Section
Cost of living, banking, taxes, utilities, bills, and first-year money decisions.
Daily Life
Madrid is not cheap or expensive in the abstract. It is affordable if you share, live locally, and avoid pretending Salamanca rents are normal. It is expensive if you want a private central flat, frequent restaurants, and no compromises.
You do not need a Spanish bank account in your first hour in Madrid. You probably will need one sooner than you think. The trick is knowing when a non-resident account is enough, when to wait for your NIE, and which bank friction is worth tolerating.
A move does not feel complete when you get your keys. It feels complete when your phone works, your internet is stable, and the bills are not a mystery.
Your first Spanish tax year is less about memorising every form and more about knowing the questions that can become expensive if ignored: tax residence, remote income, freelance work, foreign assets, and deadlines.
