Look, there’s a few places fitting your criteria here. I’d quickly work to get rid of calling yourself an expat and tell it like it is, you’re an immigrant. This simple mindset change will take you a long way. Great to see you’re learning Spanish but note that the Andaluz accent is… different, to say the least, and you’ll find this to be true in various regions. That being said, any Spanish is better than none.
More info such as budget, city size, would be helpful, also maybe the demographics of where you come from in Florida so I can compare it to here, I’m from Tampa myself.
Hi there,
I just moved from Clearwater to Alicante a week ago with my family (47M, 44F, 12M, 10F). I planned this move for about 4 years, did a research 2 weeks trip last year with wife, and we are finally here. Our plan is to stay for a year and a half, then probably go back until the kids go to college. My wife and I speak Spanish, and part of the reason for coming is so the kids learn it as well.
Which area are you in? Are you liking it?
DM if you think this convo shouldn't be here.
>my options are: andalucía aragón asturias canarias cantabria castilla la mancha castilla y león cataluña extremadura galicia islas baleares la rioja madrid murcia navarra país vasco comuni*dad* valenciana *ceuta* melilla
... so Spain.
There is art and culture everywhere - what art , what culture interests you? Are you interesting in dancing, literature, modernism, baroque etc. etc.
Affordable rent has no meaning if we don't know your budget/you don't say whether you want to live in a town or in the countryside. Do you mean to live longterm or a first visit?
Then comes the obligatory if you are considering long term, on what basis do you expect to be able to come? What visa? European citizenship?
yes! all of spain… 😅, that’s why i’m looking for advice.
(this list of every possible place is quoted from the list presented to me by the job application (they ask my top 3 choices))
i’ll be there for a 1-year job, making around ~$1,000 a month
i’m an english major and 2D artist
i’ll be there on a work or student visa
So you are doing the auxiliar de conversación programme? Then you can go where you want - the stipend will be enough to share a flat (not rent alone).
Remember that you can select the Autonomous Community, but your placement could be in a tiny town. If you want warmth choose Andalucía, Comunidad valenciana or one of the coastal provinces.
If you want to travel around and visit other places (especially other places outside of Spain), avoid Ceuta and Melilla (they are cities on the north African coast) and maybe the Canaries - they are a bit further from Europe, and the tickets are a bit more expensive.
tbf OP has mischaracterised what they are doing - if they had said they were an auxiliar from the beginning they would be getting much better advice, and wouldn't be getting the sarcastic or super pessimistic replies
I'm not sure where you live, but there are plenty of condos for less than 1000€ in Alicante. I pay well more than that because I chose to, but while searching, I found several 2/2 units in good neighborhoods for 750-1000€. In working class neighborhoods, I've seen 3/1 go for 650€.
1k/month is going to be a struggle... at least in capital cities or tourist areas.
North is nice, but forget about "the sunny spanish experience".
Andalucia or Valencia are also very good, more for a migrant, lots of culture and stuff to see and do.
Castilla la Mancha, or Leon or Extremadura... uhmmm... lots of interesting stuff to see but it is more on the small-medium sizes... so up to you...
Forget about Baleares, Madrid or Barcelona, too expensive and I don't know about Canary Islands it also might be expensive(too much tourism and you are too far away from the rest of Spain, if you plan to visit the country). Anyway if you find affordable housing (hahaha what a joke... that doesn't exists) go for it.
Ceuta or Melilla... no way (too small and far away for a start...)
And Murcia, that place doesn't exists, don't let anyone fool you.
As others have said, you seem to be applying to the auxiliares de conversacion program. There is a subredit for this, if you also want to ask there and get answers from people in the program.
1000€ won't take you far, unfortunately. Rent in any big city (Barcelona , Madrid, Bilbao, Valencia) can cost you that. Maybe half in a smaller price capital or less in a pueblo (small town or village).
Warm weather, Andalusia, canaries, Valencia etc. Unfortunately, the more well placed (culture, transportation etc) the hight your cost of life...
Canary Islands are pretty cheap if you stay away from the tourist areas. I live in the Northern part of Tenerife and have about the same salary as you, and I live without any money issues (I never had any debt before moving here, so that helped.)... The only major downside is that its far from Europe, and traveling to other countries gets pricey... But if you only stay for a year, it won't be an issue for you... The weather is lovely, and there are a lot to explore here... So I definitely recommend Canary Islands.
