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@SenorJuan2023

4 ай бұрын

Wondering price range for one BR apartments in Madrid. Thx

@debbiegordon1404

4 ай бұрын

My husband and I live in Germany, we’re military.We are planning a trip to Spain. What is the best Madrid or Barcelona? Is it better to stay In a hotel or Airbnb? We are foodies and want to have the real experience, not where the tourists go.😊

@IceCold97

2 ай бұрын

I'm a South African and I live in the UK however I've been to Spain 3 times a year sometimes 4. I do love Spain I've got affection for the country. I'm just confused on the approach on buying a property because I'm keen to live there permanently I do speak Spanish quite good so a little help Mr kiwi please

As a resident of Malaga which is undergoing massive renovations I can confirm how hardworking Spanish builders/labourers are. It's amazing how they hard they work even in the hottest environment. Maybe a bit chaotic - but they get the work done.

@andreaarshini4595

4 ай бұрын

That told me a guy from there.. that they would wake up very early to get the work done..and people don't see how hard they have been working in the early hours. People see them later in the bar thinking they have been there all the day..

@MarcelaR-dh1ok

4 ай бұрын

I arrived Puerto Banus in 1980...Loved it. Purchased a home in Nueva Andalucia which I maintained for 20 years.

Productivity has nothing to do with working long hours: it has a precise, technical definition which has to do with the "added value" of your work. In other words, a country that has many workers working in high value industries is going to rank much higher than a country that has a lot of workers working of low-value services. Engineers vs bar-tenders, in short.

@davidtorresocana

7 күн бұрын

The sad part is that, in Spain, many of those bartenders are actually engineers. They just did not find a better job. There is a lot of wasted talent in Spain waiting for investment and training

My wife and I have been watching your videos for a few years...and we travel to Spain almost yearly (we are here now for 2 months). You hit on some great points...and I'm super happy you talked about permanent living in Spain. I'm looking forward to reviewing your renter's and buyer's info as I'm ready to retire and come back to teach English for a year or two.

Thanks James & Yoly for dispelling the "myths" and "stereotypes" about Spain. Sadly there are similar "myths" and "stereotypes" about every other country in the world, none of them based on fact but just on biased opinions! Much ❤ to you both, your families, friends and loved ones!

@d2d2d

Ай бұрын

In England some toilets have carpet and that is not a mith. Just disgusting

I'm holidaying in Spain atm. The idea that the Spanish are lazy is mad. They all seem to come out after 6pm and go shopping and eating and socialising. Shops close at 10. At 9:30 tonight I walked past a subarban barber and it was full! The garbage is collected at night, apparently. I don't know how they do it.

My observation about Spain as a tourist is that Spain is a beautiful and efficient country.

@rennerbike5022

18 күн бұрын

😂😂😂

@salvaferrer4574

12 күн бұрын

Cumple ciertos estàndares però muy por debajo de otros países europeos. Pero es consubstancial a nuestra forma de ser

My dear friends, the word "productivity" in the context means monetary value generated per hour or per year. Then It is right that this value is smaller than Holland or Denmark, because salaries in Spain are very low. To generate an income of 1,000 € an average Spanish has to work 30 or 40% more time, although the number of produced units of the same product can be the same. Please don't misunderstand produced units with monetary value of the produced units.

I'm from USA and was an Aux de Conversacion for a school year. I wasn't supposed to speak Spanish, but that was impossible with the 1st-6th graders. Outside of the big 3 cities, and tourist spots, not much English. Religious? I agree with your assessment. Only time I went to mass was when my sister and her husband visited, and we traveled on the two weekends they were here. Sagrada FC worked well, as we got in without reservations/tickets and I hadn't been to the cathedral in Valencia for years. Income taxes work the same as in USA, plus if you move to Spain, I believe you don't have to pay income taxes (on US income) unless it's over $100,000 as you have to pay taxes even if you're not living in the USA. Yep, I took a 30-minute siesta daily, after lunch, which is usually the only full meal one eats per day. Most businesses do shut down between 1-4, then they go back to work until 8. As I wasn't working 80 hours a week, I cooked (Covid in full swing), walked the coast and got skinny. Spain is awesome!

When we first moved to the Canary Islands over 20 years ago, we used to order 1 meal each - but not for long. The cafes & bars are extremely generous with the portions but no doubt teenagers would manage, no problem! Always great value!

Legumes count towards daily fruit)veg intake. They are certainly very good for you. I see a lot of veg, middling amount of fish, and not much meat eaten where I live. I'm in the Axarquia, many people still have family campos and the produce is sold from garages or doorsteps. Maybe Spain is not one homogenous country and there's variations from place to place? There's a thought...

What a fun yet educational vlog, James you and Yoli are so good at this, it just gets better and better. Also want to thank you, and wish you a Happy New Year!🎉🎆👍

Love your content guys! Keep up the great work!

Great video as usual. You mentioned in passing that there are regional differences and I think that this could have been given more emphasis. HNY!

Thank you guys for this interesting video. I wish you a very happy new year.

The worst myth about Spain, imo, is that we do things late: wake up late, eat late, goto bed late. Well, this isn't true at all, we do everything more or less at the same time it's done in most countries. Solar time that is, because the problem Spain is in the wrong time zone. It has the same time as Polandf and Germany. This means when you are having your "late" lunch in Spain at 2pm in fact it's noon solar time and you are having yor lunch at the right time pf the day- My advice when you visit Spain is stop looking at your watch and pay more attention to sun linght, or, adjust your wtach to UK or Portugal tie while in Spain and you will see everything makes mores sense.

