It is never easy to make a leap of faith and move to an entirely new place. Now, there could be several motives for why we should do it. We could get a new exciting job opportunity, a chance to finish our studies in another country. Maybe you are retiring or following someone in their reasons for moving. Whatever the cause of the move is, living somewhere new is both a terrifying and compelling idea. But where should our new home be?
What countries are good destinations for moving, and why? Well, if you are considering Spain to be the chosen land of your dreams. Maybe we can help in making a decision. If you have already made a decision, and the only worry left is how to do it. In any case, let us give some pros and cons to living in Spain.
Pros:
1. Costs of living
When it comes to the costs of living – if we compare Spain to the most expensive cities in Europe or the United States of America, everyone will be very satisfied with what they see. Especially true if we look at most of Spain, but still holding up when we look at Madrid and Barcelona, which are the most expensive in the country. Rents, utilities, transportation, and food – everything is affordable, and this is a huge reason why you should move to Spain. The only con might be the price and demand for apartments in the center of large cities. The demand for them is pretty great, and no place will be on the market for long. So if you really want to live in the center of Madrid, don’t take too much time thinking about buying or renting a place.
2. Coastal cities and the weather
Spain has a temperate climate that we should not compare to some other European countries, especially the ones more to the north. Winters exist, of course, but they are still pleasant, just not going to the beach perfect. Sunny days will be the norm for most of the year, and if you are lucky enough to be in the vicinity of beaches, then it is very likely you will not regret coming to Spain. So we would recommend heavily moving to the coastal region if you are a fan of this lifestyle. There is only one flaw, and that is that lot of people might think the same as this. Maybe this is a common problem around the world, but Spain also suffers from very crowded areas. Coastal cities tend to be a bit too enjoyable, which attracts a lot of people.
3. Spaniards and culture
So what kind of life do Spaniards enjoy living? They tend to be laid-back and relaxed. Being nice and friendly seems to be a theme among them. English is also pretty widespread, so not knowing Spanish is not too much of a problem when you arrive. If you are used to everyone minding only their own business and being cold to everyone, Spain might even be a bit of a culture shock for you. But it will be a change that everyone will adapt to easily.
A possible problem might be long lines. It will be quite common that you will wait in queues for pretty much anything that needs to be taken care of. You will surely appreciate the locals being friendly then. Food is also rather delightful to most palates. Now some things might be strange to people. Everyone here greets people pretty friendly and with physical touch. The pandemic might have changed that tough. Meals might be different than what we are used to. Lunch is the main meal, whereas breakfast and dinner tend to be a bit lighter.
Cons:
1. Healthcare
Now that we mentioned the pandemic, maybe we should say a word about the healthcare system. Spain has a universal healthcare system, and it is quite top-notch. No matter what country you are coming from, either expect to be as safe as in your previous habitation or look forward to an improvement. Either foreigner or native, Health System is available to you, so no worries.
Naturally, for foreigners, we are talking about those that have a job in Spain. But everyone has a right to healthcare in emergency cases. Private insurances are also available if you want to be particularly safe. But the public system is not that much behind the private sector anyway. However, if anyone is coming from the US, inform yourself. All four models of visas need overseas insurance from a firm that can work in this country. So make sure to check this out if you want to use your insurance.
2. Safety issues
Generally speaking, Spain is a very safe country. Major crimes and terrorist attacks exist but are only a statistical threat. Of course, that makes a lot of sense, since we mentioned they are very friendly here. Most standard communication with members of police that you might have will be about noise complaints. Spaniards tend to be a bit loud when celebrating. And they do enjoy their fiestas.
The only common problem and criminal activity that might prove problematic to anyone is pickpocketing. Usual targets are obvious – tourists in the most crowded areas and metro. So it’s really nothing unusual or out of the ordinary for larger cities and tourist attractions around the world. When we talk about the metro, public transportation is quite good in Spain, and there are special discounts for people younger than 26 and older than 65.
Summing up
So as we saw there are many good reasons why we should all consider moving to Spain. Just for a while to enjoy ourselves a little, or for a long term residency. Buying properties in Spain is not difficult at all, so don’t bother yourself with complicated legal matters. The biggest and most important decision to be made is not whether to move to Spain, but what place in Spain is an ideal place for me.
If you still need more information, here you can find out more about all the tips and best practices when moving to Spain.
