Many people fantasize about just packing their stuff and shipping overseas to an exotic location. While the first thing that comes to mind is an island or some other faraway place, we’d like you to consider moving to Madrid instead. The Spanish capital is an incredible melting pot of cultures, history, and fun.
What Do I Need to Know Before Moving to Madrid?
The main question on your mind could be “Is Madrid a good place to live abroad,” and we can promise you that Spain’s capital has a lot to offer. However, moving overseas can be a long process, and just the immigration to Madrid can end up taking longer than you wish, so be prepared. The documents you need for moving abroad are a passport and a visa suitable for your type of stay.
The visas you can apply for are:
- Work visa – the easiest way to get this one is by getting a job in town before applying since it’d be hard to get a work permit otherwise,
- Student visa – this is exclusively given to students of a local university or school or those who are part of an exchange program,
- Family reunification visa – given to people who have spouses, children, or relatives in Spain.
The visas above imply that you’ll be staying abroad for longer than 90 days. Anything below 90 days doesn’t require a visa, just a passport, and it counts as a tourist visit. It’ll be easy to keep in touch with friends in any case since the Spanish capital is exceptionally welcoming to expats.
How to Become a Permanent Resident
When you get there, it is best to open a bank account to gain employment. Upon arrival, they’ll ask for your social security and healthcare cards, as well as the visa application and passport. As an American living in Madrid, you can become a naturalized citizen of the country if you’re compliant with the following conditions:
- You got a permanent residence by living in the country legally for five years,
- You’ve been living in the country with a permanent residence permit for another five years without staying abroad for more than two years during that time,
- You can speak Spanish fluently after all that time,
- You don’t have a criminal record, you pay taxes and are financially stable.
An additional request may be to participate in traditional festivities and cultural rituals during your time there, which are common in Spain.
Healthcare Options to Consider When Moving to Madrid From the US
Spain has a public, non-contributory healthcare system that’s paid and sustained by tax revenues. As a legal resident living in Spain, you and your family will automatically receive free health insurance, but the condition is to be employed. Sanitas is the most popular private medical insurance, and there are numerous private and public hospitals in the city. Their healthcare system makes it one of the best places to live in Europe, but the public hospitals can get overcrowded.
The Capital of Spain Will Let You Live Free and Make Friends Every Step of the Way
Madrid is the largest and the most populous Spanish city, with 3,4 million residents referred to as Madrilenians. It’s the 3rd most suitable home for expats and expat communities in the world, so you won’t have to worry about a step as big as relocating across the world. However, the official language is Spanish, so you’ll have to work on breaking the language barrier at some point.
After you put learning Spanish on your new checklist for relocating abroad, it’d be good to know more about how to live in another country that’s so different from yours. We’re confident that this place isn’t what you’re used to; you’ll see the most by their working hours and casual approach to dining and nightlife.
You Can Meet People and Experience Madrid at the Vértigo Event in Casa Suecia
Having one of the most vibrant nightlife communities, this town is home to an incredible event called Vértigo, and it is held on one of its rooftops in the club called Casa Suecia. Coincidentally, Casa Suecia is one of the oldest venues in the city, having opened its doors in 1956.
People such as Hemingway would visit the venue back in the day; imagine that you could be sitting in the same spot as Hemingway once did. That’d be a lovely addition to your life experiences. The rooftop of Casa Suecia gives a fabulous view of Madrid’s center, which can be inspiring and the answer to the question “why go to Madrid?”
Other Fun Facts About the Spanish Capital
The city is vibrant and is home to a brilliant mix of history, culture, and architecture in every corner. That’s why the fun facts about the capital have all those things in common. Some cool things to know are:
- Madrid’s Restaurante Botin is the oldest restaurant in the world, operating since 1725,
- The city averages 300 days of sunshine in a year,
- The Atocha Station Garden is a former train station that’s now filled with some of the rarest plants and trees in the world,
- Madrilenians are known as ‘cats’ or ‘gatos‘ in Spanish because they stay up all night; this is evident from the vibrant nightlife,
- Madrid’s tapas is the most famous food, but it is also quite old – it’s way back from the 13th century,
- Among many museums, there’s a Bullfighting Museum, known as ‘Museo Taurino,’
- The city’s name means ‘the place of many streams,’ and it comes from the Arabic word
The Cost of Living in Madrid, Spain
The biggest question of all is where to live in Madrid. Since it’s such a prominent place, and the capital, too, you surely wonder is Madrid expensive to live in. The city is divided into 21 districts and 131 neighborhoods called barrios, so no wonder the life choices are overwhelming. Gran Via is the heart of the city and the most lively of all neighborhoods; if you’re down to settle where everything happens, you’ll have to take out between $1,050 and $1,900 to rent a home and start a life there.
On the other hand, Puerta de Toledo and Lavapies are two neighborhoods slightly outside the center, which is still about three stops away, so not too far to build a decent life in the capital. Here, the rent for properties like one and three-bedroom apartments ranges between $800 and $1,300. Lavapies is a famous immigrant neighborhood with the city’s most famous flea market nearby, cheap rent, and a great mix of international restaurants. The video below can help you understand the costs in the area a bit more, so take a look before you move.
Contact an International Moving Company to Help You Live Like a Madrilenian
Now that you’ve decided that the capital of Spain is your new home, contact an overseas moving company to help you get rid of relocation stress by providing the best relocation services out there. You can get free quotes on packing services, as well as car shipping options, and if the money’s tight, you can store some of your things in storage units for free for a certain period. These services are nothing new, so you can expect movers to be the best at their job.
The help of an overseas shipping company is priceless when it comes to an international move. Handling papers and working on securing accommodation can require lots of energy; it’s a new thing to go through, and like nothing you’ve gone through before, if you’re relocating for the first time. However, once you land in the Spanish capital and become a Madrilenian, all your worries about moving internationally will disappear.
