# Living in spain with family / city advise pls



## susam (Sep 22, 2016)

Hello all,

Me and my wife are willing to move to spain for living with our child. We will not issue work permit, we just enroll our child to an international school and live in a good city with residence permit.

We will get monthly income from our properties in Turkey around 5000 Euro and we are not thinking to work as first step. We are thinking to rent a middle sized 2 bedroom furnished apartment. Obviously our montly stable expanses will be rent and school. 

We are struggling to choose the city for living. Of course we will have mobility but considering moving in another country with child, changing city every year might be difficult 

Since we have limited income, we don't want to live in big city such as Madrid, Barcelona. These are touristy and expensive cities. We have visited only Barcelona and Ibiza in Spain, so we dont know the rest of this beautiful country. We don't know any word of Spanish but will take a course for 1 year in Turkey.

Our musts are;
good international school options
Not fully Spanish spoken or ethnic languages
near sea cost (such as Valencia, Malaga, Alicante)
good sea, swimmable
not expensive
not so big city but not like village as well
good climate

I have found Valencia, Malaga, Alicante meets this needs but dont know if i'm missing any other city

If these 3 are the best options, which one would you choose and why?

Thank you :amen:


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## susam (Sep 22, 2016)

Any comments on this?


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

At 5000€ per month, this is NOT limited income by Spanish standards.

Why a city and not just a large town like Javea, Denia, Calpe etc.?


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## susam (Sep 22, 2016)

snikpoh said:


> At 5000€ per month, this is NOT limited income by Spanish standards.
> 
> Why a city and not just a large town like Javea, Denia, Calpe etc.?


We are are living in Istanbul where 20 million people lives in. We are not looking for similar but it should be little bit crowded. At least 500k people should live in.


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## RoyalBlue (Apr 10, 2016)

I am retired, living in Valencia with wife and one high school age son. I have found Valencia to be a nice city to live in, for following reasons:
- Rent is reasonable
- Cost of living also
- It is really easy to get around, either by walking or public transportation, which is excellent. We were going to get a car, but after a few months decided we didn't need it
- Climate is good
- It is big enough to find most things, and have things to do, but not so big that it is crowded/congested
- Some very interesting architecture (eg, Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias

Regards


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## susam (Sep 22, 2016)

RoyalBlue said:


> I am retired, living in Valencia with wife and one high school age son. I have found Valencia to be a nice city to live in, for following reasons:
> - Rent is reasonable
> - Cost of living also
> - It is really easy to get around, either by walking or public transportation, which is excellent. We were going to get a car, but after a few months decided we didn't need it
> ...


Thanks Royalblue

Did you consider Alicante, Malaga or other options? Which is the best option for sea?


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## svlinda (Aug 31, 2015)

I haven´t lived in Malaga or Alicante, but Valencia definitily meets all your requirements. Well I could go on and on, but I recommend to read a blog post written by an expat journalist and writer living in Valencia Jimmy Mulvihill VALENCIA: THERE’S MORE TO SPANISH CITY LIFE THAN MADRID AND BARCELONA (it´s very down to earth post with lots of his pictures, he illustrates the daily life here). I don´t think I can post links here, but if you put it in google - it will come up. I hope this helps


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## mickbcn (Feb 4, 2013)

susam said:


> Hello all,
> 
> Me and my wife are willing to move to spain for living with our child. We will not issue work permit, we just enroll our child to an international school and live in a good city with residence permit.
> 
> ...


Take a look in www.idealista.com and compare the prices of the rent of houses or flats in the different cities of Spain.


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## Moyra (Aug 10, 2014)

svlinda said:


> I haven´t lived in Malaga or Alicante, but Valencia definitily meets all your requirements. Well I could go on and on, but I recommend to read a blog post written by an expat journalist and writer living in Valencia Jimmy Mulvihill VALENCIA: THERE’S MORE TO SPANISH CITY LIFE THAN MADRID AND BARCELONA (it´s very down to earth post with lots of his pictures, he illustrates the daily life here). I don´t think I can post links here, but if you put it in google - it will come up. I hope this helps


I cant find this book or author. 

Moyra


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## svlinda (Aug 31, 2015)

It´s not a book, it´s a blog post: https://inspectionandprogress.wordp...-spanish-city-life-than-madrid-and-barcelona/


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## Roland_O (Oct 17, 2016)

RoyalBlue said:


> I am retired, living in Valencia with wife and one high school age son. I have found Valencia to be a nice city to live in, for following reasons:
> - Rent is reasonable
> - Cost of living also
> - It is really easy to get around, either by walking or public transportation, which is excellent. We were going to get a car, but after a few months decided we didn't need it
> ...




I agree. Valencia is a great place to live. No need for a car.

If you don't fancy it's city vibe, you could live in one of the surrounding towns, like Sagunto which is on the coast. There is Caxton College school near Sagunto. You could also pick a town in the mountains 20mins north or south of the city if you want it a bit cooler.

Alicante is smaller, and a bit less connected, but there are more British speakers. Malaga is expensive, there are more expats, and the locals seem a bit less patient with them.


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## mono (Jan 22, 2016)

What a fantastic blog


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## Reign (Oct 18, 2016)

RoyalBlue said:


> I am retired, living in Valencia with wife and one high school age son. I have found Valencia to be a nice city to live in, for following reasons:
> - Rent is reasonable
> - Cost of living also
> - It is really easy to get around, either by walking or public transportation, which is excellent. We were going to get a car, but after a few months decided we didn't need it
> ...


