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Greece vs Spain for digital nomads
On internet, Greece grades strong (100 of 100) and Spain grades strong (88 of 100) and on work and career, Greece grades strong (85 of 100) and Spain grades strong (85 of 100). [GR K2] [ES K2] [GR K1] [GR K3] [ES V1] [ES V5] The table below sets Greece and Spain side by side on every factor we have checked, and it does not rank them.
Side by side
Greece and Spain, factor by factor.
Each grade is against the same published measure for both places, with its source and the date we checked it. Research information, not advice.
| Factor |  Greece |  Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Internet | 100 of 100Strong 44.68 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people (2024), over the 30 line. Source: Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Greece. Checked 15 October 2026. | 88 of 100Strong 39.23 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people (2024). Source: Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Spain. Checked 15 October 2026. |
| Work and career | 85 of 100Strong Strong: a residence route for remote workers exists (digital nomad national visa, Migration Code Article 68) and fixed broadband is 44.7 per 100 people (2024), over the 30 line. Source: Law 5038/2023 (Migration Code), Article 68: digital nomads (permit type Z.1); Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Greece; Digital nomad visa: frequently asked questions. Checked 15 October 2026. | 85 of 100Strong Strong: both tests hold. The telework visa and the residence permit after it are a route for people who work remotely for companies or clients outside Spain, and fixed broadband is 39.2 per 100 people (2024), over the 30 line. Source: Telework (digital nomad) visa; Ley 14/2013, articles 74 bis to 76 (international telework); Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Spain. Checked 15 October 2026. |
| Cost of living | 54 of 100Mixed Price level 0.595 of United States prices (2025). Source: Price level index (GDP), Greece. Checked 15 October 2026. | 47 of 100Mixed Price level 0.645 of United States prices (2025). Source: Price level index (GDP), Spain. Checked 15 October 2026. |
| Visa, United States passport | 85 of 100Strong Strong: the digital nomad visa is open to US passport holders who work remotely for employers or clients outside Greece, with no Greek job offer and no age minimum. It lasts up to 12 months, and a two-year residence permit can follow. The income test is a net income of more than €3,500 a month (about €42,000 a year, or about US$47,100 at the ECB rate of 15 October 2026), plus 20% for a partner and 15% for each child. No deposit or investment is asked. The visa fee is €75. It does not allow work for a Greek employer or Greek clients. Source: Law 5038/2023 (Migration Code), Article 68: digital nomads (permit type Z.1); Ministerial decision 225679/2024: amount and proof of sufficient means (Government Gazette B 5223, 17 September 2024). Checked 16 October 2026. | 85 of 100Strong The telework visa lasts up to one year and is followed by a residence permit of up to three years, renewable in two-year periods (Law 14/2013). It needs no job offer from a Spanish employer, has no age minimum and asks for no deposit or investment. The income test is 200% of the 2026 minimum wage, about EUR 2,400 a month (Washington consulate), about US$32,800 a year at the ECB rate of 15 October 2026 (1.1208 US dollars per euro), under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than EUR 2,500 a month. It needs a degree or three years of experience and a foreign employer or clients. Source: Telework (digital nomad) visa; Ley 14/2013, articles 74 bis to 76 (international telework); Real Decreto 126/2026, minimum wage for 2026; Euro foreign exchange reference rate, US dollar. Checked 15 October 2026. |
| Visa, Canada passport | Unknown Research for Canadian passports is being checked | 85 of 100Strong The telework visa lasts up to one year and is followed by a residence permit of up to three years, renewable in two-year periods (Law 14/2013). It needs no job offer from a Spanish employer, has no age minimum and asks for no deposit or investment. The income test is 200% of the 2026 minimum wage, about EUR 2,400 a month (the figure the Washington consulate prints; Ottawa states only the percentage; a private law firm reads it as about EUR 2,800 a month, about US$38,300 a year), about US$32,800 a year at the ECB rate of 15 October 2026 (1.1208 US dollars per euro), under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than EUR 2,500 a month. It needs a degree or three years of experience and a foreign employer or clients. Source: Remote work (digital nomad) visa, Ottawa; Telework (digital nomad) visa; Ley 14/2013, articles 74 bis to 76 (international telework); Real Decreto 126/2026, minimum wage for 2026; Euro foreign exchange reference rate, US dollar. Checked 15 October 2026. |
