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Moving to Barcelona

Your Essential Moving Guide

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Moving to Barcelona? You’ll be glad to know the City of Counts has the trifecta of sandy beaches, lively nightlife, and world-class cuisine, so consider us jealous of your move! However, before you can enjoy it all, you’ll need to move there. Well, Sirelo has you cover with our guide for removals to Barcelona that contains moving costs, an essential checklist, tips, and even free removal quotes, a veritable one stop shop. Read on to get your move on the road!

How Much Will It Cost to Move to Barcelona?

The one thing at the fore of your mind as you think about removals to Barcelona is likely how much it will cost you! Luckily, you’ve stumbled on a site of moving experts, and we’ve crunched the numbers and for an average 3-bed house, you can expect to pay between £2,900 – £4,000, not too steep.

Of course, while it might not seem like too much, it needs to fit into the overall price of your move to Barcelona from the UK, so we can imagine that you’d like to reduce costs where you can. So, if you want to know more about where the costs come from, you can read our page on international removal costs, be one step ahead!

One cost factor that you should be aware of is volume, for which we have a very useful calculator! Thus, the more you move, the more you’ll pay. If you don’t believe us, look at prices below for different household sizes for a move from London to Barcelona:

Household sizeAverage cost
1-bed flat£1,800 – £2,500
2-bed house£2,200 – £3,100
3-bed house£2,900 – £4,000
4-bed house£3,800 – £5,200
5-bed house£4,800 – £6,600

Request Removal Quotes for Free!

Removals to Barcelona can be complicated, but you can make it easier by finding a removal company. Fill in the form below and receive up to 5 free removal quotes, today!

Need Help with a Removal to Barcelona?
Request up to five free moving quotes to find the right removal company for you!

Do You Need a Visa to Move to Barcelona?

The answer to this question depends on whether or not you hold an EU or EEA passport. If you hold a passport from one of the member countries of the EU or EEA, then you don’t need a visa as you have the right to free movement. The only thing you’ll need to do is obtain a Foreigners’ Identity Number (N.I.E.).

For everyone else, not only will you need an N.I.E., but you’ll also need to apply for a visa and if you wish to work, a work permit. Fortunately, an employer will apply for a work permit on your behalf, which is a bit of a relief.

Checklist for Moving to Barcelona

You may have already realised this, but with removals to Barcelona, there’s a lot to organise. Fortunately for you, we know some of the most important tasks for you to take care of to make your move to Barcelona form the UK less stressful and so we’ve compiled them into a little checklist. 😊

Important documents

The first thing that you’ll want to prepare are the documents that you’ll need for your move to Barcelona and setting up life. As these documents are important, be sure to keep them safe and even make duplicates!

  • Passport
  • 2 passport-sized photos
  • Birth certificate
  • Marriage certificate
  • Medical documentation (including dental and immunizations)
  • University degree(s) and qualification(s)
  • Police background check
  • Visa

Find an international removal company

Unless you want to try and orchestrate an international removal to Barcelona from the UK, we would highly recommend finding an international removal companies to assist you. It’ll really help take the stress out of it!

Pack

The biggest part of any move is packing. It can seem like a beast of a task, but with our expert packing guide, it’ll be a slice of cake.

Tax

Before you move to Barcelona, it would be a good idea to inform HMRC that you’ll be living abroad. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself paying taxes in two countries, how horrendous!

Speaking of paying tax, you will of course need to pay taxes in Spain if you’re living and working there. You can read the Spanish government’s living in Spain page for information about how to pay taxes in your new home country.

Register on el Padrón

If you would like to have the same rights as a Spanish citizen, you’ll need to register on the Spanish population register. You can do this at the local town hall. To register, you’ll need:

  • A form of identification
  • Public or private healthcare or insurance
  • Proof of sufficient funds to support you and your dependents

Removals to Barcelona

Healthcare

You’ll be glad to hear that the healthcare in Spain is similarly state funded. However, there can be long waiting times for the public option, so it’s common for people to opt to have private health insurance and avail of the great private healthcare.

Driving licence

For now, if you wish to live in Spain and drive, you’ll need to switch license and also pass a driving test. You can find more information about driving in Spain on the British government’s website.

Hablas español?

Before you arrive in Barcelona, it would be a good idea to brush up on your Spanish or start learning. Furthermore, you might want to pick up some words in Catalan, as the locals are very proud of their language. Learning the language will help you to assimilate and build roots in this beautiful city.

Banking

As you’ll far from the UK, it would be smart to set up a local bank account to help you access your funds. It’ll also spare you from the conversion fees between sterling and euro. Some of the big banks to consider are:

Moving with pets

Moving to Barcelona doesn’t mean having to say goodbye by to your pets, your furry friends can most definitely accompany you! All you need to do is ensure that they:

  • Have been microchipped
  • Vaccination against rabies with a certificate to prove it
  • A general certificate of health

If you’re someone who likes to be thoroughly prepared, then may we tempt you with another tantalising moving abroad checklist. It’ll certainly scratch any itch you have about needing to be prepared!

Move to Barcelona

Life in Barcelona

You’ll never be bored in this city that has so much to offer from culture to architecture. It’s truly a feast for the eyes, body, and soul! You can really find yourself in this relaxed city, and the strong industrial economy will make sure that you can continue to enjoy life.

Cost-of-Living in Barcelona

Overall, living in Spain is cheaper than in the UK, and mostly important where it really counts. You can get a good bottle of wine for half the price of in the UK. And it doesn’t end there, look below for a cost-of-living comparison between London and Barcelona:

MetricLondonBarcelona
Rent 3-bed apartment city centre£3,250£1,300
Price/m2 in the city centre£12,150£4,100
Monthly utilities for 85m2 apartment£190£130
Cappuccino£3.00£1.65
0.5L of draught beer£5.00£2.95
12 eggs£2.24£1.90

Working in Barcelona

The low cost-of-living will be reflected in lower salaries, especially to what we are used to in the UK. Salaries are, on average, 43% less, but this is dependent on what industry you are working in. Barcelona is very popular with entrepreneurs. The city is economically strong and has become one of the more innovative cities in Europe!

Although you will have to level up on your Spanish skills, there are many opportunities for English speakers! So, use the online portals below to start your job search:

Ready to Move to Barcelona?

Well, you’ve made it to the end. Your head must be teaming with information about removals to Barcelona, and now it’s time to put it to use! We believe you can do it, so go out there and do a stellar job. 😊

Before you go, you might be interested in reading even more about moving, and we don’t like to disappoint! Look below for links to pages that will prove useful in your move. Happy reading and good luck with your move!