Living in Spain - Spain expat survey results analysis

In this video I analyse and give my opinion on some of the results from a recent expat survey on Spain. Topics covered are quality of life, cost of living, education, general happiness, job security, the state of the economy and personal wealth.
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[@alvarogines6788]

been living at the states, norway, UK an spain. with a huge difference Spain has been the best place overall to live in

[@Souliban]

Alf The great after living in UK, France, Greece and Czech Republic....I'm totally agree with you... Spain by far.... Czech Republic pure shit

[@chuckdux]

Why do you choose Spain? Just curious

[@alvarogines6788]

Charlie Ryan1) individual liberty and not so many rules, 2)people(flexible way of thinking and warm in general), 3)reasonable cost of life for wages 4)variety in every sense(food, housing, people,etc). Second place Í love is southern US. Similar to Spain in every sense. Worst place is Norway ( lack of housing and industrial jobs, low quality of food, and the list goes on, o yeah and unfriendly people). UK is like in the middle....

[@chuckdux]

Thanks for the reply. I don't live in Norway but have visited and loved it. The quality of living is amongst the highest in the world, albeit very expensive. I understand your complaints however. I am enamoured with the Spanish lifestyle, so laid back, an emphasis on free time and fun, not the workaholic mentality that the US is consumed by. I'm interested in moving out there after graduation and teach ESL. It'll be a great way for me to live cheaply, learn more about myself, and grow. How old were you when you lived there, if you don't mind me asking?

[@biker3762]

SPAIN BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD

[@Eric-Marsh]

Thanks for making the videos. My wife and I have decided to retire in Spain from the US and have found them interesting. We're buying a house in La Drova near Gandia.

[@jardindorado]

Es un placer escuchar a alguien hablar con objetividad de España. Gracias.

[@arheje]

You are really good, your information is very informative, I live in USA and planning to retire with my wife and move to Spain, Peruvians originally so I find out a lot things common,,thanks, gracias..

[@jerryj3854]

Love your videos, Stuart. The information you present is interesting and well reasoned. Keep up the great work.

[@spainspeaks]

Hi Jerry, thanks for the comment. More videos to come. I just have to find some subject matter.

[@jerryj3854]

Well, if you're open to suggestions.....I would be interested in anything regarding home construction quality in Spain, and any tips on what to 'look out for'. :)

[@matthewjackson9615]

I agree. Plus, he covers the most salient important topics that everyone wants to know about.

[@rebeccagutierrez1960]

I truly appreciate all the information you've provided us about Spain. May God bless you. It is my dream to visit and maybe even live in Spain in one day.

[@marcobacchi5137]

Thank you for sharing !! keep sending us information about Spain.

[@spainspeaks]

Hi and thanks for the comment. I plan to continue sending you information. Stay tuned.

[@jonathaneldred7704]

great video stuart ive lived and worked in spain for the last 30 years as a restaurant owner,im english but spanish speaking now obviuosly.one point i totally diagree with is that the state education is not very good.my son of 4 came home the other day telling ma all about picasso and the blue and pink history and the guernica.wow hang on hes 4 ,yes i have english friends with young adults 16 plus who would not have a clue who picasso is.oh and he speaks 4 languages.french,english,arabic and spanish so really cant fault the schooling here

[@mikelamatria3610]

the key (i am very sorry to underline this): you must learn the language. And yes, you pay for the health system, through taxes, like in UK, i suppose....

[@lockergr]

Mikel Amatria I'm coming specifically with the hopes of properly learning the language!

[@daverevill5577]

No the health is paid for by the uk

[@Sweets24101]

Thanks for the video it helped a lot! My family and I are thinking about moving to Spain and I needed a video telling me about the pros and cons of living there. Gonna subscribe, great content!

[@KrlKngMrtssn]

Ok I liked the video, thumb up, but why do Anglos call themselves "expats" but prior Brexit voting debates, Brits persistently called other Europeans "immigrants" ?? It's just a bit weird...

[@juliosalazar6924]

Crls Ry because they considered superior to the rest of the world

[@alexburns6783]

A expat is someone who is sent to a country by his employer for a fixed duration of time. During their assignment all expenses will be paid by their employer. They have no intention of settling there and will eventually return to their home country. A person who moves to a country with the intention of settling there are immigrants. Retirees and individuals going overseas to look for a job are immigrants. So I would guess there are about 300,000 British immigrants in Spain and very few expats.

