# Is 22k annually a good job offer? (Barcelona)



## RobertoCarey (Nov 16, 2012)

Hi guys,

I need some advice. Got a job offer 22k annually.
I never been to Spain. It's about 1800 gross a month, maybe 1500 net.
I'm a fresh grad, it's an entry position.

22yrs old, male, uk

I want to rent an apartment or room, no car, gym, cell phone and health insurance.

Can someone tell me if this is a good salary and to cost of living compared to London.


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

RobertoCarey said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I need some advice. Got a job offer 22k annually.
> I never been to Spain. It's about 1800 gross a month, maybe 1500 net.
> ...


IMO..........
In these troubled times that is a good salary !


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## Guest (Nov 17, 2012)

RobertoCarey said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I need some advice. Got a job offer 22k annually.
> I never been to Spain. It's about 1800 gross a month, maybe 1500 net.
> ...


First things first. You need to decide if you will want your own flat or if you are willing to share.

Then you need to decide what part of Barcelona you want to live in. The cost wii vary greatly depending on your location. 

Then you simply go on to the recommended websites and search for your criteria.

As this will be your single biggest payment each month then you need to nail this down before you think about or look at anything else.

Then you will see what cash you're left with and take it from there.

Your last sentence is slightly confusing. Are you saying no car, no gym, no cell phone (you american?) and no health insurance ?

Or just no car but you want the rest ?


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## Navas (Sep 2, 2012)

RobertoCarey said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I need some advice. Got a job offer 22k annually.
> I never been to Spain. It's about 1800 gross a month, maybe 1500 net.
> ...


Congratulations on the job offer!
As far as I know, Barcelona isn't the cheapest of places to live, so I would suggest a flat share to begin with.
As has been said, the salary itself sounds very good to me for a starting point for Spain in these difficult times.


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## 111KAB (Aug 3, 2012)

If it any help my daughter gets a similar salary in London and affords to pay £680 pm accommodation (own bedroom in 2 bed flat incl £80 for elec etc) + iPhone + tube. At the end of the month (after food/going out) she has nothing left but generally not overdrawn.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Navas said:


> Congratulations on the job offer!
> As far as I know, Barcelona isn't the cheapest of places to live, so I would suggest a flat share to begin with.
> As has been said, the salary itself sounds very good to me for a starting point for Spain in these difficult times.


yes, I'd agree - Barcelona is reputedly _very_ expensive

I'd probably work on the assumption that living costs overall will be similar to those in London, if only because phone & internet costs are so much higher!!

If the OP has a job with a contract though, no health insurance will be necessary - if there's no contract, personally I wouldn't chance it, even as a 23 yr old single male, if only because of the proof of income & healthcare requirement for residency


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## RobertoCarey (Nov 16, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> yes, I'd agree - Barcelona is reputedly _very_ expensive
> 
> I'd probably work on the assumption that living costs overall will be similar to those in London, if only because phone & internet costs are so much higher!!
> 
> If the OP has a job with a contract though, no health insurance will be necessary - if there's no contract, personally I wouldn't chance it, even as a 23 yr old single male, if only because of the proof of income & healthcare requirement for residency



Thanks for the feedback.

It''s a perm. contract. 3 month probation. 

I don't need a car.
I will have to rent a studio/ apartment/ room.
and fixed monthly cost: phone, gym
I can get health insurance through my company, they will deduct it from my salary.


*1800 gross, how much is that net?
* is 500/ 600 euro a realistic figure for an studio/ apartment in the city centre?
* How is the situation in Barcelona? As far as the crisis? Is it really that much chaos and unrest as the media portrays?


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## RobertoCarey (Nov 16, 2012)

Navas said:


> Congratulations on the job offer!
> As far as I know, Barcelona isn't the cheapest of places to live, so I would suggest a flat share to begin with.
> As has been said, the salary itself sounds very good to me for a starting point for Spain in these difficult times.


How "difficult" are time in Spain? Is it as bad as the media portrays.

Do you recommend living in the city centre, Cuitat Vella? 


Which neighborhoods are the best to live in?
Here are my criteria: 
* Near city centre, preferable 10-15 walking distance to the beach
* studio, 1 br apartment
* "safe" of course every city has crime, but you get the point.
*prefer to live in a neighbor hood that is mixed catalan/spanish & expats.
*not to "ghetto" (like housing projects Hackney/ Brixton in London or Harlem/ Bronx, New York etc.)