@welshtoro3256

4 ай бұрын

That's a good point and let us say it is high time that changed. Franco changed the Spanish time zone to coincide with Nazi scum he hoped would win WWII. It's time to erase that travesty and put the time zone back to where it existed and where it belongs.

@veronicaivanova

3 ай бұрын

People in Spain and Italy do eat late, if you base it on the restaurant opening hours. In a lot of other European countries, you can have dinner at 6pm in a restaurant. That's almost mission impossible in Spain.

@welshtoro3256

3 ай бұрын

@@veronicaivanova True. I'm completely in tune with Spanish meal times.

@AverageJoesLibrary

3 ай бұрын

My wife and I just moved here and that’s what we said, Spain should be at least an hour behind, same with Portugal and the UK.

@welshtoro3256

3 ай бұрын

@@veronicaivanova I once had a lunch in Priego de Cordoba that started at 4:30 pm and I settled the bill at 6:40 pm. That is impossible in northern Europe.

I mean, in all the "menús del dia" that I know there's "ensalada de la casa". Although I'm afraid that the concept of "salad" that we have in Spain is not the same that they have in the USA.

@spainrevealed

4 ай бұрын

That's true! We actually touched on that, but we cut it for time. I think the salads could do with a bit of an upgrade. However, I do love a good ensalada de la casa when it's simple and sharp

@welshtoro3256

4 ай бұрын

Any salad on a menu in Andalucia will consist of finely shredded iceberg lettuce with tinned corn and shredded carrot and beetroot on top. Oil and sherry vinegar washed into the chopped tomato juice. There are better salads to be had but this is the most regular example.

@jal051

4 ай бұрын

@@spainrevealed I many many different types of salads at home (and they are all 'traditional') but at restaurants/bars there's only Cesar, that's true. Well, and Rusa, but I don't even know if I would count Rusa as a salad.

Plenty of vegetables here in Catalonia. Looking forward to the Calçot festival in Valls. Thanks for the video Yoly y James 💚

Well, don’t forget that nowadays, the population of Spain it’s not only Spaniards anymore. We have a lot of foreigners and they don’t eat like us.

@hannofranz7973

4 ай бұрын

And "your" eating habita have gone through a number of changes, too in form of potato chips, pizza, hamburgers etc.

Great channel guys. Having met a wonderful Asturian girl I'm currently planning a move next year. I confess the tax issue had me worried a little, but it's not so bad. Now to research the property market!!

I think the whole laziness myth is because of the siesta, but also Spaniards only come out at night 🤣🧛 We were only in Spain last summer and where we went, the town was deserted when the sun was hottest. You had to do your grocery shopping between 10-12:00 a.m. and there were some shops that were only open for those hours. So if you wanted pepinos, you better be out in the morning. To a gringo like me, it seemed rather difficult to find the right time to do any particular thing, be it go to the Tourist Information Office, or buy some meat. Yes we were in a small town in the North. Once the sun was down, it got busy! What a tourist doesn't see, is people up by 6 a.m. busy in their workshops etc.

@Daniel-nt5gh

4 ай бұрын

The thing is that many "keyboard experts" misunderstand the economic concept of productivity with workers' personal performance. Workers performance is impossible to measure outside of an organization or company whilst uneducated fellas think that when they heard about a country's productivity, economists are talking about how lazy a nation is, and that is the core of so many people repeating a stupid mantra that they don't really understand to make themselves look smarter that they are.

@medwayhospitalprotest

4 ай бұрын

Its stupid to even try to compare productivity unless you are both running factories making the same "widget" like some Maths question. So yes, I get what you're saying, and I'm a believer in Quality of Life anyway. I just don't think British in particular understand the timing of daily events and working around the heat of the day.@@Daniel-nt5gh

@KaoruTakarai

4 ай бұрын

That only ever happens in the summer in some places because of the weather being too hot.

Loved the video. Yoli always puts a smile on my face. Gotta push back on the siesta segment. I'm not saying that naps are the norm and certainly the siesta is not observed in Madrid; but in Valencia: Definitely. In the northern cities and towns: Yup. In Extremadura: 100%. Like I said, I don't know if folks are sleeping, but their storefronts are closed letting you know they'll be back usually at about 4pm. And that's great. I love the slower pace around the siesta hours and it makes for a nice time to enjoy a stroll. Plus if you like to eat late, like me, you can count on those same places staying open later than you're likely to find in the US and many other countries.

@jal051

4 ай бұрын

Most people don't have siestas in the North. In all my 53 years of life I had one friend who used to have a siesta frequently. Everyone else that I know never does. (not counting retired people, of course)

@youssef16844

4 ай бұрын

It has changed since WFH was introduced though. I've been taking at least 3 siestas a week since WFH got introduced. Before I just did it once in a while on a Saturday or Sunday.

@KaoruTakarai

4 ай бұрын

I'm from the North and I only know a handful of people who take siestas.

@JamesTrew

Ай бұрын

I live in Valencia and don't think siestas are that common? Like, some people some of the time sure, but I've noticed a lot of people think that just because the shops are closed and no one's around (in the crazy mid-day heat) at lunch time they think everyone's having a group siesta haha.

@jal051

Ай бұрын

@@JamesTrew Yeah. Siestas are a myth. Like Sangría.

Once our yacht had cleared customs and immigration at Puerto Banus in 1980 I hustled down to the nearest bar, which was Salduba. A glass of white wine in those days converted to USD was about 55 cents....yes, true. By 2002 the same white wine was 5 USD. I should add that first summer living at PB there were thousands or tourists but very few Americans as I only met two that season. I'm grateful to have been there then, as two generations later ...no more Europe on 5 dollars a day....more like 500 and where the US was respected, it's now a totally different story.

