Digital Nomad Visa + Cost-of-Living Calculator
Check whether your remote income clears a digital nomad visa’s minimum — and what life there actually costs per month, per year, and with an emergency buffer.
The Steps
How to use this calculator
0 of 7 steps
- Before You Go 1–2 hours
Pick your destination and visa
Each country runs its own digital nomad visa — Portugal D8, Spain Digital Nomad Visa, Italy, Estonia, Croatia, Greece, UAE Virtual Working Programme, and others — with different income thresholds, durations, and tax rules. Shortlist one before running numbers.
Click to mark as done
- Fill / Prepare 30 min
Confirm the visa income threshold
Find the current minimum monthly income from the consulate or immigration authority — it is usually a multiple of the national minimum wage, so it moves when the wage moves. Portugal D8 (2026): 4× the minimum wage ≈ €3,680/month. Spain (2026): 200% of the minimum wage ≈ €2,849/month. Convert to USD at your bank’s rate and enter it.
Click to mark as done
- Fill / Prepare 30 min
Price your monthly life
Enter realistic monthly costs for your destination city — rent, utilities + internet + phone, food, transport, health insurance, and everything else. Use local rental listings and expat cost-of-living reports, not a global average: Lisbon rent and rural Portugal rent are different budgets.
Click to mark as done
- Fill / Prepare 5 min
Add visa fees and your emergency buffer
Enter annual visa + permit fees, and how many months of costs you want held as an emergency fund (3 months is a common floor — you are far from home with no local safety net).
Click to mark as done
- Fill / Prepare 2 min
Calculate: do you clear the bar?
Enter your figures in the calculator below — it checks your income against the visa minimum, totals your monthly and annual cost of living, shows your surplus and savings rate, and sizes your emergency fund.
Calculator
Digital Nomad Visa + Cost-of-Living Calculator
Check whether your remote income clears a digital nomad visa’s minimum — and what life there actually costs per month, per year, and with an emergency buffer.
Total monthly cost of living
—
Monthly surplus (income − costs)
—
Visa income check
—
Annual cost of living
—
Emergency fund target
—
Savings rate
—
Estimate only. Estimate only. Visa thresholds are set by each country and move with minimum-wage changes — confirm the current figure, currency, and whether it is gross or net with the consulate before applying. Cost-of-living figures are your own estimates; rent and insurance vary widely by city. This is not immigration or tax advice — tax residency rules (often 183 days) vary by country. Source: Portugal vs Spain digital nomad visa thresholds, 2026 (reported; confirm with the consulate)
Click to mark as done
- Follow Up 2–4 weeks
Apply with proof of income
Consulates typically want contracts plus matching bank statements over the last 3–6 months showing consistent remote income, not a single closing balance. Portugal also expects savings (12× the minimum wage ≈ €11,040 for a single applicant in 2026) in a Portuguese bank account at the residence-permit stage.
Click to mark as done
- Follow Up 2–4 weeks
Sort tax residency before you go
Staying past a country’s residency threshold (often 183 days) can make you tax-resident there, and some visas come with special tax regimes (Portugal IFICI, Spain Beckham Law) with strict deadlines. Get tax advice before the move, not after.
Click to mark as done
Legal basis
Official rules
Visa thresholds below are 2026 figures tied to national minimum wages — they move when the wage moves. The calculator takes the threshold as your input, so it stays right even when a country raises theirs.
Portugal D8 (2026): minimum income of 4× the Portuguese minimum wage — about €3,680/month for the main applicant — plus savings of about €11,040 (12× the minimum wage). Family: roughly +50% of the minimum wage for a spouse, +30% per child. Apply at a Portuguese consulate, then convert to a residence permit through AIMA.
Source: Portugal D8 requirements, 2026 (reported; confirm with the consulate)
Spain Digital Nomad Visa (2026): minimum income of 200% of the Spanish minimum wage (SMI) — about €2,849/month for the main applicant, plus 75% of the SMI for the first dependent and 25% for each further one. Requires a degree or 3+ years of relevant experience and at least 3 months working for the current foreign employer/client. Applications can be filed at a consulate or from within Spain via the UGE.
Source: Spain digital nomad visa requirements, 2026 (reported; confirm with the consulate)
Italy Digital Nomad Visa: minimum income of at least €24,789.93 per year (about €2,066/month), set by law at 3× the healthcare-exemption threshold. Applicants must qualify as highly skilled workers.
Source: Italy digital nomad visa threshold, 2026 (reported; confirm with the consulate)
Health insurance is a standard requirement: Schengen destinations typically require private cover of at least €30,000. The calculator takes your own insurance cost — confirm the coverage minimum for your destination.
Source: Portugal D8 / Spain DNV document checklists (reported; confirm with the consulate)
Thresholds above are 2026 figures tied to national minimum wages, which rise most years. A threshold quoted in one year’s guide can be out of date the next — always confirm the current figure, currency, and gross-vs-net basis with the consulate before applying.
Source: Consulate of your destination country (confirm before applying)
Where no official English page publishes a rule, we cite the law itself by name and article, and link the law text or the labour authority's own reporting — labelled as such. Rates and thresholds are as stated for the date shown; always confirm against the official source before acting.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a digital nomad visa?
A residence permit that lets you live in a country while working remotely for clients or an employer based elsewhere. It is not a work permit for the local job market — your income must come from outside the country. Most last 1–3 years and are renewable.
How much income do I need for a digital nomad visa?
It depends on the country — each sets its own threshold, usually as a multiple of its national minimum wage. 2026 examples: Portugal D8 ≈ €3,680/month (4× minimum wage), Spain ≈ €2,849/month (200% of the minimum wage), Italy ≈ €2,066/month (€24,789.93/year). Thresholds move with minimum-wage changes — confirm the current figure with the consulate.
Does the threshold use gross or net income?
It depends on the country. Most (including Portugal and Spain) test gross income; Greece tests net income, which is a higher bar in practice. Ask the consulate which figure it uses before you apply.
Do I need savings on top of income?
Some countries do. Portugal expects savings of about €11,040 (12× the minimum wage) for a single applicant at the residence-permit stage. Spain does not mandate a separate savings deposit for standard approvals. Check your destination’s rules.
Can I bring my family?
Most nomad visas allow dependents, with a higher income threshold per person. Portugal adds roughly 50% of the minimum wage for a spouse and 30% per child; Spain adds 75% of the minimum wage for the first dependent and 25% for each further one (2026 figures — confirm current amounts).
Will I pay tax in the destination country?
Possibly. Many countries treat 183+ days of presence as tax residency, and freelancers may owe local social security too. Some offer special regimes for newcomers with deadlines measured in months. Get advice from a tax adviser familiar with both countries before you move.
Is this immigration advice?
No. This calculator is informational only, not immigration, tax, or legal advice. Visa rules change — confirm thresholds, documents, and tax treatment with the consulate and a qualified adviser before applying.
Related
Related guides & calculators
A different long-stay path — study in the US, with its own funds proof.
Planning to study instead of working remotely? Total the full cost and payback.
Earning as a freelancer? Work out the rate that actually pays you.