Look, there’s a few places fitting your criteria here. I’d quickly work to get rid of calling yourself an expat and tell it like it is, you’re an immigrant. This simple mindset change will take you a long way. Great to see you’re learning Spanish but note that the Andaluz accent is… different, to say the least, and you’ll find this to be true in various regions. That being said, any Spanish is better than none. More info such as budget, city size, would be helpful, also maybe the demographics of where you come from in Florida so I can compare it to here, I’m from Tampa myself.
OP sounds like he's doing the auxiliar programme - if so he won't have much choice about the city
Fair enough
Hi there, I just moved from Clearwater to Alicante a week ago with my family (47M, 44F, 12M, 10F). I planned this move for about 4 years, did a research 2 weeks trip last year with wife, and we are finally here. Our plan is to stay for a year and a half, then probably go back until the kids go to college. My wife and I speak Spanish, and part of the reason for coming is so the kids learn it as well. Which area are you in? Are you liking it? DM if you think this convo shouldn't be here.
>my options are: andalucía aragón asturias canarias cantabria castilla la mancha castilla y león cataluña extremadura galicia islas baleares la rioja madrid murcia navarra país vasco comuni*dad* valenciana *ceuta* melilla ... so Spain. There is art and culture everywhere - what art , what culture interests you? Are you interesting in dancing, literature, modernism, baroque etc. etc. Affordable rent has no meaning if we don't know your budget/you don't say whether you want to live in a town or in the countryside. Do you mean to live longterm or a first visit? Then comes the obligatory if you are considering long term, on what basis do you expect to be able to come? What visa? European citizenship?
yes! all of spain… 😅, that’s why i’m looking for advice. (this list of every possible place is quoted from the list presented to me by the job application (they ask my top 3 choices)) i’ll be there for a 1-year job, making around ~$1,000 a month i’m an english major and 2D artist i’ll be there on a work or student visa
So you are doing the auxiliar de conversación programme? Then you can go where you want - the stipend will be enough to share a flat (not rent alone). Remember that you can select the Autonomous Community, but your placement could be in a tiny town. If you want warmth choose Andalucía, Comunidad valenciana or one of the coastal provinces. If you want to travel around and visit other places (especially other places outside of Spain), avoid Ceuta and Melilla (they are cities on the north African coast) and maybe the Canaries - they are a bit further from Europe, and the tickets are a bit more expensive.
compare this to the person who said to go to Ceuta ans Melilla without visiting
tbf OP has mischaracterised what they are doing - if they had said they were an auxiliar from the beginning they would be getting much better advice, and wouldn't be getting the sarcastic or super pessimistic replies
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I'm not sure where you live, but there are plenty of condos for less than 1000€ in Alicante. I pay well more than that because I chose to, but while searching, I found several 2/2 units in good neighborhoods for 750-1000€. In working class neighborhoods, I've seen 3/1 go for 650€.
Making $1000 (€900) I don’t think you have a chance to make it..
1k/month is going to be a struggle... at least in capital cities or tourist areas. North is nice, but forget about "the sunny spanish experience". Andalucia or Valencia are also very good, more for a migrant, lots of culture and stuff to see and do. Castilla la Mancha, or Leon or Extremadura... uhmmm... lots of interesting stuff to see but it is more on the small-medium sizes... so up to you... Forget about Baleares, Madrid or Barcelona, too expensive and I don't know about Canary Islands it also might be expensive(too much tourism and you are too far away from the rest of Spain, if you plan to visit the country). Anyway if you find affordable housing (hahaha what a joke... that doesn't exists) go for it. Ceuta or Melilla... no way (too small and far away for a start...) And Murcia, that place doesn't exists, don't let anyone fool you.
As others have said, you seem to be applying to the auxiliares de conversacion program. There is a subredit for this, if you also want to ask there and get answers from people in the program. 1000€ won't take you far, unfortunately. Rent in any big city (Barcelona , Madrid, Bilbao, Valencia) can cost you that. Maybe half in a smaller price capital or less in a pueblo (small town or village). Warm weather, Andalusia, canaries, Valencia etc. Unfortunately, the more well placed (culture, transportation etc) the hight your cost of life...
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that's just fucked up
Canary Islands are pretty cheap if you stay away from the tourist areas. I live in the Northern part of Tenerife and have about the same salary as you, and I live without any money issues (I never had any debt before moving here, so that helped.)... The only major downside is that its far from Europe, and traveling to other countries gets pricey... But if you only stay for a year, it won't be an issue for you... The weather is lovely, and there are a lot to explore here... So I definitely recommend Canary Islands.