[@Xeluca]

Of course, that subtle differentiation is to make it clear that they do not emigrate, it could seem that they come to improve their economic situation, on the contrary, their presence generates wealth .... Poor of us, who would give us greatness, if not, the large representation of German and British elderly who plunder our health system?

[@JackR772]

Use a dictionary

[@alexburns6783]

@@Xeluca They do not go Spain to benefit their economic situation, perhaps slightly as Spain is a little cheaper than the UK. Nevertheless, they do enhance the quality of their lives by living in a more congenial climate.

[@jibeneyto91]

In my opinion, Spain is an excellent destination for an expat *who does not depend on the Spanish economy for income*, this is very important. Someone who's sent by his home company, say Germany, to Spain, on a German salary, will have an EXCELLENT life in Spain. People from Norway who retire on a Norwegian pension and move to Spain can lead an extremely comfortable life financially. On top of that, Spain is not only cheap but is also a stable, peaceful, fully developped country with virtually no violent crimes. It belongs to the European Union with all that this entails. On the other hand, one should not move to Spain empty handed and expect to succeed easily. It is very tough for locals to find jobs and it will be tough for a foreigner who doesn't speak Spanish to a decent, working level. "If you want perfect weather all year round, go to the Canary Islands", amen to that Stuart. I am from Tenerife and can testify to that! Having said that, people usually attribute "good weather" to "heat". I don't agree. Having experienced both, to me a 40ºC summer in Sevilla is at least equally as bad as a 5ºC winter in London. I much prefer the English Summer to the extremely hot Spanish Summer. I have been living for a year in the UK and the weather is not as bad as I would have thought before coming here. In fact, where I live, it barely ever rains. Maybe it's just that I am the kind of person who is happier in a colder climate..

[@EsperanzaBarcoAlonso]

Have you been in Asturias in august? There you will not experience "terribly hot weather".

[@anearangies2969]

Thank you for confirming. I have tried to get work in Spain for years as I am from South Africa and in the Hospitality industry. No luck. Spain is in my blood...and I will ALWAYS try to come home.

[@higuysrealtalkwithtracy4543]

Thank you for all of the information. I have been to Spain 2 times and we are coming back next year for another look for our future retirement from the USA.

[@welshtoro3256]

Interesting survey results and a fine analysis. Thanks Stuart. New to your site but really enjoy it. Hope you don't mind some of my long winded comments. Cheers. WT

[@adelamakosso3311]

Rude behaviour when you drive! Come to the UK and then you'll see what rude behavior is!

[@nataliainterprets]

Great video and very useful information! After many years in the US my American family and myself are planning to move back to Spain. I’m very grateful for any tidbits you can share with us such as how to purchase a house. Thanks, Stuart!!

[@__eee__]

15:29 That natural "pufffff" shows you have become fully Spanish :)

[@franciseva773]

Hi JP. Love your video! Just one thing I want to ask you, as a expat living there. It's about the tax position for UK expats. Here in UK we have the first £11500 per person tax-free, then, (in the case of my wife & I) we pay only 20% on the rest. I understand once you are resident in Spain, your UK income (including pensions, rents, etc) are taxable in Spain. We would be happy to pay much more tax, but HOW bad is it? I mean, maybe it would be more than we could afford. I hope you don't mind me asking your thoughts. :-)

[@deniseg-hill1730]

You English should learn Spanish I am sure there are plenty of classes, it's so ignorant not to. I moved to Germany from the UK 3 years ago at 63 years of age to live next to my one and only brother and am still learning and it's hard especially the grammar and it's harder when you are older. I really like the Spanish. I worked in big hotels as a receptionist and the silver service waiters were all Spanish and Italian they were fantastic. I used to sit in their staff canteen instead of the one for the front office and admin staff. We had afternoon tea at different upmarket cafes and they would comment on the service, laughs all round. The Education system in the UK is failing many children and in some places it's absolute rubbish. Employment zero hours contracts agency work so the UK is not much better if at all. The pound is crap against the Euro because of Brexit thats why the pensioners are not so well off

[@grahamjohnson4702]

The pound is crap amongst all currencies.

