In this section you can find a short introduction about living in Spain, including information about the cost of living in Spain, the health care system, the school system and regulations.

Cost of Living in Spain
Below you can find some examples of prices from real establishments or services offered. The prices can only be used as a rough guide.

Opening Hours
Shops
The opening hours for most shops in Spain are from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Friday and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Between 2 p.m. to 5p.m. shops are closed for the famous Spanish "siesta". Major shopping malls, department stores and supermarkets stay open without a break from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. or in some cases until 10 p.m throughout the week.

Restaurants
Restaurants start serving lunch from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. In small restaurants and bars it is normally possible to get served a fixed number of tapas at any hour of the day.

Banks
Banks are open from 8.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. Monday to Friday, exempt from October to April where banks also are open Saturday from 9a.m. to 1 p.m.

Public Services
The majority of public services (i.e. the city hall, health centres) are open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Weather
Below you can find a link to weatherunderground.com's Spanish weather site (in English), which includes forecast, general conditions, temperature maps for Spain or for specific regions in Spain.
Spanish Weather

The Health Care System in Spain
Spain has a free public health care system but as a foreigner you need a Social Security number to be able to benefit from this system. The social security number is normally only given to foreigners who works (or are self employed) and therefore pays the social security tax.

In some cases it is possible to get a social security number without paying the tax as Spain has agreements with other countries about mutual coverage. For further information and to apply for this coverage contact your health care system in your home country.

Although you are not covered by the Spanish health care system all citizens in Spain have rights to emergency care in any public hospital.

If you are not covered by the Spanish health care system it can be strongly recommended to get a private insurance. A private insurance will cost from 30Eur per month depending on your age and previous medical history. A further advantage with many private insurance companies is that they use private doctors and hospitals, which in many cases means a significantly shorter waiting time to get an appointment.

The School System in Spain
Spain has a free public school system and it is compulsory for children attending the primary school from 6 to 14 years of age. Thereafter there is a public secondary school where children can choose between different lines depending on the grades from the primary school and their future interest (i.e. university lines, vocational lines).

Apart from the public system there exits a great number of private schools both Spanish and international schools. The private schools are recognised as offering the best education and it is the only option if you are looking for English or other foreign language as the teaching language.

Enrolling in a school in Spain is not always a straightforward process as you will need to provide a validation of your child's current level that have to be recognised by the Spanish Ministry of Education. In many private schools there will furthermore be some personal interviews with the parents and the child before you receive an approval.

Regulations
There are a number of obligations that you need to comply if you wish to live in Spain. The most important obligations are having your permits in order and complying with the Spanish tax laws - and of course with rest of the laws in Spain.

Permits
If you live more than 183 days per year in Spain it is a legal requirement that you become a Spanish resident (see Moving to Spain). This will amongst other things influence your tax situation and will also give you a number of rights here in Spain (i.e. voting to local selections). If you wish to work in Spain you will also need a work permit (see Working in Spain) and to practice many offices in Spain you will need an official recognition of your title before you can start working in Spain.

Of other permits needed can be mentioned that none EU citizens will need a Spanish drivers licence to drive in Spain (unles your home country has a special agreement with Spain) and if you bring your car to Spain you need a Spanish registration number for the car.

Taxation in Spain
If you are either a Spanish residents, have your main income or assets in Spain or own Spanish property you are most likely obligated to make a yearly declaration and to make your contribution to the Spanish tax system.

The personal tax in Spain is a progressive tax and range from about 10% to about 50% depending on your total income. Apart from your income in Spain you are liable to pay tax on your total net income and capital gains obtained, irrespective of the place where they arise.

Even though you are not a Spanish resident there are still duties and taxes you have to pay yearly if you own property in Spain.

When calculating your payable tax you are allowed to deduct a number of costs including cost of acquiring or restoring property, rental of accommodation, double taxations etc. Furthermore families can choose between a joint taxation or for separate taxation for each of their members.

If you are not a tax expert the Spanish tax system might be a bit complicated especially if you own property in Spain. All over Spain you can find 'Asesorias' who can help you with your declarations and payments and we can recommend this option for most foreigners. If you want more information about property taxes and contributions please see our Buy a Property Guide - Financial Issues.