The cons of living in Madrid, Spain 🇪🇸

[@spainspeaks]

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[@daveboracay2132]

I lived in Madrid from '86 to '90 and moved back last March. The traffic is actually a lot less and the air is much cleaner now.

[@diegodejuan4825]

Yes, I can remember it was way worse decades ago.

[@jacoboderegoyossainz3104]

Agree

[@davidnelson3026]

Madrid is always my city, i got free transport and healthcare, and I am pleased. I am a city person no matter what.

[@welshtoro3256]

I think Madrid is great. Frustrating sometimes but where isn't it so?

[@lugergr]

La sanidad ni el transporte es gratis, siempre se paga con el dinero de los contribuyentes, es decir lo pagas por la fuerza a base de contribuciones de todos o lo paga el que lo usam

[@Kerbeygrip]

Half of our family lives in Madrid, fortunately very close to the Retiro. One of our 30 somethings lives in a new suburb, but with a lot of green space and trees to mature in the future. Friends commute between here in Tenerife and the centre of Madrid. For me the pros outweigh the cons. Great cultural institutions, superb markets, food and drink. Great shopping and we use public transport, which is great! Known the place for 50 years now. Oh, and adore the fountains.

[@philipallen8648]

I lived in Madrid in the mid-1990s for 2 years and my view is that a car isn't essential in fact it can be a problem to look after especially if you live within 3-4 miles of the center, lots of access to the metro and buses, etc. Parking can be a nightmare if you don't have a private space with the flat etc. Hiring a car for weekends for trips out or even to the hypermarket every so often works well. Live with the social tide, don't fight it.

[@allendanson5798]

Been going to Madrid for the past 23yrs. Spending up to 6 month a yr there. I live in the north east side close to metro stop Arturo Soria. The transport i use most is my bike there are so many bike paths and most are interlinked that i can go anywhere round Madrid without touching the main roads. In the 23 years of riding a bike in Madrid ive always felt safe on it. You just need to get on a bike and search out all the routes.

[@lizcoleman5229]

I grew up in Spain and when l turned 34 moved to NY and lived there for many years and moved back to Madrid last November. I wouldn't live anywhere else. To me it's the best city in the world. I don't drive here because of the excellent transportation system. The air quality is way better than it was when l lived here before.

[@ilBUZZo]

Pros and cons are everywhere. Madrid is no exception, of course

[@welshtoro3256]

Jobs are a big thing though. Urban drift in Spain, due to unemployment, is massive. Madrid is a huge magnet and I know people that left decades ago who are still there. There's such little opportunity in much of Spain so Madrid and other cities offer opportunity. It's that or leave the country as many do.

[@diegodejuan4825]

Madrid got too big for my taste, but not so big as other big capitals. In Madrid everything is concentrated and public transportation is excelent (you really don't need a car). It is a very safe city too. Yes, it was more manageable in the past, but today has more to offer and is more modern. For young students or workers I think it is the perfect city, because few cities are so lively, intense and thrilling (never boring). Moreover, people are almost as approachable as in other parts of Spain, so it is not New York. Nevertheless, if you look for retirement no, there are much better choices. If you like to travel around Spain or internationally it is also the best choice because it has the best connections and is located in the center of the country.

[@Ethan1999-T]

Vivir aquí en Madrid no es tan bueno como la gente cree....

[@queva3062]

Depende de tu prioridad, quizás vivir no, pero negocio sí​@@Ethan1999-T

[@welshtoro3256]

I love visiting Madrid. I spent a week in the city recently and it was as good as always. It has pros and cons as do all cities. I do like its centrality. Phillip II got that right. It's quite an easy connection to nearly all the other major cities which is a big advantage. A capital city like London is so disconnected from nearly all of the U.K's major cities and a large part of that problem is its geographical location. When I lived in the North East of England it seemed like London was in another country, both geographically and culturally. That's taken as a given if you live in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We have the same problem with the Welsh capital stuck in the South East of Wales. For many Welsh people Cardiff is an administrative centre but nothing more. That problem is true of a lot of capital cities stuck on the periphery. Imagine if the capital of Spain was Almeria, Valencia, Seville, Bilbao, Santiago or (sticking my neck out) Barcelona. In cultural terms Madrid has connections with the entire country. That wasn't always so but today, in 2023, it certainly is.