[@JackR772]

I do speak spanish why do you think I don’t

[@praveenm6204]

Clear facts, awesome work 🙏

[@johnanderson6690]

I like well reasoned videos. Thanks for your opinion.

[@anamariadamore1825]

Excellent, video, Stuart. Thank you.

[@MrSmith1O1]

¿Expats? Immigrants is a better word. Non-EU immigrants in a short time.

[@rosab8026]

Las oportunidades de trabajo requieren también conocimiento del idioma y cualificaciones compatibles...eso también son condiciones a tener en cuenta, casi siempre ...

[@noperson78]

Stuart, could you give me an idea, I assume you come from Perth as you have mentioned it so you are perfect person to answer this one. We are currently considering a move from Ireland to either Spain or New Zealand !.. Quite far apart, but there is a reason for that. What we are looking for is friendly people, sun, sea and generally relax atmosphere. Going for Spain would mean staying in Europe, but coping with worse financial situation.. going to NZ would on the other hand mean, language, money and the other stuff should be no problem, but living at the end of the world possibly could be! Could you give me any thoughts on that ? How do these countries & people differ ? Thanks a lot!

[@spainspeaks]

Hi, Spain can offer you good weather, the euro, and it's close to home should you need to get back for an emergency. The language is a barrier unless you are going to live in an area with a lot of expats. If you are going to rely on the local economy, ie. work, you could run into some problems. On the other hand, New Zealand would be better from an economic, unemployment, and language point of view, but weather is not as good as parts of Spain. The summers are nice there, but winters are wet and mild. You would most likely adapt to the NZ lifestyle, make friends etc, faster there than here in Spain. Most Kiwis are friendly. I have been to New Zealand a few times and I would seriously consider the North Island as a place to live if I were to leave Spain. Hope this helps.

[@saworsley]

Very informative. What the title of the Sisley and where is it? Great water treatment. Leaving my ruins in Portugal for SPAIN! Wish me luck. Boomer vagabond chef.

[@thelux8539]

Great video!! I just started learning Spanish in my spare time to add to my language list (of Japanese and English being the other two) and I wish to visit Spanish speaking countries such as Spain, Mexico, Argentina etc! Thanks for living tips though

[@murilovasconcelos7137]

Nice and very useful video Stuart! I am planning to retire early and move from Texas to Spain next year. What is your thoughts on San Sebastian de los Reyes or any other city in the outskirts of Madrid where the cost of housing is lower than in the center of Madrid and no need to commute to work? I appreciate your input.

[@chriscoals1812]

Hi Stuart - great videos covering all kinds of topics... I know how stifling hot it can be in Madrid from July - mid September... how do you cope with it? Just stay in and turn on the AC? Leave and go somewhere else? Thanks

[@Hando316]

Great website and interesting stats. Thanks for the link.

[@acajudi100]

My daughter taugh in Madrid for two years. She loves Asia also.

[@ArtIsDrawing]

how about the weather in Salmanca? can you talk about real estate in Spain? are the houses expensive? And what about propane? Thanks

[@spainspeaks]

Hi, I have only visited Salamanca during the winter and it was pretty cold. Summer temps are most likely hot - 30+ during the day, but I think this area has cooler nights. Check out this site for house prices www.idealista.com/en/venta-viviendas/salamanca-provincia/mapa

[@arashabolabbas8367]

nice video Stuart , gave me some useful information , I'm new subscriber to your channel

[@bluceree7312]

Just for background, the best country in the Expat insider survey for 2018 was Bahrain, yes, freaking Bahrain! Then there is Ecuador, Mexico, Portugal, and Costa Rica in no order. This gives you an indication that "expats" may not represent the population.

[@normanbutler1967]

thanks, I watch a lot of your videos and trust what you have to say..... mucho gracias

[@amyjotorbett]

when you said the summer heat in Madrid is bearable... i choked (i was just in Madrid for three months 😂 including August)

[@spainspeaks]

Hi, was it too hot for your liking?

[@rinzler8799]

Personally, I'm not satisfied with the private heathcare of Sanitas.