Hi RoyalBlue, thank you for sharing these information, I find them all very useful because we are also planning to move out of Madrid but we haven't decided yet where to. Do you suggest any specific town or place which you would consider child friendly, generally safe, easily accessible via public transportation, close to good yet inexpensive schools and lastly, with very open environment (non racists)?
Also, our job/business is dependent on Internet connection, how reliable is the internet in Valencia?

Thank you in advance.

Reign


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Reign said:


> Hi RoyalBlue, thank you for sharing these information, I find them all very useful because we are also planning to move out of Madrid but we haven't decided yet where to. Do you suggest any specific town or place which you would consider child friendly, generally safe, easily accessible via public transportation, close to good yet inexpensive schools and lastly, with very open environment (non racists)?
> Also, our job/business is dependent on Internet connection, how reliable is the internet in Valencia?
> 
> Thank you in advance.
> ...


Jávea/Xàbia ticks all your boxes apart from public transport - though I don't drive & manage well enough

We're an hour from both Valencia & Alicante with good state schools & also International/British schools. 

It's a very international town which embraces 85 nationalities, & yet somehow still manages to be 'Spanish' away from the tourist strip.

Oh - & fibreoptic internet is currently being installed


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Moyra said:


> I cant find this book or author.
> 
> Moyra


It isn't a book it is a blog:

https://inspectionandprogress.wordp...-spanish-city-life-than-madrid-and-barcelona/

and that link will give you access.


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## Roland_O (Oct 17, 2016)

Reign said:


> Hi RoyalBlue, thank you for sharing these information, I find them all very useful because we are also planning to move out of Madrid but we haven't decided yet where to. Do you suggest any specific town or place which you would consider child friendly, generally safe, easily accessible via public transportation, close to good yet inexpensive schools and lastly, with very open environment (non racists)?
> Also, our job/business is dependent on Internet connection, how reliable is the internet in Valencia?


Hi 
I can see no reason why Valencia would not meet all your needs. There is a large and reliable metro system that links the city centre with with its suburbs and surrounding towns, so you can choose how urban a lifestyle you want. 

People are very friendly and open. The city has a young, forward-looking, optimistic feel. Foreigners appear to be treated well, we are a source of fascination, not dislike (but folk in the very centre, where the tourists congregate, are perhaps a bit less tolerant). It feels safe. Certainly safer than Madrid. Capital cities are usually harder and tougher than regional cities.

IMHO the larger the city, the more multicultural, less racist it is and I guess this is true in Spain. So Valencia, Spain's 3rd city, should be fine. Its a port so people are used to all sorts being here. 

There appears to be a bewildering array of schools, including many international schools. Kids travel to school by themselves. 

And you are only an hour an a half by high speed train from Madrid if you start missing the Prado.

The big advantage Valencia has over Madrid is its kind weather. Not too hot in summer, not too cold in winter and pretty much sunny all the time. One could say the same of Barcelona, but then that is a very costly city to live in. 

Come see.


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## Roland_O (Oct 17, 2016)

Reign said:


> Also, our job/business is dependent on Internet connection, how reliable is the internet in Valencia?


Oh, forgot to say: Valencia has 100% broadband coverage and appears ranked above Madrid and Barcelona. I'd guess though that the devil will be in the detail, and depend on exactly where you live.


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## Reign (Oct 18, 2016)

xabiachica said:


> Jávea/Xàbia ticks all your boxes apart from public transport - though I don't drive & manage well enough
> 
> We're an hour from both Valencia & Alicante with good state schools & also International/British schools.
> 
> ...


Woow thank you. Our top 1 concern is it might be hard for my wife and my 3 year old son to travel going to school since we do not have our own transpo yet due to drivers license issue. May I ask where exactly are you staying in Valencia?


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## Reign (Oct 18, 2016)

Roland_O said:


> Hi
> I can see no reason why Valencia would not meet all your needs. There is a large and reliable metro system that links the city centre with with its suburbs and surrounding towns, so you can choose how urban a lifestyle you want.
> 
> People are very friendly and open. The city has a young, forward-looking, optimistic feel. Foreigners appear to be treated well, we are a source of fascination, not dislike (but folk in the very centre, where the tourists congregate, are perhaps a bit less tolerant). It feels safe. Certainly safer than Madrid. Capital cities are usually harder and tougher than regional cities.
> ...


Hi Roland, thank you so much. That is very much convincing . Where are you in Valencia? Hoping to meet new friends when we move there 

Also, I've noticed on Idealista, what is the difference between private and professional in terms of payment? How much do we need to produce before we move if we go for a professional?

I find this hard to believe for this cost - https://www.idealista.com/en/inmueble/34986788/

One last concern, we have few things we need to bring when we move like mountain bike, 2 big monitors, subwoofer speakers, 2 large baggages and 1 small baggage. We are just planning of taking the fast train (2 back and forth trips). Can we put all these on the train?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Reign said:


> Woow thank you. Our top 1 concern is it might be hard for my wife and my 3 year old son to travel going to school since we do not have our own transpo yet due to drivers license issue. May I ask where exactly are you staying in Valencia?


Xàbia is an hour south of Valencia city

Home - Xàbia Tourism Portal - Town Council of Xàbia

My children are grown up now, but were almost always able to walk to school, apart from a couple of years when we moved nearer to the secondary school at one end of town but didn't want our younger daughter to change primary school, which was at the other end of town, so she caught the school bus

After that she joined her sister walking to the secondary school


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## Roland_O (Oct 17, 2016)

Reign said:


> Hi Roland, thank you so much. That is very much convincing . Where are you in Valencia? Hoping to meet new friends when we move there
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Hi,

We are in Sagunto, about 25mins north of the centre of Valencia city, where the mountains meet the med. loads of great mountain bike cycling in the national park here. 







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