| Visa, Australia passport | Unknown Research for Australian passports is being checked | 85 of 100Strong The telework visa lasts up to one year and is followed by a residence permit of up to three years, renewable in two-year periods (Law 14/2013). It needs no job offer from a Spanish employer, has no age minimum and asks for no deposit or investment. The income test is 200% of the 2026 minimum wage, about EUR 2,400 a month (the Washington consulate figure for 2026) or about EUR 2,800 a month if Canberra applies the annual minimum wage over 12 months; the Canberra page still shows 2025 figures, about US$32,800 to US$38,300 a year at the ECB rate of 15 October 2026 (1.1208 US dollars per euro), under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than EUR 2,500 a month. It needs a degree or three years of experience and a foreign employer or clients. Source: Visa for digital nomads, Canberra; Telework (digital nomad) visa; Ley 14/2013, articles 74 bis to 76 (international telework); Real Decreto 126/2026, minimum wage for 2026; Euro foreign exchange reference rate, US dollar. Checked 15 October 2026. |
| Visa, New Zealand passport | Unknown Research for New Zealand passports is being checked | 85 of 100Strong The telework visa lasts up to one year and is followed by a residence permit of up to three years, renewable in two-year periods (Law 14/2013). It needs no job offer from a Spanish employer, has no age minimum and asks for no deposit or investment. The income test is 200% of the 2026 minimum wage, about EUR 2,400 a month (the Washington consulate figure for 2026), or about EUR 2,800 if Wellington applies the annual minimum wage over 12 months, about US$32,800 to US$38,300 a year at the ECB rate of 15 October 2026 (1.1208 US dollars per euro), under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than EUR 2,500 a month. It needs a degree or three years of experience and a foreign employer or clients. Source: Remote work visa, Wellington; Telework (digital nomad) visa; Ley 14/2013, articles 74 bis to 76 (international telework); Real Decreto 126/2026, minimum wage for 2026; Euro foreign exchange reference rate, US dollar. Checked 15 October 2026. |
| Community | Unknown Not covered by Expat Insider 2026 | 78 of 100Strong Expat Insider 2026 Ease of Settling In: 6th of 31. Source: Expat Insider 2026: Ease of Settling In. Checked 15 October 2026. |
| Climate | 33 of 100Weak Athens, the main city: 5 comfortable months a year (April, May, September, October and November). June misses by a hair, with an average daily high of 30.3 °C against the 30 °C line. Source: Climate normals 1991-2020, Ellinikon (Athens). Checked 15 October 2026. | 33 of 100Weak Zaragoza, the main city: 5 comfortable months a year (April, May, June, September and October). Source: Climate normals 1991–2020, Zaragoza airport (WMO 8160). Checked 15 October 2026. |
| Lifestyle | Unknown Not covered by Expat Insider 2026 | 87 of 100Strong Expat Insider 2026 Quality of Life: 1st of 31. Source: Expat Insider 2026: Quality of Life. Checked 15 October 2026. |
| Safety | 54 of 100Mixed Global Peace Index 2026: 53rd of 163. Source: Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank. Checked 15 October 2026. | 66 of 100Mixed Global Peace Index 2026: 27th of 163. Source: Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank. Checked 15 October 2026. |
| Healthcare | 58 of 100Mixed WHO UHC service coverage index 77 (2023). Source: UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1). Checked 15 October 2026. | 79 of 100Strong WHO UHC service coverage index 84 (2023). Source: UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1). Checked 15 October 2026. |
| Schools | Unknown Our research doesn't cover schools yet. | Unknown Our research doesn't cover schools yet. |
