Experience in Madrid, Spain by Isabel

What is it like to live in Madrid? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

I love living in Madrid! I find it's a very beautiful city with much to explore. It has an incredible city center with both old and modern buildings, which makes it special and different from other European capitals. I feel like it's a very unique place to live in.

Fuente

What is the student lifestyle like in Madrid?

In Madrid, being a student is like getting a VIP pass to anything you'd imagine! Showing your student card you can enter most of the museums, touristic spaces, etc. for free, public transport is incredibly cheap if you're under 26 (only 20€/month for the whole city)... Many students who come from elsewhere in Spain to study end up loving Madrid so much precisely because of the amount of benefits we, as students, get to enjoy.

How much does it cost to live in Madrid?

I wouldn't say it is an expensive city, considering how much more money you would spend if you went to other big cities in Spain like Barcelona, for example. As I said, public transport is very cheap, there are any affordable places to eat, go out or just spend the day... However, I would say rent is rather high. Most of my friends who are staying in the city pay around 350€/400€ a month for little shared flats pretty away from the city center... But public transport connects every zone very well, so it really doesn't take much time to get to the heart of the city.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Madrid? Is there any advice you can give?

If you're planning on living in Madrid, I would recommend start looking for accommodation 4 months or so in advance, especially if you want to move in at the beginning of the school year (September). Contact if you can with locals or people you may know from the city, students are always looking for roommates to rent a flat with. Look for the words "Madrid, piso, compañero de piso, (the month you want to move in)... ". Check pages like idealista or fotocasa, as well.