10 solid reasons why living in Spain is a good idea

Living in Spain is great for expats who want a low cost of living, great quality of life and food, a community, and access to great places.

Shreya

6 minute read

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Updated on 26 Aug 2024

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Moving

On the fence about moving to Spain? We get it. Moving abroad is a big decision. Find out what the 5,542,932 expats love about living in Spain.

We’ll just say this.

Who doesn’t want to live in a country that has a great quality of life, welcomes you with open arms, and has an overall great diversity of incredible places?

Here’re 3 obvious and unarguable reasons to live in Spain.

1. Community- Spanish people are generally seen as very warm and welcoming. They certainly put a lot of emphasis on establishing strong bonds. This translates into a culture where people value having a good time and a great social life. As an expat, you can easily find locals who’re eager to make you feel at home. Or you can join local expat events via websites, such as Meetup or join Facebook groups, such as Barcelona Expats. In short, you’ll have a great social life if you’re open to integrating and enjoying life like the locals.

2. Incredible places- Spain has something for everyone. From the north to the south, you’ve got miles long coast-line dotted with cosy fishing villages. In the south you’ll find Tenerife in the Canary Islands and Palma in the Balearic Islands. Here you can marvel at Gaudi’s work on La Seu cathedral.

   The north is great for those wanting to have a cooler summer, do some hikes, and relish the rugged coastline. For instance, in Galicia you’ll find beautiful cliffs by the beach and the endpoint for those on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. If you prefer more modernity, you can visit Bilbao and enjoy the green mountains, the skyscrapers in the city, and the Guggenheim museum for some modern and contemporary art.

   For culture lovers, you can enjoy Flamenco on the streets of Seville's beautiful neighborhoods, in the south-west. Or visit the south to admire the Alhambra in Granda where you can feast your eyes on the palaces, the ancient baths, and the captivating gardens.

   In the east, you can find the big cities such as Barcelona and Valencia. For the city and architecture lover, you can visit the Valencia’s Arts & Sciences building which houses an opera house, planetarium, movie theatre, and an interactive science museum. Also check out the Alameda station for some architectural inspiration! Plus, both Barcelona and Valencia are home to many colourful festivals and events throughout the year.

   If you prefer some tranquility and want to experience remoteness of the countryside, visit the west of Spain. In places like Extremadura, you’ll find yourself surrounded by simple life, castles, ruins, and charming villages.

3. Quality of life- Spain has a high quality of life. The sun shines almost 320 days a year, which induces a good mood, encourages most locals to walk, and spend a lot of time outdoors, whether it’s by the beach, terraces, or mountains. This along with the healthy Mediterranean diet and the free-healthcare system ensures you’ll have a hearty and healthy time! If that’s not enough, the laid-back and social atmosphere definitely contributes to a good quality of life for expats.

Now, there’re some very popular reasons to move to and live in Spain. For instance, sandy beaches, the slow siestas, or the super warm summers. But this might not be for everyone. So before you make the move to Spain, find out below if moving to Spain is a good idea for you.

1. Cheap cost of living- The cost of living for 1 person's approximately €900 per month, which's cheaper compared to other popular EU countries such as Germany or Denmark. That's great news not only for students and retirees but also for working expats because the average monthly salary in Spain is €2,250.

While you might be screaming “Let’s move to Spain!”, it’s good to know that this lower cost of living also means a lower salary compared to other EU countries. But that shouldn’t matter much as long as you’re able to save and enjoy life in Spain.

2. Beaches- Spain not only has 5,000 kilometres of coastline but also the most blue-flag beaches in the world. They’ve held the status of pristine beaches with impeccable environmental standards for 30 years in a row! With so many beaches, it’s understandable why this's an irresistible reason to move to Spain for many expats.

   But if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t like sand, can’t sit still, or hates sunbathing, then don’t worry, Spain still has a lot more variety for you. You can live in the centre of Spain where people are more likely to enjoy city activities. Or you can move to the countryside or live in the north by the lush green mountains.

3. Warm weather- Spain's kept nice and warm thanks to the Mediterranean, intercontinental and maritime climate. Southern Spain will be heaven for those wanting sunny weather 300+ days a year. If the heat isn't for you, you can move North, towards Galicia or Asturias, and you’ll get to enjoy a humid summer along with rainfall and a mild winter, thanks to the mountains.

   For early risers or those who love hustling, the climate will indirectly and negatively affect your lifestyle. The warmth means a late start to the day, a long afternoon break, and a late end to the workday. Similarly, in August, most of the country is shut down because of the summer break. So if you don’t plan things well, your work will be slowed down if you’re dependent on others.

4. Siestas- Siesta, the wonderful time between 14:00 - 16:00 where people prioritise relaxing and family time. While it may take a while to get used to, you’ll come to love siestas. You can do whatever you want, including napping, running errands, visiting the gym, or being at home with family. It’s your time.

   If you’re impatient and prefer finishing work early instead of at 20:00, you’ll find it hard to adjust to the slow pace of life in Spain or even become irritable.

5. Love food & drinks- You can of course try the national dish Paella and the ever-present Jamon Iberico (top-quality ham), Gazpacho (cold soup), or the Tortilla Españalo (Spanish omelette) throughout the country. But you’ll also get to enjoy a tonne of yummy regional cuisines in Spain. You can try Fabada, a bean stew from Asturias, Boquerones in Aragon, Puchero in Canary Islans, Escalivada in Catalonia, Rabo de Toro in Seville and much more. Apart from this, you can also enjoy the fresh produce from the local weekly markets.

   While this sounds fantastic to many, you should also know that Spanish people follow the Mediterranean diet and eat fresh and seasonal food. This means that you might not get a lot of the ingredients or find very expensive ingredients if they aren't in season. Similarly, other than in the big cities, you might struggle to find international cuisines. If that’s something you enjoy and need, this could be an issue for you.

6. Fiestas- Spanish people love to enjoy life and socialise. This's especially evident during fiestas when they are celebrating occasions and partying it up. Fiestas, such as the Fallas Festival in Valencia or the Jerez Flamenco Festival, are a great way to experience local celebrations and make new friends.

   But these fiestas and generally any after-work social events start late and go on until the wee hours of the morning. When you combine warm summer nights and loud streets, it results in a bad night’s sleep. So if you’re not keen on joining the celebrations and prefer tranquillity, then Spain might not be for you. Unless you want to give up the convenience of living in the city and move to the countryside, which's often quiet throughout the year.

7. Speak Spanish- If you’re a language buff or just want to add another language to your skills, then moving to Spain is a great idea. Spanish's a Latin language and has many similarities with English (at least phonetically), French and Italian. With a little effort towards learning the grammar, you’ll be speaking one of the most beautiful languages in the world. It also helps that most Spanish people will encourage and appreciate you speaking in Spanish.

   But if you struggle to learn languages or are not interested in learning Spanish at all, then life in Spain will be difficult. You’ll find it hard to navigate regular life, integrate with society, or even find a job outside of the tourism and English teaching professions.

You tell us.

While all these reasons tug at the heartstrings of many, we’ve also curated a list of not so obvious reasons to move to Spain. Find out the many practical advantages of moving to Spain, such as easy visa applications, tax reliefs for expats, top-notch healthcare, and more.