Pros and Cons of Living in Valencia, Spain

[faisal]

Pros of Living in Valencia

Very safe

Fast internet

Lots of fun stuff to do

Warm now

Warm in the spring

Good air quality on average

Nomad List members liked going here a lot

Many Nomad List members here all year round

Easy to make friends

Very easy to do business

High quality of education

Great hospitals

Roads are very safe

Great freedom of speech

Democratic

Very safe for women

Family friendly

Very friendly to LGBTQ+

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Cons of Living in Valencia

Too expensive

Gets cold in the winter

Feels crowded

People don't speak English well

Many people smoke tobacco

[yellowlion680]

Don't know why this city is ranked so high. It was super desolate and weird. There are some nicer parts like Rufazza, but the outskirts are dead. Not much to do and only a few really nice streets. Tons of graffiti, and not even good graffiti lol.

[yellowswan996]

Staying in Valencia is relatively cheap but I must admit that it's a bit boring here too. If you're looking for a place where to get some stuff done - this might be it, but I'm not coming back. I totally second the review that said "It's more of a big village than a buzzing city".

[lazyostrich587]

I'm an American expat living in Valencia with my wife and 2 children for the past 6 months and I feel like this is the most underrated city in Europe. Hoping the word doesn't get out because this place is an absolute gem.

[heavyswan560]

Best city in Spain in terms of value for money. City has a very nice city center and great beaches. Perfect city to live well and get lots of work done. Don't go there if you're looking for a party city or historical sight seeing (It's more of a big village than a buzzing city).

[purplegoose545]

I'm Irish and found it a to be a great city What more can I say Has las Fallas too which is quite frankly one of the most amazing festivals in the world.

[blackbutterfly667]

Valencia is an absolute beauty of metropolis. Wether your a nomad or full time lawyer Valencia is epic. I have lived here for 5 years now (after planning to live for 1), I have lived in London, Hong Kong, Madrid and Paris and I choose Valencia. Incredible public transport, great lively city center, cool and gentrified inner city zones and calm and great residential areas. Beautiful Architecture and friendly people enjoying a mediterranean lifestyle in ''The healthiest city on Earth'' Love Valencia, recommend it

[beautifuldog232]

I spent 8 days in Valencia with my boyfriend for new years. We really enjoyed it honestly. We found the city quite walkable even though it's relatively big, very bike-friendly, felt super safe riding around. Didn't find the public transport to be bad at all, but then again we come from a capital with much shittier public transport. Food is affordable, there's tons of cafes and restaurants everywhere (they were constantly full though). My biggest issue was that barely anyone speaks any English, but from my understanding this is an issue in most of Spain. If you're looking to move there also remember there's no central heating in most buildings, so if it's winter time, it's gonna be cold. People use small radiators for the most part, but obviously that only makes a difference if it's kept on for hours in one room. Overall though, I really enjoyed the city, it was peaceful yet lively.

[happymeercat282]

Beautiful city with happy and very open-minded people. Almost every time I go out I see at least one gay couple holding hands or kissing in the center on the beaches. I think the 'gay friendly' score could easily be 'great'.

[orangepanda761]

I spent a few days in Valencia an overall friendly city, and I would happily do it again. But keep to the old harbor quarters or the central parts; some of the outskirts are depressing. I was surprised by the speed at which rooms were taken off the market, presumably due to some Halloween event, and I had to flee the city for the countryside to have somewhere to stay.

[purplegoose777]

Been here for 3 months now. Have lived in several cities around the world and can say Valencia has provided the best quality of life. It has everything - a massive beach a wonderful park that runs through the city, tons of great bars, cafes and restaurants, and a decent nightlife too. It's also cheaper and less touristy vs Madrid and Barcelona. And if you live near the center (which is possible due to lower rents), you can walk or bike everywhere. There are lots of bike paths and the metro is far nicer than London's. My bet is that it will become really popular with nomads very soon. If you come, explore Ruzafa, a hip, central area filled with great cafes for working.

[happyleopard410]

Valencia has it all good weather, beach, plethora of bars and restaurants, safe environment and great mix of old/modern architecture. It's a very friendly place with an excellent cost/value relationship. It's a stunning base to explore the natural parks and the gorgeous coast in the South. After living in so many digital nomad hotspots over the last 10 years, Valencia is definitely my favorite. Make sure to stay in the nice neighborhood of Ciutat Vella or Gran Via

[bigelephant309]

Prices have gone up so living in the center is not that cheap anymore. Another thing: low-quality tourism has grown uncontrollably in the past few years due to lack of planning from the City, becoming a true nuisance for locals, especially in downtown. The city feels overcrowded and noisy, too much for its size and population--yes, it is a big village, not a buzzing city. Other than that, the weather is generally quite good, and although public transportation is bad, you can move around pretty easily. Not and "absolute gem" by any means (architecture is horrible other than in the center), but livable.