Where should you move to in Spain?
Here are the best hints & top tips just for you to help you decide.

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For the conversational facts, carry on reading…

Skatz: Where should you move to in Spain?

Walter: I dream of living by the beach!

Tommy: I dream of beer!

S: Ah, lovely dreams, and that’s just one out of many things you need to consider when you’re thinking about where to live.

W: My heart is next to the sea, but I like mountains too.

S: That’s a good start. Have a think about where you would feel most comfortable and happy.

T: In the pub! 

S: That doesn’t narrow it down very much, there are bars everywhere.

T: A British pub!

S: Now that does narrow it down, because you’re looking for a place with either plenty of expats living there or a popular place for British tourists. Or both.

W: Benidorm!

S: Exactly, there are lots of places, especially on the coast from Benidorm on the Costa Blanca right the way round and down to the end of the Costa del Sol with expat communities. And that’s an important thing you should consider, do you want to be surrounded by Brits or other expats, or do you want to be part of a Spanish community, or a mixture of both?

W: I’d like a bit of both, my Spanish isn’t very good yet and I’m a bit shy so it’s nice to be able to have people to talk to in English while I’m learning the language and finding my feet.

S: That sounds sensible. Learning the language is really important wherever you’re going to be moving to in Spain, and you should know that there are some other languages in Spain too.

T: Like what?

S: Well, there’s Catalan in the Catalonia region, there’s Valencian, which is kind of a Catalan variation, there’s Basque right up north on the French border, there’s Galician in the top left of the map of Spain, and there’s Aranese. Some of them are quite similar to Castilian, which is the proper name for the Spanish language, but if you’re going to be living in the regions that speak any of those languages and especially if you have children, you should really learn at least some of the local language too, otherwise you’ll never know whether your kids are swearing at you.

W: Don’t they speak Spanish there?

S: They all speak Castilian Spanish, but if you want to be respected by the locals, learn a few nice phrases in the local language and dialect, it’ll raise a smile and that’s worth a lot.

Now, what else should you be taking into account?

T: I take money into my account, my bank account, hur hur!

S: Very funny Tommy, but you have a good point there, how expensive is it to live in different places? You need somewhere you can afford, and house prices and bills and food vary an awful lot between cities and towns and villages. 

T: I like Madrid!

S: That’s the most expensive place in Spain to live, but it’s cheaper than London for example. I tell you what, let’s look at a few cities and compare them, and that will make you narrow down what you’re looking for.

The big cities in Spain are all quite unique, they have their own character and attract different kinds of people, so consider what kind of a lifestyle you want and what appeals to you most. The best thing to do is visit a few of the cities and see which one grabs your heart. 

T: I don’t like Barcelona! Too many funny buildings.

S: Barcelona is definitely unique, if you’re into architecture and colour and vibrancy then that’s the city to live in. It’s got so much to offer. So if you like a busy lifestyle and Madrid is not your cup of tea, definitely try out Barcelona. They’ve both got a huge amount of historic buildings, museums, art galleries, parks, music concerts, theatre, so much to do.

T: I don’t want my kids living in a city. They’re too busy and dangerous.

S: There are areas of all big cities that are a bit scary like that, but both of these big cities have lots for children, including loads of international schools and there are suburbs that are beautiful and safe. Of course you need to have enough in the bank or a good job to live in the best suburbs. It’s very important to know your budget.

W: Are there any cities with a beach nearby? 

S: Yes, Barcelona has some great beaches. Madrid doesn’t because it’s right in the middle of Spain, but there are cities like Valencia, Alicante and Malaga that are right on the coast too with good beaches. 

Alicante is renowned for its white beaches, that’s why that piece of coastline is called the Costa Blanca.

W: Have they all got good weather?

S: They’re all on the Mediterranean coast so it’s pretty good in all of them. Barcelona can get a bit cooler because it’s further north, Alicante has got good weather all year round, more or less, Malaga too.

T: So which one is the best?

S: Like I said, it depends on your lifestyle, but if you look at the five cities I’ve mentioned in terms of cost of living, safety and where to find the most cosmopolitan population, usually Barcelona gets the top marks, but people who live in Madrid would probably disagree. They’re both expensive to rent property in, but still cheaper than a lot of the bigger cities in the UK for example. Food is cheaper here too. They’re both exciting places to work, Madrid has a lot of opportunities for English speaking people, Barcelona is great for digital nomads and entrepreneurs, especially when it comes to technology, and they’re both hubs for art and culture.

W: It’s so difficult to decide!

S: It is, that’s why it’s best to have a few trips at different times of year and it’s so important to look ahead and see not only what you need now as a person or a family, but what you see yourself doing in 5 or 10 years down the road. 