Thanks James and Yoli for another really interesting video. I think it's actually a real shame about the siesta as it sounded like such a relaxed way to live. One thing I am curious about is do all Spanish people eat and go to bed really late. Also do the children really go to bed very late? If so how do the larks (morning people) cope with it. Also I would love it if you guys could show what meals you cook at home like a typical lunch and dinner xx.

@jal051

4 ай бұрын

Going very late to bed is definitely true. Not a myth at all. It's not even exagerated. We have lunch and dinner very late too.

@BlackHoleSpain

3 ай бұрын

Everybody must realize that Spain has its timezone *WRONG* , since we adopted Berlin time in 1943 and never came back to London time zone, which was the previous one. In summer, with the daylight savings time, we're *2 HOURS* behind the sun, that's why sun rises at 7:00 and sets at 21:35 on the summer solstice !!!! Now in winter, the sky is pitch dark even at 8:00 AM

@jal051

3 ай бұрын

@@BlackHoleSpain Wrong is relative. We wake up before the sun comes up and go to bed when it already down. So it's correct enough. I wouldn't want it changed.

First one, lol. My twin was telling me in Madrid, "Yeah, I got sick of all the tapas." He wanted something else. SMH he should have watched your channel!

@jal051

4 ай бұрын

All he had to do was eating Menú del Día, tbh. Tapas are a choice.

@KaoruTakarai

4 ай бұрын

​@@jal051Or going to restaurants and choosing from the menu.

Great video…. Thanks

Love this channel 😊 . Happy new year 2024 ❤🎊✌️💚✌️💚✌️☘️🎉🎉

You've been very accurate, small companies means more difficulties to compete in the market and less quality of work conditions and training

My wife and I have been visiting Spain regularly for over 20 years, mainly on motorcycle tours from the UK, though we also rent an apartment in Málaga which we visit at least twice a year, usually more. I found this video really interesting as I found myself comparing our experiences with your very informative views (though obviously things like tax rates and house prices don’t affect us). As regards paella we’ve never seen it as the national dish, perhaps to some extent because my wife doesn’t like it so we seldom indulge, but we’d have said off the tops of our heads that tortilla is the national dish. We eat almost exclusively tapas, and find that several towns still offer very generous free portions with drinks, to the extent we sometimes don’t need to buy food! I might say that I incline towards the view that the healthy diet we associate with Spain is more to do with quantity than quality, but traditionally the two have been intertwined. As regards the cost of living we’ve noticed a massive increase in the amounts we spend, especially when touring. Fuel was once half the effective price it was in the UK, taking into account the exchange rate, which has hugely turned against us since the stupidity of Brexit. Years ago we could tour for a month and it cost maybe a couple of thousand pounds, including ferry, whereas now it’s more like five thousand, which twice a year is quite a chunk of cash, though we do now stay at much better hotels than we once did. On which point I absolutely concur, cash is almost frowned on. In supermarkets cashiers seem to wince at the idea of going into their till to give you three cents in change (which go to the beggar outside), clearly preferring the simplicity of cards. Lastly your comments on religion are consistent with our experience. The parades are a great money spinning industry, but on the basis that for every person who admits to not believing in god there is another who doesn’t admit it, that makes Spain extremely secular, much like most of Europe, and especially Scandinavia. I have a friend who owns a few bars in Málaga centre and he thrives when the festivals are on, but isn’t in the least bit religious. Anyhow interesting video and I look forward to more!

Great stuff as always. Taxes being high or low depends on your income/ wealth. The wealth tax goes to 3.5% which is much higher than anywhere else. So if you have average income/ assets, taxes are not a huge issue and the cost of living/ what you get for your € is amazing. If you have significant assets it does not make sense to move to or stay in Spain.

@DaveIngelson

4 ай бұрын

The existence of a wealth tax is, in itself, very strange. To make it worse, they include private pensions in their calculation so you end up paying on pre-tax pension savings - double confiscatory! I've pad 60% in taxes the 3 years I've been here and am by no means wealthy. Sadly, I'm completely incentivized to not work and limit my income to limit the wealth tax. The system incentivizes laziness... it's completely backwards!

@XentteWorld

3 ай бұрын

​@@DaveIngelsonI completely agree with you. As long as your total wealth is not higher than 3.7 millon euros and you are settled down in some of the main cities where wealth tax is subsidized, you won't have to pay it every year. It' bettter to earn for a living just enough (maybe up to 60k to live confortable and not paying high irpf) and limit your maximum wealth to the previous amount.

@richardbartlett6932

3 ай бұрын

The main issue is the tax on overseas wealth. Better to become resident in Cyprus or Malta to keep the EU bit and travel to Spain.

@XentteWorld

3 ай бұрын

​​@@richardbartlett6932 it's an option but you won't be able to visit Spain more than 180 days, as well as other taxes restrictions. Otherwise, you will be considered as local residence.

@BlackHoleSpain

3 ай бұрын

@@XentteWorld Up to 60k ??!!?!? An average white collar job makes 30k per year before 37% taxes. An average blue-collar job makes 20k before 19% taxes.

Really interesting!

As a Valenciana (resident), the paella myth really challenges me to keep my knowledge to myself so as to not come off snooty. Paella is not a national dish of Spain (even if it is served in various parts of the country) but a regional dish of Valencia. Therefore, I know what is an authentic paella and what others might prepare and stick the label of paella on it, when it's undeserved. Thank you so much for debunking this myth.

