Where people moving to Spain want to live: demand rank by nationality and visa type, 2021 to 2026 (My Spain Visa enquiry records)

Barcelona is the place people most often name when they write to My Spain Visa, an immigration law practice in Spain, about moving there, followed by Madrid and Valencia. The map changes with nationality. Americans name the big mainland cities first: Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, then Malaga and Alicante. British enquirers lean to the coast and the islands: after Barcelona come Mallorca, Tenerife, Alicante and Murcia, with Madrid only seventh. The visa changes the map too. In enquiries about the non-lucrative visa or retirement, Valencia is second, and Alicante and Malaga share third place, ahead of Madrid. In digital nomad and remote work enquiries Barcelona leads, with Valencia and Madrid level in second place. Students name Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia, with Seville and Granada also in their top 10. People asking about buying property name Valencia first. What is in this record: a ranking table (CSV) with the top 10 places named in My Spain Visa enquiry records from March 2021 to October 2026, for all enquiries, by nationality (United Kingdom, United States, Canada) and by visa topic, plus a README and a methodology note. We publish the order only, never the number of enquiries. A group needs at least 50 enquiries and a place at least 10 mentions to be ranked. These are places people named when they wrote to us, not confirmed moves. Our offices are in Barcelona, Marbella and Valencia, which may lift those three. Prepared by My Spain Visa, an immigration law practice in Spain led by Lucía Lagunas Reyes (Pamplona Bar Association, no. 2572). Data as of 28 October 2026. For city guides with official rents and visa thresholds, see myspainvisa.com.