City living can be a great alternative for expats

WORTH CONSIDERING: Cities offer a vast range of traditional Spanish cultures.

MOST British and Irish people living in Spain never think of city living.  For some, the cities offer a different way of life than traditional expat areas such as the Costas.

Taking Malaga as an example, a European Union’s Perception Survey from 2012 showed that 96 per cent of residents were happy living in the city.  

Although the survey was published in 2012, it suggests that Spanish cities could be well worth considering as places to live for expatriates.  

Cities offer better transport, more employment opportunities, more shops, universities and much more.  They also offer a vast range of traditional Spanish cultures.

So why do many expats avoid them, choosing to live along the coast or in other rural areas?

They argue that one obvious reason for those not speaking Spanish is the language difficulty. With fewer English-speakers around, ‘fitting in’ is far harder. Along the Costas, socialising can be just like back at home, with plenty of fellow English-speakers and British and Irish-owned bars to visit.  

Although a great way of living in Spain, socialising with other English-speakers can make learning the Spanish language and understanding its culture far harder, and for some impossible.

In the cities, however, you have no choice but to try speaking Spanish. 

 

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