Practical Living — Spain

EU/EEA citizens who register as residents gain access to the Sistema Nacional de Salud (SNS) — Spain's universal health service. Registration requires empadronamiento (town hall registration) and a TIE (foreigner identity card).

UK nationals can register for state healthcare if they become legal residents and contribute to social security. Non-resident UK visitors rely on the GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) for emergency treatment.

Travel or international health insurance is recommended for visits. EHIC/GHIC covers EU and UK citizens for emergency treatment.

Spain has an excellent private health sector. Private health insurance (seguro de salud) for an individual aged 40–60 typically costs €80–€200/month with leading providers (Sanitas, Adeslas, Mapfre). This is significantly cheaper than equivalent cover in the UK or Scandinavia and provides access to private hospitals, specialists without referrals, and English-speaking doctors in major cities and coastal areas.

The SNS quality varies by autonomous community. Catalonia, Basque Country, and Madrid have excellent public hospitals. Rural areas in Extremadura or Castilla-La Mancha may have longer distances to specialist services. Coastal areas with large foreign populations (Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca) have well-developed private healthcare infrastructure.