Best places in Spain for digital nomads: 2026 ranking
153 towns and cities of 50,000+ scored on what remote workers weigh: rent, a lively walkable centre, an airport, a fast train to Madrid, summer heat, safety and whether the town is growing. Plus the visa in one paragraph.
Digital-nomad lists name the same five cities. We scored every town of 50,000 or more (smaller ones rarely have the cafés, coworking and connections) with the site's match score: low rent and a lively centre at the highest weight (4), airport, train to Madrid and everyday shops on foot (2), moderate summers, low crime and a growing population (1). Open these weights in the tool to change them.
The top 20
Elx/Elche leads with 76 points: 482 € a month for a typical apartment (median of the 153 towns: 580 €), a centre scoring 84 on liveliness, an airport 12 km away.
| Place | Region | Score | Rent, typical apartment | Lively centre (0-100) | Airport | Train to Madrid | Aug afternoon | Foreign residents | Population 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elx/Elche | Valencian Community | 76 | 482 € | 84 | Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, 12 km | 2 h 14 | 30.5°C | 11.3% | +8.0% |
| Santiago de Compostela | Galicia | 75 | 500 € | 89 | Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport, 10 km | 2 h 57 | 24.8°C | 5.6% | +5.6% |
| Torrent | Valencian Community | 72 | 550 € | 74 | Valencia Airport, 6 km | 1 h 54 | 31.2°C | 11.7% | +13.5% |
| Avilés | Asturias | 71 | 450 € | 68 | Asturias Airport, 9 km | 3 h 59 | 23.4°C | 4.1% | -6.6% |
| Oviedo | Asturias | 71 | 500 € | 88 | Asturias Airport, 27 km | 3 h 08 | 24.3°C | 6.6% | +0.9% |
| Zamora | Castilla y León | 71 | 410 € | 83 | Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, 215 km | 1 h 03 | 30.5°C | 3.6% | -6.3% |
| Zaragoza | Aragon | 70 | 550 € | 89 | Zaragoza Airport, 13 km | 1 h 27 | 32.6°C | 11.6% | +4.2% |
| Ourense | Galicia | 69 | 410 € | 83 | Vigo Airport, 64 km | 2 h 14 | 31.1°C | 6.3% | -0.4% |
| Reus | Catalonia | 69 | 509 € | 94 | Reus Airport, 5 km | – | 29.8°C | 17.4% | +8.1% |
| Torrelavega | Cantabria | 69 | 472 € | 81 | Seve Ballesteros-Santander Airport, 20 km | 3 h 36 | 24.0°C | 7.6% | -3.2% |
| A Coruña | Galicia | 68 | 538 € | 80 | A Coruña Airport, 8 km | 3 h 34 | 23.4°C | 6.4% | +3.1% |
| Castelló de la Plana/Castellón de la Plana | Valencian Community | 68 | 500 € | 86 | Castellón-Costa Azahar Airport, 27 km | 3 h 03 | 30.8°C | 16.8% | +7.0% |
| Palencia | Castilla y León | 68 | 450 € | 76 | Seve Ballesteros-Santander Airport, 167 km | 1 h 19 | 28.7°C | 4.9% | -2.7% |
| Algeciras | Andalusia | 67 | 500 € | 69 | Gibraltar Airport, 10 km | 5 h 29 | 25.5°C | 8.3% | +6.4% |
| Burgos | Castilla y León | 67 | 525 € | 94 | Vitoria Airport, 100 km | 1 h 33 | 28.2°C | 7.8% | +0.2% |
| Ferrol | Galicia | 67 | 400 € | 72 | A Coruña Airport, 23 km | – | 23.3°C | 3.5% | -7.3% |
| Lugo | Galicia | 67 | 404 € | 83 | Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport, 71 km | 4 h 46 | 26.1°C | 6.3% | +2.0% |
| San Cristóbal de La Laguna | Canary Islands | 67 | 538 € | 76 | Tenerife Norte-Ciudad de La Laguna Airport, 2 km | – | 26.4°C | 5.8% | +5.4% |
| Santander | Cantabria | 67 | 595 € | 88 | Seve Ballesteros-Santander Airport, 5 km | 4 h 00 | 23.4°C | 9.0% | +0.8% |
| Vigo | Galicia | 67 | 549 € | 78 | Vigo Airport, 8 km | 3 h 55 | 26.6°C | 5.4% | +0.1% |
By the sea
| Place | Region | Score | Rent, typical apartment | Lively centre (0-100) | Airport | Train to Madrid | Aug afternoon | Foreign residents | Population 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avilés | Asturias | 71 | 450 € | 68 | Asturias Airport, 9 km | 3 h 59 | 23.4°C | 4.1% | -6.6% |
| A Coruña | Galicia | 68 | 538 € | 80 | A Coruña Airport, 8 km | 3 h 34 | 23.4°C | 6.4% | +3.1% |
| Algeciras | Andalusia | 67 | 500 € | 69 | Gibraltar Airport, 10 km | 5 h 29 | 25.5°C | 8.3% | +6.4% |
| Ferrol | Galicia | 67 | 400 € | 72 | A Coruña Airport, 23 km | – | 23.3°C | 3.5% | -7.3% |
| Santander | Cantabria | 67 | 595 € | 88 | Seve Ballesteros-Santander Airport, 5 km | 4 h 00 | 23.4°C | 9.0% | +0.8% |
| Vigo | Galicia | 67 | 549 € | 78 | Vigo Airport, 8 km | 3 h 55 | 26.6°C | 5.4% | +0.1% |
| Gijón | Asturias | 65 | 509 € | 80 | Asturias Airport, 29 km | 3 h 39 | 23.3°C | 5.4% | -1.6% |
| La Línea de la Concepción* | Andalusia | 65 | 596 € | 85 | Gibraltar Airport, 1 km | 5 h 14 | 27.3°C | 7.9% | +1.8% |
| València | Valencian Community | 65 | 681 € | 94 | Valencia Airport, 9 km | 1 h 54 | 30.5°C | 14.4% | +6.9% |
| Alacant/Alicante | Valencian Community | 64 | 608 € | 83 | Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, 10 km | 2 h 17 | 31.5°C | 15.0% | +11.4% |
The cheapest rents among the well-scoring
Rents are the 2024 median for a typical apartment on an annual contract (tax data). Furnished short lets cost more; Spain's rent-control zones (Barcelona, parts of the Basque Country and Navarre) cap increases but also shrink supply.