| Retirement | 85 of 100Strong Strong: the residence permit for people with sufficient means (type I.8, Article 163) has no age minimum and no deposit, lasts 3 years and renews; five years of lawful residence can lead to permanent long-term resident status (Articles 144 and 145). The minimum income is about EUR 3,500 a month. To be safe, have more than EUR 3,600 a month. The permit gives no right to work. Source: Law 5038/2023 (Migration Code), Article 163 paragraph 8: residence permits for third-country nationals with sufficient means (type I.8); Law 5038/2023 (Migration Code), Articles 143 to 145: long-term resident status (type M1); Ministerial decision 225679/2024: amount and proof of sufficient means (Government Gazette B 5223, 17 September 2024); Residence permit for financially independent persons. Checked 15 October 2026. | 85 of 100Strong Strong: the non-lucrative residence visa is for people who live on their means without working (400% of the 2026 IPREM, EUR 28,800 a year), and Spanish law gives long-term residence after five continuous years of temporary residence. Source: Non-working (non-lucrative) residency visa; Real Decreto 1155/2024, articles 61 and 64 (temporary non-lucrative residence); Ley Orgánica 4/2000, article 32 (long-term residence). Checked 15 October 2026. |
| English | 95 of 100Strong EF EPI 2025 score 592 (rank 20), in EF's High band; the 2026 edition was not found on 15 October 2026. Source: EF English Proficiency Index 2025: Greece. Checked 15 October 2026. | 60 of 100Mixed EF EPI 2025 score 540 (36th of 123), between the 499 and 550 lines. Source: EF English Proficiency Index 2025: Spain. Checked 15 October 2026. |
Where they differ
Where the grades fall in different levels.
A different level is a difference in the measure, not a verdict on either place. What matters depends on your own circumstances.
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The comparison for everyone.
Questions about Greece vs Spain for digital nomads.
What income do Greece's and Spain's digital nomad visas ask for?
Greece asks a set net monthly income; to be safe, show more than €3,600 a month. Spain's telework visa asks 200% of the minimum wage, about €2,400 to €2,800 a month depending on how the consulate counts it; to be safe, more than €2,900. Consulates vary, so ask the one you would apply to.
Which clients can a freelancer serve in Greece and in Spain?
Greece accepts contracts with clients outside Greece, or your own business abroad, and you commit not to work for an employer based in Greece. Spain lets freelancers serve companies in Spain for up to 20% of their activity; Washington says it does not allow work for individuals, government agencies or non-profits.
What happens if you keep moving between countries?
Greece's visa runs up to 12 months, and an I.8 permit can follow if you apply before it ends. Spain's telework visa lasts up to a year, with a permit of up to three after it. Tax residence starts past 183 days: in any 12 months in Greece, in a calendar year in Spain; a main home or main interests can also count.
How is freelancer social security handled in each country?
Greek self-employed people pay into e-EFKA in one of six categories: €250.77 to €675.87 a month in 2026 for pension and health together. Spain: Washington asks self-employed applicants for proof of registration, or a request, in the self-employed scheme (RETA); Canberra says it may be waived where an agreement applies.
Can you get a tax number and a bank account before you settle?
Greece: the AFM tax number is requested online through myAADE, with an identity check by video call or at a tax office, and a tax representative if you have no Greek address; banks usually ask for it. Spain: banks must offer a basic payment account to legal EU residents, at most €3 a month; each bank sets its papers.
Sources
Where each figure comes from.
Every figure on this page links to the page we read, with the date we checked it.
- [GR K2] Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Greece, International Telecommunication Union, via the World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2024: 44.68 per 100 people, read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026.
- [ES K2] Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Spain, International Telecommunication Union, via the World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2024: 39.23 per 100 people, read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026.
- [GR K1] Law 5038/2023 (Migration Code), Article 68: digital nomads (permit type Z.1), Hellenic Republic, Migration Code (consolidated text on Taxheaven, a private legal portal; official Gazette text not opened). Checked 15 October 2026. National visa for up to 12 months for third-country nationals who work remotely for employers or clients outside Greece; sufficient means EUR 3,500 a month net, plus 20% for a spouse or partner and 15% for each child; visa fee EUR 75; no work for Greek employers; a 2-year type I.8 permit can follow. Greek text; carries the scheme first created by Law 4825/2021.