@spainrevealed

4 ай бұрын

Yeah, it's a fine line between being knowledgable and a bore. I feel you Gina!

@welshtoro3256

4 ай бұрын

I can't really believe that talking about Paella should be of any concern. It's a nothing issue really. It's like saying pizza toppings on pizzas outside Napoli are an Italian myth. Who cares? Seriously.

@mizginavale22

4 ай бұрын

@@welshtoro3256 Who cares? Lots of Valencians do. You are entitled to look at this as a non-issue but this dish represents a lot of pride and culture in this region so you cannot speak to how it should not be a concern unilaterally. Let it continue not being a concern to you but many Spaniards happen do care that their dish maintain its traditional preparation.

@catherinemori4496

4 ай бұрын

Doesn’t it have to have rabbit and snail? That’s what we had in Valencia….

@jal051

4 ай бұрын

I think Valencians need to accept there is Paella Valenciana and Paella de Marisco, and they are both valid. There are also shitty paellas, of course, but a good Paella de Marisco is superb and it can't be stopped no matter how much Valencians get upset about it.

Pues los alemanes siempre reclaman a trabajadores españoles, desde Médicos a carpinteros, o cocineros , ingenieros o enfermeras, y mecanicos para sus fabricas. Los españoles somos muy responsables y trabajadores.😊

@marlara34

3 ай бұрын

claro, prefieren inmigración europea antes que de cualquier país extracomunitario. Una pena que nuestros jóvenes se tengan que ir a Alemania a encontrar trabajo de lo que estudiaron y poder hacer una vida.

@leierkreuz1529

18 күн бұрын

Sí, aquí cerró una fábrica y pidieron a muchos trabajadores para una empresa alemana. Además estuve una vez hablando con un amigo que estuvo trabajando en Dinamarca y Alemania, y en según qué trabajos quieren españoles porque son más resolutivos y tienden más a la improvisación. El mismo me contó como convenció a su jefe para no tirar una producción entera a la basura. Todo el mundo que conozco que ha trabajado en Alemania dicen que los alemanes, si no les das una orden o no siguen las instrucciones no saben que hacer o no se atreven a hacer nada. Según un amigo: "en el trabajo es como si fueran robots".

@anacasanova7350

18 күн бұрын

Españoles y alemanes siempre nos hemos llevado bien, somos complementarios. Jajaja En cambio con los franceses somos como dos gallos en un mismo gallinero. 😅😅😀

Love your videos guys !! Can't wait to move to Spain which I visited many times

...you're so sweet, James and Yoly, and always bubbling over with energy and information... so much fun watching you! I sometimes just need 'a dose' of you guys 🌞😎🌻 ...and I provide a copa de vino to go along with ya! 🍷😄

@spainrevealed

3 ай бұрын

Gracias!

The whole "tax bracket" thing is one of my pet peeves. I find myself constantly explaining progressive tax systems to people who believe that the top bracket you are in becomes the "multiplier" for your entire income. Another tax-related subject that drives me crazy is when people fail to recognize as a tax *certain costs they gladly pay in their own country*, such as health premiums, university fees, automobile-centric costs, etc., which are borne largely by fair taxation in Spain.

@keny46

4 ай бұрын

It's pretty crazy to think people in the US don't understand this and have been living here their whole life. The amount of times I've heard people say they don't want to make more money because it will push them into a higher tax bracket just makes me want to slap them.

@mitcoes

4 ай бұрын

Explain it with just 2 brackets. And round numbers. If you earn 10.000 is free taxes. If you earn 20.000, the first 10.000 are still free, and you pay just for 10.000. Now imagine a ladder of more than one step, simplifying 0% per first 10k + 10% for next 10k + 20% for next 10k + 30% for the rest over 30k. It is like that but with other brackets and tax percentages, not difficult to explain and understand if it is simplified for simple persons.

@jal051

4 ай бұрын

@@mitcoes TBH, it doesn't matter how much you simplify it. The people who didn't understand it at the first try will remain the same. It's not a matter of being complex, it's them not wanting to accept anything other than their own opinion.

@gms03sbd3

4 ай бұрын

Most of the people I know still thinks that, to the point some people told me to not accept a rise due to earning less after tax, is quite depressing the low knowledge on economics we have in Spain…

@oscarconnecticut1460

4 ай бұрын

You are correct. In the US, for example, the tax system is so fragmented that when you account for Federal, State and Local taxes, along with other private expenses you mention, you end up paying a lot more that what people think. Here is another myth: in the US taxes are lower than in Europe. When all is said and done, not by much, in my opinion.

Super video! You two are simply the best! Informative, funny! Thank you so much! Wishing you the best in the new year!

@spainrevealed

4 ай бұрын

Thank you Barbara! Happy new year!

I live in Spain. When your workday starts at 9am, Spanish people would arrive and go directly for a coffee and chitchat for at least 30mins..i ve never seen a stressed Spanish person at work. But that is why they live so long😊

@Neramy

27 күн бұрын

I am spanish. Check the rate of ansiolitic consumption around the world. We are number one. Number ine. Not even second. If you have never met an stressed spaniard you have'nt met many. The unemployment rate here is 12%. Salaries are low. Prices get higher and higher. People are afraid of losing their jobs. Burnout here is... All around. Massive. Just check the numbers.