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

RobertoCarey said:


> Thanks for the feedback.
> 
> It''s a perm. contract. 3 month probation.
> 
> ...


there isn't much chaos & unrest where I live - it is centred mostly on teh cities & I have seen the same TV reposrst as you have I imagine - I'll eave the local members to tell you what it's like on a day to day basis & on rental costs

you could have a look at at our _FAQs & useful info_ thread though - there are links to rental websites so they would give you an idea at least

regarding healthcare - as I said, with a contract you won't need private health insurance, you'll be able to use the state healthcare service, so that's one less expense


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## Guest (Nov 17, 2012)

RobertoCarey said:


> How "difficult" are time in Spain? Is it as bad as the media portrays.
> 
> Do you recommend living in the city centre, Cuitat Vella?
> 
> ...


I don't think it's a great salary personally BUT you are 22 and would be mad in the head to pass up this opportunity.

I would strongly recommend that you look for a flat share. Two reasons - it'll be cheaper than trying to get a studio or one bedroom flat (i don't think either would be realistic on your salary) and it'll help you integrate quicker if you live with a couple of local speakers. Also all your bills will be lower including internet which can be expensive just for one head to be paying.

I think the biggest thing you need to do is learn the language. I would go now and try and buy the rosetta stone spanish cd's 1-5 (gumtree, amazon or worst case scenario from their website) but don't get the south american spanish by mistake. If you are serious about coming then I think you should complete these 5 discs before you step foot in Barcelona. They are not cheap but worth it in my opinion. 

I have paid for lessons in England with the Cervantes in Manchester I but think the money would have better spent on rosetta stone as I ended up buying it anyway.

I'll speak to a couple of heads and come back to you over the next few days with a location that might suit you in Barca city centre.

But my advice to you should be clear. DO IT ! DO IT !

ps. The media is full of it. It doesn't effect you in the slightest. You are coming with a job offer. Barcelona is a multi cultural city. You will have NO problems. Just start learning the language before you step foot on a plane. And take learning the language very seriously BEFORE you get here.

In fact the only downside for you is that Barcelona seems to buck the National trend re the recession. It is business as normal from what I can see and from what I hear. Other areas of Spain have been hit much much harder.

Get it sorted. You will never regret it. Just do your homework and you'll have a ball here.


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## donz (May 5, 2010)

of course we don't know what the position is so can't comment specifically on if €22k is good for the actual position but it is in general a good salary for an entry position - grad or no grad these days and ESPECIALLY here in Spain where there are people queuing to the next country and back for jobs

As said your contract means you will get state healthcare so unless you really want private health cover you don't have to pay out extra for that

Go for it and well done!


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## Navas (Sep 2, 2012)

Just wondering if it might be better for you to learn Catalan rather than Castellano, given that you'll be in Barcelona...


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## Guest (Nov 17, 2012)

Navas said:


> Just wondering if it might be better for you to learn Catalan rather than Castellano, given that you'll be in Barcelona...


Nope. It's not used anywhere else and they can speak fluent Castellano there. So if he moves on to other countries he'll have Spanish language in the bag.


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

Hello! Congratulations on the job offer 
I would advise against living in Ciutat Vella. It's very nice, but also has a lot of pickpockets. I don't have personal experience of this, but my friend who lived in BCN for 5 years advised us against living there. Having been to this area, I would agree - it's very nice, but also very touristy. We have a 76 square metre flat in Guinardo for 795€ per month. I know this is more than you want to pay, but we also came across smaller flats for less. If you want to be near the beach, Barceloneta seems nice - flats/studios will be small but good location. Poblenou is also near the beach but don't know that area.
As for the language, I would say still learn Castellano. So far, everyone has been happy to speak this rather than Catalan. I think it's good to understand some Catalan as some signs are only in Catalan, but if you're going to learn one "properly", I'd say it should be Castellano.
If you have any other questions about the city, fire away and I'll do my best to help  It's a great place and we don't find it that expensive, but we have moved from London!


