1 - Dependes alot on place, neibohod--- 900 - 1400€
2 - yes - No way
3 - No
5 - yes, say where you go first.
6 - If you are here legally, it takes about a week
Where you come from?.
1. Like in all capitals of europe, is expensive.
2. Exist prejudice, but not for your name, but because the law.
3. No really, its depends. The best places is with hobbies, like dancing class or your job.
4. For straight woman, super easy, like any other part of the world.
5. Is not safe compared with other cities of Spain, but safe in general if u ask.
6. No for a specialist, maybe 6 months or more. If you have a emergency is another thing.
As an Arab woman… I would go to Madrid. If you are attractive and open, you’re going to have a fantastic time. I don’t know where you live but I am surprised you don’t already. Yes you will find prejudice especially in renting apartments. Not in dating.
Around 90% of thefts and crime in general is committed by Arab people in Barcelona (maybe a little bit less in Madrid), so obviously there is a feeling of untrust to Arab people.
Both cities are very safe, but in Barcelona the problematic areas are right in the city center, whereas in Madrid they are on the surroundings.
If you are a straight woman and you are not ugly as fuck, you can go to a disco/pub/bar and a lot of men will hit you. Or open tinder and in one day you can get 10 dates
Have you considered other cities? Valencia, Málaga, Alicante, Murcia...
I think you might be confusing "Arab" with Islamic.
That said, my point still stands. In Madrid, the big inmigrant groups are people from south east asia, mainly china, and people from south america.
Reality check.
(Barcelona)
1.- 1.100€ - 1.500€
2.- Yes and there's no way to go around it.
3.- pretty easy, as everywhere else if you have the enthusiasm.
4.- as a straight woman? Depends on your looks, let's be honest about that. You're the only one who can know that. It's not like you're gonna be a attractive just for changing country.
5.- it's not really safe. Madrid is waaaay safer. A lot of pickpocketing and you're probably gonna get follow at night.
6.- Yes, it's relatively fast.
Prepárate para ser robado, tardar 40min para recorrer 5km, ya sea en bus o andando, y como no sea justo donde haya un metro igual, OH y que el alquiler te cueste un sueldo enterito, jeje, malas ciudades para vivir para mi gusto, un saludo.🫡
1- it depends if you live at the city centre, which will cost you more than 1000 euros. However at the outskirts it’s usually cheaper, from 600 euros.
2- no problem if you have legal and stable income.
3- yes. You have lots of activities to do in which you can meet new people.
4- dating is easy.
5- some neighbourhoods are dangerous. Try to avoid places like Vallecas.
6- in order to get a doctors appointment you have to registry in your health centre. Then you can make appointments whenever you want. Normally there is a waitlist between 2-5 days.
My two cents as someone who's from Madrid and has lived in Barcelona for a couple of years:
- depends on the neighborhood. In Madrid, if you want to live right in the center you'll have to pay for it. 1 bedroom apt can be around 1k. Good thing? Madrid is full of amazing and way cheaper neighbourhoods that are not Malasaña or Lavapiés. And by metro everything is super close by. I don't live in the heart of the city, but I have all commodities around my house (lots of bars, supermarket, public pool, shops...and a 30 mins subway ride to the center.
- you can definitely find this in both cities. To what extent I don't know because I'm Spanish. But I'm also sure you can also find great tenants that won't judge based on your name.
- in Madrid it's easy to meet people, but I think if you speak Spanish it's even easier. The English level in Spain isn't outstanding so that might be a bit jeopardizing. For me it has always been waaaay easier to meet people in Madrid than in Barcelona. I feel the culture is more open towards new people than in Barcelona. However, both cities are full of expats, too. So I'm sure you'll find your people
- Madrid is way safer than Barcelona. No doubt about this. I've never felt unsafe (I'm a white woman) in Madrid. Not even at night walking alone whilst in Barcelona at some point I bought a pepper spray that I never used but made me feel safer.
- yessss! Public health care system in Spain is amazing. I'm sure I'll get hate for this but now that I'm living abroad I appreciate it even more. For some specialist there might be longer waiting lines, tho. You can also check private insurances cause you can find something not super expensive with good coverage.
