# Best place to live in Spain? ... Madrid or Valencia ?



## Dora the exploradora (Feb 27, 2021)

Hello, I would like to know what is the best place to live in Spain ? so far i have heard of 2 options as some of the best options in the country... Madrid vs Valencia. i personally know Madrid since I have visited several times and I don't have any personal point of reference for Valencia.

How do they compare in the following categories

1. Estimated cost of living per month ( rent in a some were affordable and safe neighborhood, food, utilities and other expenses.

2. Social life such as cultural, recreational, outdoor activities and welcome of different people into the societal fabric.

3. Health care and infrastructure ... public transportation, connectivity to other regions, health services, including COVID services and restrictions ( such as closing restaurants and bars at 6 pm ? ) 

4.exploring opportunities I am Dora after all  festivals, surrounding towns, travel to other regions and countries.

If you have another destination that can be comparable or better than the 2 provided please feel free to compare as well =) 

Thank you very much for your help 

If you have another region in Spain that is a better option that hte 2 mentioned in this post feel free to


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

I have lived in Madrid for 17 years, but have only visited Valencia, albeit several times. 

1. Estimated cost of living per month. *Valencia is cheaper.*

2. Social life such as cultural, recreational, outdoor activities and welcome of different people into the societal fabric. *Madrid will have more social life because it is bigger. But Valencia has plenty going on as well.*

3. Health care and infrastructure ... public transportation, connectivity to other regions, health services, including COVID services and restrictions ( such as closing restaurants and bars at 6 pm ? ) *Both about the same*

4.exploring opportunities I am Dora after all  festivals, surrounding towns, travel to other regions and countries. *Madrid is better connected as it is more of an international hub, and more central in Spain, but Valencia does have an international airport and plenty to see arouhd it.*

I think both cities have enough of the above to keep most people satisfied. It's more a question of whether you want to pay extra to live in the capital city, with all the additional cultural and social activities that come with it, along with its more cosmopolitan outlook, and general hustle and bustle. Valencia does have nice beaches and less extreme temperatures though.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

I love Madrid, and have lived here for a total of 13 years, but honestly, if I didn't have to work for a living, I would not live here.

The only reasons I can think of that people who aren't tied to a job would live in Madrid are for family or for travel possibilities (being in the center of the peninsula and the airport).

For Covid measures it is probably the worst place in Spain to live.


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Overandout said:


> ...
> 
> For Covid measures it is probably the worst place in Spain to live.


I'm not sure the covid measures themselves are any worse in Madrid. It's just that they have a bigger impact as social interaction is one of the key aspects to living in a city.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Agree with Chopera, also what s/he said about Covid. From what I've heard Valencia has had more restrictive measures than Madrid, in fact most parts of Spain have, haven't they?
I would add that personally I hate the humidity in Valencia, well all along the Med coast, you know when nothing is crisp, paper is floppy, clothes are floppy and you can be too! I expect it's something you get used to though. Having lived in la Comunidad de Madrid for years and years I'm used to the dry climate here, although I have to say the climate is definitely changing (due to climate change created by man or not, whatever you believe) and it's more and more difficult to say what the typical climate of a place is. We can say however that the climate of Valencia is different to the climate of Madrid, there is a higher range of temperatures in Madrid from minus degrees to possibly 40 degrees and that Madrid is drier - Valencia more humid. The Valencia region does suffer from tremendous storms as well, at least once a year there's a hail storm and heavy rains that destroy the fruits grown in the region.
Another region to study for me would be the north of Spain, if you like a city Bilbao or Santander, a smaller place Oviedo, or if not practically anywhere in Asturias - just beautiful!!


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

The big draw for Madrid are the museums and the airport. If those matter .

Valencia feels nicer to me from the tourist viewpoint but than I love Barcelona while finding Madrid meh.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

NickZ said:


> The big draw for Madrid are the museums and the airport. If those matter .
> 
> Valencia feels nicer to me from the tourist viewpoint but than I love Barcelona while finding Madrid meh.


