Spain Digital Nomad Visa Income in 2026: Why Figures Differ
You may find two different monthly amounts when researching Spain’s Digital Nomad route in 2026. The useful response is to check the underlying wage basis and the office handling the application, rather than choosing the smaller number.
Start here
The rule is expressed as a percentage of SMI. Spain’s 2026 minimum wage is €1,221 monthly with a €17,094 annual floor. €2,442 is twice €1,221; €2,849 spreads twice the annual amount across 12 months. Confirm the required approach for your procedure.
Where the two headline amounts come from
Royal Decree 126/2026 sets the 2026 minimum wage at €1,221 per month and an annual minimum of €17,094. Multiplying the monthly figure by 200% produces €2,442. Dividing the annual amount by 12 and then multiplying by 200% produces €2,849.
Those are two different calculations from the same wage figures. They are not two different service prices or a choice of visa package. An annualised planning amount should be labelled as such, rather than presented as a quotation from every consular office.
Read the current instructions for your application
At the time of this article, the Washington consulate’s Telework visa page publishes €2,442 for the main applicant. UGE’s documentation expresses the requirement as a percentage of the current SMI. The current English FAQ also refers to €1,221 as the SMI.
This leaves an important practical question about the applicable wage basis and evidence. Chapter uses the annualised amount as its preliminary planning reference. That does not establish a universal official euro threshold. Ask the legal provider to confirm the figure for your filing route, date and household before relying on a result.
Calculate family additions on the same basis
The published framework adds 75% of SMI for the first accompanying family member and 25% for each further one. Do not combine a main-applicant number calculated on one basis with family additions calculated on another.
For example, using an annualised SMI of €1,424.50, one main applicant and one family member give an unrounded monthly planning amount of €3,917.375. Our calculator rounds the final monthly result upward to cents, €3,917.38, and shows the calculation basis. This illustrates arithmetic, not an eligibility decision.
Ask what proves the resources, not just what total to enter
Income needs an evidence trail. Identify the contract, gross payment amounts, pay frequency, currency and matching receipts. For variable income or a shortfall supported by other liquid resources, ask how the current official documentation applies to the actual file.
Do not silently combine a spouse’s salary, your company turnover and your personal savings into one figure. Explain who owns the funds and their source. A calculator cannot decide which resources qualify, how foreign currency should be evidenced or whether the working relationship meets the route requirements.
Use the discrepancy to improve your questions
Before filing, record the authority, source link, date checked, required period and wage basis. If two sources disagree, keep both links and ask for a written explanation of the amount used in your file.
The free calculator below is designed to make that conversation easier. It does not submit financial information, store your income or replace professional assessment. Keep a margin for currency movements and separate the resource requirement from application expenses.
Official sources and useful checks
Prepared by Chapter Spain. Updated . General planning information; your legal provider confirms the individual application plan.
- BOE: 2026 minimum wage, Royal Decree 126/2026
- UGE: main applicant documents
- UGE: international teleworker FAQs (English)
- Spanish Consulate in Washington: Telework visa
Consular arrangements and evidence requirements can change. Check the relevant authority’s current instructions before ordering time-sensitive documents.