[@Vexation4632]

We were at the US Embassy in Madrid in February. And it was quite chilly. I didn't pack enough warm clothes, lol

[@AndresCanive]

This was very informative Stuart. Thank you.

[@adityagavali3158]

I have been living here for 4 years. It is a very safe city, never felt dangerous here, Barcelona is way too risky. The living cost here is horrible, the rents are going up and Madrid receives a lot of international people who come here to work and study and pay these ridiculous amounts of rent hence one of the reasons one has to go far or adjust with the rent here. Going out is fairly cheap, and again depends on your lifestyle too. I love living here, it has great public transport, health care, and more. If you have a decent job here, you cannot complain :)

[@meatmoneymilkmonogamyequal5583]

One of the negatives is the electric bill. If my friends in Canada paid Spanish rates for electricity in the winter, they would all flee Canada. In Seville where I live after having lived in Madrid for 19 years, the heating situation in the flats is worse. These flats in Seville are crappy and trashy. I've never been colder in my house in winter than living in a Spanish flat in winter.

[@CarlosDiaz-td6yl]

Dude! Madrid is one of the safest cities in the world.

[@basementstudio7574]

Living in the Washington DC suburbs I know all too well how expensive a capital city can be and all the protests and marches. Thanks for the video.

[@Alexlinnk]

I find it a pro that there are protests. I think it's very interesting and eventufull to find stuff going on in the city. Feels like a movie

[@philiplindley7384]

Although I lived in some cities when I was younger, inc. London, I was very happy to leave in my early thirties. I wouldn't live in a city now for any reason.

[@moralesjjvideo]

I just moved back after spending a year here 30 years ago. I still like it. pros and cons. I haven't found the perfect place yet. But this is pretty darn close.

[@welshtoro3256]

I live in Birmingham, U.K, and it's two to three hours to the coast in any direction. It's not a big deal and I guess it's the same for Spaniards that live inland. My wife's grandfather spent his entire life in Valladolid and never saw the sea. I was recently in Madrid where I have some family and I was talking to the young daughter of my wife's cousin. She is proud of her city and lives ten minutes walk north of the Retiro Park. Her one regret was that there is "no playa" and that involves a three hour journey in any direction. Spaniards love the beach way more than the British. They don't just want to escape Madrid. It's more of a love of the holiday on the coast. Six weeks ago I was in Madrid's Chamartín train station to go to Valladolid and the place was mayhem. It was like a desperate refugee scene on the news. It was, in fact, a multitude of Madrilenos pouring onto the trains (every fifteen minutes) to take them to Alicante. My Spanish house isn't far from Torre del Mar, which gets flooded with Spanish tourists in the summer, who will spend 12 hours a day on the beach. However, would they like to live in Torre del Mar rather than Madrid? It's swings and roundabouts.

[@NeilSanders-q8t]

Very interesting points. I live in Liverpool which is a fabulous city but no beach & indifferent weather & this is a Brit (my wife also) who love the beach ( can easily spend 8-10 hours a day there with a good book etc.) Love Madrid, love Alicante even more, spent month long holidays there where we think we get the best of both worlds (ie. Beach & City). We were looking to get a place in Alicante but Brexit rules came along. Cadiz is another of our favourites for being both beach & City & not being as commercialised as eg. Barcelona.

