'I'm an expat in popular Spanish city - here are my three warnings about life here'
Living in a new country can be tricky to get your head around and one woman who has lived through a relocation has shared her advice.
Moving to a new place can be disorientating at the best of times - and you can expect to multiply that exponentially if it is in another country. Speaking to those who have gone before you can provide some much needed reassurance.
With that in mind, TikToker Betty (@bettyabroadd) has offered some advice to those who are thinking about moving to Spanish capital, Madrid.
She gave three top tips to those hoping to make the move saying they will definitely help to ease the transition. Betty said: “The first thing is if you want to live in Madrid city centre, a lot of the apartments are going to be old.
“This isn’t bad because it kind of has an antique feel, and they can be really charming. However, you should be aware that the walls will probably be paper thin and you will hear your neighbours above, below and to the sides.
“So be aware of that if you’re sensitive to noises.”
Next up on Betty's list is setting a budget - and sticking to it. She said: “You will be tempted to spend all of your money in the first few months or the first month you’re here, but do not do this.
“I had a budget but it wasn’t a strong enough budget and I had no self-control. So if you are someone who loves to spend, and you love to try out new restaurants and go out a ton, please try and slow down when you first get here."
Last but not least is Betty’s advice on public transport and making the most of it to save money, especially if you’re younger.
She said: “If you are 25 years old or younger, you basically go to one of the metro stops, anywhere in the Madrid city centre and they have an office where they’ll take your photo.
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“Basically you just pay eight euros a month on this card, and you get public transport on buses, trains, and the metro, it’s beautiful.
“I guarantee if you do these three things when you first get here you will have such a smoother transition and a better experience because there were a lot of things that I was struggling with at first and I wish I’d known before I came."
Meanwhile, Spanish locals are claiming they are in the grip of overtourism, but some cities have moved to tackle the issue.
To ease the pressure created by holiday accommodation on the local population, Madrid has decided to put the brakes on granting new licences for tourist flats.
