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Japan vs Spain
Spain is {pct} {word} than Japan. Compare cost of living, taxes, salaries and visas — and the salary you’d need in Spain to match Japan.
Japan vs Spain at a glance — Spain is 5% more expensive than Japan overall. Average net salary: $1,900/mo vs $2,600/mo. Top income tax: 47% vs 45%.
| Japan | Spain | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Cost of living index | 95 | 100 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 45% | 47% |
| VAT / sales tax | 10% | 21% |
| Social security (employee) | — | 6.4% |
| Corporate tax | 30% | 25% |
| Capital gains | 20.3% | 28% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $2,600/mo | $1,900/mo |
| Minimum wage | $1,300/mo | $1,652/mo✓ |
| GDP per capita | $35,951✓ | $38,627✓ |
| Inflation (annual) | 3.2%✓ | 2.7%✓ |
| Life expectancy | 84 yr✓ | 84 yr✓ |
| Quality of life | ||
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | Moderate | High |
| Digital-nomad visa | Yes | Yes |
✓ = official statistics (Eurostat 2026, World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →
⚖ Related comparisons
? Frequently asked questions
Is Japan cheaper than Spain?
Spain is about 5% more expensive than Japan overall — its cost-of-living index is 100 versus 95 for Japan.
How much do you need to earn in Spain to live like in Japan?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Japan is worth about $78,980 in Spain. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Japan or Spain?
Japan has the lower top income-tax rate — 45% versus 47% in Spain.