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Spain vs United States
United States is {pct} {word} than Spain. Compare cost of living, taxes, salaries and visas — and the salary you’d need in United States to match Spain.
Spain vs United States at a glance — United States is 4% more expensive than Spain overall. Average net salary: $4,300/mo vs $1,900/mo. Top income tax: 37% vs 47%.
| Spain | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Cost of living index | 100 | 105 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 47% | 37% |
| VAT / sales tax | 21% | 0% |
| Social security (employee) | 6.4% | 7.7% |
| Corporate tax | 25% | 21% |
| Capital gains | 28% | 20% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $1,900/mo | $4,300/mo |
| Minimum wage | $1,652/mo✓ | $1,257/mo✓ |
| GDP per capita | $38,627✓ | $90,027✓ |
| Inflation (annual) | 2.7%✓ | — |
| Life expectancy | 84 yr✓ | 79 yr✓ |
| Quality of life | ||
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | High |
| Digital-nomad visa | Yes | No |
✓ = official statistics (Eurostat 2026, US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →
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? Frequently asked questions
Is Spain cheaper than United States?
United States is about 4% more expensive than Spain overall — its cost-of-living index is 105 versus 100 for Spain.
How much do you need to earn in United States to live like in Spain?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Spain is worth about $78,208 in United States. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Spain or United States?
United States has the lower top income-tax rate — 37% versus 47% in Spain.