Why Americans are FLEEING to Spain

There's a lot of talk in the press about Americans leaving the US to set up life elsewhere. I speak to 5 Americans who have recently moved to Spain to find out why they left the US and how life is here!

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Editor – Clément Letourneur
Thumbnail designer – Lucas Kieffer

==== WHO ARE WE? ====
Hola, Spain lovers! We're James and Yoly. James is a New Zealander, and Yoly is from Spain. We both live in Madrid. Our channel gives you a local insight into life in Spain and helps you experience this country like a local when you come to live (or visit!).

If that sounds like your kind of thing, bienvenid@!I

⏩ CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:38 Erica
07:21 David and Patrick
14:43 Michael and Christine

*This description contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you use them 🙏🏻

[spainrevealed]

Hola! 👋 This is my first video about people's experiences of moving to Spain. Let me know if you'd like to see more of this type of content. Hope you enjoyed it. 👇🏽

[marcellussaunders]

We moved from Florida beginning of 2020. Can’t think of one negative. We’re very glad we did. Spain is home

[TheManCaveYTChannel]

My wife is from Spain and we are leaving the states in January to Spain. Wish us luck.

[marrlena]

I´ve lived in Spain for 10 years and it just gets better n better. Started in Barcelona then bought a house in Andalucia in the mountains. Best decision I ever made. Easy to live on $1000 a month and still go out, have fun and travel. I´ll never go back to the USA.

[bsetdays]

Inflation is far more harmful to individuals than a collapsing stock or property market because it directly affects people's cost of living, which they immediately feel. It is not surprising that the current market sentiment is extremely pessimistic. In today's economy, assistance is critical if we are to survive.

[louaceveu]

I came from Spain to California in 1986 and I thought that I was dreaming. A lot of jobs and people worked to live, very affordable housing, small and midsize businesses were easy to establish, concerts and life shows everywhere, the political discussions were very respectful (Everybody was entitle to disagree), many hoods with a sense of community. Nowadays, California it is a shadow of that wonderful life and Spain start looking like the California that I found in 1986.

[SeanSandberg-jq]

I lived in Spain for four years. It is paradise. A touch of heaven here on earth. I have traveled four continents, forty six states, twenty four countries, and lived and worked in three. By far, the people, the geography, the climate, the Spanish Way of Living life! There is nothing that surpasses it. The "living" of life by the Spanish is the most magical part of everything Spanish.
I could go on about the food, the Spanish wines, the desserts, the tapas, the beaches, the mountains, the plateaus, the modern bridges, highways, the amazing historic architecture, the historic architecture, the Flamenco, the hospitality, warmth, the humility, the love that I felt from most every Spanish citizen was why I am retiring there to spend 'mi vida en paz.'

[michaelcarey]

I've lived in Spain 12 years. I've a good job, I have a great work life balance that I would never have had in my home country. Spain isn't perfect but I love the great health system, infrastructure and friendly people. Plus of course the food

[hsavietto]

My wife and I have been living in Spain for almost 5 years now. For us the honeymoon period with Spain never ended, it even improved. After you learn how to navigate around the normal difficulties that every country has, it's a fantastic place to live. We don't intend leaving ever! And before settling down definitely here we had the opportunity to live and visit other possible countries in Europe to move to and Spain became the obvious choice for us.

[cal]

I am from C anary Islands, married a Japanese, living in Japan and Los Angeles, americans are friendly but they live in completely fear, fear of getting sick, being homeless, gun laws, awful food etc.etc.etc. not to mention all day in the car!!! Felt sorry for them.

[JT-qrws]

Please come to Vigo to speak to people who have moved here. I am English but there are many people of different nationalities here. No enclaves! We have all fallen in love with the city and Galicia. The people, the food, the culture, the fiestas and the absolute delight of being so welcome.

[MissVioletaOrange]

I definitely think the experience you have in Spain depends on your level of wealth and the opportunities you are able to create. I've lived here for 23 years and the Spanish labour market is very complex. Let's not romanticize migration, there are pros and cons in every situation. We should always consider privilege when discussing such matters. Spanish people work hard, long hours and their wages depend on the market and
sector of employment. There are advantages to living here but it's not as rosy as suggested here.

[MaryRay-plth]

Happily retired to Alicante in 2018. We love it here, have a wonderful multinational group of friends. No regrets!❤

[TravelingisFREEDOM]

The problem I see with US citizens moving to places is they make it way more expensive for locals, I am in Costa Rica and we are flooded with them.

[soledadordonezmorales]

Yo soy española y vivimos bien, gracias a Dios y los que me rodean !! De visita iría fuera de España claro que sí, pero vivir en Cádiz todo un privilegio así que no lo cambio por nada, un saludo

[madhavyu]

I am an American who moved to Valencia from San Francisco four years ago. My cost of living is 1/5th of what it was at a higher standard of living. Also, I wanted to live in a city that is not car-dependent.

[Lisamakes]

We are Canadians who initially moved to Spain (just outside of Barcelona) for a year, but ended up staying. It’s been almost four years now. We have scaled back our home size, we don’t have a car, and live a walking lifestyle. Our decision had nothing to do with dissatisfaction with Canada, except the weather! Our kids go to private school, which is our biggest expense. I am starting to work here, and the wages are certainly lower. In Catalunya you can’t go to school in Spanish, so they have been slower to learn, but they’re getting there. I am now pretty fluent, and my husband can fully communicate. We are part of the community— I sing with a local choir, my husband plays padel every day, for example. It’s a beautiful life, and our kids are getting an amazing experience that has changed their outlook for good. Nothing is perfect, but we are very happy here. That said, I don’t see my kids living here as adults because of the job situation.

[xdemgeo]

The thing is, these people are living happy lives in Spain because they are still earning American wages.

[ScipioAfricanus_Chris]

We lived in Spain for five years and just moved back to the U.S. last month. I am already counting the days until we return. Spain is amazing!

[cepenwhite]

My wife and I holiday in Spain every year (mostly in the Catalonia region) and were planning to move there permanently before Brexit made the transfer much more difficult. We still intend to migrate using one of the residency options but it's taking more planning and achieving certain criteria. We stayed in Gandia last year (2023) and visited Valencia several times using Spain's excellent railway system. An amazing city which I could see us fitting in with very easily, although the north with its less intense temperatures and lusher landscape still appeals for longer term living. We have been having Spanish lessons and doing online language courses so when the time comes to move(!) we will have a base knowledge of Spanish from which to progress.