# Living in Madrid, can you help me guesstimate if I am gonna be ok?



## Basar (Aug 26, 2008)

My future Spanish employer told me that I should get ready to start working around November 15th, so that gives me more than 2 months to get ready. I will probably fly to Madrid the first week of November and try to find an apartment. They have a special arrangement with a real estate agency and all fees are paid by my employer. My question is, how useful are these agencies? 

I am not sure whether my monthly income will allow me to live decently and afford a 1-bedroom or studio apartment. I checked a lot of listings on loquo.com but its hard to understand anything as I don't know any Spanish + don't know where these apartments actually are in Madrid  

Anyways, my yearly salary is €35,000, and after taxes it is about €2000-2100 per month. Is this a fair salary for a 24 year old single male with 1 year of experience? It's a financial controller position at a Spanish company with €2 billion revenues.

Thanks


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

It's a very good salary. If you cant live on that - you need to entirely rethink how you live. Seriously. It's well over twice the average wage.

Estate agencies - just make sure YOU KNOW what you want - and make sure they find what you want. Price varies HUGELY depending on WHERE in Madrid. 

Where's the office? If it's in a "posh" area of the city - you maybe better off looking a bit away within the metro network. If it's not actually in Madrid city - live within the local bus network OR as close as possible and walk. 

What is KEY ime is that if you NEED a garage - that it's INCLUDED - Renting a parking place in Madrid is NOT CHEAP - we used to pay as much for two cars as we did for the flat. If it's for two wheels - you'll still need a GOOD chain!


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## Basar (Aug 26, 2008)

Thanks Chris. You're a lifesaver when nobody else is around 

Well ok, I guess I shouldn't compare American salaries to Spanish ones. It is really odd though, rental prices are extremely high in Madrid, and I would've thought salaries woud be adjusted to that. When you say it is twice the average, do you mean the whole country of Spain or Madrid also? I cannot imagine how people go by with just €1k/mo. 

The office is near Banco Espana on Paseo de Recoletos. 

And no, I won't need a garage but will need a good chain  At least for a bicycle till I get myself a real bike (motorcycle).

Thank you!


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

OK - the metro to there is good. 

There are good and bad areas around there - one is very much junkieville, another is PARTYville - sounds good until you need one night to sleep. 

Across the road towards the "retiro park" is VERY expensive. pass the Retiro and it gets cheaper - but go too far and it's DODGY. To the left of the retiro (from the bank) is barrio de Salamanca - THE POSH BIT OF MADRID - PERIOD. Rents there are very very expensive. I'd be tempted to get out of the centre "centre" and look for something a bit cheaper and bit bigger. Just make sure there's a metro close.

Madrid IS expensive - it's way so many workers live in the surrounding areas or outer "barios". Public transport is excellent. The Regional train service is very good too. Spain does not really do "weighting allowances". Some multinationals MIGHT but that might also explain your salary - though it's more or less what I'd expect for a young FC they want to keep!

We live 35kms outside the city - by choice as originally I was not scheduled to work in the centre - but had a company car anyway. I'd not willingly move much further in. I don't like cities. There is a town just down the hill from us - better buses - and more youngsters/bars etc as it's a university town. Big dormitory town too - Called "Villanueva de la Cañada". Another with better buses still - but not so lively - very much dormitory town - called "Villanueva del Pardillo". 

You could look at a town like Las Rozas. My sister in law lives there. Good train/bus/road service 17kms out from the centre. Big entertainment/shopping "villages". They own their place but I'm sure rentals exist. A bit south of Las Rozas is "Boadilla del Monte" - this has a Tram network into Madrid city - with Metro connections

There is far more budget offer to the South and East. But also more services due to higher populations.

Bicycle - keep it in the apartment.


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## SunnySpain (Jul 30, 2008)

Hi there,

I am told you get can cheap rent in a place called "Sessena", but best ask Chris
if this is a good place to live, as Chris is the expert on that part of Spain.

Thats probably why noone else has replied - lol

Regards, DAVE


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## Basar (Aug 26, 2008)

Thanks again Chris. I know the company office is located at the core of the city. I am pretty sure I saw a metro station just a few minutes from it. Even though I am still young (  ) I don't want to be really close to the university crowd... I think I got over it. A few people have recommended that I live right in the city center so I can be close to everything but as you said, moving futher out may help me find a cheaper and bigger place. 

A question about Spanish people though, do they rent floors on their own homes? For example, I rented a floor of a villa in Annapolis, MD for 6 months. It was a house on a small hill so from the front of the villa it looked like it's underground but from the back as the ground floor and had an entrance from the back of the villa, seperate from the front entrance. Don't know if that made any sense  I was wondering if Spanish people do rent their space like that or not cause those tend to be cheaper in the U.S. than an apartment. By the way, Annapolis was more than an hour away from Washington DC by car, so I am used to commuting but I guess I'll have to get used to regional trains. I am guessing they are reliable since you recommend them.

What do you think of the area past the royal house, across the river and M-30? Good transportation options around there? Also, do you have any recommendations for websites other than loquo.com?

I'll do some research on those towns you have mentioned.

Cheers.


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

Basar said:


> Thanks again Chris. I know the company office is located at the core of the city. I am pretty sure I saw a metro station just a few minutes from it. Even though I am still young (  ) I don't want to be really close to the university crowd... I think I got over it. A few people have recommended that I live right in the city center so I can be close to everything but as you said, moving futher out may help me find a cheaper and bigger place.
> 
> A question about Spanish people though, do they rent floors on their own homes? For example, I rented a floor of a villa in Annapolis, MD for 6 months. It was a house on a small hill so from the front of the villa it looked like it's underground but from the back as the ground floor and had an entrance from the back of the villa, seperate from the front entrance. Don't know if that made any sense  I was wondering if Spanish people do rent their space like that or not cause those tend to be cheaper in the U.S. than an apartment. By the way, Annapolis was more than an hour away from Washington DC by car, so I am used to commuting but I guess I'll have to get used to regional trains. I am guessing they are reliable since you recommend them.
> 
> ...


