5 Reasons You Should NOT Move To Spain

If you are considering moving to Spain, read this first!

Imagine…You wake up in the morning and pour yourself a nice, refreshing Spanish coffee. You look out onto your balcony to see that all the neighbors are outside sunbathing on their balconies. They are throwing their smiles at you; they wave through the windows to say, Buenos Dias!

You look into one neighbor’s window who is singing opera in the shower (yes, Spain showers have big open windows), while on the 3rd floor another neighbor is playing violin, and they’re both only 2 meters away from you.

The smell of frying tomatoes and garlic wafts out from the open kitchen windows across the street gets to you — a heavenly scent, for sure. But don’t be fooled by this amazing food.

Yes, life in Spain is simple and affordable, yet not for everyone. I met many foreign people, especially Americans that moved here and complained about nearly everything. And I agreed with them because the land of sunshine, sangria, and siestas have a few problems for some people. And you need to be aware of them before making your move. I love Spain with all the reasons mentioned but not everybody will.

A slow life

My friend from Calgary was so excited about spending my summer in Spain. She had the whole thing planned out. It’s been a dream of hers for years and now it finally happened! But what she didn’t realize is that they only speak Spanish there, which is why they say “mañana ‘’ which means they do everything tomorrow.

And when she went shopping with me, the entire trip everyone stopped us to tell us what they are doing, or to tell us about their latest meal or how good-looking their children are at soccer practice. For me, this sounds like paradise, but to her? Not so much.

If I need to go to my local bakery which is only 3 minutes away from my apartment, I need to get ready mentally to be stuck there for 30 minutes, at minimum. The old lady will take her sweet time with the lady at the cashier and you can’t complain.

Slowness is a way of life here.

If you like fast-paced life, move instead to any of the English or German-speaking countries. The southern European countries are notorious for their slowly passing time.

Efficiency is not existent

Because of the slow life in Spain, efficiency is not existent here. If you are running late for your dentist appointment, they will wait for you. But because they wait for you, patients who come after you will wait too, which creates long waiting times. It happened to me in Granada, many times.

Once I had an appointment at the Immigration Office, we waited for this appointment for 3 months. Finally, the day arrived, and we were delighted to have our residence papers done.

Unfortunately, we forgot some papers at home. I was crushed about what happened now. Are we going to wait another 3 months for the next appointment? The lady said to go home and bring them back within an hour. I was surprised, but if you are waiting to make a small court claim it can take up to 2 years.

If you prefer efficiency, then again Switzerland may be a better choice for you. Everything runs there like swiss watch Tissot- efficiently and on time.

Forget getting rich

You’ll never be rich with a slow life. You can have so-called luxuries, but not a big bank account. If you make above a certain $$$ amount the taxes may be more than 50%.

Once, I knew a famous writer from the US who moved here but because he was a best-selling writer and made millions; he spends more time in the US, to avoid paying taxes in Spain.

The national sport here is “la fiesta” which means partying and not working. But that’s half of the fun in Spain! People are interested in living life to the fullest without worrying about tomorrow. That is why accounts are empty. It makes little sense to them to work more if 50% of it, the government will take away from you. If your priority is to get rich then Spain isn’t your country.

But don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Everything is super small

Forget enormous homes, big cars, wide streets, parking spaces in Spain. Everything is super tiny. If you like to walk, this is great! But if you don’t, driving can be a nightmare. You have to deal with pedestrians, cars, buses, and mopeds coming at you from every possible turn. I remember when I moved here; it took me three years to be comfortable driving again because the roads and streets are so narrow.

I went from 1500 sq ft to barely 600 sq ft, but got used to it. I am glad; I had only 2 suitcases when I moved to Spain. So, if you are a big fan of grand spaces, then Spain will limit you by a lot. Instead, stay or move to the US or Canada. Even Latin America has bigger homes, but Spain does not.

Houses are uncomfortable

The designs of the homes here after I moved to Spain from the US are not very comfortable or efficient. I have never been so cold in my life as when I was living in a Spanish house in the winter. Very few homes have a heating system, and the temperature can be as 32 F (0 Celsius) during the winter. Sometimes it was more comfortable to be outside than inside.

Because of the rich and really old history of Spain, which is lovely and magnificent, but there are drawbacks: the sewage disposal system. The pipes are over a century old, as are the masonry systems. Please, be ready for some nasty smells in your house.

Also, you can hear everything going on in the street outside your window, as well as people talking while walking. The windows are on the street side level, so you may observe passers-by. They built many homes that way.

I remember one of my friends who moved here from Eastern Europe. She said to me:

“The first time I saw a Spanish home, I said to myself, these people do not know how to build a house. The windows are so small and there is no insulation.”

There’s a wood-burning stove in my current home, and I had to learn how to light it. You don’t have the luxury of thermostats. You may live in a home with an electric heating system, but the cost of electricity is quite high.

If you’re used to drying your clothes in a dryer, don’t expect one here; and if you do, you’ll spend a lot of money on it. That is why people don’t buy them. But you will have plenty of sunshine to dry your clothes and I prefer hanging them.

So, if you are one of those people who like comfort, then you should reconsider moving to Spain.

Don’t forget to learn at least basic Spanish. You will be glad you did.

Spain is a beautiful country, but it’s not for everyone. If you’re looking for a slower-paced lifestyle, beautiful scenery, and friendly people, then Spain may be the perfect place for you. However, if you’re looking for big homes and cars, a fast-paced lifestyle, or lots of comforts, Spain may not be the best place for you.

Thank you for reading!

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