@Hispania-nz9xw

20 күн бұрын

​@@Neramyno sé en qué mundo vives. Para ganar 2000 euros no tienes que hacer mucho y las condiciones de vida es muy superior al resto de Europa

@leierkreuz1529

18 күн бұрын

In which work do you go directly for a coffee after starting? I get up early and my job starts at 8 am, and until the break I keep working. So I don't know in which Spain do you live.

@anarueda8770

18 күн бұрын

??? No true at all. I'd love to be less stressed out, but the thing is I am at 8am at work and have to do a lot of work at home after my exit time.

@Mr196710

16 күн бұрын

@@Neramy I lived in Spain for 2 years, Japan for 7 and have travelled to Germany many times. Do you honestly think that Spaniards work hard as other Europeans?

Great video!

Well the Spanish work moral is certainly something you have to get used to. I have only lived in Spain for little over 2 months now and already it’s driving me crazy that you scheduled someone to come and do some work but they never show up and they can’t be bothered to call you. It have happened to me 3 times already and then there’s the sorry on 7 hours late and I couldn’t be bothered to call you either. I had a little thing that had to be done in my entrance hall and it’s taken over 1 month to get it fixed and they still need to paint it before they are done. I could have done it myself so much faster. Coming from Scandinavia this is probably the hardest thing to get used to here in Spain. But apart from that I absolutely LOVE living here ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ such a beautiful country with kind, sweet beautiful people.

@CatFisher947

3 ай бұрын

Get on the wrong side of them and you will soon find that they are not so kind or sweet.

@pni2009

2 ай бұрын

Don’t move to the UK if you want workmen to turn up on time or at all…

the thing about paella, is the same with flamenco. flamenco isnt 'spanish' music. its deeper than that. spain is so diverse in its regions and culture it makes one ask, what is spain or spanish anyway?

@welshtoro3256

4 ай бұрын

That is a very important and pertinent observation. What is Spain? Henry Kamen has an excellent book that I mention in my comment about just this question.

Great stuff, guys. (We're with you on the veggies myth, James!)

I love going out to eat after 8 pm and the restaurants are still buzzing and busy at 10 11 pm 😊❤🎉☘️☘️☘️💚🎉✌️☘️☘️

Spain is great, lifestyle and customs are determined by the weather. In countries where winter is hard and long, people have been taught for generations that you need to take advantage of good weather and prepare for winter. This completely changes the structure of thinking and planning. Frost in winter with minus temperatures from -10 up to -40 degrees Celsius means one thing: if you are not prepared, you will not survive.

The lazy Spaniard is the one that kills me the most

@Selkirkwater

4 ай бұрын

The myth of the lazy Spaniard was perpetrated by the thankfully departed dictator.

@pni2009

2 ай бұрын

@@Selkirkwaterhow?? Never mind Franco, but how ??

Qué buen video! Probablemente el mejor de este tema en inglés. Quizás me faltó un poco que muchos guiris confunden "la siesta" con que los negocios familiares cierren a mediodía

But some of my Spanish friends when I lived in Madrid worked from 9 to 7 during most of the year with a two hour lunch, and during summer from 9 to 3. I don't know if that's common but a couple of friends had that schedule, which isn't bad!

Fun and informative. The number I have heard roughly the last 10 years, was 2.600 euros monthly, is said to be a 'comfortable' to 'upper-middle-class' income. I think the most impactful part of the siesta, is the businesses that are shuttered in the early afternoon, and the schools that have a long break, after lunch. I almost spit my coffee at the b-roll you chose for healthcare. If that's a surgeon, of course it's less expensive! 😂

Regarding taxes…income taxes specifically. Are US government pensions and social security retirement taxed in Spain? I receive a U.S. military pension (and disability compensation) and my wife will retire from her US government career in a few years…(and we’ll be eligible to draw social security retirement in about 10-12 years for me and 15-18 years for my wife). My wife was also born in Ecuador so she is eligible for Spanish citizenship after 2 years residency in Spain.

This was great! I am moving to Spain in the near future, and would like to have a call with you. Would that be possible? Thanks!

Meat is healthy..not the ultra processed stuff but quality reared meat is incredible for you. Case closed

I am a new subscriber and your posts are excellent. Thank you! I look forward to chasing the rabbit and seeing where it all leads.

@spainrevealed

Ай бұрын

Welcome!

As a new Madrid resident, I attend mass weekly, and have to say, in my opinion, that the masses in Madrid are better attended than in the U.S.

We are obligated to be on 40h week works and some jobs are done in 30h and you have 2h a day that is not used for anything. I’ve live it that many times until flexible schedules. I have 2 weeks a that I need 42-44h one week that i can go with 35h and the third week of the month I have everything done in 20h. I’ve friends in Europe with this flexibility since the begining of times and a full week for them is 30h.

Those tax rates are called “marginal tax rates” i.e. only paid on extra amounts of taxable income. The overall tax rate you pay on your total income is called an “average tax rate”. Increasing marginal rates cause the average tax rate to rise with income - this is what a progressive tax system means.

@BlackHoleSpain

3 ай бұрын

In the US that also have progressive tax system, but their tax brackets are substantially lower! For example, our 37% tax bracket is from 35,200 to 59,999 euros, while theirs are from $609,351 onwards! Quite the same... 😢

We Spaniards are not lazy but we are not like other cultures who do not focus on work life balance. We work hard but we also like to enjoy ourselves.😀

12:17 I once read a comment that was really enlightening about this. A big problem with for example Americans and cost of living is that they want to be expats in another country at the same time as they live like they did in America. It might work in some countries, in other countries like Japan it just becomes quite expensive to do so. That helped me understand where allot of people came from when they say that it's "not cheap to live in country x".