I find Barcelona meh, not so much for the place itself, but for all this never ending nationalism which affects pretty much everything; where authorities spend their resources, health, education, language, tourism... And all this rioting, supposedly for Pablo Hásel. I think there are better places to settle in Spain


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Chopera said:


> I'm not sure the covid measures themselves are any worse in Madrid. It's just that they have a bigger impact as social interaction is one of the key aspects to living in a city.


I should clarify; by worse, I mean inefficient and badly conceived and implemented. Not stricter.

I hadn't thought of the climate argument, but I certainly prefer Madrid to any coastal area in that respect.

And I was pleased the OP didn't include Barcelona I the shortlist, to me it is quite overrated, a bit like London.

Like Pesky, I very much Iike the north coast regions. It is a pity that the Basque Country is so expensive and that Asturias is so far away!


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## CltFlyboy (Feb 11, 2020)

So, team, what about Catalunya in general? We're still trying to cement in a location in the south of Catalunya, the farthest you can go. Should we be looking just a few km to the south into the Valencia region? I've been wanting to spin up a thread about this for some time, just haven't. Might do it soon now though.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

I think the thread shows for everybody you loves X somebody hates X. Chalk and cheese so to speak. Or one man's meat ...

Spend some time in your favorite choice and decide for yourself


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

CltFlyboy said:


> So, team, what about Catalunya in general? We're still trying to cement in a location in the south of Catalunya, the farthest you can go. Should we be looking just a few km to the south into the Valencia region? I've been wanting to spin up a thread about this for some time, just haven't. Might do it soon now though.


I spent a summer in central Barcelona in 2002 and absolutely loved it. I grew up near a touristy seaside town in te UK and have a soft spot for those kind of places. Whether I could live there permanently is another matter though. That's when other factors come into play, such as finding somewhere with a bit of peace and quiet, and where you can readily integrate socially. I also like the scenery and coastline in Girona, in northern Cataluña. Lots of coves, surrounded by green, forested hills. Southern Cataluña isn't so picturesque, but it doesn't feel so tense regarding Catalan independence either.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

I confess to not having spent much time in Barcelona, but at least the time I have spent there was not as a tourist (which seems to give a skewed view point) but business trips, during which there was some oportunity to rest.

The feeling I got, which of course may not be shared by others, was that it was all a bit "theme parky", Disneyfied.

I know that they have to catrer for tourists and that in Spain this is a big and necessary industry, but when the effort to adapt to tourism shows so obviously over and above the cultural base of the city, it detratcts a bit from the experience for the tourist and makes it undesirable as a home. 
I have spoken to some Italians who feel the same about Rome too. 

Madrid has tourists, but they see and experience an "unadulterated" Madrid, which I accept often means that they see less pretty and less convenient facilities, but I honestly prefer that.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Overandout said:


> I confess to not having spent much time in Barcelona, but at least the time I have spent there was not as a tourist (which seems to give a skewed view point) but business trips, during which there was some oportunity to rest.
> 
> The feeling I got, which of course may not be shared by others, was that it was all a bit "theme parky", Disneyfied.
> 
> ...


Well, the tourist plan has been much criticised by many Barceloneses themselves...


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## CltFlyboy (Feb 11, 2020)

I should have qualified what I asked above; we love visiting Barcelona for the museums etc but wouldn't want to live there. We're looking at quiet cities along the coast in far south Catalunya, we want to adopt true Spanish culture and that area calls to us. But with the political unrest, and frankly, the tax differences between the Catalans and Spain proper, I'm not sure which is best for us. Just down the road as you first get into Valencia are a few nice towns (like Vinaros etc) that have the same feel. So I guess I'm really after answering "are there any real, tangible concerns living in Catalunya long term, and is it more expensive tax wise to live in one or the other?"

Make more sense? Thanks all, you're a great group and I appreciate you.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Overandout said:


> Madrid has tourists, but they see and experience an "unadulterated" Madrid, which I accept often means that they see less pretty and less convenient facilities, but I honestly prefer that.


Funny thing is if you swapped Madrid for Barcelona I'd say exactly the same thing.  

Don't most Madrid tourists basically stay within the museum golden triangle? I'd argue the touristy parts of Barcelona are much less pretty.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

NickZ said:


> Funny thing is if you swapped Madrid for Barcelona I'd say exactly the same thing.
> 
> Don't most Madrid tourists basically stay within the museum golden triangle? I'd argue the touristy parts of Barcelona are much less pretty.