[@EA1DDO]

@spainspeaks "Nunca llueve al gusto de todos"

[@theSSHITT]

While what you say about biking in Madrid is true, I don´t think cars dominate Madrid. A lot of work has been done to pedestrianize Madrid. You used to be able to drive through Sol. Once a week the paseo de prado street in front of the prado is blocked from any cars passing through. You have to have a special license to drive in the city center now and you can´t get permission unless your car is a hybrid or electric vehicle. It´s becoming more difficult and expensive to park in the city center. I even had delivery trucks not be able to drive to my apartment on certain days because I lived in the center. They spent $5 billion to bury the highway by the river. They built a beautiful park over the highway, beautifying the banks of the river with gorgeous landscaping. There are more than 40 parks in Madrid. Casa de Campo is huge and the Retiro is large enough and stunning. Then there is the whole chain of parks starting with Parque Oeste. Madrid was names one of the World´s Greenest cities in 2020 by litter bin. There is a plan to create a green lung for Madrid by planting 1.5 million trees around the city´s perimeter.

[@DonTobias]

Long time no see, Stu. Yes, Madrid is a wonderful place to visit, and i absolutely love walking the city center...but I agree that I wouldn't want to live there full time. It grinds to a halt too frequently for too many reason, both good and bad, and you really need a healthy budget to really enjoy anything. Ahhh, oh how I fondly remember the days of the Paseta and the nice exchange rate between it and the US Dollar. Now Madrid is more expensive than some nice US cities. (Siiiiigh)

[@orsorodrigo]

Hola ! I have a doubt about the weather… despiste the extremes ( very cold in winter and hell in summer) , is it a sunny city mostly throughout the year? Or the grey in sky is there most of the time ? ( i libe in nothen spain, there are much more grey days over sunny) Thanks !!

[@JonnyZackrisson]

Thanks for being honest. Has animosity grown over time?

[@joseantoniodavila2752]

There are too many Madrileños. They are everywhere not only in the city but in the entire province, even the last lost corner in the countryside. I lived in Alcalá de Henares from when I was little more than a child until my late twenties and only have good memories of the city of Madrid and keep going, but for a weekend. I'd never live there. Some people love it though.

[@welshtoro3256]

They are everywhere aren't they? It's not their fault though because it's a bulging city. They get everywhere but they attract people from everywhere. Talk to a waiter in Madrid and they come from Andalucia. I love the energy and arts like I love that in London and New York. If I had the money to live in a good area and property I would be made. That privilege is for a lucky minority though. WT

[@debbiegarza1287]

We’ll be there in Sept! See ya then! 🥰

[@juvenalsdad4175]

Despite having lived in Spain for many years, I still have not visited Madrid. I don't like really big cities that much, which puts it down the 'to do' list ,but I would like to see the museums and El Retiro though. Stuart compared Madrid to New York, and I was wondering which American city would compare to Jerez, where I live.

[@harriettt9857]

Don’t think that’s what he meant . Think he was just saying it was a capital city , big busy city ( New York is not the capital ) like London ,etc That’s what I understood but could be wrong !.

[@joseantoniodavila2752]

I don't know but I guess it is in Texas

[@juvenalsdad4175]

@@joseantoniodavila2752 🤣🤣Well, that's narrowed it down a bit.

[@welshtoro3256]

Interesting idea. I love Jerez and so that's a thought provoker. Does the U.S.A do great small cities? It probably does but I can't think of them. Go and visit Madrid though. It really is worth it. There's such a bucket list of enjoyable things to do. It also has a great many places to go to on day trips which orbit it such as Aranjuez, Toledo, Segovia, Avila, Valladolid and many more.

[@sportsfreundberlin]

Madrid's biggest boulevard, the Gran Via was even constructed with a Manhattan theme in mind. I remember when I first got there I thought this is a like a Spanish Manhattan! Other than that, Madrid doesn't have much in common with New York except for being a large city, lots of traffic, lots of people but quite a different vibe in my opinion - which I love.

[@marialina6906]

Visited Madrid last summer. My phone was stolen within the first 15 minutes of my arrival. Still loved the city and can’t wait to go back. Tony

[@diegodejuan4825]

I hear this from many foreigners and is incredible. In my whole life I never got robbed in Madrid, but as I am local maybe I am not the target.

