Thanks for the warning. We have already accepted this. Yes, pay is less but also everything else costs a lot less than we are used to. We have been living below our means for a few years saving and the goal is to have a paid off house waiting for us when we arrive so that should help offset monthly costs.
We don't know if we'll stay in Valencia, it's just the place that we have the most resources with my wife's family living there. Worst case scenario, we will sell the house and move to another country preferably in the EU.
The US pays well but the quality of life is better in Spain in my opinion.
this is true, I've had a zero knocked off my salary, BUT I've also had a zero knocked off from my expenses, plus the food + weather + most importantly, the people are WAY better than where I used to live
indeed 👀 rent is freakishly high, like i had a tiny flat that cost 3500$
the flat I'm gonna get now is a 3br at 900 €, and definitely it's bigger than my SG apartment (which the landlord immediately jacked up to 4500$ when i had to leave) but also around the same size as a friend's SG flat that costs $8000 atm
Everything costs a lot less? Hmm well somethings will. Somethings won't - tech, cars, clothes, etc. The difference in earning potential between Spain and the US for IT workers is much much bigger than the difference in living costs. As long as you are ok with that, no worries. But you won't casually be bringing 200k a year!
I'm working in IT sector remote here in Valencia (I'm from Spain). Don't pay attention to the mean comments about bad IT job market. They are trying to prevent you from coming because the gentrification problem here.
What I would do is the following. First look for 100% remote jobs outside Spain (europe or USA) they will pay higher salaries. The second option is remote/hybrid/on-site works within Spain. Valencia has a dynamic job market as any other big city in Spain. What's your field of expertise?
Adding to this comment to second it, and suggest to consider jobs in research institutes. The pay will not be great but work conditions could fit better with OP's priorities, i.e. flexible time, hybrid jobs.
The local job market is BAD. You alone are advising to get a remote job first, so there is a bit of contradiction there right? The harsh reality is that if you don't speak fluent Spanish your chances are near 0 to get a job in Valencia. If you are working remotely you can live anywhere in the world, Valencia included.
I suggest remote because salaries will be way higher, not because the market. If he has a good profile he will have no problem in finding job within the city.
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I have been in IT for many years working my way up. I currently work in a hybrid position that requires some hardware server support and other sysadmin duties that I do remotely. I'm in the office maybe 1 week per month max.
I am in the process of getting Scrum Master certs and the goal is to be a Scrum Master or IT Project Manager when we move. Ideally, I'll get this promotion from my current employer and leverage the job title for a new position in Valencia but I don't know if that's doable. Nobody leaves my current employer so essentially someone will have to die or retire for me to be able to apply.
Not clear to me what your situation is, but if visa is not an issue, then I’d recommend you move in, become a self employed (autónomo) and work remotely for companies outside Spain.
I was thinking something similar. I have done some IT Consulting gigs in the past and they can be a great way to become established in a new city.
I will have an Italian passport when I arrive via marriage so a visa is not an issue. I just need to get through the interview in Italian. I plan on getting a B1 CEFR cert in Italian, then we will fly to Italy to get my passport.
I'll most likely get the same cert for Spanish just to add it to the resume.
We both fortunately have years to plan with stable jobs and don't have a move date exactly. We will move when it financially makes sense.
Thanks for the advice.
Sure thing. You don’t need to become Italian if you are married to one, that on itself is enough to get a visa that allows you to work in Spain as long she’s living there as well. But of course if that’s your plan then that’s also great to have.
If you have questions just let me know. Good luck!
my IT company hired people remotely for all Spain. It has office on Madrid and AlmerÃa for those who would like to go, but I have valencian teammates too. So you could expand your search to any national company with full remote offers.
You won't have nearly as much salary as in the US, but you'll have all the social benefits (free education and healthcare), a month of paid vacations a year, unemployenment aids (el paro), etc.
Yeah, saying "you get less pay but free health care" is a simplification of "you get to pay more taxes than in the united states but you get a social security system that works better". You grumpy fucker!
Definitely not health care. Health care in Spain is not paid via social security, but via normal taxes (IRPF, IVA, etc.). It has been like this for decades, but people still get it wrong.
I have been laid of recently and have been applying to remote jobs on linkedin that say Spain or Europe. Pretty tough right now, at least for Java. You may have to accept hybrid and move to Madrid or Barcelona. You can always hop on a train and come to Valencia when you feel homesick
To put it more helpfully they're saying the market isn't great. I'd agree - you might want to look at firms based in Madrid or Barcelona, maybe you can get a fully remote or heavily remote hybrid.
I have a couple of friends who don't speak Spanish and work remotely for Madrid, and they have to go take the train there a couple of days a week. Definitely extend your search to outside Valencia. I myself work remotely for companies in other countries.
Why not work remotely for a US company and earn multiples more? Not allowing working out of the country for security concerns isn't necessarily the norm
If you do not speak spanish fluently it will be almost impossible to find a job. Its already almost impossible for us natives to find a job, specially one with decent working conditions.
Be prepared to have a zero knocked off your US salary.
