Job Discussion Forums

[MoonMonkey]

Hi all,

I have been researching Madrid for some time and I have a question about rent.

After living abroad by myself for quite a while, I don�t really want to live with other people (not even friends or relatives, never mind living with total strangers!!).

I�m not being unsociable, I�m just independent and like my own space.

It seems many teachers in Madrid are sharing a house or apartment, which I don�t want to do. By the way, I know about the upfront money and deposits etc� I have money for that.

Please bear in mind I would be living alone, so 1 small bedroom, kitchen, living room is enough.

So here are my questions;

1) How much would a cheap central place cost to rent?

2) I have seen places on Idealista and Loquo and the other websites starting at around 400 Euro�s a month.

Are these places at 400 Euro a month likely to be scams or is that the going rate. I have seen rental prices going much, much higher than that.


It would be great to hear from any people living by themselves in Madrid and how much they pay each month.

Thanks so much for any advice.

[Moore]

A very small studio costs a minimum of 550, and a one-bed costs 650 if you're lucky. I'd say any lower is a scam. You could go and live in the suburbs of course, but that would not be very practical for teaching as you need to be central for travelling. You will also need to factor in one or two months rent for deposits, and possibly a one month agency fee - agencies aren't so bad, paying them one month hurts, but at least you know it's legit!

You might want to look at sharing a 2 person flat, at least for a few months: Spanish people are generally out all the time, and often go back to their home towns on weekends, so it's worth considering.



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[MoonMonkey]

Hi Moore,

I thought those cheaper ones might be scams, but they do look appealing. I even thought of staying in hostels until I could find something suitable.

Is it wrong to think Madrid simply does not cater for singles, do they not construct apartment complexes with single professionals in mind?

It's a bit depressing to think its so expensive to get a single apartment, for the price of 550 euro's I could probably afford the rent of a 3 bedroom house in the UK per month (granted in certain cities, not London).

May I ask what you personally decided to do about your living arrangements? And how you managed to get a good situation sorted out.

Many thanks.

[Moore]

Essentially you have to accept that it's quite expensive to live here, compared to the wages you earn. I started off in a hostel for a few weeks (and met my best mate here who was doing the same thing), then lived in a shared flat for a while with some rowdy but lovely students, and now live in a flat with my girlfriend (1000/month). It's more expensive than the UK, or most other countries I've lived in, but, I love the place and the weather and the people, so I'm sort of stuck with it



_________________________________________________________________________
...Jobs and language exchanges in Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Milan, Rome, Lisbon, Porto and Buenos Aires... www.lingobongo.com

...send your c.v. around ALL the schools in Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Milan, Rome, Lisbon, Porto and Buenos Aires...

[MoonMonkey]

Do you think it might be a good idea for me to get a job in a smaller city (hopefully with accomodation arranged by the school). Which then might be a better deal in terms of workload/pay/expenses.

Then just come into Madrid for the occasional partying or long weekends.

From what I have read, most other cities (not Barcelona or Madrid) are much, much cheaper to live. Sure they could be boring in comparison, but on the weekends I could take a train into the more lively cities and stay in hostels.

Would that be worth thinking about?

[Moore]

The wages in other cities are pretty rubbish, even if you do manage to get work. Just accept a year or so of relatively high rent and come here and party your socks off: that's really one of the best parts about living in Spain (there's good food, nice weather, lovely people and all, but Madrid is just superb for going out)



_________________________________________________________________________
...Jobs and language exchanges in Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Milan, Rome, Lisbon, Porto and Buenos Aires... www.lingobongo.com

...send your c.v. around ALL the schools in Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Milan, Rome, Lisbon, Porto and Buenos Aires...

[Insubordination]

I worked in a smaller town in 2009 and got a great 3 bedroom 'piso' with a balcony, lift for 400 euros! I earnt about 1200/month. However, the down was dull with poor transportation and wine drinking was one of the only pasttimes. In retrospect, I probably would have chosen Madrid or somewhere coastal and pretty. Then again, I got to know a lot of locals well, which was a big plus.