The south of Spain has been a popular destination for British holidaymakers, wealthy expats and retirees for over half a century. In recent years, a new younger demographic has joined their ranks in increasing numbers: digital nomads.
The phenomenon of the ‘digital nomad’ lifestyle goes hand in hand with the technology that allows people to work from anywhere in the world, requiring nothing more than a laptop and reliable internet connection. From travel writers to translators, social media influencers or affiliate marketers, entrepreneurs or anyone working independent of a fixed office, what better way to combine being your own boss with an idyllic location? Not surprisingly, it’s a growing trend.
The province of Andalucia in southern Spain, and the Costa del Sol in particular, is a favourite digital nomad destination. And while Brexit may have curtailed the freedom of movement for Brits in the EU, you can still travel with a visa, and a visa especially for digital nomads is currently being drafted by the Spanish parliament.
But whether you have chosen to relocate to Marbella or Malaga, Granada or Seville, or prefer teleworking from a village in the countryside, it’s good to get some inside information to help you make the most of your stay.
1. Choosing the best location
One of the major advantages of working remotely is that you have the option to change your workplace whenever you feel like it. There’s the daily choice between balcony, beach or café bar, and if you’ve exhausted one location why not move on to a different town? After all, travelling around is what nomads do.
Southern Spain has a lot of British communities, which can be a great source of comfort for those who have just arrived and need a friendly ear and good advice from people who’ve been there longer. From finding a place to live to getting the best broadband deal in Spain and much more besides, there are scores of important decisions to be made and a helping hand is always welcome as you try to acclimatise to your new temporary home. But don’t make the mistake of restricting your choice of location to where all the other Brits have gone. Southern Spain is a beautiful part of the world. You’ve come this far, so make sure you enjoy your freedom and discover your personal paradise.
2. Spanish language and culture
The well-known writer Joanna Harris once said: “If you want to know what’s important to a culture, learn their language.” Put another way, if you make no real attempt to learn Spanish because you can get by with English, you will never fully understand Spain and its people. Cultural immersion is so much easier if you can speak to the locals around you and work opportunities will drastically improve for applicants who are proficient in Spanish. If your Spanish language skills are shaky, signing up for language classes is one of the best decisions you can make.
One key cultural difference you may already have observed is that the rhythm of the working day in Spain is nothing like it is back home. While a 9am start is fairly standard, so are extended lunch breaks (or even a siesta) during the hottest part of the day, then carrying on work until later in the evening. Spaniards tend to have their dinner and bedtime later than their British counterparts. What’s more, newly arrived Brits can learn something from the locals’ emphasis on balancing social and family life with work every day, rather than ‘living for the weekend’.
3. Managing your money
Being a digital nomad in Spain is only viable if your financial situation allows it, and you will undoubtedly have carried out plenty of research into this before you left Britain for southern Spain. Did you know that when it comes to the cost of living, Andalucia is one of the cheapest regions in Spain with the best work/life balance, and also one of the most valued destinations in Europe? The standard of living that you can enjoy with the same amount of money is much higher here than in most of Europe.
When it comes to managing your finances in Euros, one useful tip is to investigate alternatives to Spain’s main high street banks when it comes to money transfers, most of whom offer excruciatingly slow international transfers and expensive currency exchange rates. You may find that apps such as Xe, Wise or Revolut are more accessible and competitive, with one-tap transfers from an online UK GBP account to a EUR account at a Spanish bank from which you can then withdraw free cash via a local ATM.
4. Travel and infrastructure
For the vast majority of digital nomads, travelling around the country and exploring the area is one of the highlights of having a location-independent lifestyle. That’s where infrastructure and travel connections can really affect your experience. Luckily, southern Spain is exceptionally well connected in terms of transport links, a welcome bonus of the tourist industry catering for millions of visitors every year.
Arriving from abroad, Malaga Costa del Sol (AGP) Airport is one of Spain’s busiest international airports, flying to over 100 destinations in 25 countries. From Malaga’s principal railway station, you can take the high-speed AVE train to Madrid (2 hours) or Barcelona (5.5 hours). Seville airport is another one with the most direct connections with Europe. With fewer international connections but growing in number of destinations is the Jerez airport, in the province of Cádiz, another of the gems of southern Spain for digital nomads.
Another way to explore Andalucia is by car. Car rental is easily available and very affordable, particularly in the off-season. Driving along the Costa del Sol is a treat, with a first-class road and motorway infrastructure. The A-7 and AP-7 motorways stretch along the coast from Nerja in the east to Manilva in the west. This similar experience is extensible to a good part of the roads of the coast of Andalusia and the interior.
At the end of the day, being a successful digital nomad in Andalucia comes down to making the most of the opportunities offered by your choice of location. Rather than staying in your Airbnb working on your laptop alone, how about checking out local co-working spaces where you could meet like-minded Spanish professionals? Go to language classes to enable better social interactions, and make sure you meet plenty of people for the most enriching experience.
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If you need help in your transfer from another country to Spain, do not hesitate to contact us. Our team of experts will make the whole process easy for you:
