'It's really boring!' Expat on Spanish island shares worst things about living there

Tenerife beach / expat

Spain is popular with expats

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Sarra Gray

By Sarra Gray


Published: 02/07/2024

- 14:34

An expat who moved to a Spanish island gave an insight into living in the country

Spain is a popular choice for Britons who want to move abroad, promising sunny weather and a more relaxing way of life.

There are some details about life in Spain that are worth knowing before committing to a move, however.


According to an expat who moved to Spain, the islands are either quiet or touristy.

If you are not looking to do touristy activities, there might not be that much to do with your time, he said on YouTube channel Can Guerses.

Sea by Tenerife

An expat discussed life in Spain

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"Since you're living here you're not really into the touristy places or attractions. It gets boring," he said.

He added there are lots of quiet towns on the island and the lack of "free time activities took a while to get used to".

There are plenty of activities to keep visitors entertained in Spain, such as amusement parks, beach clubs and national parks.

But if you live in the country permanently, it is unlikely there are places you'll want to visit repeatedly and it might be difficult to find other things to do, the expat claimed.

Expats looking to immerse themselves in Spanish culture may find this difficult to do because many places are full of tourists.

He said it is "really touristy" when you go to many cities and you often hear more "English than Spanish".

"It's extremely touristy, especially south. You might consider living north. North is greener than south and it's where more locals live," he advised.

Tourists may not be a problem for all expats who move, however, as the British visitors may be a welcome touch of home for some.

Toledo Spain

Spain is favoured among expats for its sunny weather and beautiful beaches

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"The biggest reason [I left] is predominately economic," Regan Shorter stated on her YouTube channel.

"Living in France was not economically viable for the long term. On a freelance English teacher's salary, I was supporting two people and barely making minimum wage.

"In the United States, both I and my boyfriend have more job opportunities, can make higher wages, and have more flexibility in the work we do.

"While France has more social programs offered by the government than we do in the US, we weren't taking advantage of many of them because of the arduous paperwork involved and because we're both young and healthy."

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