Best insurance for digital nomads in 2025: What every remote worker needs to know

It’s not just you – Spain’s foreign population is growing, thanks to relaxed visa schemes and foreign movement strategies that allow more non-Europeans to make their home in Iberia.

The Local Spain, an English language news source in Spain, reports that under 28,000 digital nomad visas were granted in 2024, just one year after the visa scheme was launched in 2023 as part of sweeping changes to the “Start-Up Law”. Like the Golden Visa for investors and property investors, the Digital Nomad Visa – known locally as a DNV – allows those from outside of the European Economic Area to reside legally in Spain while working for a foreign country or as a self-employed worker. Could being a remote worker in your favorite Spanish city be an option for you? Read on to discover more about the newest visa option, the best insurance for digital nomads and where these remote workers are hanging their hats.

What is a digital nomad?

A digital nomad has traditionally been considered someone who works online remotely—usually online—while traveling or living in different locations, rather than being tied to a single office or city. Beginning in 2020, remote work boomed, allowing workers to be location independent, whether for lower cost of living or a different way of life.

Many looked overseas for location-independent living, and Spain and Europe became a popular destination. Apart from working on a laptop from anywhere with a wi-fi connection, a digital nomad lifestyle can also be extremely flexible, blending productivity and Slack channel check-ins with exploring new cultures and countries. Instead of commuting to an office, imagine taking a work call from a beach café in Málaga!

What do I need to know about obtaining a digital nomad visa in Spain?

If you’ve ever dealt with any bureaucracy in Spain, you know that it’s not always smooth sailing, and that new laws or visa schemes can sometimes have hiccups. Listed below are the legal requirements as of September 2025 for the Digital Nomad Visa, launched in 2023 under Spain’s “Startup Law.”

• Eligibility: Must work remotely for non-Spanish companies (or have clients mostly outside Spain) and be from outside the European Economic Area; European passport holders can live and work in Spain without a visa.
  
• Income requirement: Generally around €2,160/month or local currency equivalent (may vary slightly by region and whether or not you are bringing additional family members).
• Validity: 1 year initial validity, renewable up to 5 years.
• Tax perks: Reduced tax rate (around 24%) for the first 4–6 years under the special expatriate tax regime. Income tax in Spain is calculated on a sliding scale according to your salary, so this rate is more favorable to the minimum income digital nomads must meet than a local worker.

Applying for a Digital Nomad Visa to Spain

Immigration is never easy, and applying for a digital nomad visa for Spain can take several months. Prior to your application, you must gather paperwork, find the best insurance for digital nomads for you and your family and make an appointment at a Spanish consulate that covers your country, state or region.

Always check your local Spanish consulate for the most up-to-date information, keeping in mind that requirements can vary slightly between consulates. Another important note is that immigration laws change frequently, and anything new can be convoluted. Patience is absolutely a virtue when it comes to applying for a visa!

What should I do prior to departure?

Firstly, get your legalities and paperwork in order. Visit your Spanish consulate’s webpage to red up on the paperwork you’ll need and, when it’s in your possession, apply for the Digital Nomad Visa.

As of the time of publication in September 2025, the standard requirements for a visa are:

• Visa Application
• Valid passport with at least two blank, continuous pages
• Clean criminal record
• Health certificate
• Spanish health insurance that covers accidents and repatriation
• Consular fees

To apply for a digital nomad permissions, you must also provide proof of your employment history and salary stubs, which should be at least 200% of the IPREM (minimum national Spanish salary). Depending on the sector, you may need to provide proof of training or a university degree.

In the case of family members, you must furnish additional savings (75% for the first family member and 25% for each additional member) and proof of relation via marriage certificate or birth certificate.

Remember: each consulate has requirements that are specific to the country and the character of your work. This post serves as a starting point. Any documentation that is not in Spanish will need to be translated and, in many cases, legalized. For reference, here is the London Consulate’s digital nomad visa page.

What is the best insurance for digital nomads?

