Spanish digital nomad visa
Spain introduced a digital nomad visa option in January 2023, available to qualifying UK workers, without requiring a full work visa. Prior to that to become a digital nomad in Spain, workers needed either a tourist visa, or a non-lucrative visa, aimed at retirees. Neither option was ideal for digital nomads.
Successful applicants can live and work remotely in Spain for 12 months initially, with the option to renew for up to five years. They can also apply for the Spanish residency permit, which allows free travel in the European Union.
Find out the essentials checklist for becoming a digital nomad and how to work remotely in countries without a digital nomad visa.
To qualify, applicants must show:
- Evidence that their work can be done remotely, requiring just an internet connection
- Evidence their minimum income is €2,800 per month or €28,800 per year
- Proof of expertise (minimum of three years’ experience, university degree)
- A clean criminal record over the last five years
- Valid health insurance for Spain
Bilbao
The largest city in Basque country, central Northern Spain, close to the Bay of Biscay.
Best for: Cultural history, museums and architecture. Bilbao has great cuisine, including pintxos, a Basque take on tapas, with many options in the Old Town.
Pros: Bilbao has many co-working spaces, including Senda15 Vitoria Coworking, Zawp and cheap cafés with good wi-fi. Cost of living is relatively low for Northern Spain, with many options for a one-bed apartment in Bilbao costing between €1,000 and €1,500 per month (PM).
Cons: The weather is cooler than many other parts of Spain and less English is spoken than in other potential locations for digital nomads.
Good to know: San Sebastian, just 75km along the coast, is another great option for digital nomads and has a cosmopolitan atmosphere and nice beaches. France is just a 90-minute drive away from Bilbao.
Valencia
Spain’s third largest city and located roughly halfway down the east coast of Spain, by the Mediterranean Sea.
Best for: A thriving and vibrant culture with many festivals, and its City of Arts and Sciences complex, includes a science museum, planetarium, and aquarium. 1-bed apartments are available from €1,000 PM, but you’ll pay more in certain areas and for extra space.
Pros: Valencia has many co-working spaces, including Garage Co-working and Llum Co-working. With a relaxed style, excellent beaches, around 300 days of sunshine each year, Valencia is one of Spain’s most eco-friendly cities.
Cons: It can become very hot, humid and crowded in the summer. Its increasing popularity is causing rental costs to rise.
Good to know: Valencia is the birthplace of Paella, Spain’s national dish. Russafa is the trendy area with great markets, food and drinking options.
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Sevilla
Located in the south-west of Spain about 50km from the Atlantic Ocean, Sevilla is the largest city in Andalusia.
Best for: Affordability. Sevilla is one of the cheaper cities in Spain for digital nomads to live and work.
Pros: Despite being the 4th largest city in Spain, Sevilla retains the quiet atmosphere of a quaint town in many parts. . Co-working spaces include Arcadia Co-working. Many 1-bed apartments are available for below €1,000 PM and there are good quality hostel options. Sevilla has great tapas bars and restaurants and is one of the safest cities in Spain.
Cons: It can get extremely hot in July and August, often above 35 degrees. Sevilla is known as ‘the frying pan of Spain’ and is the warmest city in continental Europe.
Good to know: Sevilla is the site of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Almeria
About 250 km east of Sevilla is the city of Almeria, close to the Mediterranean Sea.
Best for: If you want a quiet location with some of the cheapest rents in Spain, Almeria fits the bill. It is close to an airport with regular cheap flights across Europe.
Pros: Quiet location, low cost of living. Rental apartments available from as little as €500 PM. Co-working spaces like at Contenido Creativo, from €100 PM. Close to Grenada, another good option for digital nomads and a very interesting place to visit.
Cons: Gets very hot in the summer and has a desert climate, unless you escape to the Sierra Nevada hills where it is cooler. Fewer co-working spaces and a lack of lively towns with good nightlife.
Good to know: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ spaghetti western trilogy were filmed in Almeria as was the 6th season of Game of Thrones. Almeria has an Islamic tradition and Moorish cultural influence.