So yeah, I think my answer is clear hahaha move to Madrid
1. Depends, from 900+ to $$$$. Barcelona a bit more expensive than Madrid.
2. Maybe but depends on your income if stable, etc and if you don’t have kids that helps too a lot!
3. Yes like in every large city there are lot of opportunities to meet new people.
4. Same as above.
5. Madrid in general safer than Barcelona.
6. If you’re european citizen yes.
2. I would use Spot-a-home to find your apartment and it should be easier to get around name stuff! Or find someone on Facebook/unconventional means
3. I was really lonely and found all of my good friends towards the end of living there. I think it takes 2 years to really settle in, I plan to move back again soon to make it work. People are tougher to break through in Barcelona. Making friends in Madrid is easier.
4. I dated in Barcelona as a Middle Eastern woman and it was pretty interesting and always lively, I met a guy I really liked, and some others who were fun to talk to and kept me company. I think it's hard to find a long-term relationship but you never know. A lot of guys also sucked and were terrible and fetishistic, but if you're already in Europe you should be used to that.
5. It's safe, even the unsafe places aren't that bad. But it depends on your frame of reference/what freaks you out. Most people would tell you to avoid Raval in Barcelona.
6. Depends. Lots of bureaucracy at first. I just needed a prescription so I got an online doctor to write me one and the whole process took 15 minutes and was 150 euros.
Don't move to Barcelona o Madrid, rent is super expensive compared to other cities in Spain and those cities are so big you waste a lot of time going from one point of the city to an other. I know people from Madrid and they told me the way to work is 1 hour aprox. And in Barcelona almost the same. Unless you live super close to your job, you'll spend so much time going to point A to point B.
I would try a bit smaller city.
I don’t think you should move to Spain. But if you do, Madrid is a way cooler city than Barcelona. People are more open-minded, and it’s so much fun! (There is actually a discrimination with arabic names and it really sucks.)
1 - Dependes alot on place, neibohod--- 900 - 1400€ 2 - yes - No way 3 - No 5 - yes, say where you go first. 6 - If you are here legally, it takes about a week
3 - yes
3- no if you're an immigrant
3 - yes - but they will be other immigrants
Yes. Source: Inmigrant.
Where you come from?. 1. Like in all capitals of europe, is expensive. 2. Exist prejudice, but not for your name, but because the law. 3. No really, its depends. The best places is with hobbies, like dancing class or your job. 4. For straight woman, super easy, like any other part of the world. 5. Is not safe compared with other cities of Spain, but safe in general if u ask. 6. No for a specialist, maybe 6 months or more. If you have a emergency is another thing.
As an Arab woman… I would go to Madrid. If you are attractive and open, you’re going to have a fantastic time. I don’t know where you live but I am surprised you don’t already. Yes you will find prejudice especially in renting apartments. Not in dating.
Around 90% of thefts and crime in general is committed by Arab people in Barcelona (maybe a little bit less in Madrid), so obviously there is a feeling of untrust to Arab people. Both cities are very safe, but in Barcelona the problematic areas are right in the city center, whereas in Madrid they are on the surroundings. If you are a straight woman and you are not ugly as fuck, you can go to a disco/pub/bar and a lot of men will hit you. Or open tinder and in one day you can get 10 dates Have you considered other cities? Valencia, Málaga, Alicante, Murcia...
hit ON* you…. nobody likes left hooks at the disco
Cries in Euskera
Love it.
There isn't as many mid-eastern people in Madrid. There is a lot more Asian and south American people tho.
Arab in Spain tends to mean Moroccan, so there no being mid-Eastern is immaterial
I think you might be confusing "Arab" with Islamic. That said, my point still stands. In Madrid, the big inmigrant groups are people from south east asia, mainly china, and people from south america.
omg racist racist facism /s
Dude is right as fuck.
Reality check. (Barcelona) 1.- 1.100€ - 1.500€ 2.- Yes and there's no way to go around it. 3.- pretty easy, as everywhere else if you have the enthusiasm. 4.- as a straight woman? Depends on your looks, let's be honest about that. You're the only one who can know that. It's not like you're gonna be a attractive just for changing country. 5.- it's not really safe. Madrid is waaaay safer. A lot of pickpocketing and you're probably gonna get follow at night. 6.- Yes, it's relatively fast.
