Remote Work in Spain
Spain has embraced digital nomads with a dedicated visa and excellent infrastructure. It's become one of Europe's top remote work destinations.
Internet Quality
Speeds:
- Average: 243 Mbps
- Median: 170 Mbps
- Range: 94-449 Mbps typical
- Fiber coverage: 89% (vs 34% EU average)
- 72% have 100+ Mbps speeds
Reliability: Very good
- Fiber (FTTH) widely available
- 4G/5G mobile backup options
- Power outages rare
Costs: €30-50/month for 300-600 Mbps fiber
Providers:
- Movistar (largest)
- Orange
- Vodafone
- MásMóvil/Yoigo
- Digi (budget option)
Coworking Spaces
Barcelona (largest scene):
- Betahaus, OneCoWork, Aticco, MOB
- €200-400/month dedicated desk
- €150-250/month hot desk
- Strong international community
Madrid:
- Impact Hub, Utopicus, Spaces
- €180-350/month
- More Spanish professional crowd
- Excellent for networking
Valencia:
- Wayco, Vortex, La Soca
- €120-250/month
- Growing scene, good value
- Beach-city balance
Other cities:
- Málaga: Sun & Co, La Noria
- Sevilla: Coworking Sevilla, La Colaborativa
- Generally €100-200/month
Features to expect:
- High-speed internet
- Meeting rooms
- Coffee/tea
- Networking events
- 24/7 access (some)
Cafés for Working
Café culture:
- Acceptable to work 2-3 hours
- Order multiple items (coffee + food)
- Avoid peak lunch hours (2-4pm)
- WiFi usually free but ask for password
Good for work:
- Federal Café (Barcelona, Madrid)
- Syra Coffee (Barcelona)
- Hanso Café (Madrid)
- Independent cafés in Gracia, Malasaña
Time Zone Advantages
CET (UTC+1), CEST (UTC+2) in summer:
- US East Coast: 6 hours ahead (9am Spain = 3am EST)
- US West Coast: 9 hours ahead
- UK: 1 hour ahead
- India: 4.5 hours behind (good overlap)
- Australia: Minimal overlap
Best for:
- European clients/teams
- US East Coast (morning overlap)
- Async work
- Flexible schedules
Digital Nomad Visa Benefits
Work legally:
- No gray area about tourist visa
- Can stay up to 5 years
- Access to healthcare
- Bank account easier
- Beckham Law tax benefits possible
Remote Work Communities
Meetups and groups:
- Barcelona Digital Nomads (Facebook)
- Nomad List meetups
- Internations events
- Coworking space events
- Meetup.com groups
Best cities for community:
- Barcelona (largest, most international)
- Madrid (growing, more Spanish)
- Valencia (emerging, good balance)
- Gran Canaria (island life, year-round sun)
- Málaga (affordable, beach life)
Productivity and Lifestyle Balance
Challenges:
- Beach/lifestyle temptation
- Late Spanish schedule (dinner 9-10pm)
- Siesta culture (shops close 2-5pm)
- Social life competes with work
Tips:
- Morning routine before heat/distractions
- Set boundaries with social life
- Use coworking for focus
- Embrace Spanish schedule or maintain own
Canary Islands Special Mention
Gran Canaria, Tenerife:
- Year-round perfect weather
- Growing digital nomad scene
- Special tax zones (ZEC)
- Slower pace
- Good for burnout recovery
- Flights to mainland €30-80
Mobile Plans for Remote Workers
Recommendations:
- Movistar, Orange, Vodafone: €15-30/month
- Unlimited data plans available
- Good EU roaming (included)
- 5G in cities
- Digi: Budget option (€10-15/month, still good)
Legal Considerations
Digital Nomad Visa holders:
- Can work for foreign companies/clients
- Up to 20% income from Spanish sources
- Must maintain tax compliance
- Report income annually
Working on tourist visa: Not legal, though common. Risk: Deportation, visa ban.
Pro Tips
- •Barcelona has strongest digital nomad community but Valencia offers better value
- •Get Digital Nomad Visa—legal work status and Beckham Law tax benefits
- •Coworking worth it for community, not just workspace
- •Café working acceptable but order regularly and avoid peak hours
- •Consider Canary Islands for year-round sun and special tax zones
Have questions about remote work in Spain?