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## RobertoCarey (Nov 16, 2012)

donz said:


> of course we don't know what the position is so can't comment specifically on if €22k is good for the actual position but it is in general a good salary for an entry position - grad or no grad these days and ESPECIALLY here in Spain where there are people queuing to the next country and back for jobs
> 
> As said your contract means you will get state healthcare so unless you really want private health cover you don't have to pay out extra for that
> 
> Go for it and well done!


What are the benefits of private healthcare in comparison to state health care?


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## RobertoCarey (Nov 16, 2012)

goingtobcn said:


> If you want to be near the beach, Barceloneta seems nice - flats/studios will be small but good location. Poblenou is also near the beach but don't know that area.


Isn´t Barceloneta part of Cuitat Vella or is it a separate neighborhood.
How is Barceloneta? What are the demographics of the residents?

Catalan/ Spanish, Expats, Immigrants?

Poblenou is near La Mar Bella right? and also close to La Barceloneta?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

RobertoCarey said:


> What are the benefits of private healthcare in comparison to state health care?


personally I can't think of any..........

the state healthcare is, atm, very good

we used to have private healthcare & used a private doctor & a private hospital - the only advantage was that in an 'emergency' we didn't have to wait long - a matter of minutes rather than maybe an hour? 

although when it was something critical (as it was a couple of times with my father) the state system was fast & efficient

certainly in the private facilities it wasn't cleaner than in the state ones - nor was there more chance of the staff/doctors speaking English, which is one reason often cited for private healthcare


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## donz (May 5, 2010)

whereas I have found the opposite. I have (and friends) been seen faster with private with various things AND they have always been able to speak English although I appreciate this may not be guaranteed in certain areas.

The state system say they will have a translator service but the Carlos Haya in Malaga have just withdrawn their translator service apparently


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

RobertoCarey said:


> Isn´t Barceloneta part of Cuitat Vella or is it a separate neighborhood.
> How is Barceloneta? What are the demographics of the residents?
> 
> Catalan/ Spanish, Expats, Immigrants?
> ...


Depends how small you divide up the areas: Google Image Result for http://promptguides.com/findmyhotel/_img/mistakes/barcelona_districts.jpg but yes it is close. I've no idea on the demographics... Poblenou is here poblenou - Google Maps
I would suggest coming to have a look at flats in a variety of areas and spending some time in the areas to see what's right for you 

As for healthcare, we'll be using state healthcare. We had private insurance for the first month whilst Seguridad Social got set up (at the recommendation of husband's HR department), but no experience of healthcare yet.


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

P.S. I meant to say, I personally wouldn't want to live in Barceloneta as the streets are very narrow and properties generally smaller; I prefer being slightly further out and having more space. It's a very personal thing though, so just have a look round


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## RobertoCarey (Nov 16, 2012)

goingtobcn said:


> P.S. I meant to say, I personally wouldn't want to live in Barceloneta as the streets are very narrow and properties generally smaller; I prefer being slightly further out and having more space. It's a very personal thing though, so just have a look round


Hi,

I don´t mind living small. I´m young, single, male. 

Which other areas can you recommend, I never been to Barca, so I´m not familiar.

My criteria

* price max 500-600 for studio 1 bedroom apartment
* 10 to 15 min walk from the beach, city centre
* safe, clean, good neighborhood

Cheeers


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

RobertoCarey said:


> Hi,
> 
> I don´t mind living small. I´m young, single, male.
> 
> ...


Sounds like Barceloneta could be good for you then - ticks the boxes for proximity to beach and centre (if we assume the old town is the centre). Apart from Poblenou, I don't know about other areas that are close to the sea. There's Gotic and Raval which I would avoid due to tourist/pickpocket issues mentioned above (I don't know how big a problem it would be, we were just warned) but also because we wanted somewhere quieter. Have a look here Barcelona area guide - Time Out Barcelona... I also came across this Spain Forum | Where To live In Barcelona when researching for us (sorry mods that it links to another forum!), but bear in mind that the thread is from 2007.

All in all, the best thing by far is to come over here and see for yourself - you'd obviously want to do that before signing a contract in any case. We came over a little while before moving, stayed about a week in a cheap hostel, looked at a few flats and spent the evening in the area of the flat we liked most. When do you start the new job?


