Spain continues to train qualified professionals, but more and more end up developing their careers abroad, especially in Europe. For the first time, more than 3.2 million Spaniards reside abroad, rising 5.1% just in 2025*. Of them, 64% are of working age, which confirms that Spanish emigration is, in practice, labor migration that can go in search of better opportunities, stability and professional development.
It is in this landscape that the Spotahome report on Spanish talent in Europe, which analyzes more than 1,000 professional relocations of Spaniards in 55 cities across 15 European countries during 2025 and 2026, offers an unprecedented snapshot: where they go, how much they pay, what profile they have and, above all, whether the jump is worth it.
“The Spanish professional who moves across Europe has an average age of 30, pays about €890 per month in rent and stays around 109 days in the accommodation. In many cases these are temporary stays and in others it is a first residence until settling long term,” according to Emilia Renedo, Brand Manager at Spotahome. Almost half, 49%, start in a shared room, a signal that the economy still weighs on even qualified profiles. 58% are between 25 and 34 years old. They are the generation that moves the most, and the data show why.
Spain exports young, skilled talent to Europe
Brussels absorbs 28.7% of all relocations registered, a figure that doubles its closest competitors. It is followed in popularity by Rome and Dublin, each attracting 12.1% of this talent, while Milan (8.3%) and Berlin and Lisbon (7.5%, both) complete the list of the main destinations.
The European institutions, think tanks, international consulting firms and continental-capital corporate headquarters make Brussels the great gateway for Spanish talent in Europe and reinforce its appeal as a hub of opportunities for a new generation of professionals.
European distribution of Spanish talent by profession
The sector-by-sector analysis reveals very defined patterns. The most concentrated is the European institutions sector: 90% of Spanish professionals working in community bodies settle in Brussels. The Belgian capital is practically a monopoly for this group.
In the research and academic world, Rome leads with 24% of relocations among PhD students and postdocs analyzed, surpassing Berlin and Munich. Spanish researchers favor the south over the north.
In healthcare, London accounts for 22% of sector professionals, as many doctors and surgeons are drawn to the favorable conditions of the NHS; followed by cities such as Milan and Rome. Tech talent is spread across Brussels (18%), Berlin (12%) and Lisbon (12%). In banking and finance, Lisbon leads with 20%, breaking London’s historical monopoly. Brussels again dominates the consulting professionals among Spaniards with 43%. Milan maintains its weight in art, fashion and culture at 24%, and Brussels leads hospitality and tourism with 26%.
Housing vs salary
The map changes completely when seasonal housing rent is measured against salary. In Vienna (17%), Berlin (19%), Brussels (22%), Dublin (22%), Paris (23%) and even the dreaded London (24%), housing consumes less than 25% of net pay, a share clearly better than Madrid, where the average room (€660 according to the Spotahome Rent Index) represents 30% of the average net salary.
The comparison also reveals a stark inequality between European destinations. In Lisbon, rent takes 35.7% of salary, in Prague 33.9%, in Milan 33%, in Athens 32.2%, in Florence 32%, in Porto 31.9% and in Rome 31.1%. The promise of the Mediterranean lifestyle clashes with brutal math: earning much less than in the North but paying almost the same. “The difference isn’t only about how much a home costs, but how much margin is left after paying for it to live, save or support an initial arrival phase. That’s where you truly understand if a city is affordable or if you’re forced to share, cut budgets, or accelerate a move to a more stable solution,” emphasizes Emilia.
Destinations differentiated by age and speed of integration
The average age of the Spanish professional relocating to Europe is 30 years, but destinations vary significantly according to career maturity. Lisbon is the city with the youngest Spanish talent in all of Europe, with an average age of 28.3 years. It is followed by Dublin (29), Berlin (29.1), Brussels (29.7) and Milan (30.2). At the opposite end, Porto receives the most senior professionals, with an average age of 34.1, followed by Paris (33.1), Rome (31.7) and London (30.8).
The age of the talent arriving in each city also shows up in the time it takes to settle in. Brussels records the longest landing, with an average of 152 days, followed by Berlin at 138, Lisbon at 113, Paris at 107 and Dublin at 96. London drops to 59 days, while Bolonia (Bologna), Porto, Milan and Rome are between 73 and 91 days.
“The city is not chosen solely for work or price; it’s also about the life moment each professional arrives in. The contract duration reflects only the first temporarily rented housing, not the total time a professional spends in the city. Many then sign a longer-term local lease when they decide to settle permanently,” says Emilia.
Two relocations, very different: Gen Z pays €355 less than Millennials
Sixty-four percent of the Spanish professionals who emigrate are Gen Z (under 29), paying an average rent of €795/month, choosing a shared room in 61% of cases and staying an average of 120 days in the first home. Their preferred destinations are Brussels, Bologna and Milan.
The Millennial professional (30–45 years old), who represents 28% of the total, pays an average rent of €1,150/month, 45% more than Gen Z. 43% prefer to rent an entire apartment to live independently, and their top cities are Paris, Porto and Rome.
Looking city by city, Bologna is the most Gen Z (80%), followed by Dublin (69%), Milan (68%), Brussels and Lisbon (67%). Paris is the only city with true generational parity.
