Spain or France: where is better to live and which permit is easier to get

Spain and France are neighbours across the Pyrenees, both are in the EU, Schengen and the eurozone, and both live in the same time zone. But for a move they are very different countries. Spain has a digital nomad visa and no language requirement for residence, but citizenship takes 10 years. France has no nomad visa, and since 2026 most routes to a multi-year card require French, but citizenship comes after 5 years without giving up your previous passport. Below is a comparison on the points that decide where it is easier to get residence and where it is better to live.

Spain or France: a comparison for relocation

Where it is easier to get residence

For remote workers, Spain is easier: it has a digital nomad visa, and applying from within the country gives residence for up to three years straight away. France has no such visa. You can work for a foreign employer from France on a talent passport, but that visa is for entrepreneurs and skilled professionals with separate thresholds, and the visiteur card does not allow work. More on the Spanish programme in our guide to the digital nomad visa in Spain.

For people living on passive income, France is formally easier: the visiteur card has no threshold in law, consulates usually use roughly the net monthly minimum wage as a benchmark and assess each file individually. The Spanish non-lucrative residence permit requires €2,400 a month — noticeably more, but the threshold is known in advance.

For entrepreneurs, France is clearer: the talent passport for a business founder requires €30,000 in the project, a master’s degree or five years’ experience and an approved business plan, but it gives a card for up to four years to the whole family at once and requires no language. See our article on the talent passport for entrepreneurs. For property investors the route is closed in both countries. All French routes are collected in the article on French residence permits.

If France is your choice: the French visa for Russians, working in France, studying in France and buying property in France.

Where you need the language

In Spain you need no language for the first residence permit, renewals or permanent residence — only for citizenship, and then at level A2. In France, since 1 January 2026, the first multi-year card requires French at level A2 and a passed civic exam, the resident card B1, and citizenship B2. Talent passport holders and their families, visiteurs and students are exempt from the first two requirements, but there are no route-based exemptions for the resident card.

Where citizenship is faster

In France it is twice as fast: naturalisation is available after five years of residence, and for the spouse of a French citizen after four years of marriage. The language requirements are stricter: level B2 and a civic exam. France allows dual citizenship and does not require you to give up your Russian passport; details in the article on French citizenship.

In Spain the general period is 10 years, with language at A2 and the CCSE exam on the constitution and culture. Russians declare on naturalisation that they renounce their previous citizenship; how this works in practice is covered in the article on dual citizenship in Spain.

Taxes for new residents

Both countries have a favourable regime for newcomers, but they work differently. The Spanish Beckham Law replaces the progressive scale with a flat 24% rate on income up to €600,000 for six years. The French impatriate regime under Article 155 B of the tax code keeps the normal scale but exempts the relocation bonus — actual or a flat rate of up to 30% of pay — until the end of the eighth year after starting work. The condition is not having been a French tax resident for five years before the move, and the regime is designed mainly for employees recruited by a French company. The income tax scale, social charges and inheritance tax are covered in taxes in France.

Where it is cheaper to live

According to Eurostat for 2025, Spain is noticeably cheaper: the overall price level for household consumption is 91.1% of the EU average against 106.4% in France. The gap is widest for housing and utilities — 98.1% against 120.7% — and noticeable for transport — 88.1% against 108.2% — and food — 95.3% against 106.8%. Salaries are higher in France, so for people earning on the local market the gap is partly offset. Rent, healthcare and the honest downsides are covered in living in France. A budget for living in Spain item by item is in our breakdown of how much money you need to live in Spain.

The French and the Spanish: the differences

• Language. French and Spanish are both Romance languages, but understanding the neighbour by ear without preparation is hard. Living and working in France without French is harder than living in Spain without Spanish in tourist regions.
• Size. France has about 69.1 million residents, Spain about 49.8 million. The French job market is larger and more concentrated in Paris and its region.
• Time. Mainland Spain and France are in the same time zone; the Canary Islands are an hour behind.
• Structure. France is centralised: residence rules, taxes and procedures are the same across the country. Spain is a country of autonomous communities with their own languages and tax features.

What to choose

If you work remotely and want residence quickly without language requirements, Spain usually wins, and life there is cheaper. If your goal is a European passport within a foreseeable time and you are ready to learn French to B2, France gives citizenship after five years and lets you keep your Russian one. An entrepreneur with a project and a budget from €30,000 should compare the French talent passport with Spanish residence under the Startups Act: in France the threshold is clearer, in Spain living costs are lower. If you are not sure which country suits you, describe your situation — we will review it free of charge. A similar comparison for another neighbour is in Spain or Portugal. And if Slovenia is on your list, read Moving to Slovenia or Spain. If you are considering Italy, see Italy or Spain.

Frequently asked questions

Which is better to live in: Spain or France?

It depends on your goal. Remote workers and those who care about prices usually do better in Spain: it has a digital nomad visa, residence requires no language and prices are lower. Those who need a European passport sooner are better suited to France: citizenship after five years without giving up the Russian one.

Where is it easier to get residence: Spain or France?

For remote workers, Spain: the digital nomad visa requires income from €2,849 a month, and France has no such visa. For people living on passive income, France is formally easier: consulates use roughly the net monthly minimum wage as a benchmark, while the Spanish threshold is €2,400.

Where is citizenship faster?

In France: after five years of residence, with French at B2 and a civic exam, and dual citizenship is allowed. In Spain after 10 years, and Russians declare that they renounce their previous citizenship.

Where is it cheaper to live: Spain or France?

In Spain: according to Eurostat for 2025, the price level for household consumption there is 91.1% of the EU average against 106.4% in France. The biggest difference is in housing and utilities — 98.1% against 120.7%.

Do you need the language for residence?

In Spain, no: the language is needed only for citizenship. In France, since 1 January 2026, the first multi-year card requires level A2 and a civic exam, and the resident card B1; talent passport holders, visiteurs and students are exempt from the first requirement.

Sources

• Eurostat — price level indices, 2025.
• INSEE — population of France at 1 January 2026.
• INE — population of Spain at 1 July 2026.
• French tax authority — impatriate regime.