How much does health insurance cost in Spain? (2026)
If you are moving to Spain or already live here and are thinking about taking out a private medical policy, the first question that probably comes to mind is: how much does health insurance cost in Spain? In this article, we break down the real average prices in the Spanish market so you know exactly what budget to plan for.
What is the average cost of health insurance in Spain?
If you are looking for a quick answer, current market data shows that a comprehensive plan with no copay — the most common type and the one required for visas — costs a healthy adult between €55 and €80 per month.
If you opt for more flexible or basic options, the price changes significantly:
- Basic plan (outpatient only, no hospitalisation): From €20 to €30 per month.
- Comprehensive plan with copay: Between €26 and €50 per month on average.
- Comprehensive plan with no copay: Between €55 and €80 per month on average.
What exactly is a copay?
In Spain, a copay (copago) is a small fixed amount — usually between €2 and €15 — that you pay each time you visit the doctor in exchange for a lower monthly premium.
*Important note for visa applicants: If you need health insurance to apply for a Spanish residency permit (Golden Visa, student visa, non-lucrative visa, etc.), the government requires a policy that is always copay-free and includes hospitalisation.
Comprehensive plan
From
39,68
euros/month
FIATC Medifiatc P5
- Copay: 2-5 €
- High tech tests copay: 5 €
- Primary care
- Urgent care
- Medical specialties
- Special diagnostic techniques
- Physical therapy and psychology
- Hospitalization and surgery
- Assistance abroad
- Dental coverage guarantee
Comprehensive plan
From
62
€/month
Adeslas Plena Plus
- No copay
- Primary care
- Urgent care
- Specialist consultations
- High-tech diagnostic tests
- Physical therapy and psychology
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
- Video consultations
- Pregnancy and pediatrics
Comprehensive plan
From
64,69
€/month
Sanitas Más Salud
- No copay
- Primary care
- Urgent care
- Medical specialties
- Complex diagnostic tests
- Therapeutic methods and psychology
- Surgical procedures
- Hospitalization
- Video consultations
- Dental coverage guarantee
If you are also looking for a recommendation on which plan to choose, check out our guide to the best private health insurance in Spain.
What factors affect the cost of health insurance in Spain?
The price of your policy is not random. Spanish insurers calculate the premium based on the risk profile and specific characteristics of the insured person. These are the main factors that determine how much health insurance costs:
1. Your age
Age is the single most decisive factor. As we get older, premiums go up. For example, a healthy 30-year-old might pay around €55 per month for a comprehensive plan, whereas a 48-year-old would pay closer to €85, and someone over 65 would typically exceed €130 per month.
2. Type of coverage: With or Without hospitalisation?
If you are a foreigner and need health insurance to obtain a Spanish visa or residency permit, the Spanish government will require a policy with no copay and with full hospitalisation coverage included.
- Plans with hospitalisation are more expensive because they cover surgical procedures and inpatient stays.
- Plans without hospitalisation (outpatient consultations and diagnostic tests only) are cheaper, and can cost as little as €15–€25 per month.
3. Copay vs. No copay
Choosing between a copay and a no-copay plan is one of the key decisions that directly affects your monthly bill:
- Plan with copay: Your monthly premium will be lower (around €20–€35 per month on average), but you will pay a small fee for each medical visit.
- Plan with no copay: You will pay a higher monthly premium (from €45 on average), but there are no additional charges, regardless of how often you use the insurance.
4. Medical history and pre-existing conditions
When you sign up, you will fill in a health questionnaire. If you have prior conditions (preexistencias), the insurer may exclude coverage for those specific conditions. In Spain, the most common approach is to exclude the pre-existing condition from coverage altogether, rather than increasing your premium — so the monthly price typically stays the same, but certain treatments will not be covered.
5. Place of residence
Where you live in Spain can also influence the cost of your health insurance, as premiums reflect the local cost of private healthcare services. As a general rule:
- Madrid and Barcelona tend to have the highest premiums, due to the density of private clinics and higher operational costs.
- Smaller cities and rural areas (such as Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha or inland Andalusia) tend to have lower average prices.
- Coastal areas with high expat populations (Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Balearic Islands) can also see slightly elevated prices from certain insurers.
How does the type of visa affect the price?
If you need health insurance specifically to obtain a Spanish residency visa, the price will be higher than if you were free to choose any plan on the market. This is because visa-compliant policies must meet specific requirements set by the Spanish government:
- The policy must be comprehensive — it must include hospitalisation and specialist visits.
