The sunniest country in Europe––with a vast cultural wealth to its name––Spain has been ranked by Global Citizen Solutions the best place in the world for digital nomads.
Not only is it one of a handful of European countries to have launched a Digital Nomad Visa (DNV), making it easier for remote workers to settle, it offers a higher quality of life than America: we’re talking better public transportation, fresher and healthier food, and a slower-paced living.
Barcelona, Mallorca Can Be Very Expensive To Live In
That being said, tried-and-true nomad hotspots like Madrid, Barcelona and Mallorca are not exactly cheap: though they boast great internet infrastructure, with an average speed of 115 mbps, a plethora of coworking zones and incredible weather, the elevated cost of living far outweighs the benefits.
Working remotely from paradisiacal Mallorca, you’re expected to set aside a minimum $3,620 per month, as estimated by Nomad List, contrary to a highly sought-after Barcelona, monthly expenses can reach a whopping $5,216.
That being said, not all of Spain is prohibitively expensive to the average middle-incomer nomad.
There is definitely a reason why it ranks number one globally for ‘workcations’, as a majority of cities, away from the usual tourism hotspots, is in fact, relatively affordable to live in.
Before you go ahead and splurge on a 3-month stay in Barcelona, there are 5 of the cheapest Spanish destinations where you’ll get all the culture and best bang for your buck:
Top 5 Destinations In Spain For Digital Nomads
Alicante
Enjoying around 300 perfectly sunny days per year, Alicante is both a historic port characterized by its whitewashed Old Town and Moorish-built fortifications and a vibrant leisure destination with a long sandy beach lined by hotels and beach clubs.
Tourists love Alicante for the contrast between Old World charm and 21st-century developments––nomads, on the other hand, find their happy medium in budget-friendly Airbnbs off Cabo Huertas, beachfront bars frequented by local youths, and affordable eats.
If you’re a remote worker on a stricter budget in Alicante, you’ll be thrilled to learn you can have some of the tastiest vegetarian falafels in town for as cheap as $13 at Falafelmania while dinners at the Iberian-Venezuelan fusion that is La Cocina will only set you back by roughly $22.
For an up-and-coming resort town boasting year-round warmer temperatures, Alicante makes for a relatively affordable nomad base: based on the latest Nomad List estimates, an acceptable $3,409 per month is required of expats looking to settle down here.
Valencia
Often dubbed Barcelona on a budget, Valencia is a culturally charged Mediterranean metropolis that plays host to several medieval and modern structures, from the UNESCO-listed 15th-century Lonja de la Seda to the innovative City of Arts and Sciences.
Famous for its interactive museums, youthful vibe, and honey-colored sands, Valencia has all of Barcelona’s qualities, minus the overpriced room rates and rising anti-nomad sentiment: according to Nomad List, it costs an average of $3,310 per month to live there.
Nomads also love Valencia for its social scene and plethora of laptop-friendly cafés.
Tried-and-true nomad hotspots like Café Artysana and Panther Coffee attract both natives and foreigners with their delicious brunch menus and well-equipped coworking stations.
For those who love combining exercise with sightseeing, we highly recommend this 2.5-hour biking tour of the historic center. It includes insightful commentary from an experienced guide and stops at key sites like Plaza del Ayuntamiento and Torre de Serranos.
Pamplona
The capital of Navarre, a lesser-known province in Northern Spain, Pamplona is a mid-size city around 200,000 residents call home, and though it’s not your typical Spanish workcation, lacking a beach as it’s inland, it boasts an ancient heritage like no other.
It’s one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in Spain, with a long, detailed History stretching as far back as the Roman Empire.
Its impressive accumulation of medieval and Baroque monuments makes it a cultural hub of the first order.
When it comes to living in Pamplona, foreigners particularly love the higher levels of safety, compared to larger cities in Spain, the milder temperatures––the heat in Northern Spain is far less oppressive than in the Mediterranean––and good internet infrastructure, averaging 39Mbps in speed.
On top of that, as it’s not on the average tourist’s radar like the Balearic Islands or Catalonia, the province of Navarre can be far more affordable to reside in as a digital nomad: in effect, you can live in Pamplona on around $3,066 a month.
Tenerife
Miles away from the Spanish mainland, in an archipelago off the coast of West Africa that still belongs to Spain, Tenerife is an island best known for its cosmopolitan capital, year-round warmer weather, as it’s nearer the Tropics, and golden-colored sands straddling an azure Atlantic.
Besides the affordable beachfront resorts and dramatic nature, Tenerife has risen to prominence in digital nomad circles recently primarily for its low cost of living, impressive levels of safety, and well-established expat community––most notably sun-loving Brits and Germans.
It’s a multicultural hub in the making, and that makes it a particularly exciting place to be as a location-independent entrepreneur looking to socialize and meet like-minded individuals, and on top of that, keeping costs at around $2,931 a month.
As the largest city and economic center, Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the best city to be based in, due to its thriving expat community and high concentration of coworking centers, including nomad favorite La Escala, a laid-back spot serving specialty coffee and bite-size pastries.
Granada
Tucked away in the Andalusian hinterland, the hottest region not only in Spain but all of Europe, Granada is a mid-size city at the foot of Sierra Nevada, and unsung gem sun-loving travelers often skip as it doesn’t have a beach like Malaga or Marbella.
While it’s true Granada is not somewhere you go for the coastal vibes, it is the perfect destination for culture enthusiasts, as it plays host to a number of Spain’s most historically-relevant monuments, like the Arab-built Alhambra Fortress and the whitewashed, medieval Albaicín district.
It may not have an established nomad presence like other destinations on this list, but it’s in no shortage of laid-back tapas restaurants where you can eat for under $15––check out Los Manueles––lush parks providing some respite from the scorching Andalusian heat, and cheap housing.
A 30-day Airbnb stay can you set back by as cheap as $534 in the off-season, and in case you’re wondering how much past travelers have spent per month in Granada, Nomad List suggests a budget of $2,842 per month for living in Granada.
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