Looking for American Expats in Madrid?

Thinking about moving to Madrid as an American? These pros and cons come from the InterNations Expat Insider 2024 survey, in which thousands of expats around the world share what they like and don't like about life abroad each year. The points below reflect what American expats in Madrid wrote in their own words, backed up by survey percentages from all expats living there.

Great work-life balance: Spain offers a great mix of work and play compared to back in the States. It’s easier to not waste your precious time behind a desk here.

Healthcare: Americans often appreciate both the affordability and the quality of healthcare in Madrid.

Affordability: Rents are rising everywhere. But in Madrid, the rents are more than fair compared to most major US cities. The cost of dining out and the general cost of living were also rated favorably in our expat survey.

Walkability: Compared to the car centricity of US cities, most Americans will consider the walkability and the great public transportation system a breath of fresh air.

Charm: This is hard to quantify, but there’s just something about Madrid’s flair and lifestyle that pulls at the heartstrings of Americans.

Wages: Local wages certainly don’t compare what Americans are used to, but the lower cost of living makes up for it in most cases.

Bureaucracy: Spanish bureaucracy is famous … and lives up to the horror stories you hear. But at the end of the day, it’s not something you have to deal with on a daily basis.

Talking about politics: American politics are global news and people tend to have an opinion (so this isn’t unique to living in Spain). You might get asked a lot of questions, so be prepared. But these discussions get easier with practice.

Every year, we publish one of the biggest global surveys among expats — asking them about various aspects of their life, from work to leisure. Learn what motivated our American members to move abroad, what keeps them there, and what they struggle with or miss about home.

We asked tens of thousands of expats about their experience of living abroad as a part of our Expat Insider surveys. Alongside the survey's standard questions, participants told us what they like and dislike about life in their host country. In this article, we highlight some of the most interesting and representative comments from Americans living in Madrid. We have grouped the quotes into positive and negative experiences - starting with a things they enjoy most about the city.

Now let's move to negative reviews of expat life in Madrid

Turó park clinics A full-service clinic with lots of different practitioners. Even the receptionists speak English very well.

Bordon Clinic A dentist with multiple English speakers on staff and great reviews. Located in the city center near Sol station.

InternationalHM
University hospital with a multilingual approach. English-speaking contact email: email

Relocations Espana
Offers relocation and visa services with a full-service approach.

US Tax Consultants A tax advisory with experience in both the US and the Spanish tax system.

Dayinterpreting Connect to a native Spanish speaker on your phone and use the phone’s loudspeaker to have an instant interpreter with you.

We’re not just active in Madrid! InterNations offers lively communities in most of Spain’s major cities. If you’re traveling or moving to another city in Spain, check out our American communities in Barcelona, Malaga, Valencia, Marbella, Seville, Alicante, Zaragoza, Granada, the Balearic Islands or Tenerife. But that’s not all: If you’re in the mood for a nice night out while traveling further abroad, InterNations is your go-to platform. As an InterNations member, you’re always welcome to join events in any of our communities in over 420 cities worldwide. You can find the list here: Browse all InterNations Communities worldwide.