Only the very wealthy ones, most have to stay in more modest areas.

I'm quite surprised by your comment about the prettyness, I think that even most proud Madrileños recognise that aesthetically Barcelona is more attractive, but it's good to hear other opinions for a change!


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

I've stayed near the Sofia museum in a hostal for I think €40 a night. I've stayed up I can't remember the street name but it's a major retail street. At one end there is the other bus stop heading to the airport. I think I paid a similar amount . 

In my experience Madrid is relatively cheap.


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## Joey Testa (Jan 5, 2021)

CltFlyboy said:


> I should have qualified what I asked above; we love visiting Barcelona for the museums etc but wouldn't want to live there. We're looking at quiet cities along the coast in far south Catalunya, we want to adopt true Spanish culture and that area calls to us. But with the political unrest, and frankly, the tax differences between the Catalans and Spain proper, I'm not sure which is best for us. Just down the road as you first get into Valencia are a few nice towns (like Vinaros etc) that have the same feel. So I guess I'm really after answering "are there any real, tangible concerns living in Catalunya long term, and is it more expensive tax wise to live in one or the other?"
> 
> Make more sense? Thanks all, you're a great group and I appreciate you.


There are major political problems in Catalonia. Better to move further south. Castellon is a really nice small city with fast train connection to Barcelona and Valencia. Also the beach nearby is beautiful and uncrowded. You can also live just outside in Benicassim and be right on the beach.


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## CltFlyboy (Feb 11, 2020)

There is plenty of unrest and uncertainty in Barcelona, but from what I've seen that doesn't translate out in such a visible way to other cities - especially the smaller ones. And we're looking at a small one. My question really revolves around what risks I'd take moving into Catalunya versus Valencia outside of demonstrations etc. If I buy a property there do I risk losing it? Are the tax implications better or worse in either?

That said, what do we think would happen worst case if Catalunya gains independence?

We're water people and as such love the feel of life on the water, so we're specifically looking for a small city where we can live in a house by/on the water and become _locals_. I know this might not make a lot of sense as I'm typing it, but it's where we're at...


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## Joey Testa (Jan 5, 2021)

CltFlyboy said:


> There is plenty of unrest and uncertainty in Barcelona, but from what I've seen that doesn't translate out in such a visible way to other cities - especially the smaller ones. And we're looking at a small one. My question really revolves around what risks I'd take moving into Catalunya versus Valencia outside of demonstrations etc. If I buy a property there do I risk losing it? Are the tax implications better or worse in either?
> 
> That said, what do we think would happen worst case if Catalunya gains independence?
> 
> We're water people and as such love the feel of life on the water, so we're specifically looking for a small city where we can live in a house by/on the water and become _locals_. I know this might not make a lot of sense as I'm typing it, but it's where we're at...


Barclona has the highest property taxes in Spain. Not sure about other places in Catalonia. Support for catalan independence is far stronger outside Barcelona and use of catalan is much more widespread.

The worst case for catalan independence is Bosnian style ethnic cleansing. Or something similar to Northern Ireland with two opposing communities held at bay by a huge security budget. 

Something very likely is an argentinian style "corralito" leading to a crash of the financial system.


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## ksjazzguitar (Dec 22, 2010)

Speaking as someone that isn't moving to Spain until next year but has done some traveling... To me Madrid was nice, but I just felt like I was in a big city. To be honest, it could have been Chicago but everyone was speaking Spanish and there was a lot more ham and tapas. I haven't been to Valencia but have spent time in Barcelona. We love it there - I found it much more interesting than Madrid. Yeah, I see the riots but I think it is a little hysterical to start talking about "ethnic cleansing". We like that it's a politically active culture. One side effect of that is that occasionally things are going to boil over. From what I've seen, the protests so far haven't even come close to what happened in cities like Portland in the last year.


