Are you looking for information about living in Barcelona as an american? In the following lines, we will explain to you everything you should know about living in Barcelona as an expat.

Great weather, beaches, magnificent food, and a positive environment to hang around, these are the words many people would choose to describe Barcelona if you asked. We completely understand why you are planning to move to Barcelona as an expat, and you’ll be pleased to hear that you would make the right choice. In case you decide to stay in the cosmopolitan city, there are some things you must know, as if you can live in Spain permanently or not, the cost of buying a property in Spain, or the best places to buy a property in Spain for expats.

Today, in Bcn Advisors (the best luxury real estate in Barcelona), we want to inform you about certain topics that will help you with the adaptation to the new environment. We understand that it might feel like a whole new world but, you’ll see that very soon you’ll be enjoying yourself like a local (as soon as you chose your residence among all the apartments for sale in Barcelona we have in our listings).

¿Ready to know more about Barcelona? If you are wondering if Barcelona is a good place to live, continue reading.

About Barcelona

First things first, we got to know the basics, so they don’t catch you unprepared.

Language

So, in Barcelona, things are quite different from what we might expect. It surely is like any other city in the country but it does have some differences. The Spanish essence is there, but there are unique things we can’t find anywhere but here, and one of them is the language.

Local people in the city will tell you, Barcelona is the capital of the region of Catalonia. They have Catalan, a language that’s only spoken here.

It’s very unlikely to find someone that only speaks Catalan and not Spanish, so, don’t worry about that (because there are a lot of people who are wondering whether to live in Barcelona or Madrid only because of the language). The only thing is that, for example, public transport, some supermarkets, and some other places, have their indications completely in Catalan so, we might have to get familiar with it. Don’t worry tho, it’s kind of similar to Spanish, so it won’t be as hard as trying to learn a whole new language.

Work and study environment

If you’re interested in knowing more about the jobs that are available in the city, we will guide you through them.

As we all know, Barcelona is a very touristy city, we have a port, great communication, and a very well-developed banking system, therefore, in this kind of job, we have a higher demand for workers.

Food

Finding a good place to eat won’t be a problem you will suffer from. Barcelona is packed up with amazing places where you’ll be able to enjoy an amazing Spanish dish.

Amazing places such as Ferran Adria’s restaurants are considered one of the best places to eat in the world.

Another of the things we must try when staying in Barcelona is the typical alcohol from there; cava and wine are the two most famous drinks to have if you stay in Barcelona and its surroundings.

If you’re a food enthusiast, you won’t be left indifferent. In Barcelona, you’ll find an amazing place to stop by and enjoy a tasteful dish next to an emblematic place.

The same thing happens with bars, they are the place where you can hang out and have a chat with your friends. There’s a wide variety of bars, such as typical Spanish ones, or even British and Irish pubs, if you want to feel like you’re back home.

Homelife in Barcelona

Homelife in Barcelona is just like any other city in the world. People here decide to move out from home when they’re close to their 30s, this is because it is really expensive to get your apartment and all the expenses that come with it. But you are lucky because we already talked about that in another article, advising you about how to find a flat in Barcelona easily, and in our real estate agency, we offer you the best penthouses for sale in Barcelona (if you want something with nice views) or the most incredible luxury houses in Barcelona.

In the city, you can find a huge variety of different apartment styles, from new construction to antique buildings and their unique styles. One of the things almost all the flats have in this city is the high rental price, as it’s the most expensive city in the whole city to live in.

If you are moving to Barcelona with kids, or a big family, don’t worry. It’s very usual for busy people to hire services such as nannies, cleaners, people that can watch your pets… and for a very good price (check out the cost of living in Barcelona in this article).

Health

As you may or may not know, in Barcelona, we have free healthcare as in the whole country. Just like a piece of advice, you can take this or leave it, but Barcelona is a big city where many people live and have the need of going to the doctor. Where I’m going with this, is that you’re not going to get immediate medical attention when you need it, although, when you get it, it will be by the hand of amazing professionals and one of the best medical attention in the world.

If you want to have faster attention and appointments, we recommend you to get private assurance, there are many in the city. We want you to have something in mind tho, due to covid-19 and many people contracting private healthcare, there’s also a long waiting line in private healthcare.

Now that you know the most important things about the city, you’re all set. You will see that locals are very friendly people, and will be pleased to help you with everything you need. If you were unsure about moving to Barcelona, we hope your decision is clear now, in BCN Advisors we don’t have any doubts, you’ll love it.

Living in Barcelona as an expat