# Moving to Barcelona, good or bad idea



## HayleyBryant (Mar 15, 2012)

Hi All, I posted on here a couple if weeks (or so) ago about areas to live near Barcelona as my husband is in the process of securing a job there. We have been backwards and forwards in our discussions about this decision, as he is very much for it and I am swaying towards staying put in the UK. 
We have a 2.5 yr old daughter and we are keen to have another child soon. We have a great support network (family and friends) here, however we have always talked about living abroad. 
Just looking for some advice from people who have made this huge, life changing decision! Was it worth the risk? Is the grass greener etc?!?
Thanks H )


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

HayleyBryant said:


> We have a 2.5 yr old daughter and we are keen to have another child soon. We have a great support network (family and friends) here, however we have always talked about living abroad.
> Just looking for some advice from people who have made this huge, life changing decision! Was it worth the risk? Is the grass greener etc?!?
> Thanks H )


Hayley do you speak fluent Spanish or Catalan? If the answer is no then moving to Barcelona is a big NO.

My other question is why now? Spain is on the knife edge of economic disaster. Civil unrest, especially in Barcelona is a certainty - I mean whatelse have the unemployed youth (that's 50% of youth) to do?.

Surely having your second baby, preparing well, and moving to a recovering Spain in say seven years makes more sense. Your eldest will adapt easily at 9 years old if you prepare well.


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## HayleyBryant (Mar 15, 2012)

No neither of us speak any Spanish at all. The reason for this decision now is purely to do with the job my husband is being offered, from a financial perspective we would be better off in Spain. I don't feel that it is really the right time for us as a family and am concerned about the same things you have put here. 
I guess I am looking for reassurance that my fears aren't just me being scared of relocating!! Thanks for your message.


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

HayleyBryant said:


> .......from a financial perspective we would be better off in Spain.


Hayley I seriously doubt that. Spain is not cheap and you would have many additional costs as immigrants. The spanish salary would have to be at least double I would guess for that to be true.

And how certain is that one employment? The only thing certain in Spain is uncertainty.

Sorry to be bleak but please stick to your guns on this one. Good Luck


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## agua642 (May 24, 2009)

I agree with all the above! Spain is not the place to be moving to right now. Stay put where u have support from family & friends, there is no work here, every thing is uncertain in Spain!!

Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

agua642 said:


> I agree with all the above! Spain is not the place to be moving to right now. Stay put where u have support from family & friends, there is no work here, every thing is uncertain in Spain!!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


yes, normally I'd agree - but THIS poster will be moving _*because her husband has work here*_!!!!!

you'd need to do your sums really carefully though - Barcelona is expensive I hear!!

however - if she really doesn't want to do it, then it's perhaps not a great time - nigele2 is right in saying that if there is to be civil unrest it will most likely start in Barcelona


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> _*because her husband has work here*_!!!!!


Xabiachica that is true but what is it worth? If he loses his job, the company quits Spain, or simply he cannot work due to ill health, the lack of work would mean that they'd have to move back, he without a job. That would cost big time. 

ps. I'm doing my best in Madrid, it will not just be Barca


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

nigele2 said:


> Xabiachica that is true but what is it worth? If he loses his job, the company quits Spain, or simply he cannot work due to ill health, the lack of work would mean that they'd have to move back, he without a job. That would cost big time.
> 
> ps. I'm doing my best in Madrid, it will not just be Barca


yes of course - but we don't know their circumstances in the UK, or what the job/company is - it _might_ be worth the risk


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## agua642 (May 24, 2009)

Well best to let them decide, it's clear that Spain is in deep crises! and there's no money being spent, so the company her husband is employed by need to be in a strong financial situation incase the going gets tough. unless the move is vital, he may be better to stay employed in uk and wait for another move opportunity in a few years time .

Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

HayleyBryant said:


> Hi All, I posted on here a couple if weeks (or so) ago about areas to live near Barcelona as my husband is in the process of securing a job there. We have been backwards and forwards in our discussions about this decision, as he is very much for it and I am swaying towards staying put in the UK.
> We have a 2.5 yr old daughter and we are keen to have another child soon. We have a great support network (family and friends) here, however we have always talked about living abroad.
> Just looking for some advice from people who have made this huge, life changing decision! Was it worth the risk? Is the grass greener etc?!?
> Thanks H )


Hmmm, what to say???

My first reaction would be to say that if you are so undecided about it then it's not the right move to make. Not trying to be overly dramatic, but moving house is one of the top 5 stress makers in life steps and that's without factoring in moving to a _foreign country_. It will put an enormous strain on all of you and if you don't have a united front, well that's going to make it even more difficult.

Whilst I agree with much that Nigel and xabia have said, I think you're the only one with all the facts and figures (salary in UK verus salary in Spain, place you live in UK versus living in Barcelona, what the job would mean to your husband, child learning another possibly 2 other languages, long term scenario) so you have to sift through the info that you've been given and give many many htings consideration like...
Would this be a long term or short term move?
Would you hope to settle here indefinitely or is this for a couple of years?
What if the company encounters problems here in Spain, would your husband have something back in the UK?
What about you? Are you up for living in another country? Do you hope to find work eventually (very slim pickings unfortunately)

Spain is a lovely country, and deserves to be a great country, but it's just not up there at the moment and you need to be aware of that. And you need to know that recovering its former position isn't just around the corner. It's still getting worse at the moment.

PS. IMO the grass isn't greener, it's browner if anything (hahaha). I'm much happier here than I would be in the UK, but I came to a completely different scenario to the one that you'd be walking into.


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## HayleyBryant (Mar 15, 2012)

Hi All, thanks for your responses! It's really helpful to hear from people who have done it and currently live in Spain. The job is with a large international company with an office in Barcelona and the recruiting manager used to work with my husband at his current job in the UK. 
The salary increase is significant but certainly not double what he earns now and the benefits are good. It's very difficult to get a realistic idea of the cost of living etc in Spain as there are so many varying opinions. I realise it would be virtually impossible for me to find work due to the employment situation and my lack of Spanish. I run a cupcake business in the UK and may look to start something up in Spain eventually.
I would love to live in Spain at some point and think it would be a fantastic experience for us but perhaps now isn't right for us or for Spain!
Thanks again x


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

HayleyBryant said:


> Hi All, thanks for your responses! It's really helpful to hear from people who have done it and currently live in Spain. The job is with a large international company with an office in Barcelona and the recruiting manager used to work with my husband at his current job in the UK.
> The salary increase is significant but certainly not double what he earns now and the benefits are good. It's very difficult to get a realistic idea of the cost of living etc in Spain as there are so many varying opinions. I realise it would be virtually impossible for me to find work due to the employment situation and my lack of Spanish. I run a cupcake business in the UK and may look to start something up in Spain eventually.
> I would love to live in Spain at some point and think it would be a fantastic experience for us but perhaps now isn't right for us or for Spain!
> Thanks again x


lol - we have a few cake & cupcake businesses around here - very cutthroat 

as a general guide the cost of living here is overall more or less what it is in the UK, tbh - especially with kids - kids clothes seem to cost a fortune!


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