Pros and cons of living in Spain

Fair to say that living in any country can have its pros and cons. 

 

Spain is no different in that sense. 

 

When I recorded the video on the pros and cons of living in Spain I had no idea it would be one of my most watched videos. 

 

As of June 2019 the video has more than 150,000 views on YouTube. 

Here are some of the positive aspects of living in Spain that I mentioned in the video.

 

Weather

 

For me it is not my number one pro as I come from a country with good weather. However, it is enjoyable to live in a place with reasonably mild winters with many sunny days. 

 

The summers are a bit hot but they are bearable. 

 

History and cultural value of Spain

 

European countries treat their history and culture seriously and this is one of the things I like about Spain. 

 

Being able to walk through the ancient streets of cities like Toledo, Segovia, Cuenca, Seville, Granada or Cordoba is definitely a plus. 

 

Great cities

 

Spain has some great cities both big and small. I never get tired of travelling to somewhere new here. 

 

I live in Madrid and it has its own pros and cons as a big city but I like it here. I love to walk the streets and discover a part a city I didn't know before. 

 

The Spanish

 

Spanish people are, in general, a friendly bunch. 

 

Once you learn the language and become part of the society you will rarely have a problem. 

 

Of course, there will always be exceptions but for the most part there is a live-and-let-live mentality that makes living here a pleasant experience. 

 

Cost of living

 

The cost of living in Spain is still quite reasonable in my opinion. 

 

I go into this topic in more detail here. 

 

Here are some of the negative aspects in my opinion. 

 

The economy

 

The economy here does not work in the same way as other places I have lived. 

 

It is a real boom and bust economy that when it crashes, it stays down for a long time. 

 

Unemployment levels reach heights that would cause a revolution in almost any other country. But not in Spain.  

 

The job market is terrible. Don't think that on arrival here you'll find your dream job. 

 

Spanish youth have left the country in droves over the last decade, so unless you land a job before you come, you'll probably end up teaching English as a last resort. 

 

I came here with the intention to teach so I haven't been exposed to the real job market but the figures speak for themselves. 

 

Urban living

 

Most, if not all, cities in Spain are very urban. Space seems to be precious and if you are expecting the wide-spaces of Australian cities, think again. 

 

Madrid, for example, is 3.5 million people crammed into the city with a density of 5400 people per square km. 

 

Perth, my home city, has 310 people per square km.

 

Now I know you can't compare the two countries but that is what I was used to...plenty of open spaces. 

 

Madrid does have parks and recreational areas but too few and far between. 

 

Corruption

 

Political corruption scandals have plagued this country over the last decade or so. 

 

No region or level of government has not been affected by this problem. It appears to be endemic in the political class. 

 

This article sums it up pretty well. 

 

Basically, it just becomes frustrating after a while to realise that the people running the country are lining their pockets. 

 

I know that corruption is a problem in most countries but the scandals here in recent times are of a magnitude I have never witnessed. 

 

And few people end up in jail!

 

Anyway, I mention some more things in the video so make sure you check it out. 

 

Cheers!

 

*This is an ongoing vlog and is subject to change according to the state of my mental health.