- There can be no copays of any kind.
- It must cover you for the full duration of your visa.
These requirements automatically rule out the cheaper basic or copay-based plans. In practice, a visa-compliant policy for a healthy adult under 40 typically starts at around €55–€65 per month. For people aged 50 and above, expect to pay €80–€120 or more per month.
Which visas require private health insurance in Spain?
The most common ones are: the Non-Lucrative Visa, the Digital Nomad Visa, the Golden Visa, the Student Visa, and the Family Reunification Visa. In all these cases, the policy must be copay-free and include full hospitalisation.
Can You get a discount on health insurance in Spain?
Yes. There are several ways to reduce the cost of your private health insurance in Spain:
- Annual payment: Most insurers offer a discount — typically between 5% and 10% — if you pay the full year upfront instead of monthly.
- Family policies: Insuring more than one person on the same policy is almost always cheaper per person than taking out individual plans. Children are often included at a significantly reduced rate.
- Promotional offers: Many insurers run seasonal promotions, particularly in January and September. These can include the first one or two months free, or reduced rates for the first year.
- No-claims history: Some insurers reward customers who renew without having made claims with reduced premiums over time.
Using a comparison service like Selectra can also help you access rates that are not always available if you go directly to the insurer.
How does health insurance cost in Spain compare to other countries?
One of the reasons so many expats are surprised — pleasantly — when they first see Spanish health insurance prices is that Spain is one of the most affordable countries in Western Europe for private medical coverage. Here is a rough comparison of average monthly costs for a comprehensive individual plan for a healthy adult aged around 35:
| Country | Average monthly cost (comprehensive individual plan, ~35 years old) |
|---|---|
| Spain | €55 – €80 |
| France | €80 – €130 |
| Germany | €300 – €700 (private statutory alternative) |
| United Kingdom | €90 – €150 |
| United States | €350 – €600+ |
Spain's relatively low prices are partly explained by the strong public healthcare network (which keeps private insurers competitive), the lower average cost of medical services, and a highly competitive insurance market with over 200 providers.
Health insurance prices in Spain by profile (2026)
To give you a precise picture of how much health insurance costs in Spain, we have analysed the current rates from the country's leading insurers. Below you will find realistic estimates of what you would pay per month for a plan broken down by age and family profile.
Health Insurance Cost for Young Adults (Age 30)
| Type of Plan | Insurer Plan | Price (from) |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient – with copay | Adeslas Go | 21,00 €/month |
| Outpatient – with copay | FIATC Start | 23,85 €/month |
| Outpatient – with copay | Aegon Salud Básico | 24,08 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | Caser Integral Con copago limitado | 36,30 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | FIATC Medifiatc P15 | 36,80 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | DKV Integral Classic | 53,07 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | FIATC Medifiatc | 55,78 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | DKV Integral Élite | 62,87 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | Adeslas Plena Plus | 72,00 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | Sanitas Más Salud | 80,58 €/month |
Health Insurance Cost for Adults (Age 48)
| Type of Plan | Insurer Plan | Price (from) |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient – with copay | Adeslas Go | 21,00 €/month |
| Outpatient – with copay | Aegon Salud Básico | 27,21 €/month |
| Outpatient – with copay | FIATC Start | 30,19 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | Caser Integral Con copago limitado | 48,97 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | FIATC Medifiatc P15 | 51,74 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | DKV Integral Classic | 75,26 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | FIATC Medifiatc | 79,94 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | DKV Integral Élite | 89,14 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | Adeslas Plena Plus | 92,00 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | Sanitas Más Salud | 93,51 €/month |
Health Insurance Cost for Pre-retirees (Age 65)
| Type of Plan | Insurer Plan | Price (from) |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient – with copay | Caser Salud +60 | 47,00 €/month |
| Outpatient – with copay | Sanitas Único | 53,40 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | DKV Integral Plus | 85,22 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | Adeslas Seniors | 103,00 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | Caser Integral Con copago limitado | 114,15 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | Aegon Salud Completo Copago | 117,51 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | FIATC Medifiatc | 127,09 €/month |
Health Insurance Cost for Seniors (Over 70)
| Type of Plan | Insurer Plan | Price (from) |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient – with copay | Caser Salud +60 | 50,00 €/month |
| Outpatient – with copay | Sanitas Único | 53,40 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | Adeslas Seniors | 133,00 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | Adeslas Plena Total Seniors | 164,00 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | FIATC Medifiatc | 169,06 €/month |
Health Insurance Cost for Single-Parent Families
| Type of Plan | Insurer Plan | Price (from) |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient – with copay | Adeslas Go | 37,80 €/month |
| Outpatient – with copay | FIATC Start | 40,50 €/month |
| Outpatient – with copay | Aegon Salud Básico | 48,16 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | FIATC Medifiatc P15 | 67,49 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | Caser Integral Con copago limitado | 68,92 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | DKV Integral Classic | 99,48 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | FIATC Medifiatc | 103,00 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | DKV Integral Élite | 117,85 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | Caser Adapta + Dental | 124,06 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | Adeslas Plena Plus | 134,00 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | Sanitas Más Salud Familias | 134,19 €/month |
Prices calculated for a family consisting of one parent aged 38 and one child aged 6.
