Question
Please share your pros and cons of moving and living in Spain.
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
“Cons: I can’t get good Mexican food here. Pros: Everything else.”
“Cons: Bureaucracy. Pros: Everything else.”
“The Mexican food here is terrible.”
“Cons: bureaucracy and none existant customer service.Pros: Everything else.”
“Pros: I no longer live in the U.S. and I live in a country with a much better way of life.Cons: None”
“Pro: It isn’t America! Con: I got nothin’.”
“Food, wine, taxes are much lower than what we paid in NY. Gasoline is about 2-3 times more expensive and some American product brands. Rentals are a bargain. Buying property is also a good value.”
“Numbeo and other web sites compare costs of living in different places in the world.”
“No Dim sum”
“There are cons and pros in any country. I think it depends and your needs and lifestyle.”
“Cons: I don’t like their apartment buildings. They look so ugly and sad (to me). And there are tons pf them. The streets are not clean. Lots of smoking around. Fried or breaded food. Cold in the winter.”
“For me the amount of government control and endless bureaucracy is the worst thing. Besides that it’s a great place to live. Of course it depends on the need to work or not to work also.”
“I’ve been in Girona about 6 months and have no regrets so far.I pretty much agree about the bureaucracy, but I just figure that it will take a lot of time and some confusion to get anything done. When it matters, I just hire someone (lawyer, tax expert, etc.); fees are quite reasonable, and it takes a load off my mind.I have not tried any Mexican restaurant yet, but am now curious. There is an empanada take out run by an Argentine couple around the corner that has great empanadas. Also, I’ve found a decent quiche restaurant and a good crepe one (not exactly sampling Catalan cuisine, but I’ll get to it eventually).Art, music, more music, all kinds of outdoor things to do with lots of good weather for doing them. People are friendly, but you need to break the ice. As far as customer service goes, I have found it to be hit and miss, with small local shops almost always giving good service.Dirty streets? I live in the old section, which is the tourist center, so it is kept very clean. I’ve seen some trash in other neighborhoods, but not a lot.In short, love it. Pretty much all pros.”
“Pros: low cost of living, amazing food, great people, and you’re somewhat insulated from American political insanityCons: Low wages, high electricity and gas prices, and you have to deal with Spanish political insanity which is similar to the US but less shooty looty and burny”
“I think Spanish politics are much worse than the US. Spain does not happen to have the same weight over the whole world as the US, but if I had to live there, I would be crying every day. I’m glad I only go during the summer and come back. I’m talking about Catalunya. It’s pretty insane.”
“I visit end of 2019, Seville, Malaga and Madrid.It is clean country, but old and rich in history. I love it. One thing they know how to eat pork. They are porky, religious and good in live sports. You must know Spanish, otherwise, can’t enjoy.”
“Pros: I moved and live in Spain. Cons: None. Life is a balance of both and I find that the scales tilt to Spain. I’m very happy here.”
“Cons, any delivery service or customer service, at times borderline rude. cost of electricity if you are used to running ac and heater without worries horrible bureaucracy that seem to make up the rules as they go, and average of small homes in average vs Houston but that is kinda expected.. For positives… Calm life, relaxing most of the time vs US rushed and pushy lifestyle and relatively inexpensive with amazing places to visit and live in, we are in Malaga area, Benalmádena.”
“I love it here (live in Galicia). Pros: clean, cost of living, work-to-live attitude. Cons: smoking, no thrift shops (what do they do with used furniture/household goods?), good Asian cuisine.”
“Cons more or less none, live near malaga”
“25 years in Madrid….no complaint.”
“Pros: A much better quality of life. Con: you’d wish you had done it sooner.”
“Learning the language…to manage the bureaucracy…that’s the key. Cultural differences can make adjustment difficult. Noisy neighbors and late night activities….but certainly not a deal breaker. The climate and cost of living are the pros!”
“The pro is the same as the con – lack of consumer culture. Mostly great, but do sometimes miss convenience of Whole Foods, target, and the incredible diversity of products available in UD”
“No jobs unless you already have one. If you are middle age, better to stay in US. Spain is mostly for retirees.”
“Pros: Quality of life in general is superior, safer, no guns, economic health care and education, less consumer culture….. Cons: If you don’t have a job, it may be hard to get one.”
“Con: the electricity bill!”
“(Opinion like Spanish that I am)Advantages: Gastronomy, history, climate … and we are very friendly peopleCons: recently the price of electricity has risen a lot and gasoline too, and we have some political ass****s like in the rest of the world”
“Taxes, you will probably need professional help to deal with them!”
