At the beginning, please take a note of a kind of perspective which was presented here. It’s European Union-oriented. So, if you live in EU, you don’t need any permission to work remotely in Spain. But it’s pretty different (and complicated) if you’re from outside this area.
A balance between work and life exists indeed
It’s been seen as a sustainable human approach, as something serious. Owing to that, Spain seems like an excellent place created especially for remote workers. It stems from unique cultural context. Don’t try to flatten it to Siesta because it’s not fair. Spanish lifestyle requires doing many things (talking, eating) at a slower than that. Thus, the culture of work in this country doesn’t support nor prefer 8-hour work day from 8 to 16 or from 9 to 17. It’s more flexible. You can combine working and travel at once.
The “Don’t rush” policy influences local life satisfaction, which is the highest in all Europe. Spanish notion of enjoying daily life strongly influences people’s behaviour there. They’re welcoming and easy-going as long as you don’t want to start talking about Spanish history, religion or regional diversion.
Friendly weather
While the spring season is approaching and nature is waking up from long winter period in many European countries, people living in Spain have no reason to talk about it. On average, the lowest temperature there occurs in January and February – it’s plus 10 degrees Celsius. Additionally, the following periods (from March to June and from September to December) are the sunniest months. So you don’t worry that you get cold in winter. This epic climate attracts the attention of those who cannot live without sunbeams and mild temperatures.
Local support
Currently, you can come across over 400 coworking spaces and business hubs in Spain, even on Mallorca. They play a crucial role in developing ecosystem (setting up events, conferences, industry initiatives) that integrates the community. Moreover, some people take advantage of freelancing rush by setting up dedicated business. One of them is Javea-based Sun and Co, which is a great place for foreign independent professionals looking for international experience.
Some of the bureaucracy duties (register with the tax authority for example) can be completed online. For beginning freelancers aged under 30 (for men) and under 35 (for women), the Spanish government has established the ‘tarifa plana” scheme. It’s an 18-month programme allows paying obliged social security fees starting with a small amount which gradually increases to the full volume (it’s usually €265 per month).
Cost of your life
Spain is an ideal country for every remote worker who wants to connect warm, relaxing climate and Western culture with moderate expenditures related to living. Except for popular big cities like Barcelona or Madrid, where everything is expensive due to tourism hype, you can live comfortably for roughly €1000 monthly in other cities scattered around the country. Additionally, the first class transport infrastructure lets you travel and work much easier.