I live in torrevieja near alicante. The building site nearby is in action from 6am even on wet days..

Siesta is happening over in Germany, go to talk to them, LMAO 😂😂😂

@hannofranz7973

3 ай бұрын

I'm German and this is new to me.😂

Thank you for hitting the nail on the head regarding training for new employees, although i love living in Spain and almost all of the spanish customs, culture and people the lack of customer care training really pees me off. Keep the videos coming you lovely people, and happy new year❤

@enriquevisiedo2750

4 ай бұрын

Es cierto que los españoles somos amigables pero no diplomáticos

You both do a great job with the videos. Thanks.

I got a question for you that could be interesting for every foreigner from Americas traveling here in europe! Where I live (in Quebec, Canada at least). If we go to the restaurant with some friends, it is very EASY to ask for separate bills to pay our meals. It's much more easier to pay separatly in the restaurant than to try to run for cash money to separate all the dues on one bill. (imagine when you by tapas..... it doesn't end just to understand the bill itself... ) So, Why in the world it's soooooo difficult here to ask for separate "cuentas"? There are a lot of them refusing to give us separate bill. Nobody of my friends understand that. The only answer I've been given is "it's like that"... What an answer... I'd like to undertand why! Because there are restaurant I don't go anymore because they refuse to separate the bill (almost agressively). So, if you have an answer, i appreciate it. Hasta luego! 😊

you guys are so cute! was very pleasant to watch you, I just moved to Spain so really good info :) keep going

Love you two!

Spain needs to leave the 2-3 hours lunch break. There is no "siesta" in the cities. You end up suffering traffic jams, the heat, a lunch too large to be digested properly and rush back to the office, agonising till 8pm. What is the point? Give people a one hour lunch break, and finish work at 6pm to have some personal life for family, friends, hobbies, study or even another job. Siesta is ok in rural areas to avoid the worst of the sun, but in the cities it is simply a survival of Franco's policy of many people having 2 jobs with a bit of time between them. There should be an option for shorter lunch and early finish in Spain. I remember getting up at 6am, rushing home for lunch 2-4pm, then back and finishing at 8pm, getting home at 9pm to watch the news and little time before having to go to bed and start again.

The only one i cant relate to or even heard about is the vegetable one. Ive always thought that spain is a vegetarians dream with all the high quaility produce and dishes. Beans with potatoes and garlic, tomato sallads, grilled alcachofas which are just incridible with a pinch of salt ocd some lemon.. And ppl at home during the summer usually have sallads with the food every single day, specially during the summmer, stake with sallad, dish with sallad etc etc...its too warm for fries or other stuff...

Very interesting! I still see a lot of people paying in cash in small towns and cities. Regarding the vegetable thing, every stew is made from a sofrito which is all vegetables:)

Lol. Love that "Health care" video clip with the clown. Bravo.

You never mentioned the crazy wealth tax

Regarding siesta, I think the main misconception comes from not understanding how Spanish meals work. In a lot of countries, lunch is eaten much earlier, and it's more of a simple meal (dinner being the main meal for many people). But in Spain, lunch is eaten much later, tipically between 2 and 4 p.m., and it's the main meal, with at least one hot dish, so it takes longer to eat. Even if bringing your meal from home to work is a common custom, people who can afford it like to go to a bar and eat a "menú del dia" (though, with current prices, it's becoming a luxury!) Remember, from 2 to 4 p.m. The same time many businesses are closed! Is it difficult to connect the dots? As for the religious part, since I travelled to Ireland and Poland, I'm more and more convinced that we Spaniards are a bunch of Pagans who like partying, and Catholicism just gives us a lot of opportunities to party. Take this in good humour and with a grain of salt, obviously 😂

Spain has the tastiest tomatoes in the world and those little green padron . We ate plenty of those.

Do they tax pensioners when they retire there and if so, what rate and does this apply if you are taxed at source in your own country where your pension comes from.

About productivity: Any country with higher salaries is more productive, because ... one thing is to compare companies productivity with the same salaries (more productive as cheaper the costs and/or greater the outcome), and the other is to compare countries. No migrant is thunderstruck with more or less productivity, and Spanish workers are very appreciated abroad. Just read the OECD most productive countries, and you will notice they are the wealthiest ones, because salaries and wages are more important as income (customers) than as a cost (providers), in any economy. And this misunderstanding between how countries productivity (better, higher salaries) and a single company vs other, (better lower salary cost overall - not per person - for the same output) are measured is usual even between people that studied business, because it is advanced economics (I am an Economics Business and Law PhD). Spain's salaries per hour are about half than German ones, and the average German working week is 20% shorter, and that is why (similar work hours per active person) German unemployment is about 20% less, and not only Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark also have twice the hour wage and 4/5 of average working week. No factory there has cheaper salary budget than Spanish ones, but as they can sell more, because of their higher salaries, they are more productive. And about PAELLA: The famous recipe is VALENCIAN PAELLA, that is with meat, Chicken (and or duck) and rabbit (or rice rat) flat green beans (Tavella) and flat white beans (Garrofo), saffron, tomato, olive oil, salt, garlic (optional), snails (optional). water, making the broth during its cooking, and rice, better if it is Albufera DO, Senia DO, Bomba DO or J. Sendra from the Albufera. All the other rices in paella are as good or better, but are not the famous recipe, it is even more fake than the chinatown - not chinese - food or the texmex - not mexican - food, and the fakes are made even in Valencia, so, if you want to taste one authentic, go to El Palmar, Pinedo, El Saler, Cullera, Catarroja, Sueca or any of the restaurants at the villages around the Albufera, that there are hundreds, used to serve to locals, and avoid tourist traps downtown.