[@chooselife1509]

@@diegodejuan4825 My phone was stolen in Madrid as well. I have street smarts, too, having lived in multiple big cities over the years. A gang of scoundrels in the Malasaña area. Still, I do love Madrid, but it was pretty much a nightmare having that happened.

[@EdMcF1]

I know it's quite a way above sea level, but the lack of atmosphere is evident.

[@martindouglas9839]

Thanks

[@barbarajefferson4672]

What neighborhood were you in at the beginning of your video? Have visited several times visiting family and taking a couple of packaged tours. Always enjoy it but haven’t been in July or August. It’s hot in Southern California too where I live. Enjoy your posts. Thank you!

[@Aotruba]

Thank you for sharing! When you retire, where would you like to live in Spain? 👍😊👍

[@subcitizen2012]

Thanks Stu!

[@user-we3ci2xb8c]

Great place if the city is right and not left

[@mr-vet]

I live in the US state of Virginia…my home is about an hour from Washington DC, depending on traffic (wife’s office is actually in DC, very close to the White House and the Washington Monument-although she works from home 4 days/week). I love living near the nation’s capital, but hate it at the same time….traffic can be a problem, too many tourists, epicenter of politics, it’s extremely expensive….

[@betaclip1076]

y q tiene q ver esto con el video

[@BRIYONCE1]

If you wanted to live in Madrid using the 90/180 third country rule, which months would you stay and leave?

[@diegodejuan4825]

Autum and spring to stay. Summer, no way, although the city is empty and you can enjoy everything with no queues, people and noise. Not all days are scorching ones, anyway.

[@AlbertHernandezTorne]

It belongs to Culleredo municipality but it's not the most important town in the municipality which is Culleredo, the capital of the municipality and that's why I think it doesn't have so many historical things to see

[@sportsfreundberlin]

I agree that riding a bike in Madrid with lots of traffic, wide streets with multiple lanes and many roundabouts can be quite a challenge. The city has introduced bike lanes, often in the middle of the road with traffic to both sides (buses to your right, cars to your left). I think a lot of streets have been turned into one way streets to reduce the traffic. Navigating with google maps is often useless because it's not aware of one way streets. The vast pedestrian zones in the centre make it even harder for cyclists.

[@d.c.sodyssey4783]

great video.

[@jonassamy8771]

Great Madrid Video

[@Ana-Maria-Sierra]

It’s very interesting for me to listen to your remarks. Yes! Madrid can feel quite cold in the winter, especially if you reside in a building that lacks modern heating. It’s become much hotter with climate change and that’s regrettable. Back in the day it was a very livable city and it sounds as if it’s become way too huge to interest me as a long term option. BTW Valencia and a few other cities along the coast are very pedestrian and bicycle friendly, giving bicycles their own roads and priority right of way and entire business districts have been shut down for pedestrians only. I suggest that you explore these.

[@jacquesblignaut7844]

Valencia is a beautiful city.

[@richmck007]

Yes, Valencia is becoming the new Barcelona. Watch how the rents have gone three fold in the last 10 years. No joke. It is becoming increasingly expensive to move to thanks to the negative publicity about Barcelona and the increase in construction, tourists and economic growth. The city of Sciences put Valencia firmly on the map years ago. ( Now Las Fallas, the local football team, the fast rail network between Madrid and other cities, Cruise ships and without mentioned the more than 250 days per year of sunshine…) To the opposite side of the city, they have constructed a totally new area mirroring what I mentioned previously, minus the theatrics but did start the construction of Valencia football stadium 2 but it has stood unfinished for more than 10 years. More Politricks there! Nevertheless, the area has grown up around it immensely. The Bio park area with its lake and zoo as well as connection to the longest dried out riverbed cum park with cycle paths and sports facilities has also been completed and has become well sort after to live in or around it… Then there is the Hospital La Fe area with the new Valencia Paco Roig basketball arena venue and skyscraper type apartment blocks which have been constructed. Yes, I knew Valencia when it was a village like type atmosphere of a city… Cruise ships and petty crime did not exist back then but like all major cities, time will tell. Growth will always come. It’s a way of life, no different to Madrid or anywhere else if one is to survive. Valencia, a must see city today, but do it before they price themselves out of the market…

[@stevo728822]

I imagine it still feels Spanish. The streets look clean and no sign of homeless people in this video. Something you don't see much of on the streets of any city these days is the remains of discarded bubblegum. 20 years ago, bubblegum was an eyesore. But it now seems to have gone out of fashion.