First - the sort of folk with several "floors" are typically not worried about money and are not likely to welcome "less well off" strangers in (except as servants!). I'm not saying it's impossible - buy VERY VERY unlikely. 

The vast majority of Madrid city residencies are apartments/flats - there are flats in Madrid with 4-500m of floor space on 2 floors. Even before the prise BOOM they were well over €1,5million. There are very few OLD Madrid town houses left - the ground is worth too much. Those I've seen are in VERY marginal areas.

Even outside you'll find "houses" tend to be isolated. And the folk in them either live alone (their family) or maybe you'll find they have a friend in. 

Yup the metro stop you've seen id probably called "Banco De España" - But in that part of town there are lots of stations/lines close too. 

The area you mention - Well you cross the M30 and there is a HUGE park called Casa del Campo at the north end. Keep follwing the A6 out and you'll see Pozuelo - keep going and Las Rozas. Excellent Public Transport - buses every 10mins from Las Rozas - more at rush hour. I often drive to Las Rozas and park the car - and bus in.

South of the park there are some barrios that I only partially know. These between the A5 and A4 radial roads out of the M30. Some are pretty run down -and though they're trying to upgrade it - I'd not live there. My wifes parents live in one that I'd honestly NOT recommend called Carabanchel. Nothing really wrong but it's old and I feel uncomfortable there. But literally only 2-300m further north there's "Aluche" which is a bit better imo - I've one or two friends there. A bit more modern/spacious. A nice avenue with bars/restaurants and close enough to the centre for nights out too. There are others too like this but I don't know them all.

I really don't know where to look - websites. Much depends on how you want to live too. But in the centre small apartments CAN be overpriced as they get rented to Multinationals for executives on a short stay. There are big English speaking enclaves near the "Eurobuilding" - it's not where I'd live - but has one saving grace - a restaurant run by an American - excellent proper burgers.

Looking south there are towns like Leganes which are full of young professional couples - some new areas have had Train Stations added. My wifes cousin and his wife are there. Seems safe and quiet.


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## Basar (Aug 26, 2008)

Thanks Chris.

Very good information. I'll consider the suburbs and areas you have mentioned when the time comes. I'll probably ask the real estate agency to bring me some options from those areas. Perhaps they will have some ideas as well. 

One last question before I bore you out, since you have mentioned Pozuelo and Las Rozas having excellent public transportation, how long does it take you to get from there to city center or your guess to get to the Banco Espana?

And no, I definitely don't want to live in an English speaking enclave. I want to learn and improve my Spanish as quickly as possible and I will be speaking enough English at work.


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

Basar said:


> One last question before I bore you out, since you have mentioned Pozuelo and Las Rozas having excellent public transportation, how long does it take you to get from there to city center or your guess to get to the Banco Espana?


About 10-15mins from Las Rozas to Moncloa Bus Terminal. 

It depends a BIT on traffic but the buses have a special "walled off" BUS lane. Motorcycles can use the bus lane all the way into the city - cars with 2 occupants or more can use it as far as the M30. 

At a guess 10-15mins to Banco España (my wife goes a bit further East and takes 20) on the Metro (from station integrated into the bus terminal) So you wont get cold in Winter - yes it does get VERY cold.


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## Basar (Aug 26, 2008)

Thank you Chris. I appreciate it 

Cheers!


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

No Prob's - come back if you need more. 

btw if you like the fresh air etc (iirc you mentioned you did previously) - Look even further out along the A6 in Torreledones. Maybe not as afar as Villalba though. 

You can also look DUE north - Tres Cantos or Colmenar Viejo. Good trains/roads.

Dave mentioned Seseña. We had friends there - They moved. It WAS a nice-ish place just across the border into Toledo - MUCH CHEAPER. But was hit by a massive over building SPREE - there's are all sorts of corruption accusations. I wouldn't go. 

If you want to go South - Consider Aranjuez - it's further out BUT still Madrid - Good eh? - there's a reason it was where Spanish Royalty had a palace. 

A Bit closer in there's Ciempozuelos - Both have Train stations on the Cercanias rail network.

Closer still Valdemoro. (unsure of train) I know a FinController who lives there - Not my thing but he is younger than me -and he has family there too. Nice traditional town square. 

East is NOT my idea of nice - But Alcala de Henares is a historic old important town. many Madrid folk commute also from Guadalajara by train.


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## Basar (Aug 26, 2008)

Hmmm Chris I don't know how I am going to be able to check out all the areas you have mentioned  Good thing I'll have two weeks free before I report for my first day. 

You said real estate agencies are good if you know what you are looking for. Do they drive you to all these areas and show you apartments? Or do they just show you stuff on the internet? Here in Turkey you tell them what you want and in 2 days, you drive to about 10 apartments that they think you might like. I guess it is a simiar system?

Also, I read up on Cercanias on Wikipedia and looks like transportation won't be a problem. Seems like you can go out as far as 30-40 kms and still be able to use trains & metro.


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

The agents will take you properties if they're any good. They DO however TEND to be regionally localised.


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## ghanem31 (Sep 20, 2008)

Dear Basar

Can you live in Madrid without speaking spanish? I think it's not easy at all, I've been there last Feb. and i noticed that very few people speaking english. take care and good luck


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