@joseluisluque449

4 ай бұрын

Eres un fenómeno, en serio!

@Lacteagalaxia

4 ай бұрын

Pato lleva pero es muy raro hoy día pero es correcto antes de ponía mucho más .

@mitcoes

4 ай бұрын

@@Lacteagalaxia Tienes razón, la original era de fotxa (pato de l'Albufera) y rata de arroz y evolucionó a pollo y conejo, aunque algunos añaden un trozo o dos de pato para darle más sabor.

@BlackHoleSpain

3 ай бұрын

Also we have to bear in mind that spanish employers see the worker as a *burden* instead of an asset! With that poor mentality, it will be hard to improve productivity. For example, IT sector doesn't hire anyone over 35 to get rid of people asking proper salaries. I was a Systems & Networks administrator, and I've been unemployed the last 16 years, even after applying to 800+ job offers in my field, every week since 2007. Not a single job interview in all that time!

I am surprised about some of those myths, where they are coming from? 50% taxes,Spain is cheap,Spain is cash economy....? Who is thinking that today? I think only people who never visited Spain and living in clishees perception.

Thank you so much for the reminder about the information you have provided about moving to Spain/purchasing a property in Spain. I plan to purchase a property in Madrid in the fall and apply for a golden visa. I'm thankful for the trustworthy information.

She has an elegant accent, she reminds me of Dontella Versage.

I've lived in England many years and Spaniards are not thought as lazy, Good workers indeed

@jal051

4 ай бұрын

Because Spaniards overcompensate. We still drag a level of inferiority complex from the Franco days.

10:34 The part referring to the tax brackets should also be explained to many highly influenced Spaniards who, paying attention to fraudulent KZreadrs who go to Andorra on the right days, not one more to avoid paying taxes here, also lie about paying 50% of taxes. But of course they are so extremely obtuse that they would not realize that what these gentlemen do is steal from them and also take advantage of them, not by contributing to the common good, but by using services that they do not want to pay for.

@XentteWorld

3 ай бұрын

it's important to mention that income taxes are progresive. I mean, if your incomes are 60K euros, you total income tax rate will not be 30% but 23% more or less

You totally missed the point on #9, first, grains and beans are Not vegetables . Restaurants in Spain (specially in Madrid) don't have salads in their menus. Their menus are based on meats and ham dishes and all types of fried food, some have fish but not many, and mostly fried fish. It is totally impossible to find a good salad in restaurants. However you can by pre-packed salads (not great) at some markets.

I live in Valencia region of Spain, I am a vegetarian and it is so hard getting veggie food here. Eating out is tough. Love living here though.

Confirmamos que sois votantes de SUMAR

Wonderful video. Thank you. One more myth to add, as this comes up in several of the Spain-oriented Facebook sites we visit: "Is Spain a 3rd World Country?". The question isn't asked directly, but it comes up when people ask if they need to bring toilet paper with them, or aspirin/tylenol, or if they will find cell service or wifi available. Some of the questions are laughable, but also sad that people have so little understanding of the world. Also, in terms of Spaniards eating vegetables you could have referred to the incredible quality and quantity of veggies in the markets. They're not there for show!

@Answersonapostcard

4 ай бұрын

That's bizarre. Spain is usually associated with riches and 'colonialism'.

@jal051

4 ай бұрын

I believe that's mostly coming from US Americans. A lot of them tend to confuse Spain with Latin American countries. People shouldn't even think all Latin American coutries are 3rd world, tbh. The concept of 1st and 3rd world was created in WW2 and it's extremely outdated.

@artmann7684

4 ай бұрын

@@jal051 That's likely the case, similar to the frequent questions from the US about whether they can use US$$s in the EU.

@welshtoro3256

4 ай бұрын

I'm late replying to this comment but I'm really glad you raised this point. It's amazing to think that there are people so ignorant about a destination they might wish to visit that they could confuse it with a 'Third World' country. This is Western Europe for crying out loud. There are folk over here who look across the pond and the very high possibility of Donald Trump becoming the President of the U.S.A. for a second time - A SECOND TIME - and wonder if the United States hasn't become a completely bonkers loony-bin. Sleepy Joe is the alternative. That is also ignorant and I only mention it because it highlights a depressing picture of cultural ignorance all round. Our Brexit referendum revealed how little the citizens of the U.K. (Remain and Leave) know about even our closest neighbours - Almost nothing. Sadly, the same is true on the European mainland.

@youssef16844

4 ай бұрын

​@@welshtoro3256Euhh, Spain is Southern Europe and definitely NOT Western Europe. Talk about ignorance...

The worse paella is anything outside of Valencia haha. Great video by the way!

@user-nc2qj2jc5q

4 ай бұрын

I had a great Paella 🥘 in Warsaw ,the owner cook was from Valencia 😊

Ohh..so now I noticed where our "Window Shopping" comes from, as Cubans have Spanish blood in them? Actually, the Cubans in Miami use this, as a BIG pass time! I grew up there as a Cuban/American doing this as a regular pass time! I moved over to Nevada years ago..but I noticed that most Americans do not go shopping unless they're going buy?🤔

Nice

Processed foods that are calorie dense and moving less is a large factor in obesity world wide, not meat. Americans try and do the Mediterranean diet but people who live in the med get much fresher produce and meat, and also walk a TON. Which Americans get neither.

More myths: 1. People go out and stay in bars and clubs until the morning hours every day (Granted, they go to bed late, that's true, compared to other countries) 2. Bullfighting is popular. 3. The weather is all Spain is sunny and hot year round.

