Pros and Cons of Living in Spain

Positive and negative aspects of moving to Spain

Millions of people visit Spain every year. And many of them are so enchanted by this country that they decide to move here. You can understand everyone - there is sun, sea, beach, a large number of architectural sights - everything a tourist who comes here dreams of! So why not move and live where people come to holiday. Many advise not to rush, think, carefully study and consider every moment accompanying the move. That it is one thing to have a holiday in Spain (as well as in another resort country), and another thing to live here, in the land of eternal rest.

So why is Spain so popular?

There are a lot of positive and negative nuances, after considering them, you can roughly understand whether or not life in another country and with a different mentality is suitable for you. Of course, there are more positive aspects:

Climate

Of course, this is one of the biggest reasons why people are keen to move here. The south of Spain is well suited to those who like a lot of sunshine. There are 320 days of sunshine a year and rain is rare. Summers are hot, winters are short and not cold, which is a big plus. On the Mediterranean coast natives from northern countries even in winter are dressed in shorts and T-shirts, although the Spaniards themselves dress warmer. The north of Spain will appeal to those who like a temperate climate. Summers here are warm, in winter - the temperature very rarely drops below zero. The sky is often covered with clouds and rain is not a rare guest here. But thanks to this climate, the north of Spain is famous for another advantage - its lush vegetation and magnificent nature.

Sea and beaches

Another very important advantage of Spain is the Mediterranean Sea and the presence of beaches marked with blue flags (for clean water and safe bathing). This alone cancels out the question ‘Why Spain?’. To live near the sea is a dream of many since childhood.

Products

The availability of a large selection of fresh fruit and vegetables all year round cannot fail to please a person thinking of moving. There is a wide variety of high quality produce to suit all tastes and colours. Thanks to the gifts given by the fertile Spanish land and sea, the average life expectancy is now 83 years. And as the Spaniards assure us, it is increasing every year.

Standard of living

Compared to other European countries, Spain has a high standard of living. This is due to stable incomes, relatively low housing and food costs (again compared to the rest of Europe), social security and affordable health care.

Safety

Spain is considered one of the safest countries in Europe, whether you are travelling or living here. The country is very strictly monitored and, in case of even a small incident, they react quickly and coherently. At night, you can safely go out for a walk without worrying about anything. This is important, and it is.

Spanish lifestyle

The Spanish are a friendly people. The warm and favourable climate has made their lives measured and unhurried. The locals like to party, talk loudly and put off necessary things ‘for tomorrow’ or even ‘the day after tomorrow’. Here on Sunday the shops are closed, everywhere has a two-hour (or even longer) lunch break (siesta) and most restaurants also have their own meal schedule. At first you don't understand it, don't accept it and consider it a disadvantage of living in Spain, but with time it is perceived as a norm. After all, it is thanks to such qualities that Spain has a friendly atmosphere and the majority of newcomers to this wonderful country feel at home here after a couple of months.

Multinationality

Just like us, people from other countries also want to live here and enjoy the Spanish sun, so the population of Madrid, Catalonia and the South of Spain is quite diverse. Contrary to the belief that Russian speakers can be found everywhere, statistics show that citizens from Latin America, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe migrate to Spain much more than others. This can be both a plus (the others are expats like us) and a minus - not all citizens from other countries are as friendly and helpful as native Spaniards.

Large number of tourists in summer

When you're getting used to a new place, you forget that you've ever come to Spain on holiday. Especially in summer, during the holidays, there are a lot of people here. On the beaches, in restaurants, in shops, in cultural places, in parks - people who have come on holiday try to be everywhere at once. And it's great! It's not a disadvantage of living in Spain, it's just a fact that you get used to when you live here.

The need to learn a language

As soon as you make a clear decision to move, you need to start learning the language. Everyone knows this, and there is no escaping it. The internet is full of good materials for this. But there is one small nuance. The official language in all of Spain is Spanish - castellano. But along with it, in some autonomous communities there is a second language, which also has the status of official. Catalonia and the Balearic Islands speak Catalan, and on the territory of Valencia - Valencian, which is a variety of Catalan. In Galicia, in addition to Castellano, the population often uses Galician to communicate. And in the Basque Country the second official language is Basque. Of course, learning only Castellano will be enough, but if you plan to study or work in state institutions, be prepared to need this language as well.

Cold in flats in winter

The coldest months of the year are January and February. In the north of Spain, not all, but many houses have central or individual heating (where you can regulate the room temperature yourself). But the rest of the regions can not boast of it. That's why air conditioner and electric heaters help a lot to warm up rooms, and dehumidifiers - to remove excessive moisture. But mould due to the lack of heating is common here, and it is unpleasant. But you get used to it and try to learn from the experience of people who have lived here for a long time.

Electricity price

It is very cold in winter and too hot in summer. And again air conditioner comes to our aid and now cools the flat. Unfortunately, electricity is not cheap here, and when you use heating and cooling devices, it is very expensive.

These last two points still can't outweigh the happiness of what such a beautiful country Spain offers us!