Category · updated 13.07.2026
Life in Spain: practical guides for those who have already moved or are getting ready to
The residence card is in your pocket — and only now does the real Spain begin: a rental contract, booking a doctor's appointment, school enrolment (matrícula), exchanging your driving licence. This category offers practical breakdowns of the everyday questions a Russian-speaking family faces after relocating.
We verify every figure instead of copying it over from last year's texts. Rates, income thresholds and rules in Spain change every year, so each article shows the date it was last updated. For a precise calculation for your case — city, income, family composition — we do an individual consultation.
These materials are useful even before you move: it's worth comparing city-by-city expenses with the income threshold of your chosen route — the digital nomad visa (DNV) or the non-lucrative residence permit (NLV) — and you buy your health insurance policy as early as the application stage. Where to start:
- still choosing your grounds — the guide “How to Get a Spanish Residence Permit”;
- tax residency and rates — the article “Taxes in Spain”;
- you already have status and renewal is coming up — our breakdown of residence permit renewal.
Articles in This Category
Cost of Living in Spain in 2026: Family Expenses by City
A table of a family's monthly expenses in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga: housing, groceries, transport, insurance — and how the budget compares with the income thresholds for a residence permit.
Read the guide HealthHealthcare in Spain for Residents: Insurance, Seguridad Social and Private Clinics
Which insurance policy you need for a visa, what the public system provides, how to get the tarjeta sanitaria (health card) and when to go to a private clinic.
Read the guide ChildrenSchools and Children's Education in Spain: State, Private and International
State schools, concertada (state-subsidised), private and international: language of instruction by region, enrolment (matrícula), documents and your child's adaptation.
Read the guide AdaptationSpanish Language and Adaptation After Moving: How to Settle In Quickly
MCER (CEFR) levels, the public EOI language schools, the DELE, SIELE and CCSE exams, everyday adaptation in the first 90 days and where to find your community.
Read the guide TransportTransport in Spain for Residents: Driving Licence, Car, Public Transport
Licence exchange (canje) through the DGT, buying a car and the taxes involved, the ITV vehicle inspection, travel passes in major cities and car sharing.
Read the guideRelated Services and Tools
Everyday matters are easier to handle when your legal status is set up correctly. These pages will help you check the requirements: