'Very difficult!' Expat in Spain shares the worst thing about moving to the European hotspot

Woman talking / beach Barcelona

An expat shared the cons of moving to Spain

GETTY/YOUTUBE/CHRISTINA DAVIS
Sarra Gray

By Sarra Gray


Published: 02/04/2024

- 05:00

An expat has shared some of the biggest cons Britons should be aware of before moving overseas

Spain is one of the most popular choices for those looking to move to a European country and it has a lot to offer.

An expat who moved to Barcelona praised the area but shared a word of warning for anyone looking to relocate.


The expat, named Christina Davis, explained one of the biggest difficulties comes when looking for somewhere to live.

She said, in her opinion, demand outweighs the supply so it is not always easy to find a good property. Christina added many properties are outdated.

Tour group in Barcelona

Barcelona is popular with expats and tourists

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"Searching for an apartment in Barcelona is very difficult," the expat explained speaking on her YouTube channel.

"It is not easy because of the fact that there are loads of people, local Spanish as well as international." She said demand is "going up" causing a lot of competition for places to live in the city.

Christina added that the types of apartments on offer are also a "con" of living in the area. She said: "The apartment buildings, for the most bit, are pretty old.

"There are two main problems with the old apartments. A lot of them don't have air conditioning which I will tell you, in the Spanish summertime you will sweat."

The expat went on to claim the old buildings are not built to retain heat which meant in the winter "it was colder inside my own apartment than it was outside".

Christina added the walls are "paper thin" meaning noise travels easily between them. There are many factors to consider when moving abroad, such as work opportunities, culture and affordability.

The cheapest places for expats to move to in Europe has been shared as a country with "beautiful beaches".

Expats could save the most if moving to Portugal based on factors such as the cost of a meal, kitchen staples and the monthly cost of accommodation and bills.

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San Sebastian beach

Expats choose to move to all parts of Spain

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The research states: "[Portugal] is famous for good food, beautiful beaches, a relaxed lifestyle, and affordable living. The capital city Lisbon is one of the top relaxation destinations for travellers to Europe.

"On average, a meal at a standard restaurant will cost €7.50 (£6.40). Kitchen staples like milk and bread are a low €0.60 and €1.10 (50p and 95p) respectively.

"A one-bedroom apartment is an average €430, with combined utilities sitting at around €92 (£78) a month. While the average salary is a bit lower than some other countries in the region at €798 (£680), it’s still affordable living."

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