You can find out more about becoming a digital nomad and ask others’ questions about specific destinations by becoming part of a digital nomad forum.
Top tax tips and facts for digital nomad visa holders
- To qualify for a digital nomad Visa, you must work in Spain for at least 183 days a year to qualify as resident
- Digital nomad visa holders, pay a fixed income tax rate of 24% on their Spanish income
- Digital nomad Visa holders can apply using the ‘Beckham Law’, a tax regime that classifies someone as a non-resident for tax purposes if they are employed by a company.
- Freelancers with a Digital nomad Visa must can only earn a maximum of 20% of their income from Spanish clients
- As a tax resident in Spain, you must pay income tax on income generated in Spain and any other countries
Canary Islands, including Gran Canaria
Best for: Off the south-coast of Morocco, it has an accessible culture, climate and social life for British digital nomads. Gran Canaria is one of the leading digital nomad hubs globally.
Pros: Has an established co-working scene, such as Repeople Coworking and cheap rents out of season with 1-bed apartments below €1,000 PM. Direct flights to many European locations. Great seafood. Easy to explore adjacent islands.
Cons: Unless you live near Las Palmas, having a car is necessary to explore Gran Canaria. Parts of the island are overdeveloped.
Good to know: Boat taxis make it easy to explore adjacent Canary islands. Companies can take advantage of the Canary Islands Special Zone (ZEC) which gives tax advantages including a reduced corporate tax rate and VAT exemption.
Tarifa
Located on the southernmost tip of Spain, near Cadiz and about 100 km from Sevilla, Tarifa has become a popular hub for digital nomads.
Best for: An old town, with an independent streak, but a global blend of people and influences. It has a thriving wind and kite surfing scene. A superb option for digital nomads who want to live and work in a beach community
Pros: Great weather, stunning beaches and a lively, bohemian atmosphere. Good options for co-working including Tarifa Garage and many 1-bed apartments available for between €600 – €900 PM out of season.
Cons: It can be very windy, ideal for windsurfing, less so for working outside. As a tourist resort living costs rise significantly in-season
Good to know: Tarifa is the southernmost point of continental Europe. Despite this, it features a microclimate influenced by the Atlantic Ocean that means peak summer is not as hot as cities like Valencia, Almeria and Alicante.
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Javea
On the east coast, between Valencia and Alicante, Javea has been popular as a remote beach resort with Spaniards for many decades and is an alternative to city life for digital nomads.
Best for: A more remote community with less than 100,000 inhabitants, but with a diverse mix of people, it offers good networking opportunities. Around 50% of Javea’s permanent inhabitants are not from Spain.
Pros: There are many co-working options, including from Sun and Co. Javea is a lovely combination of the Old Town, port and Arenal beach.
Cons: The rental cost for apartments can be higher than other locations in this list because there is less choice and it is close to major tourist centres near the Mediterranean Sea.
Good to know: It is the most easterly point of Spain and the closest location to Ibiza, 90km to the east.
Pamplona
The capital city of the Navarre region of Spain in the northern hills below the Pyrenees mountains, about 100km from Bilbao.
Best for: A relatively untouched destination for digital nomads with lots of interesting cultural history and tradition.
Pros: There are many modern remote working options like Miso Coworking and La Tierra Colabora. It is a good location to enjoy the rugged north of Spain, and to visit France and Barcelona.
Cons: Like most cities in the north of Spain, the cost of living is relatively high with a 1-bedroom apartment likely to cost €1,000 at least.
Good to know: There is an influx of tourists for the Running of the Bulls during the San Fermín festival in July.
For all the rental options in this article, real estate marketplaces like Idealista and spainhouses.net are good places to search.
Conclusion
Spain is an excellent choice for British startup business owners to operate as a digital nomad from. It has a great climate, lots of networking opportunities, a developed co-working infrastructure in many places, and is cheaper than most other European options.
People that are considering becoming a digital nomad should consider whether their chosen business is suitable, how they will find and manage customers and whether they can access the technology to make their business thrive.
Find out more on how to set yourself up as a digital nomad.