W: What about the smaller cities? 

S: Valencia is one of the cheapest, 

and because it’s smaller it’s easier to get around on foot. It’s also the home of paella, they love their food in Valencia. Cost of living is lower, rent is lower and there’s still a lot to do. Also it has international schools and apparently high-quality education, as well as it being the safest big city in Spain.

T: What about Malaga?

S: Well, now you’re talking, that’s one of my favourites, it’s a bit more laid back than the other cities, good beaches, great weather, lots of music and festivals, cheap public transport, loads of people come to Malaga to live, and it’s one of the cheapest and safest too. 

W: I thought you said Alicante was cheapest.

S: It is one of the cheapest cities yeah, rent is a bit cheaper than Malaga and it’s very easy going too, lots of expats from all over the place make their homes there.

W: Alright, that’s enough about cities, where else can I move to?

S: Okay, let’s do a top ten tips.

W: Number 1!

S: City or Town or Village or Campo!

W: What’s a campo?

S: That means the countryside. Lots of people dream about living there. So you need to think which one of those choices suits you best…

W: Number 2!

S: …and which choice suits you best depends a lot on whether you’re working or retired.

T: Why’s that?

S: If you’re working, you usually need to be in a place whether there are lots of clients for your business.

T: Unless you’re a digital nomad!

S: Yes, but even then you might need to be around others in your industry for face to face meetings during those long lunches. But if you can do without that, make sure you have a good enough internet connection where you’re moving to, those Zoom meetings need to be professional, and if you do occasionally need to visit real people, how far are you from an airport?

W: Number 3!

S: How far are you from an airport?

T: You just said that!

S: I did, and it’s important. Do you like to travel? Then you need to be near one of the bigger international airports like Madrid, Barcelona or Malaga.

W: I want my relatives to be able to visit me as well

S: Exactly, so put yourself within easy reach of the airport that your friends and relatives can fly to the easiest if that’s important to you.

W: Number 4!

S: Geography! Do you like mountains? Do you want to be on the coast, to be able to walk to the beach, do you like walking in the hills? 

Do you like skiing? Do you like forests or lakes? Do you want the lush green north with its changeable weather or the blazing hot southern cities of Seville or Cordoba, can you stand the heat?

W: Number 5!

S: Motorways! Transport is very important, Spain is a big country and even though you might think you just want to lay around in the sun in your quiet garden in the hills, you don’t want to be too far from decent roads, otherwise it’ll take you ages to get anywhere you might need to go.

W: I still haven’t been able to swap my driving licence!

S: So you’re stuck then?

W: Not really, that’s why I decided to live by the beach near the bus route, I don’t need to drive anywhere.

S: Good plan.

W: Number 6!

S: Amenities! It’s all very well being in the quietest valley with no neighbours disturbing your absolute tranquility, but what if you run out of something important.

T: Like beer!

S: Or basic foods like bread. And what if you want to go for a coffee or a drink and the nearest cafe or supermarket is a 20 minute drive down a winding track?

W: Number 7!

S: Medicine! Where’s your nearest chemist, do you need prescription medicine, where’s your nearest doctor or hospital, what happens if you get very ill?

W: Number 8!

S: Flamenco! If you like the deeply rooted gypsy flamenco culture, and the Moorish history and architecture, then you want to be near Granada.

W: Free tapas!

S: Yes indeed, and the whole of the Andalucia region of Spain is full of moorish influence, the white villages in the hills, the beautiful tiles and mosaics, the fountains, the palaces, and all of it is mixed up with the amazing churches and cathedrals from more recent times. All within sight of the mountains.

W: Number 9! We all love our children, and we need to make sure we’re thinking of them, that they have plenty of friends, be able to pick up Spanish quickly. How old are they going to be when you’re moving? Should you put them in an International school where they won’t have as many Spanish friends, or should you throw them in at the deep end into a Spanish school where they’ll become a part of the community quicker? Are they shy or gregarious, and are there enough activities to keep them busy?

W: Number 10!

S: Look ahead! Look forward 5 or 10 years and ask yourself where you see yourself. What do you want to be doing?

W: Sitting on the beach!

S: No change there.

T: I want my own pub!

S: It’s a very busy, tiring lifestyle Tommy, I thought you came here to retire and put your feet up?

T: I want a pub!

S: I think you just want to be in a pub really.

T: I want to be in a pub!

S: That’s more like it. Is there a hospital nearby?

T: Why do you ask?!

S: Because if you stay this angry and full of beer, you might be needing one sooner than you think.

T: I’ll go and phone an ambulance!

S: Get well soon Tommy. Peace and love everybody!

Article by Skatz, with a little help from Walter & Tommy.