One of the biggest pieces of paperwork for a successful visa application is purchasing health insurance that meets visa requirements. Finding the best insurance for digital nomads for your visa application must meet the following requirements:

• Be purchased from a health insurance broker licensed to operate in Spain;
• Not include co-pays or deductibles, nor waiting fees – your coverage must start from day one;
• Include repatriation and coverage of at least 30,000€

Thus, a travel insurance or TriCare military insurance won’t work for visa purchases, as they do not meet minimum requirements.

Caser Expat Insurance, a leading insurer in Spain with additional perks for expats and digital nomads, offers two insurance plans that not only meet requirements for your visa but will provide you with top-notch care in Spain – and often in your language. Add that to an ample network of doctors and specialists, and this could be a paperwork item that is easier to obtain than a background check!

Caser’s two insurance plans that meet requirements for visas to Spain are Adapta Sonrisa and Integral.

Adapta Sonrisa is a great option for best insurance for digital nomads because it also includes dental – a feature that isn’t common in Spanish insurance policies. You’ll get 45 free or low-cost dental treatments from a low price each month – and no surprises on your monthly bill.

Integral health insurance plan is an excellent choice for families that can be entirely adaptable, thanks to add-ons, to your family’s needs.

Start by getting a quote online at Caser Expat Insurance and purchasing the plan that will meet your and your family’s needs. Costs will vary according to your age, if you are bringing family and any conditions you may have, as well as any additional add-ons you might want to contract, like life insurance or travel insurance for your getaways.

Does a digital nomad visa allow you to apply for citizenship?

No, not outright, but the digital nomad visa and continuous residency will allow you to log years towards Spanish citizenship; this could be one, two or ten years, depending on your nationality.

The digital nomad visa will grant you residency in Spain. Once you have obtained your visa and travel to Spain, one of your first orders of business will be to register with the local city hall (called the empadronamiento) and then apply for your residency permit, called a tarjeta de identificación del extranjero. You can do this on your own if you speak Spanish or hire a solicitor (gestor) to do it for you.

Where are digital nomads moving in Spain?

Spain is a country that is anything but homogenized – each region has its own culture (and dialect!), its own cost of living and its own terrain. Though big cities and the coast have long attracted expats and digital nomads, smaller and lesser-known regions are now in the spotlight.

• Barcelona – Cosmopolitan, beachside, lots of coworking spaces, strong expat community. Prices here are among the highest in Spain.
• Valencia – More affordable than Barcelona, still on the coast, relaxed lifestyle, growing startup scene and booming expat communities.
• Madrid – Big city vibe with loads of culture and things to do, ample transport connections, tons of networking opportunities. Like Barcelona, median prices are higher than most other cities.
• Granada, Sevilla, Málaga – Smaller cities in Andalusia with warmer climates, lower costs, and vibrant culture.
• The Islands (Canarias, Baleares) – Year-round warm weather of about 25ºC and large expat communities.

Aside from cost of living, consider schooling options for children, climate and even what you might want to do in your free time. For example, I live in Seville with my husband and two children. There were fewer options for school in English here and it’s quite hot in the summer, though it’s lively and has great transportation connections. Other people might opt for cooler temperatures or a more immersive experience. Don’t sleep on smaller cities!

Bonus: Monthly living costs for larger cities

While everyone will have different standards of living and may be bringing a partner or family, these are the current monthly costs of living in Spain, according to livingcost.com:

• Housing: €600–€1,200 for a one-bedroom apartment; less in smaller urban areas.
• Coworking space: €80–€200
• Phone and internet: €45-€80
• Private health insurance: €80
• Food: €250–€400 for groceries; €15 for a menú del día at restaurants.
• Transport: Metro pass ~€40–€60; intercity trains/buses vary.
• Entertainment: €150-€200

Why is Spain the perfect place for digital nomads?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer here, but Spain truly has it all: different climates and culture, affordable living and transportation options for you to explore more. What’s more, the tax breaks are favorable. To begin planning, start by doing your research. Do the leg work on more than just the visa – make connections via expat groups on social media, learn a bit of Spanish, book accommodation prior to arrival and establish a routine.

Other digital nomads suggest opening a multi-currency bank account to deal with conversions and be able to charge clients in multiple currencies.

And don’t forget about technological considerations, such as a universal charger, a solid VPN for security and accessing services from your country or origin and the software you’ll need to perform your work duties.