Have you been toying with the idea of moving to Spain and want to be aware of all the aspects, besides the idealised things you might see online? Well, look no further! I have been living in Valencia, Spain for more than a year and I will let you know all the secrets from the inside!
The paperwork is no joke
The paperwork is no joke, no matter where you are coming from. If you are a EU citizen, moving to Spain migh be a slightly easier process, but it still requires a handful of documents, nerves and information. Once you get the hang of it, it won’t seem so daunting, so be kind to yourself in the process.
The most important document you will need as a foreigner in Spain is the NIE number. You will use it for everything, from the most important aspects as renting, setting up utilities, opening up a bank account, up to the most mundane things such as receiving a package.
You will need at least a basic level of Spanish before moving to Spain
For some people it might seem like common sense, for some not and that’s okay. You need a basic level of Spanish for many things. I often encountered people that do not speak English or if they do, they prefer not to try due to its low level. You might find that true for yourself if your Spanish isn’t as strong.
You will need to know Spanish for many things, such as setting up the previosly mentioned paperwork, for some restaurants and cafes (especially the local ones), and to integrate in society of course! I highly recommend learning as much as you can before moving. It will make your life way easiear.
You might also need Spanish for some jobs, but the level required might be medium or high, if not fluent. But we will speak about it in the next point.
The job market is tough
While Spain excels in many categories (such as the quality of life and the medical system), the job market is not one of them. Many young people also choose to leave for other countries in the hope for better job opportunities. However, it is not impossible to find a job or to create an opportunity for yourself. You just need to be patient.
There are many multinational companies in Spain, most of them are located in Madrid and Barcelona. Some of them have offices in Valencia and Malaga. Many companies have the official language as English, so there are possibilities for finding a job with only this language, although a recruiter informed me that some hiring managers prefer people that also speak Spanish, even though it might not be a requirement for the role.
Teaching English as a language assistant or having au pair types of jobs seem to be very popular options as well.
The salaries are low
If you manage to find a job, you will not not be paid incredibly well, comparared to other european countries. But, on the other hand, the cost of living is also lower, so in a way, it shouldn’t be such a big issue. Although, with the increase in rent and property prices, it can be difficult to navigate. But we will speak about that also.
Renting an apartment is very difficult
If you want to rent an apartment, you need to be incredibly patient and dedicated. It’s a full-time job in cities such as Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. I can’t really speak for the availability of apartments in other smaller cities, but I assume the process at least is the same.
Many landlords have insurance for their apartments, so in order to be eligible to rent an apartment, you will need in most cases NIE, 3 payslips, work contract, and to have a salary that affords you to live comfortably (different insurances have different ways of calculating this). Some may accept savings as source of funds, but rather rarely.
Another matter to take into consideration is the fact that it it’s incredibly difficult to find an apartment to rent in big cities. It has gotten to the point that apartments are gone in only one day! That’s why you need to be armed with a lot of patience and dedication.
The main sites/apps to look for apartments are Idealista and Fotocasa. You can set up alerts for desired areas and budget (I highly recommend it). Once you see that an apartment has appeared, call the number listed, otherwise, you have almost no chance of talking with someone. Beware of scams and never pay for anything you haven’t seen in person!
Another important thing to note is that due to the high demand, the rent and property prices have gone up a lot in the past years and this is affecting locals drastictly. Try not to use airbnds or renting apartments for short term, as this only worsens the problem. Barcelona will actually ban all the sort term leases and airbnbs beggining November 2028, which speaks volumes to the amount of damange that this has caused to the locals. Another way you can help is by not overpaying ridiculos rent prices. Some people see foreigners and double the rent price to take advantage. Just do your research and if you are asking for help in any Facebook/Telegram groups don’t mention your budget.
Winters can be harsh
Another thing that took me by surprise is how winters are in Spain. Living in Valencia, on the Mediterranean coast, many apartments don’t have central heating. I thought that must be because they don’t need it, right? Right? Well, not really. Winters can get very cold, epecially on the inside of the apartments. I can truly say it’s warmer outside than it is on the inside. That is because the apartments are meant to keep all of the heat outside of the apartments, to protect you from the heat of the Spanish summers. It is not so bad, with AC or heaters, you can get by just fine, it was just surprising.
The Christmas is magical
Another misconception I had about Spain is that they might not care that much about Christmas. After all, when you are thinking of magical Christmas destinations, Spain isn’t really on your list, right? Well I am glad I was wrong on this one. Christmas decorations in Spain are really vibrant, abundant and the festivities are very nice! You can also see palm trees decorated with lights, which is very festive and different!
The sunshine is healing
That must be one of my favorite aspect about moving to Spain. Spain is a very sunny country and it has cities with over 320 days of sunshine, such as Valencia. It’s something so cool to be able to rely on sunshine to lift your mood regularly. You can also go on walks regularly and practice outside sports year-round!
Considering all these aspects, is it worth it?
In my opinion, yes. Spain is amazing, despite all the negative things that I just listed. You just have to truly know yourself and to be in touch with what is important to you! If you can get over these downsides and fully enjoy the good aspects of this, you are in for a treat!
I hope this post helped you in any way. If you have any questions about moving to Spain, kindly let me know.
You may also be interested in this blogpost I wrote about 10 exciting reasons to move to Valencia, Spain