[@yiayia9373]

Thank you

[@donnawoodford6641]

No surprises with the survey. The job market has been tight for decades. Maybe a good place to visit with extended visa, but I heard residency is tough & no dual citizenship, right?

[@kevinarmstrong6043]

Hello, I'll just set out my situation and hopefully people can comment. I'm a UK citizen, aged 64, a retired teacher with just a teachers' pension at present. I am married to an Argentinian who is 49. We want to move to Torrevieja in mid February but we have a major problem. It seems that our income is not sufficient to allow us to apply for residency until I can add my State Pension in September 2017. We think we have no problems for the first 90 days and can use the EHIC cards. When I hit 65, we can use the S1 form and we meet the income requirements for residencia. so our problem is the middle 90 days. We are both teachers. My wife teaches English in Argentina and though my subject was economics, I have taught English to foreign students on a one to one basis. Would it be possible to stay in Spain in that middle 90 day period without registering and if so, what are the potential problems. Thanks for any thoughts. Kevin

[@spainspeaks]

Hi Kevin, I can't see a problem with you staying here for 90 days given that you are a still a citizen of the EU. In any case, you could always teach English for that middle period at a school that pays your social security and apply for residency that way and then change it once you hit 65.

[@IrmaRoma68]

my family is in Majadahonda,, I was thinking of moving to Spain I live in Canada as a registered massage therapist and I speak French and Spanish. Just wanted your views on that? I hear its not easy to buy a house and the pick pocket robbery thing is not good not safe like Canada. The weather would be nice.

[@spainspeaks]

Hi Irma, you are right about buying property. It's not easy unless you have a regular salary and/or a large deposit. Petty crime like the one you mention are common all over Europe. I don't think Madrid is worse than other capitals. The biggest problem is always going to get work. The area that your family is in is one of the more affluent in Madrid, so you could give it a go. You could even teach English while the other business picks up. Madrid is also a pretty cold place in winter (5-10C days) and really hot in summer (35C+). I know it's not Canada cold but for me it's a little chilly.

[@IrmaRoma68]

Thank you for your response, I appreciate it. My dream is to have a woman only spa. I work with pregnancy, and have a medical practice in Toronto. I can teach English or bartend. My ideal place to go live is Mallorca. I would not depend on my family for support I was even thinking of doing half the year in Canada and half of the other year in Spain. I would need to rent in Spain while I am there. Sublet. Its best to test the water first than do a crazy move not knowing if I will love Spain or not. I do have a Spanish citizenship.

[@praveenm6204]

True, but violent crimes are very less 😊

[@anaworld4354]

Spain is very very safe. And pickpocketing is only common in big cities like Madrid or Barcelona, like in all Europe.

[@EsperanzaBarcoAlonso]

@@anaworld4354 Most pickpockets are foreigners (moroccoans, romanian gypsies..)

[@carloszumel4514]

muy bien saludos desde Valladolid

[@johnjohm7968]

hi stuart. me and my other half are looking to move to Spain (her brother loves there with his family), Oviedo to pe precise. looking at opening a candy store. not expecting any riches, just hoping for a better lifestyle compared to what he have now (uk). what do you know about this trade? is it remotely profitable in your area?

[@spainspeaks]

Hi, it's a good business but the Chinese have got the market cornered in Madrid and most cities and they are pretty hard to compete with given the hours they work.

[@mahenpurabia9931]

Nice info.... I want to know about medical and hospital expenses in spain, it is free of cost from government or it is paid?

[@spainspeaks]

Hi, nothing is free. You pay SS payments every month to have access to the health system. There is no additional charge. Private health care is an option is you want a speedier service, but you have to pay extra.

[@lincolnpaul1814]

Good video

[@grahamjohnson4702]

It's easy to become a millionaire in Spain, just arrive with 2 or 3 million.

[@sun.sh.in.e]

13:10 what does it mean to “go on the dull”?

[@spainspeaks]

Hi, 'go on the dole' - get unemployment benefits.

