# Moving to Barcelona - Please Advise



## b2rules (Dec 31, 2020)

Hi folks,
I am from India and I recently got a senior IT job offer from a Spanish startup-MNC but am in a dilemma if I'll be able to manage.

Am being offered 65K Euros gross and with the Beckham's. law would be required to pay 30% tax.

So my questions are:
1. Is this amount enough for a family of 3 in Barcelona? (Me, my wife and my 1.5 years old kid)
Few considerations:

My wife won't be working immediately so will not need child care.
My office is in El Poblenou, so would be renting a 2 bedroom apartment probably somewhere nearby (or if that's not a good idea?)
We eat out twice in a week
We will only be using public transport
We plan to go around Spain/Europe for vacationing at-least twice an year
We plan to also have some savings

2. Can we manage without speaking Spanish?
- Although we plan to learn and attend classes to learn the language, however it will take time. So am curious if language can be a real barrier.

3. What are the most important things we should plan/do as soon as we land in Spain to avoid any surprises, being someone visiting Spain for the first time.

4. What will be some good neighbourhoods to rent out a flat?

Any other advice/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

b2rules said:


> Hi folks,
> I am from India and I recently got a senior IT job offer from a Spanish startup-MNC but am in a dilemma if I'll be able to manage.
> 
> Am being offered 65K Euros gross and with the Beckham's. law would be required to pay 30% tax.
> ...


I cannot comment on Barcelona or the areas to look at. The amount of money should be enough to live in all honestly, but only you can calculate costs based on rent of your place to live etc. 

Can you live without the language? Well, you can get by but even the smallest amount of Spanish helps, otherwise you will feel isolated. That would be my biggest advice before you come - learn what you can - the basics at least and then once you arrive keep learning, mix with the locals, integrate and work on the language as much as possible!


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## b2rules (Dec 31, 2020)

xicoalc said:


> That would be my biggest advice before you come - learn what you can - the basics at least and then once you arrive keep learning, mix with the locals, integrate and work on the language as much as possible!


Thanks a lot for the advice. We have already started learning Spanish and hope to at-least get the basics right before landing in BCN.


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## expat16 (Jun 11, 2016)

That's a very good salary for Barcelona. That said, Spain is not the country to come to save money (that would be, e.g., Netherlands with the 30% expat tax ruling, or Switzerland).

Beckham's law would probably not be worth it for you and in fact would likely work against you, so I don't recommend it - it would also involve lawyer's fees to get the status granted.

I know when I came here in similar situation to yours, it was simply not convenient, plus it's so obscure for 'middle class' to do this that the lawyers you would approach will not know how to deal with it either. It's really meant for really high income individuals with considerable assets abroad. Basically, as it was explained to me, your taxation is capped at 25% or something like that, BUT that taxation is a flat rate on all your income starting from 0 (so you don't get deductions).

So, you have to look at the current Spain income tax brackets and do the math for your situation...and I suspect that you're better off without it. 

Check out this tax calculator here Calculadora de IRPF. It is sort of simplified (meaning that I think that there may be more deductions you can take when you actually file taxes (declaración de renta) as, for example, there are Catalunya region deductions that may not be present in the calculator). I input what I read in your post and it comes to 25% total tax.

One way you can lose money quickly here is the rental agency fees. Unfortunately this practice, where the tenant has to pay a disproportionate (usually 10% annual rent + 21% tax) fee to an agent they didn't even select is still legal in Spain (illegal in many EU countries, where if the landlord wants to use an agency then THEY have to pay for it, PLUS the cost must be proportionate to the actual work done by the agency, who can justify the nearly 2000 euros I've had to pay a few times already for an agent imposed on me by a useless landlord, and the agent merely shows you the place once and prints out a template contract??? - WOW so much work and for that nonsense they will charge you twice the average monthly salary in Spain).

So I recommend trying to find a rental via a direct landlord - which is nearly impossible as you would be new in Barcelona, but perhaps try the Barcelona reddit), and also really vet the place before moving in so that you try to minimize the chances of having to move suddenly from your first place due to some issue, thereby having to pay a rental agency again. This happened to me as my first neighbor was insane and I had to leave within months due to the daily noise torture - I talked to him many times, he didn't care. Thus I had to pay a second agency fee again.

