6 Best reasons to retire to Valencia, Spain! Living in Valencia, Spain!

valencia would be the third largest city in spain but it offers the small town feel for its residents and is part of the reason why it's so appealing to expats retiring to spain it's a great place to live because of its great weather interesting local culture and it's pretty close to the middle situated to travel both in spain and wider europe so what this means for you is that you'll get all the benefits of mediterranean life and all the travel connections around you but just recently it's been overwhelmingly scored high for the ease of settling in in the quality of life hello everyone this is ron and blue and today's topic would be on the six best reasons to retire to valencia spain just as a disclaimer the information provided is a general guide and to be used for educational purposes only so there was actually a recent survey of 15 000 expats representing 173 nationalities and living in 181 countries that actually scored the spanish city valencia as the best in all five indices they had it's actually a fun place full of creative types digital nomads startups alternative culture and funky independent shops life actually seems easier and less stressful with the outdoor lifestyle and it never gets boring but let's jump into some of the points why valencia spain would be the place of retirement in further detail starting now number one facts about valencia spain to start with let's get into a bit of the history of valencia spain now valencia is one of spain's most important cities and it boasts a long and interesting history its influences are taken from a variety of sources including the moors christians and romans and this is all reflected in the architecture and atmosphere of the city it was actually founded as a roman colony in 138 bc and about 2 000 roman colonists were settled in valencia and developed as a typical roman city a strategic location near the sea with the imperial road connecting the province to rome hundreds of years later it later formed part of the kingdom of the goths in the year 568 but in 711 three armies of the moors from africa found out across the peninsula the new islamic culture was established in the city for five centuries the muslims allowed the other religions to flourish where new christian churches appeared where gothic architecture was introduced the jewish population even lived in the eastern part of the city in the enclosed corridor the emergence of these new religious buildings brought large numbers of religious foundations which fundamentally influenced the development of the city changing the face of the city forever the moors were then forced out of the city that actually resulted with a severe economic depression largely because of their expulsion because they represented around 30 percent of the entire population but later there was a boom in trade that highlighted the importance of the port to the world and the city grew again in 1762 it was then divided into four quarters and from 1808 to 1874 the city was altered and remodeled and these remodeling stages occurred with the arrival of napoleon's troops although they only stayed for a short period the consequences for the city were actually disastrous with the destruction of key cultural locations but this led to a wave of new construction the opening up of new squares in the landscaping of large numbers of urban areas walls were destroyed and development of large areas of land happened now during the early years of the 20th century it witnessed a period of agricultural and commercial development where valencia eventually became the third largest city in spain after madrid in barcelona with about 800 000 as a population with its wider urban area with neighboring municipalities that grew to a population of around 1.9 million now valencia is a charming city and one of the oldest in spain it's on the mediterranean sea about four hours to the south of barcelona and three hours to the east of madrid is today become a hot spot for many tourists who have begun to realize that it might be a very good permanent settlement for them number two food in valencia spain fideiwa now most people coming to spain know about paella though they often have no idea it's from valencia fidewa is a dish made with pasta instead of rice and is a noodle and a seafood dish that's one of the typical foods of valencia traditionally fudewa is made with a delicious homemade seafood and fish stock and features seafood such as shrimp squid and a variety of optional shellfish fideowa enthusiasts actually visit the birthplace of the dish in gandia for a taste in early summer they actually have a cooking contest a favorite local celebration in gandia askgaret this is a cold salad another typical dish from valencia its preparation is simple with salt cured cod and grilled red peppers this colorful mixture is then seasoned with a bit of garlic in a dash of extra virgin olive oil and sometimes oven roasted eggplant and black olives are added all this on top of a slice of crusty bread or grilled or toasted bread it's actually typical to cook the vegetables over embers most often in the summer when people cook more often outdoors but some saying is better eaten at room temperature mohammad this is a salt cured tuna fishermen would cure fish to help them last longer when ready to eat it's sliced and dizzled with a little local olive oil although it's not common it's still pretty common in some places especially seafood restaurants it also could be found in valencia due to the history of fish and seafood in valencia number three where to live in valencia spain al carmen now this area has small bars narrow streets street art restaurants and it's a popular place for many to live but because of the activities around it does get crowded but there are quiet areas as well one interesting point is that you'll be surrounded by historic buildings but the rent in the noise is a little higher especially with valencia's annual faggias celebrations but there are so many things to do here that are in walking distance as well but the area has the most attractive buildings bringing an atmosphere of a charming old world style that many expats find