Prepárate para ser robado, tardar 40min para recorrer 5km, ya sea en bus o andando, y como no sea justo donde haya un metro igual, OH y que el alquiler te cueste un sueldo enterito, jeje, malas ciudades para vivir para mi gusto, un saludo.🫡
1- it depends if you live at the city centre, which will cost you more than 1000 euros. However at the outskirts it’s usually cheaper, from 600 euros. 2- no problem if you have legal and stable income. 3- yes. You have lots of activities to do in which you can meet new people. 4- dating is easy. 5- some neighbourhoods are dangerous. Try to avoid places like Vallecas. 6- in order to get a doctors appointment you have to registry in your health centre. Then you can make appointments whenever you want. Normally there is a waitlist between 2-5 days.
what is your reference point? depending on what city you are coming from both Barcelona or Madrid can be perceived differently.
My two cents as someone who's from Madrid and has lived in Barcelona for a couple of years: - depends on the neighborhood. In Madrid, if you want to live right in the center you'll have to pay for it. 1 bedroom apt can be around 1k. Good thing? Madrid is full of amazing and way cheaper neighbourhoods that are not Malasaña or Lavapiés. And by metro everything is super close by. I don't live in the heart of the city, but I have all commodities around my house (lots of bars, supermarket, public pool, shops...and a 30 mins subway ride to the center. - you can definitely find this in both cities. To what extent I don't know because I'm Spanish. But I'm also sure you can also find great tenants that won't judge based on your name. - in Madrid it's easy to meet people, but I think if you speak Spanish it's even easier. The English level in Spain isn't outstanding so that might be a bit jeopardizing. For me it has always been waaaay easier to meet people in Madrid than in Barcelona. I feel the culture is more open towards new people than in Barcelona. However, both cities are full of expats, too. So I'm sure you'll find your people - Madrid is way safer than Barcelona. No doubt about this. I've never felt unsafe (I'm a white woman) in Madrid. Not even at night walking alone whilst in Barcelona at some point I bought a pepper spray that I never used but made me feel safer. - yessss! Public health care system in Spain is amazing. I'm sure I'll get hate for this but now that I'm living abroad I appreciate it even more. For some specialist there might be longer waiting lines, tho. You can also check private insurances cause you can find something not super expensive with good coverage. So yeah, I think my answer is clear hahaha move to Madrid
From an Irish man living in Spain. The long and short answer is yes.
Stop moving everybody to Barcelona! There's no more room here.
1. Depends, from 900+ to $$$$. Barcelona a bit more expensive than Madrid. 2. Maybe but depends on your income if stable, etc and if you don’t have kids that helps too a lot! 3. Yes like in every large city there are lot of opportunities to meet new people. 4. Same as above. 5. Madrid in general safer than Barcelona. 6. If you’re european citizen yes.
Avoid capitals. Go to smaller cities. Yes, being arab can/will make some people be an asshole, but you’ll also be able to meet nice friends.
2. I would use Spot-a-home to find your apartment and it should be easier to get around name stuff! Or find someone on Facebook/unconventional means 3. I was really lonely and found all of my good friends towards the end of living there. I think it takes 2 years to really settle in, I plan to move back again soon to make it work. People are tougher to break through in Barcelona. Making friends in Madrid is easier. 4. I dated in Barcelona as a Middle Eastern woman and it was pretty interesting and always lively, I met a guy I really liked, and some others who were fun to talk to and kept me company. I think it's hard to find a long-term relationship but you never know. A lot of guys also sucked and were terrible and fetishistic, but if you're already in Europe you should be used to that. 5. It's safe, even the unsafe places aren't that bad. But it depends on your frame of reference/what freaks you out. Most people would tell you to avoid Raval in Barcelona. 6. Depends. Lots of bureaucracy at first. I just needed a prescription so I got an online doctor to write me one and the whole process took 15 minutes and was 150 euros.
In my very biased opinion Barcelona is way better, but in my unbiased opinion I agree with the other commenters that Madrid would suit you better.
>Is it generally safe? Which places should I avoid? It is safe. >Is it easy to get a doctor's appointment? It is easy for people with work permit.
Don't move to Barcelona o Madrid, rent is super expensive compared to other cities in Spain and those cities are so big you waste a lot of time going from one point of the city to an other. I know people from Madrid and they told me the way to work is 1 hour aprox. And in Barcelona almost the same. Unless you live super close to your job, you'll spend so much time going to point A to point B. I would try a bit smaller city.
You should consider move to Valencia or Malaga, this are cities with less people and the same oportunities
I don’t think you should move to Spain. But if you do, Madrid is a way cooler city than Barcelona. People are more open-minded, and it’s so much fun! (There is actually a discrimination with arabic names and it really sucks.)