| Place | Region | Score | Rent, typical apartment | Lively centre (0-100) | Airport | Train to Madrid | Aug afternoon | Foreign residents | Population 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linares* | Andalusia | 43 | 380 € | 42 | F.G.L. Airport Granada-Jaén Airport, 102 km | 3 h 25 | 34.4°C | 2.6% | -6.9% |
| Alcoi/Alcoy* | Valencian Community | 63 | 397 € | 62 | Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, 47 km | – | 29.4°C | 7.6% | +3.2% |
| Ferrol | Galicia | 67 | 400 € | 72 | A Coruña Airport, 23 km | – | 23.3°C | 3.5% | -7.3% |
| Ponferrada | Castilla y León | 60 | 400 € | 62 | Asturias Airport, 122 km | 4 h 09 | 29.6°C | 4.2% | -5.5% |
| El Ejido | Andalusia | 38 | 400 € | 30 | Almería Airport, 40 km | – | 32.5°C | 31.9% | +6.4% |
| Elda* | Valencian Community | 65 | 401 € | 68 | Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, 30 km | – | 28.7°C | 6.0% | +3.7% |
| Lugo | Galicia | 67 | 404 € | 83 | Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport, 71 km | 4 h 46 | 26.1°C | 6.3% | +2.0% |
| Zamora | Castilla y León | 71 | 410 € | 83 | Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, 215 km | 1 h 03 | 30.5°C | 3.6% | -6.3% |
| Ourense | Galicia | 69 | 410 € | 83 | Vigo Airport, 64 km | 2 h 14 | 31.1°C | 6.3% | -0.4% |
| Siero | Asturias | 49 | 425 € | 42 | Asturias Airport, 36 km | – | 24.5°C | 3.2% | +1.6% |
The big cities
| Place | Region | Score | Rent, typical apartment | Lively centre (0-100) | Airport | Train to Madrid | Aug afternoon | Foreign residents | Population 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zaragoza | Aragon | 70 | 550 € | 89 | Zaragoza Airport, 13 km | 1 h 27 | 32.6°C | 11.6% | +4.2% |
| Murcia | Murcia | 65 | 525 € | 87 | Region of Murcia International Airport, 20 km | 2 h 45 | 34.6°C | 12.4% | +9.0% |
| Valladolid | Castilla y León | 65 | 531 € | 89 | Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, 161 km | 0 h 54 | 30.6°C | 5.8% | -0.4% |
| València | Valencian Community | 65 | 681 € | 94 | Valencia Airport, 9 km | 1 h 54 | 30.5°C | 14.4% | +6.9% |
| Alacant/Alicante | Valencian Community | 64 | 608 € | 83 | Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, 10 km | 2 h 17 | 31.5°C | 15.0% | +11.4% |
| Madrid | Madrid | 63 | 869 € | 93 | Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, 14 km | – | 32.0°C | 15.6% | +11.6% |
| Málaga | Andalusia | 59 | 718 € | 95 | Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport, 9 km | 2 h 44 | 32.3°C | 9.0% | +5.3% |
| Sevilla | Andalusia | 59 | 668 € | 90 | Seville Airport, 10 km | 2 h 36 | 36.3°C | 6.3% | -0.6% |
| Bilbao | Basque Country | 57 | 800 € | 88 | Bilbao Airport, 5 km | 4 h 35 | 26.4°C | 10.0% | +1.7% |
| Córdoba | Andalusia | 57 | 540 € | 89 | Seville Airport, 111 km | 1 h 44 | 36.8°C | 2.6% | -1.3% |
| Barcelona | Catalonia | 56 | 900 € | 85 | Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, 13 km | 3 h 01 | 27.6°C | 22.0% | +7.9% |
| Las Palmas de Gran Canaria | Canary Islands | 55 | 600 € | 76 | Gran Canaria Airport, 22 km | – | 26.7°C | 7.6% | +0.6% |
| Palma | Balearic Islands | 54 | 800 € | 87 | Palma de Mallorca Airport, 8 km | – | 30.1°C | 16.6% | +8.5% |
The visa, in one paragraph
Non-EU citizens can apply for Spain's digital nomad visa (international teleworker permit, in force since 2023): work for employers or clients outside Spain, proof of income around twice the minimum wage (roughly 2,700 € a month in 2025, more with family), health insurance and a clean record; it allows up to three years with renewal and a reduced flat tax under the "Beckham" regime for many. The figures change yearly: check the Spanish consulate or the UGE-CE (large-companies unit) page before planning. EU citizens need no visa, only residence registration after three months. Nothing here is legal advice.
How we did this
Towns of 50,000+ on 1 Jan 2025 (INE). Match score as on the compare page. Rent: SERPAVI 2024 median for apartments. Lively centre: rank of OpenStreetMap counts of shops, cafés, culture etc. within 800 m, averaged (see method page). Airports: AENA 2025 + route tables 4 Oct 2026; trains: Renfe timetable. Climate: AEMET 1991-2020. Population change 2015-2025: INE. Built 2026-10-18.