fascinating with its authentic vibe and essential location there are also a lot of conveniences like supermarkets and parking all around el cabano now this is near a beach location valencia is located on the mediterranean coast but there aren't a lot of nice areas to live that are close to the beach but this neighborhood is changing and it has an old fisherman's town feel to it there are bars and co-working spaces and foreigners seem to be attracted to this area so it's close to the beach safe and it's also not too far from the central area it's known for also being suited for families as well it's been growing in popularity by both transient types of expats like digital nomads but also for those looking for a more permanent base there's even some co-working spaces and a lot of properties are still affordable many traditional old style flats in the area but also the few modern developments as well ruzafa now in the past this neighborhood was probably most avoided because it was grungy in a less safe part of town but today it's been really cleaned up and you'll find trendy coffee shops bars and restaurants and a lot of great shops it's also convenient being very close to the central train station and only a 15-minute walk from the popular parks it's a young neighborhood with a lively night scene as well although there are quiet streets it does get loud with neighborhoods packed with bars especially during the weekends it also has a multicultural feel to it as well it has great cafes where many digital nomads are people in their twenties and thirties find ruzoffa to be one of the best places to live in valencia and their supermarkets as well so it's good living in both terms of living and working and if you happen to decide on getting a car there's not a lot of public parking but there are e-scooter services you can bike around with as well it's actually a bikeable city and in most cases everything is available in walking distance number four entertainment in valencia spain now valencia is a mix of the old and new buildings giving it a real special feel from medieval castles and towers to modernist and art deco architecture and there are nice little shops and big shopping centers as well many attractions are in walking distance on cobblestone little streets you can walk along but valencia is one of the oldest cities in spain in its first settlements date back to 138 bc as mentioned before it fell under the roman and byzantine empires ruled by moors and christians walled twice first by the muslims during the 10th century and secondly under the regime of king james the first during the 14th century but wandering around the old town is one of the best things to do in valencia because it's an opportunity to go back in time learn about valencia's history and admire the outstanding architectural legacy inherited from different cultures and civilizations you'll see historical buildings around town as well like valencia's cathedral a gothic cathedral that dates to the 13th and 14th centuries you'll see these beautiful paintings hanging on the walls you'll also be probably walking towards a bell tower in the shape of an octagon that took 50 years to complete it was actually standing alone at one time but with its extensions later in the late 1400s they brought the structures together and if you're up for it you can actually climb all of the 207 steps up a stairwell to the top but there are landmarks everywhere in valencia in walking distance in between them you can rest after walking through a maze of little streets at many cafes restaurants and local amenities or artisan shops along the way on the northeast side of the old town alcarmen that significantly took shape in medieval times you'll find outside of the 11th century moorish walls fragments of valencia's late medieval defenses there are also beautiful parks around as well and in the middle of the city this one having a history of a river flooding that caused damage to the city in 1957 you'll actually see a total of 18 bridges that still cross the riverbed there's also some beat space as well a wide strip of golden sand that stretches for about a mile along the city seafront but there are other beaches to visit as well around the city and if you want a faster way to view the sights you're always free to rent a bicycle the bicycle itself isn't free of course to rent but affordable for a day but there's a safe web of narrow streets squares parks and seafront walkways you can go through bikes are actually so popular that they even started a bike sharing network which is mainly for valencia's residents but there are of course numerous rental companies across the city as well now if you're into festivals there's the las falas these celebrations take place in valencia in a build up to saint joseph's day on the 19th of march it might actually be the noisiest and most colorful fiesta you ever attend there's valencia's central market as well a historic food market but within a great modernist building it's a place where you can also get a closer insight into the daily life of the people the market itself is divided into sections depending on the type of food available such as fish a meat selection a fruit selection and so on but there are loads of traditional shops bars and cafes around the perimeter of the building it's a really nice area to stroll around as well now there's also the city of arts and sciences as well an ultra-modern structure with these reflecting poles that surround them so the whole thing was started in the mid-90s and finishing touches were made in 2005. it's a huge building with cultural first-class family attractions like a planetarium imax cinema botanical collection of plant species native to valencia the aquarium inside is also organized by 10 zones each with its distinct environment and using real sea water pumped from valencia's waterfront you'll see whales sea lions dolphins sand tiger sharks penguins and walruses but around the area you'll find 45 000 individual animals from 500 different species you won't find another attraction on this scale in europe so in the end valencia is a collection of the sights and feelings of the people the diverse architecture the parks the beaches the