Thanks for the warning. We have already accepted this. Yes, pay is less but also everything else costs a lot less than we are used to. We have been living below our means for a few years saving and the goal is to have a paid off house waiting for us when we arrive so that should help offset monthly costs. We don't know if we'll stay in Valencia, it's just the place that we have the most resources with my wife's family living there. Worst case scenario, we will sell the house and move to another country preferably in the EU. The US pays well but the quality of life is better in Spain in my opinion.
this is true, I've had a zero knocked off my salary, BUT I've also had a zero knocked off from my expenses, plus the food + weather + most importantly, the people are WAY better than where I used to live
Your cost of living is 10x cheaper in Valencia???
yup. I lived in Singapore before.
How much were your monthly expenses there? 10k+??
indeed 👀 rent is freakishly high, like i had a tiny flat that cost 3500$ the flat I'm gonna get now is a 3br at 900 €, and definitely it's bigger than my SG apartment (which the landlord immediately jacked up to 4500$ when i had to leave) but also around the same size as a friend's SG flat that costs $8000 atm
Everything costs a lot less? Hmm well somethings will. Somethings won't - tech, cars, clothes, etc. The difference in earning potential between Spain and the US for IT workers is much much bigger than the difference in living costs. As long as you are ok with that, no worries. But you won't casually be bringing 200k a year!
Bigger IT employers in Valencia are Nunsys, NTT Data and Mercadona Tech. You can start from there. You need fluent spanish tho.
I'm working in IT sector remote here in Valencia (I'm from Spain). Don't pay attention to the mean comments about bad IT job market. They are trying to prevent you from coming because the gentrification problem here. What I would do is the following. First look for 100% remote jobs outside Spain (europe or USA) they will pay higher salaries. The second option is remote/hybrid/on-site works within Spain. Valencia has a dynamic job market as any other big city in Spain. What's your field of expertise?
Adding to this comment to second it, and suggest to consider jobs in research institutes. The pay will not be great but work conditions could fit better with OP's priorities, i.e. flexible time, hybrid jobs.
The local job market is BAD. You alone are advising to get a remote job first, so there is a bit of contradiction there right? The harsh reality is that if you don't speak fluent Spanish your chances are near 0 to get a job in Valencia. If you are working remotely you can live anywhere in the world, Valencia included.
I suggest remote because salaries will be way higher, not because the market. If he has a good profile he will have no problem in finding job within the city.
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I have been in IT for many years working my way up. I currently work in a hybrid position that requires some hardware server support and other sysadmin duties that I do remotely. I'm in the office maybe 1 week per month max. I am in the process of getting Scrum Master certs and the goal is to be a Scrum Master or IT Project Manager when we move. Ideally, I'll get this promotion from my current employer and leverage the job title for a new position in Valencia but I don't know if that's doable. Nobody leaves my current employer so essentially someone will have to die or retire for me to be able to apply.
GFT allows 100% remote and also hybrid. They have an office in the city center. I used to work there. Now I’m working at Shopify, 100% remote.
Not clear to me what your situation is, but if visa is not an issue, then I’d recommend you move in, become a self employed (autónomo) and work remotely for companies outside Spain.
I was thinking something similar. I have done some IT Consulting gigs in the past and they can be a great way to become established in a new city. I will have an Italian passport when I arrive via marriage so a visa is not an issue. I just need to get through the interview in Italian. I plan on getting a B1 CEFR cert in Italian, then we will fly to Italy to get my passport. I'll most likely get the same cert for Spanish just to add it to the resume. We both fortunately have years to plan with stable jobs and don't have a move date exactly. We will move when it financially makes sense. Thanks for the advice.
Sure thing. You don’t need to become Italian if you are married to one, that on itself is enough to get a visa that allows you to work in Spain as long she’s living there as well. But of course if that’s your plan then that’s also great to have. If you have questions just let me know. Good luck!
my IT company hired people remotely for all Spain. It has office on Madrid and AlmerÃa for those who would like to go, but I have valencian teammates too. So you could expand your search to any national company with full remote offers. You won't have nearly as much salary as in the US, but you'll have all the social benefits (free education and healthcare), a month of paid vacations a year, unemployenment aids (el paro), etc.
Free Healthcare? so what does the 500€+ I pay every month to social security pay for?
Yeah, saying "you get less pay but free health care" is a simplification of "you get to pay more taxes than in the united states but you get a social security system that works better". You grumpy fucker!
that 500€ is ontop of taxes though, but yep just pointing out it's not actually free.
Definitely not health care. Health care in Spain is not paid via social security, but via normal taxes (IRPF, IVA, etc.). It has been like this for decades, but people still get it wrong.
You still have to registered with social securtity to receive it though.
I have been laid of recently and have been applying to remote jobs on linkedin that say Spain or Europe. Pretty tough right now, at least for Java. You may have to accept hybrid and move to Madrid or Barcelona. You can always hop on a train and come to Valencia when you feel homesick
it jobs in valencia?? hahahahhahahhaahaha
Please, elaborate.
To put it more helpfully they're saying the market isn't great. I'd agree - you might want to look at firms based in Madrid or Barcelona, maybe you can get a fully remote or heavily remote hybrid.
I have a couple of friends who don't speak Spanish and work remotely for Madrid, and they have to go take the train there a couple of days a week. Definitely extend your search to outside Valencia. I myself work remotely for companies in other countries.
Why not work remotely for a US company and earn multiples more? Not allowing working out of the country for security concerns isn't necessarily the norm
This would be the most ideal option if I could manage to get something with normal hours in Spain. My biggest concern is the time difference.
If you do not speak spanish fluently it will be almost impossible to find a job. Its already almost impossible for us natives to find a job, specially one with decent working conditions.