Also they will try to get 3 month's deposit. The law only states one by law and that any above are by agreement between the two parties. Thus, especially if an apartment is unfurnished, I would pay only one month's deposit.


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## b2rules (Dec 31, 2020)

expat16 said:


> That's a very good salary for Barcelona. That said, Spain is not the country to come to save money (that would be, e.g., Netherlands with the 30% expat tax ruling, or Switzerland).
> 
> Beckham's law would probably not be worth it for you and in fact would likely work against you, so I don't recommend it - it would also involve lawyer's fees to get the status granted.
> 
> ...


Thanks a lot for taking out time to reply to my post. Those are really good insights and will help me prepare better.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

expat16 said:


> One way you can lose money quickly here is the rental agency fees. Unfortunately this practice, where the tenant has to pay a disproportionate (usually 10% annual rent + 21% tax) fee to an agent they didn't even select is still legal in Spain (illegal in many EU countries, where if the landlord wants to use an agency then THEY have to pay for it, PLUS the cost must be proportionate to the actual work done by the agency, who can justify the nearly 2000 euros I've had to pay a few times already for an agent imposed on me by a useless landlord, and the agent merely shows you the place once and prints out a template contract??? - WOW so much work and for that nonsense they will charge you twice the average monthly salary in Spain).


In this area, rental agencies tend to charge one month to the tenant, but often will negotiate. Whether you agree with it or not, it should be kept in mind that there is a little bit more than simply printing a template. An agent will usually have offices, often in prime locations as well as staff and other overheads including marketing and mamberships to sites such as idealista, all of which cost money! In some countries, landlords who rent their property through an agent pay an ongoing monthly charge or percentage to the agent - each and every month. In Spain the deal is done when the contract is signed and so the agents clearly have to make their money and pay their bills. They don´t take a monthly share, so their business model is not about building a portfolio of rental properties, each providing a monthly income.

Agents also collaborate in Spain, so agent A may have a property listed on the books but share the details with agents B, C and D. If agent B finds a buyer then the agreement between agents may be that agent A keeps the commission from the landlord and agent B from the tenant. I have seen rentals with no agent fee to pay and others with one month to pay. I have also seen (usually foreign owned agencies) charging 2 months which I think is too much but they have their market of people who don´t feel able to deal with a Spanish agent for reasons of language etc so (in some cases) cash in on that.

I totally agree that if the OP can find a deal directly with a landlord then it is always cheaper but if the OP does not speak any Spanish then they would be very wise to take the draft contract to a gestor or lawyer to be checked over before signing so that the conditions are checked. Keep in mind also (and I can speak from person experience here). Landlords are required (certainly in the area I live) to deposit the franquicia (deposit) with the local authorities for the mutual protection of the landlord and tenant. Many landlords just hang on to it. When I was in a rented house I was declaring the rent on my tax returns and one year they asked me to send proof that the landlord had deposited this amount. He had not and so I had to repay the tax that I had saved - his "error" but me paying the price. He did compensate me but nevertheless I had all of the hassle!

So, my opinion is that if you can deal direct then great but get everything checked. If you go through agents then ask their charges in advance, try and negotiate of course but go in with eyes open and understand that everyone has to make a living!


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## b2rules (Dec 31, 2020)

Thanks for the info. Being there for the first time I'll have to go with agents it seems. Also do you advice getting a furnished apartment or buying the stuff ourselves? Which will be better?


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

b2rules said:


> Being there for the first time I'll have to go with agents it seems


 You can look at websites such as milanuncios which often has private listings too



b2rules said:


> do you advice getting a furnished apartment or buying the stuff ourselves


This really comes down to preference. Furnished is simple to move in / out and move on to a new place. It also means less outlay of course. But, then it comes down to taste and what you like. Also, remember that if you damage furniture owned by the landlord you will have to pay for it. If you go for furnished, make sure that there is an absolutely accurate inventory with the contract (right down to every little thing and listing the detail of any damage or wear/tear. This can then be checked and agreed upon when you leave so that you are not accused of stealing a spoon or damaging a sofa!


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## b2rules (Dec 31, 2020)

xicoalc said:


> make sure that there is an absolutely accurate inventory with the contract


Makes sense. Thanks for the advice.


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## Joey Testa (Jan 5, 2021)

Eixample is a good neighbourhood as is Poble Nou itself.


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