Many people who daydream about moving overseas often fantasize about moving to Barcelona, Spain. For a while now, expats have been choosing to move to this sunny town and not look back. Check out our guide for some helpful facts before relocating.
Things to Know Before Moving to Barcelona
When it comes to relocating overseas, you have to prepare vital documents. You might be wondering, “Is it worth moving to Barcelona?” before you even read a guide on what to do. We can tell you it’s worth it as long as you’re patient about the procedure. The essential documents for moving abroad are your passport and a visa.
The types of visas you can apply for are:
- Work visa – you’d have to submit a work contract when you apply,
- Student visa – for those who got into a school or university or are part of a school exchange program,
- Family reunification visa – those who have spouses or relatives in the country.
Before you get to the country, you’ll need to apply for social security and healthcare cards. When you get to the border, submit all of these documents, plus your driver’s license if you’re doing car shipping.
How to Live in Barcelona as a Naturalized Citizen
Suppose you want to learn how to immigrate to Barcelona and skip shipping overseas back and forth by becoming a naturalized citizen. In that case, you’ll need to fulfill the following conditions:
- Live in Spain legally for 5 years to get a permanent residence,
- Stay in the country for 5 more years after gaining permanent residence, without residing in another country for more than 2 years during that time (it’s best to keep in touch with friends online, in that case,)
- Speak Spanish fluently,
- Have no criminal record, pay taxes, and be financially stable.
You’ll also have to open a bank account when you get there because nothing says you’re serious about life in Spain as settling in with social security, healthcare, and bank registrations.
The Catalan Capital and Spanish Post With The Happiest Expats
Barcelona is known worldwide as Barça (pronounced Barsa.) We call it the Catalan capital because it’s located in the northeastern Spanish region called Catalonia. The city has a population of 1,6 million residents called Barcelonians.
Barça was voted as one of the happiest cities in the world for expat communities, despite being 11th on the list of the best locations for expats. It shows that the Mediterranean and Spanish spirits combined provide a lot of benefits to anyone living in the city.
If you’re curious to know can you move to Barcelona without Spanish, we’d recommend not to. It’s best to break the language barrier by learning some basic conversational phrases to fit in faster. If you don’t speak the language and want to live there, any guide would tell you to put learning it on top of your relocating abroad checklist.
The Best Parts of Town for Living in Barcelona
Barça is divided into ten districts, which are divided based on historical divisions. Some of them used to be smaller towns until they became Barcelonian territory during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Many residents of this vibrant city praise Eixample as the best district to live in. It’s where you can find the most architectural wonders from the famous Antoni Gaudi. It’s also near the Gothic Quarter, the oldest part of the city, full of medieval buildings and Roman architecture. A few other areas praised for their excellent quality of life are the Uptown neighborhoods (known as Zona Alta) and the recently revived industrial neighborhood of Poble Nou.
If you’re relocating abroad for love, Barça is a great place to stay. Your significant other can tell you what to pack when relocating since it doesn’t matter which neighborhood you’ll end up in – the weather is warm in the summer and temperate in the winter. The video below can give you more insight into where to live in Barça.
The Cost of Living in Barcelona Is Nothing New, But You Can Live Comfortably
The main question is, “how much money do you need to live comfortably in Barcelona” and, with living overseas, it’s always worth asking. Barça is a town of 1,6 million people so, of course, some parts of it are more expensive. The average rent for a 3-bedroom property in the city center is $1,800, while you can score a 1-bedroom property in the same area for $1,050.
Comparing it to a US city of a similar size, the property rent is cheaper but not much lower than in Dallas, TX, for example. However, if you’ve spent your life in LA, you’ll have a field day with the rent and costs during your life in Barça.
Healthcare Plans and Options When Moving to Barcelona From the US
The Catalan public healthcare system is called CatSalut, and to access it, you’ll need to have a Personal Healthcare Card (TSI.) You can use the TSI to get public healthcare throughout the Spanish territory, and it’s individual, personalized, and non-transferable. This means everyone in your household will need to apply for their own non-transferable TSI card.
You can apply for private medical insurance if you wish, but it’s highly recommended to have a TSI, too. If you’re there for work, having the card is essential for requesting sick leave, which you can only get if you provide your company with a document that proves you went to a GP in the public system. Additionally, it’s one of the best places to live in Europe because its healthcare system is internationally recognized.
The Home of an Unfinished Cathedral, and Other Fun Facts
A great tip on how to live abroad is to learn more about your destination. Some interesting facts about Barça are:
- It’s home to seven universities, including the University of Barcelona, which was founded in 1450,
- It’s Spain’s most important Mediterranean seaport,
- Around 60% of the town’s population speaks Catalan,
- It’s home to the Catholic cathedral called Sagrada Familia; the construction started in 1883, and it’s predicted to be finished 35 years from today,
- The town has large portions of pedestrian areas,
- The name comes from the Barca family who ruled the area in the 3rd century B.C.,
- Two legends of the city’s founding divide people to this day – some say it was founded by Hercules about 400 years before the building of Rome, while others claim it was founded by Hamilcar Barca, father of the famous military leader Hannibal,
- April 23rd is St George’s Day, which UNESCO recognized as International Book Day.
An International Moving Company Can Make Your Spanish Dream Come True
If you’re bent on relocating to Spain but don’t want to experience relocation stress, why not contact an overseas moving company? Relocation services provided by movers can be of great use with a trip as big as the one you’re planning. Movers aren’t just a great solution; they can turn out quite affordable, too.
Experts from an overseas shipping company can pack your items and ship them safely to Barça. If you wish to put some stuff on hold before relocating to your new home, you can place them in a storage unit. As we mentioned, you can have your car shipped, too, as long as you have the correct papers to drive in Spain. We hope you go boldly into this adventure and discover everything that lies within the old walls of Barça; moving internationally has never been this easy and accessible, so use the opportunity well.