[@richmck007]

You need to get out and explore Madrid. Believe me, like all major cities, there are pros and cons. Homelessness exists but not where Stuart was filming. Go to the areas like ‘’Lavapie’’ behind the central trains station area… As for gum, just look at the streets. All those dark black circular things represent gum people have chewed and left. Yes, like the bird seed called ‘’pipas’’ which are popular to eat at footie matches, you will see them from time to time left on the streets, on in parks but the social mentality has changed enormously since I can to Spain and people’s attitude to keeping the streets clean is positive. But again, it all depends on where you live… Like with most cities, education, upbringing social behaviour go to create a better environment and atmosphere where one lives, I believe.

[@aalh004]

Got a job offer in Madrid, I'm from New Zealand. I'm on the fence on deciding whether to accept and go for it and your videos help give insights. You've touched on a couple things that make me apprehensive, specifically the weather and the land-locked nature of Madrid. Putting that aside, probably my biggest anxiety is the language barrier. How long did it take you to get up to speed with Spanish, and to be able to integrate the language in your daily life?

[@ihaveaidsish]

Kiwi here, I am happy to talk to you. Ive lived in Spain for 5 years...I can help with any questions you may have

[@martindouglas9839]

Mil gracias por el video Stuart I've sent you a 🍻 drink it's my 59th birthday tomorrow así que salud amigo

[@rhianhead6744]

Enjoyed the video, not yet visited Madrid - we live in Wales and have an apartment on the coast ( Orihuela Costa) I am surprised that you say air quality is still a problem as I thought Madrid was one of the first cities in Spain to introduce an emissions restriction for the more polluting vehicles - is it not working?

[@diegodejuan4825]

It is working and transitioning gradually to a very strict regulation. It was very bad many years ago, today I don't think the problem is as big most of the days.

[@welshtoro3256]

I'm Welsh and have a place on the coast in Malaga. Love Madrid though. You really should pay it a visit.

[@rhianhead6744]

@@welshtoro3256 yes, we intend to start using the excellent train services to explore some different cities very soon, diolch!

[@rhianhead6744]

@@diegodejuan4825that’s good to hear - we have our emissions sticker for our Spanish car in preparation, although would probably use the train if visiting Madrid

[@spanish_realms]

The much needed emission controls introduced by the socialist administration who governed Madrid for a while were crassly overturned by the current right wing Partido Popular Mayor "big mouth" Isabel Diaz Ayuso who garnered votes by pandering to the city's car lobby. Air quality levels in the city considerably improved during the Covid restrictions reluctantly introduced by Ayuso but now they are back up again despite research which shows the detrimental effect of car exhaust fumes, particularly on the health of children. Madrid is a nice place to visit for its cultural offerings, such as the Prado, one of the greatest art galleries in the world, but as for quality of life, forget it. a few hours experiencing the chaos of Estacion de Tren Atocha at the height of summer, as I did recently, should convince anyone of that.

[@ozjuice]

It's why I visit in May

[@itseveryday8600]

I live in nyc where remote work has become the norm, and people no longer commute and therefore stay at home, and so the city has become very quite with not much people walking about. Has this not occurred in Madrid? Spaniards has not taken up remote work?

[@knsmith91]

How good is the public transit in Madrid? Do most people have to have a car? Or can you get by without one

[@cloudland5176]

Hi Stu I really enjoy your content as I love both Spain and Portugal and would love to move there. I’m confused as to why I’m blocked from commenting on your livestreams? I have only ever given positive comments or questions. If you can, can you please review that and reply to this comment.