nightlife and just the random experiences you can get just by walking around the city number five cost of living in valencia spain although you can make it as expensive and affordable as you want in any country you live in valencia is a really good option for anyone looking for a big city experience but not willing to spend the extra few hundred dollars each month for the even larger cities you can even choose to even live like a student where you're okay with sharing a flat with several people and maybe living a bit away from the center but for those that are retired looking for a bit of that comfort or convenience you may want to budget for slightly more but if you're coming alone and looking to rent your own property it may be tough to stick to these budgets unless you get a good paying job or have other sources of income but in a recent survey out of 66 cities in the world for expats it was voted that valencia was officially declared the most desirable city to live abroad as a foreign citizen more than 15 000 expats actually participated in the survey which analyzed 66 cities around the globe during march 2020 in pre-covet times so before the global pandemic sparked lockdowns they actually mentioned that valencia will help you make your money go farther especially with everyday essentials even with the fluctuating currency exchanges you'll still notice an increase in how much money you have some will say it's way too expensive but compared to the us as an example is cheaper by 42 to 50 percent rent and utilities are cheaper and medical care as well as transportation are as well and you don't need a car the average spanish worker earns two thousand two hundred and thirty eight dollars a month which is about twenty six thousand eight hundred and fifty six dollars a year which is much lower for the average american just as a comparison the average software engineer in spain earns about thirty nine thousand dollars based on glassdoor in america it's a hundred and three thousand dollars a meal at an inexpensive restaurant would be ten dollars between seven dollars and seventeen dollars usd a meal for two people at a mid-range restaurant for a three-course meal would be forty one dollars between thirty three dollars and fifty nine dollars usd basic utilities for an apartment would be a hundred and forty four dollars between ninety dollars and two hundred and twenty four dollars usd per month the internet would be forty four dollars between twenty nine dollars and sixty five dollars usd per month a fitness club would be 35 dollars between 23.53 usd per month a cinema would be 9.50 between eight dollars and twelve dollars usd an apartment one bedroom and city center would be 875 dollars between 712 and 1127 usd per month an apartment one bedroom outside a city center would be 612 between 474 dollars and 830 dollars usd per month an apartment three bedrooms and city center would be one thousand three hundred and thirty five dollars between one thousand and sixty eight dollars and one thousand six hundred and two dollars usd per month an apartment three bedrooms outside of city center would be 885 dollars between seven hundred and twelve dollars and one thousand one hundred and twenty seven dollars usd per month so utilities you pay for water and electric in addition to your rent the landlords pay for community fees that cover for trash removal there's also the cost of health insurance as well at about 166 dollars per person and if you choose to work then the company you work for usually covers it in full or partial but if not you can get insurance from the us that covers you in eu countries and pretty much everywhere else but the united states to keep costs down you can get a bicycle or be in an area that is walkable to everything like your groceries but of course you can get a car but that would mean you'll have extra costs like insurance maintenance parking and gasoline for something that just sits there 95 of the time doing nothing at all but park it's a pretty expensive option but groceries you can get delivered or use a taxi once a week to carry your load instead of owning your own car but if you want to keep costs down further moving to spain requires you to have a local mindset and if you intend on buying things that you did back home the cost would most likely be higher assuming you can find the products of course but the brands in europe are just as good as in the united states in most cases but in terms of monthly finances a couple would need around fifteen hundred dollars a month to live comfortably excluding rent this is great for city living but would only cover your basic amenities for a much more comfortable lifestyle aim for anywhere between twenty three hundred dollars and three thousand dollars a month number six pros and cons for living in valencia spain now let's talk about the pros and cons of living in valencia starting with the pros walking now you can walk almost everywhere but having a bicycle is handy too even though valencia is on the coast the beach is a 45 minute walk from the town center where around 30 minutes by bus or metro so your decision on where to live might be based on how much you want to walk from it from easy access to all the shops bars and cultural things that the center offers safe valencia is a very safe place to live both nationally and internationally the crime rate is actually very low very safe for walking alone both day and night all of valencia's types of crimes are rated low including assault robbery drug-related crime and harassment based on race or gender expat community now this city very much has an international community the expats and valencia are friendly fun open-minded and curious there's a great sense of business exploration and creativity a feeling that all things are possible here now keep in mind that there's 4.5 million expats in spain and there are lots of groups you can join with to meet other expats when you're getting settled it's a great way to also meet other expats in the same boat not too expensive now valencia isn't an expensive place to live it's actually got one of the lowest living costs in europe things like public transport and food are cheap yet good quality and renting