Moving to Valencia: why people choose this city

Most people arrive at Valencia by elimination. They decide on Spain, look at Madrid and find it expensive and landlocked, look at Barcelona and find it expensive and saturated, and then someone mentions a third city. That is how the majority of our clients got here.

So this is not a piece about how wonderful Valencia is. It is about what you actually gain and what you actually give up compared with the two obvious options.

The size is the point

Valencia is Spain's third city, and that number matters more than any other fact here.

It is big enough to have an international airport, hospitals, international schools, a startup scene and a symphony orchestra. And small enough that you can cross it by bicycle in thirty minutes and that the same waiter recognises you after three visits.

Madrid and Barcelona give you the first half of that. They do not give you the second. In Valencia, the neighbourhood you live in becomes the neighbourhood you know, which is a different way of living in a city.

The Turia is not a park, it is the spine

When the river was diverted after the 1957 flood, the old riverbed was turned into a nine kilometre garden that curves right through the city.

The practical effect is that Valencia has a continuous green corridor with no cars crossing it, connecting the historic centre with the City of Arts and Sciences and reaching almost to the sea. People commute through it, run in it, take their children through it on the way to school.

No other Spanish city has this, and it is the single feature that most changes daily life here. We wrote about how the city works on two wheels in cycling in Valencia.

The beach is inside the city

Not forty minutes away. Inside. You can take a metro or a bike to Malvarrosa or Cabanyal and be in the water in twenty minutes from the centre.

Barcelona has this too. Madrid does not, and it is the difference people from Madrid mention most when they visit.

Cost: real, but do the maths properly

Valencia is meaningfully cheaper than Madrid and Barcelona for housing, which is the biggest line in anyone's budget. That is the honest headline.

Two caveats we owe you. First, the gap has narrowed over the last few years as more people made the same discovery you are making. Second, salaries here are lower than in Madrid, so the advantage is real if you bring your income with you and much smaller if you are job hunting locally.

We keep a detailed breakdown in the real cost of living in Valencia.

What you give up

This is the part the relocation blogs skip.

Fewer direct flights. Valencia's airport is well connected within Europe, but for long haul you will often connect through Madrid or Barcelona. If you fly to the US frequently, this is a genuine cost in time.

A smaller job market. If you need a local job in a specialised field, Madrid has more of everything. Valencia is strong in tourism, logistics, agriculture, health and a growing tech scene, but the pool is smaller.

Less English. Valencia is less internationalised than Barcelona, and that cuts both ways. You will integrate faster because you have to, and you will struggle more in the first months.

Two languages. Valencian is co-official and you will see it on street signs, official forms and at school. Daily life in the city runs in Spanish, but if you have school-age children this is a real decision. We cover it in do you need Spanish.

The rental market is tight. A cheaper city that a lot of people have discovered at once produces exactly what you would expect. Good flats go in a day.

Who Valencia suits

Remote workers who want a city that is walkable and affordable. Families, because of the schools, the safety and the outdoor life. People coming from Madrid or Barcelona who are tired of the pace and the prices.

Who it does not

People who need a specific local job market that only Madrid has. People who fly long haul every month. And people who want a city where they can live indefinitely in English.

The honest summary

Valencia is the compromise that works: most of what a big city gives you, without the cost and the friction of the two biggest ones. That is why people choose it, and it is why they tend to stay.

If you have already decided and now need somewhere to live, that is the part we do: see apartment search.

Frequently asked questions

Is Valencia cheaper than Barcelona and Madrid?

Yes, particularly on housing, which dominates most budgets. The gap has narrowed in recent years as the city has become more popular, and local salaries are lower than in Madrid, so the advantage is largest for people who bring their income with them.

Can I live in Valencia without speaking Spanish?

For a few months, yes. Long term it is harder than in Barcelona, because Valencia is less internationalised. Most people find that they integrate faster here precisely because English is not a default.

Do I need to learn Valencian?

For daily life in the city, no. Spanish is what you will hear and use. Valencian is co-official and appears on signage, official forms and in the school system, which is where it becomes a real consideration if you have children.

Is Valencia good for families?

It is one of its strongest points: public and concertado schools, a walkable city, low crime compared with larger European cities, and a beach and park network children can use year round.

How is the airport connected?

Valencia has good coverage across Europe. For long-haul flights you will usually connect via Madrid or Barcelona, which is worth factoring in if you travel intercontinentally on a regular basis.