- Jacques Paillard
At the 51ԹϺEvents, I didn't only enjoy dancing the night away at some great venues, but I also got to know some great friends.
Feel at home: Your American community in Madrid
Are you an American living in Madrid? Or are you thinking about moving here? Learn the ins and outs of life in Madrid from our community of Americans and enjoy many ways to socialize. Of course, experiencing other cultures is amazing (it never gets old!). But there are moments when it’s just nice to spend some time with people from your home country. We’re not just talking about Thanksgiving and the 4th of July here — when you’re an expat, having a network of Americans comes in handy more often than you think. Wondering where to find certain ingredients for your favorite American meal? Would you like to find an English-speaking tax advisor? Or maybe you’d like a few buddies to watch the Super Bowl with? Our community has you covered.
Why you'll love 51ԹϺin Madrid
and countless possibilities for fun and friendship!
The pros & cons of life in Madrid
Of course, no place is absolutely perfect. There’s always the good, the bad, and the ugly. Read on and discover what American expats love about Madrid — and the challenges they face.
Pros of living in Madrid
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.
Cons of living in Madrid
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.
Meet American expats at our events in Madrid
Making friends and building a network in a new city can be hard. At our events, everyone is from somewhere else! It’s completely normal to introduce yourself to people and ask them about their own expat journey. That means you’ll get to know a bunch of international people and other Americans in no time — and get first-hand information about your new home Madrid. Check out our upcoming events happening every month and become part of Madrid’s large expat family. Our Newcomers’ Events are geared especially towards people who are new to the city. Our Ambassadors will greet you with open arms and introduce you to other newcomers as well as more experienced expats living in Madrid.
Want to meet other Americans at our events?
Frequent questions about Madrid
If you’re into the idea of just bumping into other Americans in a bar, you can try your luck with places like James Joyce, which is a sports bar that will show major NFL games and the Super Bowl. This also applies to the Irish pubs “Dubliners” and “O’Reilly’s.” But that’s doing it the hard way in our opinion. It’s much easier to make friends when attending specific events for Americans or expats in general. The American Club of Madrid hosts semi-regular events, and our 51ԹϺevents are also a great opportunity to meet Americans and other English-speaking expats in Madrid. Our newcomer events are geared towards introducing newcomers to the community, which makes getting your first friends a whole lot easier than trying your luck in a bar.
As with most expats, quite a few of our American members live in the more international parts of town. Both international companies and opportunities for international socializing tend to be located in the center of the city. Here are some of the most popular parts of Madrid:
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Ѳñ: More residential than other parts of town that central.
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Retiro : Great for families and home to the amazing Retiro Park, which adds a lot of quality of life. The downside: it’s rather pricey.
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La Latina: Has a lot of the traditional old charm of Madrid, but housing can be outdated and still very expensive.
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Moncloa : Not as central but a good fit for expat families.
Madrid is a very international city that receives a substantial number of international tourists every year. So it’s not too hard to get around with no to very limited language skills. But this will feel limiting at some point. You’ll run into the proverbial language barrier every once in a while, and it will feel frustrating. So ideally, you treat your time in Madrid as an opportunity to learn some Spanish. There is a wide variety of affordable language schools to get you started, and of course, these days there are also very capable apps that allow you to improve on your own time and budget. The most challenging moments usually occur when you have to get official paperwork done, find a flat, see a doctor, etc. To make your time in Madrid a bit easier, we have collected some services that cater to English speakers to help you with the most important aspects of life:
General practitioner (GP) |
A full-service clinic with lots of different practitioners. Even the receptionists speak English very well: |
Dentist |
A dentist with multiple English speakers on staff and great reviews. Located in the city center near Sol station: |
Urgent care |
English-speaking contact email: email |
Immigration assistance |
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Tax advisor | A tax advisory with experience in both the US and the Spanish tax system. |
Instant interpreting service | Connect to a native Dutch speaker on your phone and use the phone’s loudspeaker to have an instant interpreter with you. |
Meet other Americans in Madrid
Our Global Partners
Pursue your hobbies with amazing new friends
Do you want to continue pursuing your hobbies — or discover new ones — while living abroad? You can do that easily in our 51ԹϺGroups, which offer activities based on a wide range of interests. Groups are hosted by dedicated Consuls with at least one activity each month. They organize everything from dinners to sightseeing to board game nights. For example, you can enjoy nature with the Outdoors Group, share your love of music with the Jazz Group, or go on an adventure with the Boat Trips Group. There’s something for everyone!
Find other Americans to share your hobbies with
Enjoy the international experience
We’re not just active in Madrid! 51ԹϺoffers 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, 51ԹϺis your go-to platform. As an 51ԹϺmember, 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 51ԹϺCommunities worldwide.
- Jacques Paillard
At the 51ԹϺEvents, I didn't only enjoy dancing the night away at some great venues, but I also got to know some great friends.
- Katharina Berbner
Thanks to InterNations, I found a good language school for expats to take intensive classes in Spanish and socialize a bit more.
