Adjusting to life in Spain as an expat can be one of the most rewarding—and sometimes overwhelming—experiences you’ll ever have. But once the honeymoon phase fades, adjusting to a new country can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t speak the language or know how things work yet.
Whether you’re on a Digital Nomad Visa, a Non-Lucrative Visa, or simply starting a new chapter in Spain, here are 10 practical, honest, and expat-tested tips to help make your transition as smooth as possible.
1. Start with Temporary Housing
Before committing to a long-term rental, book an Airbnb or short-term apartment in the city you’re moving to. This gives you time to explore neighborhoods and get a feel for local life before locking into a lease.
Tip: Try Spotahome or Flatio for mid-term rentals with fewer upfront requirements.
temporary rental
Before committing to long-term leases, read about Spain’s rental realities for newcomers.
2. Sort Out Your Empadronamiento Early
The empadronamiento is your official city registration—essential for setting up utilities, getting healthcare, and applying for residency documents.
🗺️ Visit your ayuntamiento (town hall) within your first few weeks and bring:
- Passport
- Rental contract or utility bill
- NIE (if you have it)
- Application form
3. Open a Spanish Bank Account
You’ll need one for most things: rent, bills, mobile phone, even groceries in smaller shops.
Some banks, like BBVA or Sabadell, offer non-resident accounts you can open with just your passport and NIE.
Open a bank account
Setting up your empadronamiento is one of many steps when living in Spain as an expat.
4. Learn the Local Language (Especially Castilian Spanish)
English may get you by in big cities, but life in Spain runs in Spanish. Knowing basic phrases makes everything smoother—from shopping to making friends to reading official letters.
Apps: Duolingo, Babbel, or better—take in-person Spanish classes for accountability.
5. Adjust Your Pace to “Spanish Time”
Life in Spain runs on a different rhythm. Lunch at 2pm, dinner at 9pm, siesta hours in between. Bureaucracy can be slow, and shops close in the afternoon.
Siesta Time
nstead of fighting it, lean into it. Embrace slower days, longer meals, and more relaxed schedules.
6. Join Expat and Local Communities
Moving alone? Feeling isolated?
Look for Facebook groups, Meetup events, and language exchanges in your city. This is where many friendships start.
Search:
- “Expats in Valencia”
- “Madrid Language Exchange”
- “Barcelona Digital Nomads”
7. Download Key Apps for Life in Spain
- Glovo / Just Eat – food delivery
- Cabify / FreeNow – taxi alternatives
- ElTenedor (The Fork) – restaurant bookings
- Renfe / Omio – train and travel booking
- Google Translate – lifesaver for paperwork or menus
8. Understand the Healthcare System
If you’re on the NLV or private visa, you’ll likely need private insurance until you’re eligible for public healthcare.
Popular expat insurance providers: Sanitas, Adeslas, DKV
Once you’re working or registered in the system, you can apply for public health coverage via social security.
9. Stay on Top of Bureaucratic Deadlines
From residency renewals to visa appointments, Spain’s bureaucracy requires patience and planning.
Tip: Keep a dedicated calendar for appointments, document prep, and renewals—especially if you’re still within your first year.
10. Give Yourself Time to Adjust Emotionally
There will be days when you miss home, feel lost in translation, or get frustrated at the pace of things. That’s normal.
Give yourself grace, celebrate small wins (like ordering a café solo in Spanish), and don’t expect perfection from the start.
Moving abroad is a journey, not a checklist.
Ready to Embrace the Expat Life?
Expat Life
Adjusting to life in Spain takes time—but with the right mindset and a few helpful hacks, you’ll soon be sipping tinto de verano like a local, navigating mercados with ease, and calling Spain home.