Moving to Spain With Kids in 2026: Visas, Schools, Costs and the Family-of-4 Income Maths
Last checked: September 2026. Spain's visa income thresholds move every year with the minimum wage, and the 2025 immigration regulation is still being applied differently by different consulates and offices. Treat figures as a starting point for your own research.
Spain is one of Europe's most popular countries for families moving abroad: long sunny days, children welcome almost everywhere, free public schools, good healthcare and a way of life built around family and time outdoors. It also has a lot of paperwork, busy immigration offices and visa rules that changed in 2025 and 2026.
This guide covers the big questions in order: which visa fits, how much income a family of four needs, how schools work, what housing costs in five cities, and what daily life is like. Where rules are unclear or changing, we say so.
What changed for families moving to Spain in 2025 and 2026?
Much of the advice online is out of date. These are the changes that matter most for families:
- The Golden Visa has ended. Spain stopped accepting new applications for its investor residence visa on 3 April 2025. Buying property no longer gives you the right to live in Spain. People who already held the visa, or had applied before the deadline, keep their rights and can renew.
- A new immigration regulation came into force on 20 May 2025. The Reglamento de Extranjería (Royal Decree 1155/2024) reorganised many permits. For families: children up to 26 (previously 21) can join through family reunification in some cases, unmarried partners can qualify if they prove a stable relationship, reunited family members can work, and students can work up to 30 hours a week. It also brought back the rule that non-lucrative visa holders must spend more than half of each year in Spain.
- Visa income thresholds rose in 2026. Spain's minimum wage (the SMI) went up to €1,221 a month, paid 14 times a year, from 1 January 2026. The digital nomad visa is tied to this figure, so the income you need went up too.
For how rules are tightening across Europe, read our guide to moving to Europe with kids: the 2026 rules.
Which visa fits your family?
If you or your partner hold an EU, EEA or Swiss passport, you register as EU residents after arriving, and non-EU family members apply for a family member card. Everyone else needs a visa. The right one depends mostly on where your income comes from.
| Route | Who it suits | Can you work in Spain? |
|---|---|---|
| Digital nomad visa (international remote work) | A parent employed by, or freelancing for, companies outside Spain | Yes, for your foreign employer or clients. Freelancers can earn up to 20% from Spanish clients. Your partner can also work in Spain. |
| Non-lucrative visa | Families living on savings, pensions, rental income or investments | No. This visa does not allow work in Spain, and most consulates treat remote work as work too. |
| Highly qualified professional / EU Blue Card | A parent with a skilled job offer from a company in Spain | Yes. Family members can live and work in Spain. |
| Intra-company transfer | A parent moved to Spain by their current employer | Yes, for that employer. Family members can come too. |
| Entrepreneur visa | Parents starting an innovative business in Spain | Yes, for the business. It needs a positive report on your business plan. |
| Student visa | A parent studying in Spain | Up to 30 hours a week since May 2025. |
All of these except the non-lucrative and student visas fall under Spain's 2013 law on entrepreneurs. Under this law, your partner and children get residence and permission to work anywhere in Spain. For a partner who wants to keep a career, that is a big advantage.
If you have a job offer, the EU Blue Card salary threshold in 2026 is at least €39,269.92 a year (about €31,416 if you qualified in the last three years). Your employer usually handles the application.
How much income does a family of four need for Spain's digital nomad visa?
The digital nomad visa uses Spain's minimum wage (SMI) as its measuring stick. In 2026 the SMI is €1,221 a month paid 14 times, which is €17,094 a year, or about €1,424.50 a month spread over 12 months. The rules are:
- Main applicant: 200% of the SMI, about €2,849 a month
- First family member (usually your partner): an extra 75%, about €1,068 a month
- Each additional family member (for example, each child): an extra 25%, about €356 a month
| Family | Monthly income needed (2026) | Yearly (roughly) |
|---|---|---|
| One parent alone | about €2,849 | about €34,200 |
| Couple | about €3,917 | about €47,000 |
| Couple + 1 child | about €4,274 | about €51,300 |
| Couple + 2 children | about €4,630 | about €55,600 |
| Single parent + 2 children | about €4,274 | about €51,300 |
Practical points:
- These are minimums. If you are paid in another currency, aim for 10 to 20% above the line so an exchange-rate dip does not push you under.
- Your employer or main clients must usually have been operating for at least a year, and you need to show at least three months of working with them.
- You need a university degree or at least three years of relevant work experience.
- Applying from your home country gives you a visa for up to one year. If you are already in Spain legally (for example, as a visa-free visitor), you can apply there for a residence permit of up to three years. Renewals are then for two years at a time.
For a side-by-side view of family income thresholds in other countries, see our guide to digital nomad visas for families.
How much do you need for the non-lucrative visa?