[@BarryWicks-d3z]

Cannot find Nord vpm details

[@alejandroecheverria]

13:37 "giggle"

[@nochillisauce]

These are not Madrid problems, these are big city and capital city problems as you constantly say. If you don't like living in a big/capital city because of these issues, then don't!

[@a.aguilar]

"The city swung to the left but it has swung back to the right" Maybe there's a reason for that? Is it a con? Well, that depends on you, but for most madrileños it looks like it is not.

[@kevtheargonut]

I've never understood the attraction of cities. Cramped living conditions, everything is expensive and venues are crowded, streets are typically filthy, beggars abound, dodgy areas and crime, more encounters with the pretentious set, etc. I have worked in capitals and cities all over the world - every inhabited continent and work is the only reason I'd grudgingly go to one apart from the very, very occasional event like a show - and then I'd try to find a smaller place to see the same show if possible. And the cities are declining quickly too, one of my favourite places to visit for work was San Francisco years ago - not any more. Gimme a villa in around 1000 sq metres and a pool reasonably close to basic services any day over an apartment above a convenience store next to the metro at many times the price. Just add a nearby coast for full effect and value.

[@YA-rh4vi]

I want to date a spanish girl n live in Madrid. Never been in Spain soil but simply love the people and the country.

[@rickharly2179]

Thanks Stu. I live in Valencia with my family of 5 for the last 4 years. We are an active family and need action and nature. Future for kids and a big city mentality because here in Valencia it’s Pueblo mentality. So we are thinking of moving there. I work remotely so not looking for a job. And we were looking at living in Salamanca or somewhere there. But we are in the fence. Trying to understand will that move be good for us for the kids. 2,6 and 8 years old. What do you think? And if anybody has kids like us and you live there how is it?

[@Brikfeus]

Hi, what is Pueblo mentality? Is it like a feeling of a place that is lacking a culture and has a slow tempo? we live with a kid in Cyprus now and dont really like village style of living. We think to move to Spain and think of Madrid or Valencia as primary options. Do you think Valencia has fewer opportunities for kids compared to Madrid?

[@tonipazos9231]

Valencia mentalidad de pueblo???? Salamanca??? Usted está muy perdido

[@tonipazos9231]

​@@Brikfeusvalencia es una ciudad cargada de cultura y llena de vida, bañada por el mar mediterráneo, los niños pueden vivir una vida plena en cualquier lugar de España, sea pueblo o ciudad

[@joeterra.t]

The increasing heat is the main drawback. It's going to become virtually unlivable in a few years. Galicia is a much more logical choice.

[@davepolovy-slavaukraini4015]

👍👍

[@craphead9842]

Goya,Goya,Goya.... Tony Cuenca

[@bradyreed3457]

Madrid: huge city in the middle of nowhere.

[@rsnankivell1962]

Nope, Madrid's in the middle of Spain...

[@1984sebb]

Ayuso Libertad! Ayuso Libertad! Ayuso Libertad!.....................

[@JuanOrtiz-wj4rc]

No me gusta la ciudad quiero vivir en Cantabria o Asturias 🤠🇵🇷

[@johnphillips4815]

Interesting to hear you say "back in the day" which is an American hip hop term. I guess it's an international phrase.

Panem's Capitol problems.

[@JonM-ts7os]

Spain is so stunning why would you live in a city, cities are horrible.

[@welshtoro3256]

I kind of agree but I understand why people like cities. You get everything in a major city. Opera houses, theatres, health care, fantastic shops, etc, etc.

[@rsnankivell1962]

Wtf?

[@ojj3340]

Madrid is in Spain thus stunning…

[@queva3062]

Depends on yr lifestyle

[@ryerye6587]

Why cant videos be just straightforward? Who would not lost interest after all the useless rambling in the first few minutes

[@X.A.V.l.E.R.]

Hi, can you do the CONS of Barcelona please, especially about the air quality and allergies as you've indicated in this video? Thank you

[@X.A.V.l.E.R.]

And ofcourse happy to support your channel. I'm looking to relocate Madrid because of my allergies in Prague Czech Republic