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## RobertoCarey (Nov 16, 2012)

goingtobcn said:


> When do you start the new job?


I start 17 December, so I don´t have much time to search. I plan to look for apartments online, do my research about the area, then contact the owners and agents by phone and email.

Will probably stay in a hostel for a couple of days, view the apartments and then make a choice.

*OR*

I could also temporary rent a room. A place that´s near my work. Live there for 1 or 2 months, then move again.

Both options hav pro´s and con´s.
I don´t want to move twice and when your working full/time it´s not ideal to combine it with house hunting. On the other hand, if you sign a lease, you stuck with it for at least 6 months to a year. Thats why I want to gather as much info as possible and then make a decision.



BTW do you know any good website for renting apartments...


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

RobertoCarey said:


> I start 17 December, so I don´t have much time to search. I plan to look for apartments online, do my research about the area, then contact the owners and agents by phone and email.
> 
> Will probably stay in a hostel for a couple of days, view the apartments and then make a choice.
> 
> ...


We had similar thoughts about the two options, and decided we'd rather do the first. That was also linked to the fact that we're here for a fixed time (2 years), so didn't want to be moving a lot.

I'm afraid I can't help with the rental websites as we went through a student agency because my husband works for the uni.


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## mike kelly (Aug 12, 2009)

Eixample is the best area to live for expats. Barceloneta is nice, but has a crime problem and is a little cut off from the rest of the city. Also, many flats are of poor quality. Sure it's great in summer but in winter I wouldn't like living there. 

Learn castellano, catalan is present in Barcelona but mainly in Gracia and the better off areas above the Diagonal.

22 k is a good salary for a graduate.

600 per month I think is possible for a one bed apartment, even two bed, given how bad the economy is.

Sharing is a good option, get to know the city before getting a flat. I am an expert on Barcelona, ask me any other questions you like.


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## mike kelly (Aug 12, 2009)

Isn´t Barceloneta part of Cuitat Vella or is it a separate neighborhood.
How is Barceloneta? What are the demographics of the residents? 

- Barceloneta is a separate neighbourhood. In general it is quite poor. Lots of poorer catalans live in social housing here. Also, a lot of poor immigrants, many older run down buildings. Some younger north europeans also live here but a the area is home to some of the muggers and pickpockets who plague Barcelona so you need to be careful. I would live in a street which faced right onto the sea or Passeig de Bourbon but if you have to take a lot of twists and turns along narrow streets to get home (in the "interior" of Barceloneta), you will not feel safe. People expected this area to become gentrified a few years ago but it hasn't happened (despite a luxury hotel being built there). 

Catalan/ Spanish, Expats, Immigrants? - learn Spanish first.

Poblenou is near La Mar Bella right? and also close to La Barceloneta? 
Yes on both.

Poblenou has a lot of nice new apartment blocks but some streets are run down. You can find both luxury apartments and Roma gypsy camps in this neighbourhood so you need to know exactly where you are moving to.


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## mike kelly (Aug 12, 2009)

Barcelona is a great city and I would encourage you to move there but this blog will tell you why you should be careful in some (mainly central) areas - Robbed In Barcelona | I know someone who got robbed in Barcelona


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## spanish_lad (Sep 18, 2012)

i dream of 22k euros. Im supporting 3 people / house / 2 cars on 11k.  

so yes, for double that? on your own? you´ll have a porsche and a penthouse.


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

Mike Kelly, nice to see someone else living in BCN  I guess we discussed Barceoneta as the OP said he wanted to be near the beach. I wouldn't say Eixample is the only area he should look at though - as I said before, he really just needs to come over and have a look 

I haven't found any more Catalan in Gracia and better off areas - it's interesting that you say that. I've found it everywhere, but definitely agree that Castellano is the one to learn. As I love languages, I'm enjoying picking up some Catalan words along the way (speaking French and some Spanish already helps!)

The crime thing is pretty scary. I guess you just have to be careful, as in any other big city...


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## mike kelly (Aug 12, 2009)

spanish_lad said:


> i dream of 22k euros. Im supporting 3 people / house / 2 cars on 11k.
> 
> so yes, for double that? on your own? you´ll have a porsche and a penthouse.


no porsche or penthouse in Barcelona on that salary. You would be pushed to afford any kind of car for that.


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