The non-lucrative visa is for families who do not need to work in Spain. It uses a different measure called the IPREM, a public reference figure. The IPREM has been frozen at €600 a month since 2023, and that is still the figure used in 2026.
- Main applicant: 400% of the IPREM, €2,400 a month or €28,800 a year
- Each family member: 100% of the IPREM, €600 a month or €7,200 a year
For a couple with two children, that adds up to €4,200 a month, or €50,400 for the first year. You can usually show this as regular passive income, as savings in the bank, or a mix of both. Consulates vary in the documents they want, so check the page of the consulate that covers where you live.
Two points families often miss: neither parent can work in Spain on this visa, and you must spend more than 183 days a year in Spain to renew. At renewal you show the income again, for the longer renewal period.
How does Spain compare with Portugal for a family of four?
Portugal's passive-income visa (the D7) asks much less: about €1,932 a month for a couple with two children in 2026, against €4,200 in Spain. But Portugal made family reunification slower in 2026 for some visa holders, while in Spain your family can apply with you from the start. Our guide to the easiest countries to move abroad with a family compares these routes with others.
Planning your own move? Get our free 120-task family relocation checklist and cost planner, so you can see every step before you start. Get the free checklist
NIE, TIE and empadronamiento: what paperwork happens after you arrive?
Three pieces of paperwork sound similar but do different jobs:
- NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero). Your foreigner's identity number, needed for renting, banking, utilities and tax. Visa applicants normally get it as part of the process.
- TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero). Your physical residence card. Apply within one month of arriving on a long-stay visa. It needs a fingerprint appointment at a police station, which can be hard to get in big cities. Every family member, including children, needs one.
- Empadronamiento. Registering your address at the town hall. The certificate (the padrón) is needed for public school enrolment, a public health card and proving how long you have lived in Spain. You usually need your rental contract to register.
The order matters: no rental contract, no padrón; no padrón, no public school place. If you arrive in summer for a September start, finding a long-term home is the first priority.
How does healthcare work for families in Spain?
Spain's public health system is good, and children see a paediatrician. How you get into it depends on your visa.
- For your visa application, you almost always need private health insurance from a company authorised to operate in Spain. It must have no co-payments, no waiting periods, and cover the whole family for the whole visa period. Some consulates also check that it includes repatriation.
- If a parent works in Spain (employed or registered as self-employed), the family usually joins the public system through Spanish social security.
- If you are on the non-lucrative visa, you stay on private insurance. After one year of registered residence (the padrón), you can apply to buy into the public system through a scheme called the convenio especial. In 2026 it costs €60 a month per person under 65 and €157 a month for those 65 and over. Each family member pays separately, and each region runs its own process.
Visa-compliant private insurance can start from around €50 a month for an adult in their thirties, but prices vary a lot, so get quotes for the whole family. Our guide to what a family relocation really costs helps you build the full picture.
What are your school options in Spain?
School is compulsory from age 6 to 16, but almost all children start at age 3 in the free infant stage (educación infantil) at a local school. The school year runs roughly from early or mid-September to around 20 June, with two weeks at Christmas and a week or so at Easter. In many regions, schools finish early in the afternoon in September and June.
| Type | Cost | Language | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public (pública) | Free tuition. You pay for books, lunch and activities. | Spanish, plus the regional language where there is one | Places depend on where you live. Main applications are in spring for September. |
| Semi-private (concertada) | State-funded, but many ask for a monthly "voluntary" contribution and charge for extras | Same as public | Often religious. Places are limited. |
| Private Spanish | Full fees | Spanish, often with a strong English programme | Follows the Spanish curriculum. |
| International | Roughly €6,000 to €30,000+ a year per child, plus enrolment fees, lunch and bus | English (or French, German and others) | British, American or IB curriculum. Most choice in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and the coasts. |
British, American or IB?
Spain has one of the largest groups of British-curriculum schools outside the UK. Many belong to the National Association of British Schools in Spain (NABSS), a useful starting point for checking quality. British schools lead to IGCSEs and A levels. American schools follow a US curriculum, often with Advanced Placement (AP) courses. The International Baccalaureate (IB) suits families who might move again. Many international schools also offer the Spanish qualification, which helps if your child may go to a Spanish university.
In Madrid, international school fees run from about €9,000 a year to €18,000 to €30,000 or more at the top schools. Add enrolment fees, lunch (roughly €1,500 to €2,500 a year) and the bus. Popular schools fill early, so apply the autumn before your move.
Bilingual programmes in public schools
Many public schools teach part of the day in English. The Madrid region runs a large bilingual programme, and other regions have similar schemes. It can be a good middle ground: children learn Spanish fast and go to school with local families. Quality varies, so ask how many hours are really taught in English.
What about Catalan, Basque, Galician and Valencian?