- [GR K3] Digital nomad visa: frequently asked questions, Work From Greece (Marketing Greece, a tourism-industry body, under the auspices of the Hellenic Government). Checked 15 October 2026. Plain-English summary for non-EU applicants: visa up to a year, apply at the Greek consulate of main residence, no right to work for a Greek company. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs pages (mfa.gr) refused automated access, so this is the page the Ministry points to; not an official legal text.
- [ES V1] Telework (digital nomad) visa, Consular Section, Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C.. Checked 15 October 2026. Written for residents of D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina. 2026: SMI EUR 1,221; 200% = EUR 2,442 a month for an applicant alone; remote work for companies outside Spain, up to 20% of professional activity for Spanish clients; degree or three years of experience; no minimum age stated. Used for the US passport and, for the euro figure, for CA, AU and NZ.
- [ES V5] Ley 14/2013, articles 74 bis to 76 (international telework), Boletín Oficial del Estado (consolidated text). Checked 15 October 2026. Added by Law 28/2022, in force from 23 December 2022. Long-stay visas valid one year (or the length of the authorisation if shorter); residence authorisation for telework valid up to three years, renewable in two-year periods.
- [GR C1] Price level index (GDP), Greece, World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2025: 59.54 (United States = 100), read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026.
- [ES C1] Price level index (GDP), Spain, World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2025: 64.52 (United States = 100), read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026.
- [GR R3] Ministerial decision 225679/2024: amount and proof of sufficient means (Government Gazette B 5223, 17 September 2024), Ministry of Migration and Asylum (published in the Government Gazette; copy hosted on migration.gov.gr). Checked 15 October 2026. For the type I.8 permit (Article 163 paragraph 8, a and b) and for digital nomads: at least EUR 3,500 a month, plus 20% for a spouse and 15% for each child, shown by a foreign pension, a bank account or own funds with a lawful origin, without working in Greece. Greek text.
- [ES V6] Real Decreto 126/2026, minimum wage for 2026, Boletín Oficial del Estado. Checked 15 October 2026. EUR 1,221 a month (14 payments), EUR 17,094 a year, from 1 January 2026.
- [ES V7] Euro foreign exchange reference rate, US dollar, European Central Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 15 October 2026: 1.1208 US dollars per euro, used to convert the income test; EUR 2,442 x 12 = EUR 29,304 = about US$32,800; EUR 2,849 x 12 = EUR 34,188 = about US$38,300.
- [ES V2] Remote work (digital nomad) visa, Ottawa, Embassy of Spain in Ottawa (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026. In Spanish. For Ottawa and Gatineau; elsewhere Toronto or Montreal. Income of 200% of the minimum wage a month, no euro figure; degree or three years of experience; company at least a year old.
- [ES V3] Visa for digital nomads, Canberra, Embassy of Spain in Australia (consular section). Checked 15 October 2026. Financial means of at least 200% of the monthly minimum wage; the page still shows 2025 figures (minimum wage EUR 1,184 in 14 payments, EUR 1,381.33 over 12).
- [ES V4] Remote work visa, Wellington, Embassy of Spain in Wellington (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026. In Spanish. For applicants resident in the Wellington district. Income of 200% of the minimum wage a month, no euro figure; degree or three years of experience.
- [ES Q1] Expat Insider 2026: Ease of Settling In, InterNations (Expat Insider survey, private). Checked 15 October 2026. Spain ranks 6th of 31 countries.
- [GR W1] Climate normals 1991-2020, Ellinikon (Athens), Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS). Checked 15 October 2026. HNMS climatic data portal (https://www.emy.gr/en/climatic-data), normal values for the period 1991-2020, read from the portal's data service on 15 October 2026 (data created 17 March 2026). The service labels the monthly mean of daily highs 'max'; the service gives no monthly rain totals, so the rain test was checked against the older HNMS city page (period 1955-2010, http://newportal.hnms.gr/emy/en/climatology/climatology_city), where every month with a comfortable high has under 150 mm. Station Ellinikon (HNMS), id 72, 37.89 N, 23.74 E, 46 m. Monthly mean daily highs 13.5 (January) to 33.4 (August); June is 30.3 and July 33.2. HNMS lists no other long-record Athens-area station on this portal (Elefsina is an automatic station without published normals).