[@munetonb]

orque los ingleses no hablan español en españa

[@JackR772]

Benjamin Muneton Torres Haha idiot, you can’t speak spanish “orque” haha what a fool

[@KrlKngMrtssn]

2017 report's out! cms-internationsgmbh.netdna-ssl.com/cdn/file/2017-09/Expat_Insider_2017_The_InterNations_Survey.pdf

[@spainspeaks]

Great, I'll update the video.

[@matthayler3231]

Hi mate great video and information. I am moving from Sydney to Spain in october, can you recommend the best bank over there. Cheers.

[@spainspeaks]

Hi Matt, I'd go for one of the online banks like N26 or ing.

[@mknoxjackson]

Why is this man having such trouble making friends in Spain? The Latins are very friendly and Spanish is not that hard to pick up. Anyone can learn a handful of words and phrases in Spanish. If you can't make friends with Latins, you can't make friends. Period. Just listen to him describe Spaniards , he talks about them like they've recently arrived from another planet. My goodness, they eat, sleep, work, brush their teeth, and put their pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else on the planet.

[@frankdux8979]

Probably because he thinks that Anglos belong to a " superior race"..if so is a bad start

[@j.r.a.9497]

Spaniards are NOT Latinos. We are Europeans of Romanesque and Catholic culture. Latinos do not exist. Spain is not Mexico.

[@projectgenes1s]

Why is it difficult to get a job in local Labour force?

[@surrealisa]

projectgenes1s y because first there aren’t even enough jobs for locals so imagine. Also, most expats don’t speak Spanish like a native and not many Spanish people speak English. And last, I’ve seen that a lot of the way things work is through connections. People look for people they know first, so being an outsider with no connections makes it much harder

[@fro88man]

Hello, I have a question. I want to get into a TEFL career. I was looking into courses. I was thinking about either the University of Toronto online tefl or a CELTA, but the CELTA is so expensive. Does it matter if I take a CELTA or an online course. Also I don't have an education degree. My BA and MA is in archaeology. Thanks

[@spainspeaks]

Hi, the most important thing is that you have a recognised qualification. The Toronto uni one looks ok. Does it give you classroom practice with real students? CELTA is fairly popular but I don't think it has more credibility. You do get to train with REAL students. If it's out of your price range, go for the other. You don't need an education degree to teach ESL to adults. If you wanted to teach kids at a school, then an education degree would be better. For teaching ESL, you need to have an understanding of English grammar and how it works and why, and be dynamic in a classroom situation.

[@fro88man]

The Toronto uni one is completely online, no classroom practice

[@spainspeaks]

Well, as I said, if you need the classroom experience, CELTA could be worth the extra dollars. I am not sure what you pay for it in Canada ($2500?) but there are places that offer it here for €1600 and they help you find a job afterwards.

[@fro88man]

Hello, sorry for not replying sooner. I was trying to find those courses you were talking about. Any suggestions?

[@spainspeaks]

Hi, check this one out www.ihmadrid.com/en/celta-course-madrid

[@ilopez9003]

What's the city where you live?

[@foyorama]

if i don't have a mortgage, can I live in Spain (Girona) with $3,800 per month?

[@spainspeaks]

Absolutely.

[@foyorama]

Thx

[@foyorama]

Great, just bought land to build a home.......any idea on who would be a good contractor in Girona? any info is appreciated. thx

[@EsperanzaBarcoAlonso]

Be careful with Gerona, it is a heavily separatist area.

[@lincolnpaul1814]

Foyorama OU812 absolutely

[@aminalhalabi9935]

Thanks for the video. I needed such info to help me evaluate my decision about moving to barcelona. What are the main businesses that we can operate there with reasonable investing budget in your opinion?

[@jennywears9845]

How do you know the dates of the vlogs

[@spainspeaks]

What do you mean?

[@ionelpetran8006]

Castellon de la Plana is good location at Mediterranean.

[@bf2404]

What will happen to the British Immigrants after Brexit?

[@biker3762]

EXPAT:INMIGRANT IT OT MATTER IF YOU BEEN IN ARMY AND YOU RETIRED IF YOU MOVE TO ANOTHER COUNTRY YOU STILL AN INMIGRANT

[@anthonysears871]

What's with all the Brits moving to Spain. Of my list now. Too many Brits. Can't stand the accent.

[@robertboreham6905]

Spy