Expat in Madrid shares three warnings about life in the city and how to prepare for a 'smooth' move
Many of the buildings in Spain are old
GETTY / YOUTUBE / @BETTYABROADD
Moving to a different country is a life-changing experience that requires a great deal of preparation and thought.
Since adjusting to the Spanish way of life takes time, expats with experience have shared their pearls of wisdom online.
Content creator Betty (@bettyabroadd) has offered some advice on the back of her own experience, claiming there were three things she wishes she knew.
Taking to TikTok, the content creator shared: “The first thing is if you want to live in Madrid city centre, a lot of the apartments are going to be old.
Many of the buildings in Madrid are old
GETTY / YOUTUBE / @BETTYABROADD
“This isn’t bad because it kind of has an antique feel, and they can be really charming.
“However, you should be aware that the walls will probably be paper thin and you will hear your neighbours above, below and to the sides. So be aware of that if you’re sensitive to noises.”
The second pointer on Betty's list concerns money and the benefits of establishing a realistic budget before moving.
“You will be tempted to spend all of your money in the first few months or the first month you’re here, but do not do this," she advised.
“I had a budget but it wasn’t a strong enough budget and I had no self-control. So if you are someone who loves to spend, and you love to try out new restaurants and go out a ton, please try and slow down when you first get here."
Betty's third recommendation targets younger travellers who could save on public transport spending by acquiring a pass.
“When I got here I did not know about this," she shared. “If you are 25 years old or younger, you basically go to one of the metro stops, anywhere in the Madrid city centre and they have an office where they’ll take your photo.
“Basically you just pay eight euros a month on this card, and you get public transport on buses, trains, and the metro, it’s beautiful.
“I guarantee if you do these three things when you first get here you will have such a smoother transition and a better experience because there were a lot of things that I was struggling with at first and I wish I’d known before I came."
It comes as another expat who started afresh in Madrid shared his opinion on the changes occurring in the Spanish capital due to "touristification".
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In a YouTube clip posted from the account Spain Revealed, content creator James explained that many local bars have disappeared since his arrival.
“A lot of chains and franchises have moved in and a lot of [....] neighbourhood shops have been pushed out.”
Historic parts of the city of Madrid used to be filled with old bars and quaint little shops “selling things that the neighbours needed”, James explained.
Today, many of these “old men's bars”, as James calls them, have transformed into currency exchange hubs.