This surprises many families. In some regions, the main language of public school is not Spanish.
- Catalonia (including Barcelona): Catalan is the main teaching language in public schools, with Spanish taught as well. Newly arrived children often get extra language support.
- Basque Country: most families choose a model where lessons are mainly in Basque. Spanish-medium options exist but are less common.
- Galicia: a large share of lessons is taught in Galician.
- Valencia region (including Valencia and Alicante): since a 2024 law, families choose a base language, Spanish or Valencian, and both are taught.
- Balearic Islands: Catalan plays a large part in public schools.
Young children usually pick up two new languages quickly. For a teenager arriving at 13 or 14, learning two at once can be a lot, which is one reason families with older children often choose an international school or a mainly Spanish-speaking region. Our guide to the questions that actually matter when choosing a school abroad helps you think this through.
What does housing cost in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga and Alicante?
Rent is the biggest cost for most families, and it has risen fast. In August 2026, average asking rents across Spain reached €15.1 per square metre a month, up 5.8% in a year, according to the property portal idealista. The table below turns that into a rough monthly rent for a 90 m² family flat (about three bedrooms).
| City | Average asking rent, Aug 2026 | Rough rent for 90 m² | Family notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madrid | €23.3/m² | about €2,100 | Most expensive city for rent. Most international schools and jobs. Family suburbs to the north and west. |
| Barcelona | €20.2/m² | about €1,800 | Rent controls in much of Catalonia and very few listings. Catalan-language public schools. Beach and mountains close by. |
| Valencia | €16.3/m² | about €1,450 | Big city with a calmer pace, a huge park running through the centre and beaches. Rising fast in popularity. |
| Málaga / Costa del Sol | Málaga city €16.5/m²; Marbella €23.7/m² | about €1,500 (Málaga) to €2,100+ (Marbella) | Many international schools along the coast. Most family life needs a car. |
| Alicante | €13.9/m² | about €1,250 | The most affordable of the five. Airport with many European routes. Smaller international school choice. |
These are city-wide averages of advertised prices. Family areas near international schools, and furnished flats for newcomers, usually cost more. Landlords often ask for extra guarantees on top of the deposit, so many families spend a few weeks in a short-term rental while they search.
What should you ask about the Beckham law and tax?
Living in Spain for more than 183 days a year normally makes you a Spanish tax resident. Spain's special regime for new arrivals, often called the Beckham law, can tax Spanish employment income at a flat 24% up to €600,000 a year, for the year you arrive plus five more. Some digital nomad visa holders qualify. This is not advice; these are questions for a qualified tax adviser before you move:
- Do I qualify for the Beckham regime, given my job, my employer and where I have lived in the last five years?
- When exactly do I need to apply? (The window is short, usually six months from starting work in Spain.)
- Can my partner and children be included, and what conditions apply?
- How would my income from outside Spain be treated, with and without the regime?
- How does Spanish tax interact with tax in my home country? (This matters especially for US citizens.)
What is family life in Spain really like?
Spain is very child-friendly, but its daily rhythm takes getting used to.
- Late hours. Lunch is the main meal and is often eaten between 2 and 3 pm. Dinner is commonly at 9 pm or later. You will see small children in restaurants and playing in squares well into the evening, especially in summer.
- The siesta. Few city adults nap after lunch now, but many small shops close for a few hours in the afternoon, and summer streets empty until evening.
- Life outdoors. Squares, parks and beaches are where families meet, which makes it easier for newcomers to get to know local families.
- Long summers. School is out from late June to early September. Book summer camps (campamentos) early.
- Heat. Summers in the south and centre are very hot. Check for air conditioning when you rent.
Still weighing Spain against other countries? Take the 2-minute family destination quiz to see which destinations fit your family's income, schooling needs and way of life.
Frequently asked questions
Can a family of four get Spain's digital nomad visa?
Yes. In 2026, a couple with two children needs to show roughly €4,630 a month (about €55,600 a year) from remote work for companies or clients outside Spain.
Is the Spanish Golden Visa still available?
No. Spain stopped accepting new Golden Visa applications on 3 April 2025. Existing holders can renew. Families now need to use another route, such as the digital nomad, non-lucrative or work visas.
Can my partner work in Spain if I have the visa?
It depends on the visa. With the digital nomad visa, the highly qualified professional route or the EU Blue Card, family members can work in Spain. With the non-lucrative visa, no one in the family can work.
Are schools in Spain free for foreign children?
Yes. Public schools are free for all children living in Spain, whatever their nationality. You need to be registered at your address (the padrón) to enrol. You still pay for books, lunch, outings and activities.
When is the best time to move to Spain with children?
Many families arrive in July or August for a September start. Apply to international schools the autumn before, and leave time to find a home and register at the town hall.
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