Americans Moving to Spain in 2026: The Numbers and What They Mean for the Costa Brava
More Americans live in Spain every year. On 1 January 2025 there were 57,379 US citizens resident in the country, about one and a half times as many as in 2021, and in 2025 Spain issued 15,810 first residence permits to US citizens, more than any other EU country. Americans also pay the highest average price per square metre of any foreign buyer, although they bought 22% fewer homes in the first half of 2026.
We first wrote about why Americans are moving to Spain in 2024. The official data for 2025 and 2026 is now out, and it shows more Americans coming to settle, not only to study. Below are the figures, where each one comes from, and what they mean if you are an American looking at a home on the Costa Brava.
How many Americans live in Spain
INE, the Spanish statistics office, counts residents by citizenship on 1 January each year. Eurostat counts the first residence permits issued during each calendar year.
| Year | US citizens living in Spain on 1 January | First residence permits that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 40,159 | 11,060 |
| 2023 | 46,261 | 12,809 |
| 2024 | 50,623 | 15,638 |
| 2025 | 57,379 | 15,810 |
The count by citizenship leaves out dual US and Spanish nationals, who are counted as Spanish. Counted by country of birth, 76,180 people living in Spain were born in the United States, 23,423 of them Spanish citizens (INE, 1 January 2025).
Spain led the EU in first permits for Americans again, and 2025 was a record for the second year running. France came close, with 15,388.
Why they come: fewer students, more families
The reasons given for the permits have changed. In 2024 study was the largest group, with 6,904 of the 15,638 permits. In 2025 family reasons came first, with 5,248, followed by study with 4,979; work accounted for 2,273 (Eurostat). More of the people arriving now are coming to live here, not to study for a semester.
Surveys point the same way. In the InterNations Expat Insider 2026 survey, 20% of foreign residents in Spain said they moved for the quality of life, against 9% worldwide, and 41% plan to stay for good, against 27%. Spain ranked first of 31 countries for quality of life for the fifth year in a row; the United States ranked last.
Politics plays a part too. El Periódico reported on 1 September 2026 that many American clients of one Barcelona immigration lawyer bring up Trump.
Where they settle
In 2024 INE recorded 15,632 moves to Spain from abroad by US citizens. By province of destination:
- Madrid: 4,030
- Barcelona: 3,036
- Valencia: 1,522
- Málaga: 981
- Alicante: 835
- Girona, which includes the Costa Brava: 202
The Costa Brava is still a small, quiet part of this picture. On 1 January 2025, 959 US citizens lived in the province of Girona, up from 532 in 2021. Across Catalonia there were 12,944.
What they buy and how much they pay
Notaries’ figures for the first half of 2026 show that foreigners bought 62,327 free-market homes (vivienda libre) in Spain, 13.0% fewer than a year earlier, and accounted for 18.3% of all purchases (Consejo General del Notariado, 15 October 2026).
Within that, American buyers paid the highest average price of any nationality: 3,948 €/m², ahead of Sweden (3,839 €/m²), Germany (3,763 €/m²) and Switzerland (3,760 €/m²). The average for all foreign buyers was 2,644 €/m². At the same time, purchases by Americans fell 22.0% year on year, one of the sharpest drops of any nationality.
So more Americans are moving, but fewer are buying. Renting first and buying once you know where you want to live is what we usually recommend anyway.
The visas Americans use in 2026
- Digital nomad (telework) visa: for people working remotely for employers or clients outside Spain. In 2026 the income required is 2,442 € a month for the applicant (200% of the minimum wage of 1,221 € a month), plus 916 € for the first family member and 306 € for each further one.
- Non-lucrative visa: for people living on savings or passive income, without working in Spain. In 2026 it requires 2,400 € a month for the applicant (400% of IPREM) plus 600 € for each dependant. We cover it step by step in our non-lucrative visa guide.
- Golden Visa: closed since 3 April 2025 for all investor routes, including property over 500,000 €. Buying a home no longer gives residency on its own. Our article on life after the Golden Visa sets out the alternatives.
Check the current amounts and conditions with your lawyer in Spain; they are tied to the minimum wage and IPREM, which can change from year to year.
What this means for the Costa Brava
Sort out residency before the house. The visa decides how long you can stay and whether you can work. Choose the route first, then look for a home that fits it.
Read the averages carefully. The 3,948 €/m² American average is a national figure, not a Costa Brava one, and Americans are still a small group here.
Remember that this is Catalonia. Catalan is an official language here alongside Spanish. Street signs, town hall notices and many forms are in Catalan, and a few words go a long way with neighbours.
Two American families have told us their own stories: Hank and Linda from Minnesota and a family from California.
Questions Americans ask about moving to Spain
How many Americans live in Spain in 2026?
The latest official count is 57,379 US citizens on 1 January 2025 (INE), up from 37,584 in 2021. Counting everyone born in the United States, including Spanish citizens, it was 76,180.
Is Spain the most popular EU country for Americans?
By first residence permits, yes. Spain issued 15,638 permits to US citizens in 2024 and 15,810 in 2025, the most in the EU both years; France was second in 2025 with 15,388 (Eurostat).
Can an American buy property in Spain?
Yes. You need a foreigner identification number (NIE), and since the Golden Visa closed on 3 April 2025, buying no longer gives residency on its own. In the first half of 2026 American buyers paid an average of 3,948 €/m², the highest of any nationality (notaries’ statistics).
How much income do I need for a Spanish visa in 2026?
For the digital nomad visa, 2,442 € a month for the applicant; for the non-lucrative visa, 2,400 € a month plus 600 € per dependant. The non-lucrative visa does not allow you to work in Spain.
How many Americans live on the Costa Brava?
In the province of Girona, which includes the Costa Brava, there were 959 US citizens on 1 January 2025, up from 532 in 2021 (INE). The Costa Brava is not an administrative unit, so official statistics give the province, not the coast.
Thinking about a home on the Costa Brava?
Have a look at our villas above the cove in Tamariu, with a page written for buyers from the United States.
Write to VivendaNova with your timing and the visa route you are considering, and we’ll tell you which areas fit.
Sources: INE, Censo Anual de Población 2021-2025 (tables 68527 and 68525); INE, Estadística de Migraciones 2024 (table 69693); Eurostat, migr_resfirst, updated 22 October 2026; Consejo General del Notariado, foreign buyers H1 2026 (15 October 2026); InterNations, Expat Insider 2026 (22 July 2026); El Periódico (1 September 2026); Consulate General of Spain in Washington (telework visa); Consulate of Spain in Montevideo (non-lucrative visa); SEPE (IPREM 2026); BOE, Real Decreto 126/2026 (minimum wage 2026); Ley Orgánica 1/2025. Data as of October 2026.