- [ES W1] Climate normals 1991–2020, Zaragoza airport (WMO 8160), Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, AEMET (WMO Climate Normals 1991–2020 via NOAA NCEI). Checked 15 October 2026. Zaragoza, the main city for Spain's climate grade; mean daily highs 11.2 to 32.8 °C; 5 comfortable months (April, May, June, September, October).
- [ES Q2] Expat Insider 2026: Quality of Life, InterNations (Expat Insider survey, private). Checked 15 October 2026. Spain ranks 1st of 31 countries.
- [GR S1] Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank, Institute for Economics and Peace. Checked 15 October 2026. Greece ranks 53rd of 163 countries, score 1.828 (ranking table, report PDF opened 15 October 2026).
- [ES S1] Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank, Institute for Economics and Peace. Checked 15 October 2026. Spain ranks 27th of 163 countries (score 1.654).
- [GR H1] UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1), World Health Organization. Checked 15 October 2026. Greece: 77 out of 100 (2023), read from the WHO Global Health Observatory data service (indicator UHC_INDEX_REPORTED) on 15 October 2026.
- [ES H1] UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1), World Health Organization. Checked 15 October 2026. Spain: 84 out of 100 (2023), read from the WHO Global Health Observatory API on 15 October 2026.
- [GR R1] Law 5038/2023 (Migration Code), Article 163 paragraph 8: residence permits for third-country nationals with sufficient means (type I.8), Hellenic Republic, Migration Code (consolidated text on Taxheaven, a private legal portal; official Gazette text not opened). Checked 15 October 2026. Permit lasts 3 years and renews for equal periods; family members may join; no right to dependent work or independent economic activity. Greek text.
- [GR R2] Law 5038/2023 (Migration Code), Articles 143 to 145: long-term resident status (type M1), Hellenic Republic, Migration Code (consolidated text on Taxheaven, a private legal portal; official Gazette text not opened). Checked 15 October 2026. Five years of lawful, continuous residence, income above the minimum wage plus 10% for dependants, full health insurance and a Greek language and history test; the status is permanent (Article 145 paragraph 7). Article 143 paragraph 2 excludes study, protection and diplomatic permits and does not name the sufficient-means permit. Greek text.
- [GR V1] Residence permit for financially independent persons, Ministry of Migration and Asylum. Checked 15 October 2026. The page only lists two clarifying circulars (23 June 2022 and 7 November 2022, both written under earlier law); it confirms the permit exists but gives no requirements. Used for the permit's existence only.
- [ES R1] Non-working (non-lucrative) residency visa, Consular Section, Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C.. Checked 15 October 2026. 2026: annual means of 400% of the IPREM (IPREM EUR 600 a month), EUR 28,800 a year for one applicant; the initial TIE is valid for one year and renewable; no work allowed.
- [ES R2] Real Decreto 1155/2024, articles 61 and 64 (temporary non-lucrative residence), Boletín Oficial del Estado (consolidated text). Checked 15 October 2026. Temporary residence without work, renewable.
- [ES R3] Ley Orgánica 4/2000, article 32 (long-term residence), Boletín Oficial del Estado (consolidated text). Checked 15 October 2026. Long-term residence after five continuous years of legal residence.
- [GR F1] EF English Proficiency Index 2025: Greece, EF Education First (private test-taker index). Checked 15 October 2026. Score 592 (down 10 on the previous score), global rank 20; the page lists Athens 616 and Thessaloniki 611; the 2026 edition was not found on 15 October 2026.
- [ES F1] EF English Proficiency Index 2025: Spain, EF Education First (private test-taker index). Checked 15 October 2026. Score 540, 36th of 123 countries and regions, change +2 on the previous score; the 2026 edition was not yet published on 15 October 2026.