house prices remain comparatively low as well so if you're coming from areas like the united states australia northern europe you'll find a lower cost of living but coming from south america southern eastern europe africa and asia the cost could be somewhat higher for certain things great healthcare now you would think that the united states has great healthcare and yes it does but actually france and spain is known to have some of the best health care services that are equal it's well known that spain has one of the best health care systems in the world with guaranteed basic and preventative care foreigners who work in spain and retirees can also access the social security system but you would still need to check carefully what hospitals and what ratings some of these hospitals have in the city you want to live in but overall you can expect them to be very good and if you qualify for public health care you won't have to pay anything to see the doctor or receive any essential services and if you require private health care due to your visa situation or special health requirements private insurance policies are quite comprehensive and affordable great weather valencia has great weather all year round but it is a bit humid during the winter but it could make you feel warmer but not everyone enjoys a humid climate and although the climate is very good for a temperate location you'll still need a coat in the winter and houses can really get cold because they are often poorly insulated and rarely have essential heating so in the summer it could be 104 degrees fahrenheit by day and 86 degrees fahrenheit at night so if you don't like the heat you won't enjoy the summers which lasts for a long time but whether you end up in a coastal town or inland city the weather in spain will not disappoint properties in spain now properties in spain are affordable if you were to buy similar properties in the states it would be around double but the choice ultimately depends on your budget and needs prices may be lower the farther you go from the central area as long as you still have metro access it's a good spot you can get a good sized apartment with two or more bedrooms and at least one bathroom and utilities and internet tv are generally cheaper as well big food scene valencia is famous for its seafood it's right next to the mediterranean so this means there's always fresh fish both in restaurants and in markets the produce available for purchase is local fresh of good quality and cost very little slower pace of living now life in valencia is noticeably slower and it takes time to adjust to the slower pace but most expats say that once they do the rewards outweigh the negatives you'll enjoy the conversations more because you'll just have more time you'll enjoy having to walk on your own two feet instead of a car to get your stuff and family is very important and everyone takes off sunday to spend time with them because there's just more time vibrant culture now there are museums and galleries in valencia they also host the phallus festival a five-day music festival that features music fireworks and amazing street food valencia's nightlife scene is also well known as well good public transport valencia's transport is great it has a metro line and efficient bus routes that also connect to valencia's airport which is roughly 7 miles from the city center so you'll quickly be able to enjoy flights to major hubs across the world with great connections to europe and south america spaniards are very friendly you'll find that a lot of people are always out and socializing you pretty much live in the gym in the bars out on walks riding bicycles you'll find you'll get jokes from the mailman cashier at the market your doctor could be your friend as well and this is all because of the history and culture engraved in its people it has a friendly community of both natives and immigrants much of this is engraved in its family-centered culture but this also helps feed into the overall safety of its residents as well some people describe it as having a culture shock but a very positive one long-term residency now there are three main types of long-term residence visas plus several other options for investors property buyers entrepreneurs and highly skilled professionals the main types are the residence visa non-lucrative the work in residence visa and a student visa so looking at these options your dream of retirement could very much be achieved now let's talk about the cons language barrier spanish is the official language of spain along with several other co-official regional languages even within spain you might find yourself needing the local language to fully integrate now speaking spanish is among the top 5 most widely spoken languages in the world and is a huge benefit and you'll notice that english and other languages aren't widely spoken in the country in many other european countries and bigger cities a lot of people speak some english countries like belgium germany and the netherlands have embraced english many citizens can hold the conversation but the bigger cities in spain see enough english visitors so it's easy to get around without learning spanish although valencia is a spanish city known to be international it's actually less than the better known cousins of madrid and barcelona this means you need to know at least a basic level of spanish in order to survive in valencia you'll probably bump into people who don't know any english every day spain taxes expats on their worldwide income yes you heard it right unlike countries in south america the problem with spain is that they tax you on worldwide income and that includes your social security and pension income due to an agreement with the united states when you add it up it looks like you'll be paying more income taxes in spain than you do back home but you can always talk to a spanish tax specialist spain's annual income taxes are calculated based on worldwide income these can be deducted from your us income tax the bigger issue is their wealth tax calculated on your net worth annually it also depends on where you live in spain but as of now in barcelona as an example you pay a hundred percent of wealth tax yet in madrid