Health Insurance Cost for Young Families with a Small Child
| Type of Plan | Insurer Plan | Price (from) |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient – with copay | Adeslas Go | 56,70 €/month |
| Outpatient – with copay | FIATC Start | 61,60 €/month |
| Outpatient – with copay | Aegon Salud Básico | 72,24 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | FIATC Medifiatc P15 | 104,75 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | Caser Integral Con copago limitado | 109,84 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | DKV Integral Classic | 171,54 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | Sanitas Más Salud Familias | 182,27 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | DKV Integral Élite | 203,20 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | Adeslas Plena Plus | 206,00 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | Caser Adapta + Dental | 208,26 €/month |
Prices calculated for a family consisting of two parents aged 38 and one child aged 3.
Health Insurance Cost for Families with Teenagers
| Type of Plan | Insurer Plan | Price (from) |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient – with copay | Adeslas Go | 75,60 €/month |
| Outpatient – with copay | FIATC Start | 83,10 €/month |
| Outpatient – with copay | Aegon Salud Básico | 102,58 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | FIATC Medifiatc P15 | 136,79 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | Caser Integral Con copago limitado | 148,77 €/month |
| Comprehensive – with copay | DKV Integral Classic | 214,65 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | Sanitas Más Salud Familias | 237,58 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | DKV Integral Élite | 254,28 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | Caser Adapta + Dental | 259,41 €/month |
| Comprehensive – no copay | Adeslas Plena Plus | 277,20 €/month |
Prices calculated for a family consisting of two parents aged 48, one child aged 17 and one child aged 14.
Frequently asked questions about health insurance costs in Spain
Does health insurance cost increase every year in Spain?
Yes. In Spain, private health insurance premiums are typically reviewed once a year at renewal. Increases generally range between 3% and 8%, depending on the insurer, the general inflation in healthcare costs, and your age at renewal. Some insurers guarantee a fixed price during the first year of the contract. As a general rule, the older you are, the more noticeable the annual increase tends to be.
Is there a waiting period, and does it affect the value of what I pay?
Yes. Most Spanish private health insurance policies include a waiting period (periodo de carencia) — a window after signing up during which certain coverages are not yet active. Common examples are:
- Surgery and hospitalisation: typically 6 to 8 months
- Maternity and childbirth: usually 8 to 10 months
- Certain specialist consultations: 1 to 3 months
- Emergencies and primary care: usually active from day one
This does not affect the monthly price you pay, but it does affect the real value of your policy in the early months. If you need surgery soon after arriving in Spain, it is worth checking each insurer's specific waiting period terms before signing up.
Does having or not having a NIE affect the price of health insurance?
Having a NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero) does not directly affect the price of your health insurance policy. However, some insurers require a Spanish identification number to process the contract, which in practice means that not having a NIE can limit which insurers you can sign up with — even if the price itself would be the same. If you do not yet have a NIE, it is worth checking with the insurer or using a comparison service before applying.
Can I switch health insurance providers in Spain, and is there a cost?
Yes, you can switch providers. In Spain, private health insurance contracts are typically annual, and you can cancel at the end of each year by giving written notice — usually at least one month before the renewal date. There is generally no financial penalty for switching, but you should check your specific policy terms. Keep in mind that if you switch, you may face new waiting periods with the new insurer, depending on the plan and your health history.
How much does it cost to add or remove someone from a family health insurance policy?
Adding an additional adult to an existing policy will increase your monthly premium by roughly the equivalent of an individual plan for that person's age. However, children are often significantly cheaper — some insurers include the first child free of charge, and others apply reduced rates for minors under a certain age (typically under 14 or 18). Removing a person from the policy, for example if a family member returns to their home country, is generally straightforward and is processed at the next renewal, reducing your premium accordingly.