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## Joey Testa (Jan 5, 2021)

One advantage of Catalonia is that it is easier to get by there as an illegal immigrant than in other parts of Spain. Not sure if you plan on applying for a visa or not


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## CltFlyboy (Feb 11, 2020)

ksjazzguitar said:


> Speaking as someone that isn't moving to Spain until next year but has done some traveling... To me Madrid was nice, but I just felt like I was in a big city. To be honest, it could have been Chicago but everyone was speaking Spanish and there was a lot more ham and tapas. I haven't been to Valencia but have spent time in Barcelona. We love it there - I found it much more interesting than Madrid. Yeah, I see the riots but I think it is a little hysterical to start talking about "ethnic cleansing". We like that it's a politically active culture. One side effect of that is that occasionally things are going to boil over. From what I've seen, the protests so far haven't even come close to what happened in cities like Portland in the last year.


You've captured very well how we feel too. I have no problem and actually appreciate a citizenry who is invested in their own government enough to challenge the status quo. And I completely agree, the ethnic cleansing comment was just so far out there, I blinked a few times while reading it.

We love the Barcelona feel and culture, and want to live close enough to get there easily on a regular basis. We want to be in a nice, quiet city where we can make friends and become part of their culture. We've found that area between Tarragona and Benicarlo to be just that. Our plans have us moving in more like 3-4 years, giving us time to wind things down here (get the house ready to sell, get rid of _everything_ we own, etc.) It's going to be a fun challenge for us.


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## CltFlyboy (Feb 11, 2020)

Joey Testa said:


> One advantage of Catalonia is that it is easier to get by there as an illegal immigrant than in other parts of Spain. Not sure if you plan on applying for a visa or not


I'm not sure how to take this comment. I do things above board always. I learned a long time ago that if you keep yourself clean with the government then life gets really simple. We would definitely come on the correct visas. 

If your comment was meant to be sarcastic, sorry but it fell flat with me.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Joey Testa said:


> Barclona has the highest property taxes in Spain. Not sure about other places in Catalonia. Support for catalan independence is far stronger outside Barcelona and use of catalan is much more widespread.
> 
> The worst case for catalan independence is Bosnian style ethnic cleansing. Or something similar to Northern Ireland with two opposing communities held at bay by a huge security budget.
> 
> Something very likely is an argentinian style "corralito" leading to a crash of the financial system.


Ethnic cleansing?
I presume this is a comedy post...
It's true that in smaller places there is often more support for radical groups than in the cities, for example in the days of ETA in the Basque country.


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## JosephUpshaw (Mar 11, 2021)

Chopera said:


> 1. Estimated cost of living per month. *Valencia is cheaper.*
> 
> 2. Social life such as cultural, recreational, outdoor activities and welcome of different people into the societal fabric. *Madrid will have more social life because it is bigger. But Valencia has plenty going on as well.*


Thanks for your experience! Now I am in the middle of the process of looking for a place to move to Spain. And I thought the main hint here is to find a reliable agent that can provide detailed information about the chosen region and house. So many details from your post will allow me, I hope, to choose the best variants for living.


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## webmarcos (Dec 25, 2012)

Chopera's post listed the big items, but if I can add a few small points. Valencia plus - a more laid-back, friendlier people. Warmer winters. Minus - bad drinking water, fewer job opps, more bugs resulting from the humid,warm climate. Madrid plus - great diversity of foods from Spain and other countries. Great tap water. Custom of free pincho/aperitivo with drinks. Madrid minus - more crime and restrictions, can get very cold some winters.
The two cities both have options for inland exploration (Valencia is close to Aragon which is a different world), but the options from Madrid, whether it's a ski resort or great historic cities like Toledo, Avila or Segovia... amazing.
Barcelona has been mentioned. It is a scenic place, and maybe ok for a holiday. It has the feel of a Spanish city, whereas other places in Catalunya do not. For me, Girona is a far superior place to stay, but there again my knowledge of places in Catalunya is small.


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## JJ_Gav (Feb 2, 2021)

I personally prefer Madrid out of the two but my favourite is Sevilla. It's a much more relaxed vibe, with similar weather to Valencia but less crowded.


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## webmarcos (Dec 25, 2012)

Maybe it needs a separate thread, but there are always cities/large towns that people never strive to compare in this type of discussion. Burgos, Girona, Vigo, Cordoba, Cuenca, and many others come to mind.


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