I think the reason restaurants prefer cash like the UK there is a transaction charge that the company must pay to the bank. I aways try to pay with cash as it helps out small businesses

I know this video is a month old and I haven't read all the comments but I wanted to point out that many cash only businesses aren't avoiding their taxes, they're avoiding the 2.75-3.5% surcharge credit card companies are imposing per transaction. Where I live we have many cash only businesses, as well as businesses that give you a 2.75% discount if you use cash.

@BlackHoleSpain

3 ай бұрын

Are you from the past? Those figures were 20 years ago! Nowadays surcharge is 0.2% in credit cards for commerce transactions.

@beckyc104

2 ай бұрын

@@BlackHoleSpain according to bankrate from October 2023, 1.5-3.5% per transaction. However, that's probably only true in the US, so maybe it's dirt cheap in Spain, which is what the video is about, so yeah maybe you're right.

I understand progressive income tax but you didn't mention wealth tax - with wealth tax you CAN be taxed at 50% of income, in fact you can be taxed up to 60% of your income (or more if you are asset rich but have more modest income). Spain has serious taxes to consider if you have accumulated material asset over a lifetime. The biggest consideration for my wife an I - we have a Spanish home and would love to move over permanently from the UK but our taxes would double unless we actively minimise income.

Productivity is mainly related to technology used, not only hours of work or intensity

I'm glad to hear about the taxes, as I'd like to retire to Spain in 6 years from the US. But can you please clear up the current income requirements for a non-working visa? On the Spanish Condulate site,I see the requirement is 2,500 Euros per month and/or 30K Euros in the bank. Is it one or the other? Or both? I've googled and researched like crazy and can't clarify this. And of course, no one ever answers the phone or returns messages at the consulate in Los Angeles and their response to my email referred me back to the confusing website. 🤷‍♀️ 😁

@eimere

4 ай бұрын

I'm spaniard living in Brazil. My visa had a similar requirement and it was one of the options, not both. Don't know if it helps

@sfromeo

4 ай бұрын

Also be careful of the global wealth tax. In Spain you will owe tax if you are a resident (even foreigners) on ALL your global money (stocks, bonds, real estate, etc.) They do give an allowance for some things but if you have a hefty stock portfolio and rental real estate assets, you will pay a tax on all of it, EACH YEAR!

@etherealtb6021

4 ай бұрын

@@eimere OMG! Thank you! Yes, that does help. It has been stressing me out, as I can one or the other, but not both! Bless!

@spainrevealed

4 ай бұрын

It's either/or/both. Either you're receiving income of that amount per month (such as social security) or you have the savings. Or it can be a mix of both. They just want to make sure that whether it's savings or non-working income (e.g. pension etc) that you can support yourself for that amount per month for the duration of the visa (one year at first).. Don't bother asking the consulate, as you won't get a clear answer. Head into the Spain Revealed FB group and ask there: facebook.com/groups/spainrevealed

@etherealtb6021

4 ай бұрын

@@spainrevealed Thank you so much! So far, my 401K + Social Security shows I'm on track to have the equivalent, plus a bit extra! Thanks for recommending the group, just applied! I'm definitely a long range planner! 😁

joly is just very joyful person

The cause of all the small companies, or pymes as we call it here, it's because the fiscal rules change drastically when you have more than 49 employees (correct me if I'm wrong, I don't recall exactly the number), and most of the small businesses don't want the problems for hiring one or two more employees.

Wouldn't hurt to explain you can order whole individual dishes and meals in most restaurants, sharing is just one way of eating out. I'd argue Menú del día is more Spanish than tapas...

That siesta thing... one or two a day here. I still believe ;-)

Tenemos que volver a nuestro huso horario y empezar a dormir.

You don’t mention the over regulated Spanish market, that makes unemployment stay the highest in Europe. Making very difficult to sack or contract people. So restrictive for business that foreign and local investors are leaving. Bureaucracy serving the political agenda…. But I’m sure it doesn’t come up in LoPais.

@kylemills3397 0 seconds ago Keep in mind that you also pay 21% VAT on everything you spend. That brings you pretty close to a 50% tax rate in most cases. Also, if you have a lot of assets (not just in Spain, but worldwide) Spain will want a percentage of their total value every year. And while it's true that property taxes are quite low, you pay an enormous tax up front to purchase property. Finally, if you're American, the complexity of paying taxes (granted, due to American laws, not Spanish ones) is absolutely Byzantine.

@daveboracay2132

4 ай бұрын

I am an American and have been in Spain for 2 years. As much as I like Spain, I will leave after the third year because of the taxes.

@jal051

4 ай бұрын

@@daveboracay2132 But a big part of it is US's fault for making you pay taxes there even when you aren't a resident anymore. It's the only country in the world who demands double taxing in that situation.

@daveboracay2132

4 ай бұрын

@@jal051 Very true. I worked very hard so I can retire early on my own term only to find out I can be taxed by 2 countries.

The laziness trope is NOT because of how Spaniards spend their free time. Quite the opposite. It’s about how they approach work. And this is a generalization, of course. Lots of very hard working Spaniards out there. This is about the average. Spaniards, on average, do everything they can to avoid work. It causes Spain major issues. The average Spaniard would rather be paid less and live frugally than work hard or long hours. That said, this culture is slowly disappearing, especially in cities. Lets also not lie about working hours. Few Spaniards work past 6pm and those that do, take a 4 hour lunch break. The total amount of hours a week is the real measure.