Moving to Spain, from the US.
An American moving to Spain in 2026 pays 43% income tax on $1M in Madrid with the US federal floor applied, against 43% in New York, and still files a US return. The engine puts Madrid first in Spain for a US citizen leaving New York.
In short, current to October 2026
- For a US citizen leaving New York on $1M a year, the Patrician.ch engine ranks Madrid first in Spain, number 35 of the 83 places outside the 50 states. It weighs tax with the US floor applied, the route in, safety, schools, sun, cost and the flight home.
- In Madrid, income tax on $1M for a US citizen comes to 43% with the federal floor applied, against 43% in New York, level with New York.
- The local rate in Madrid on $1M, 43%, is above the US federal 32%, so the local tax is the figure that applies and the US credit covers the federal share.
- For a US passport, the route into Madrid is an application with conditions. The flight from New York is 7h 15m to 8h 05m.
- Spain has a regime for new arrivals: Beckham law: 24% flat on Spanish employment income up to €600K for 6 years for inbound hires and remote workers, and Madrid waives its wealth tax except for the amount the national solidarity tax charges above €3M, which Madrid collects instead. Whether it applies depends on the income and the person, and the US federal floor applies to a US citizen either way.
Each address on this page was last checked against its official sources between and . The sources for each are named on its page.
Source: the Patrician.ch board, an original ranking of 100 residence addresses across 47 countries and territories. Tax rates, thresholds and routes are sourced. Cost, safety, schools, sun and beauty are Patrician.ch editorial indices. Figures current to October 2026. Updated . Cite as: Patrician.ch, Moving to Spain from the US 2026: tax, visa and 5 places, patrician.ch/answers/moving-to-spain-from-the-us/, October 2026.