you pay zero percent some avoid being tax residents in the future but living there less than 183 days per year and keep in mind if you purchase residents of any kind then that will make you a tax resident no matter how long you live in the country private health care based on the consulate of spain and washington dc all four types of residence visas require you to have overseas medical insurance from a company licensed to operate in spain so looks like you'll have no choice but to take a look at the expat health insurance before leaving jobs in spain although workers in spain have decent rights and employment protections the work culture in spain has a lot of room for improvement they even say that spaniards sleep fewer hours and work longer hours than their european neighbors and are unfortunately less productive and you might hear this a lot spain would be a perfect place to live if it had a better job market and this is the absolute truth unfortunately spain has one of the highest rates of unemployment in europe and the job market is extremely competitive and most young spaniards are educated to the point of having a bachelor's and master's degree and sometimes multiple degrees so you'll often find yourself competing with over-educated spaniards with little to no work experience thousands of spaniards actually go abroad to work due to the lack of opportunities in their own home country salaries are low and stagnant as well the 2008 and 2009 economic crisis combined with the current pandemic is going to see difficult years ahead of the spanish economy and job market busy tourist season now tourism can be a negative for some especially if it's a big industry in the area march in valencia is one of the busiest months for tourism but i guess this could be fixed by simply going on a month-long holiday elsewhere the bureaucracy valencia's relaxed pace of life is included in its bureaucracy it'll take time in applying for permits and it's time consuming and chasing repairs or contract work is next to impossible but you may just get used to it where it becomes less of an issue there's also long waiting lines in any government office only one person giving forms and answering questions of any type there are queues everywhere in spain you'll need to stand around for hours just waiting so all the paperwork will be a challenge and the concept of customer service is not what you'll be used to nothing will ever be done in a day going to a doctor requesting house services like a phone or television or opening an account quiet person and culture shock spaniers like most people from southern europe love loud music even late at night and being way friendlier with more time than the average american if you're a quiet person then this may be an issue it could be difficult to decide where to live now this was mentioned as a pro before where you have a lot of choices for where you can live but it could be hard as well because there's just too many choices it all depends on what your likes are now there's lots of towns and farmers markets and the airports are about an hour away there are tennis clubs bicycling paddle tennis golf courses and many beaches and coves so it might be kind of hard to find a place but there are good values everywhere quality of life in valencia with that typically temperate weather as well towns on the mediterranean or inland provide good options but depends on what your priorities are you can always test drive your matches and hop from one place to another using those vacation rentals for enough time to get a feel of the town and neighborhood buying property in spain some say the cost involved in buying property is very expensive a real estate agent takes 10 commission stamp duty here is 7 capital gains tax is also payable on selling property here even if this is your only residence so if you're thinking of buying and selling property and flipping the properties in spain is not a fast way to make money natural spaces spain has quite a few mountain ranges and amazing beaches especially with its nearly 3 000 miles of coastline but beyond this the variety of abundance of natural spaces in spain is lacking space and resources are limited there's nearly nowhere that is without a fence surrounding a property even if it's public land besides the main touristy areas you often find that parks aren't that well kept up hiking and camping or underdeveloped compared to countries like the united states there's also few lakes and rivers are drying up due to climate change and the coastline is usually interrupted by seaside concrete towns so the beaches are short and small easily getting crowded in the summer months time difference from the united states if you work remotely and want to contact your family you'll need to have meetings scheduled accordingly based on u.s eastern and pacific time zones now these time zones might be a nine hour difference but if you're a night owl and love to sleep in then it shouldn't be an issue but overall despite the cons just spoken of any new country would be a challenge and filled with ups and downs now this vlog obviously only scratches the surface of what life would be like in valencia spain but many expats do share their experiences and say they love it and live within the cons and adjust to the local lifestyle it all depends on what you want uniquely yourself well tell me what you think of living in valencia spain in the comment section below if you like this vlog please don't forget to hit that like button subscribe if you haven't already and hit that notification bell for more of my coming content here thank you for watching my vlog be free gain wealth and travel far

Channel: RoninBlue

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Keywords: Retire to Valencia Spain, Retire to Spain, How to retire to Spain, Valencia, moving to spain, living in spain, living in valencia, cost of living in Valencia Spain, Cost of living in Spain, Pros and cons of living in Valencia Spain, Cost of living in Valencia, where to live in Valencia, what to eat in Valencia, Best things to do in Valencia, Cons of living in Spain, Pros in living in Spain

Id: z8524CfksFI

Length: 32min 30sec (1950 seconds)

Published: Fri May 21 2021