Valencia has quietly become the default answer for British movers who want a proper Spanish city without Madrid or Barcelona prices. It’s the third largest city in Spain, it has a beach inside the city limits, and it costs noticeably less to live in than either of its bigger rivals.
Why people choose Valencia
The combination is unusually balanced: city services and a real jobs market, a nine-kilometre park where the river used to run, an urban beach at Malvarrosa, flat terrain that makes it one of Europe’s better cycling cities, and a cost of living well under Barcelona’s.
It’s also less internationalised than the costas, which cuts both ways — more Spanish spoken day to day, fewer ready-made expat structures to plug into.
Where to live
- Ruzafa (Russafa) — the fashionable central barrio: bars, markets, converted flats. Lively, and noisy at weekends.
- El Carmen — the old town, atmospheric, historic buildings with the maintenance quirks that implies.
- Eixample / Gran Vía — elegant, quieter, well-connected, popular with families.
- Benimaclet — student and creative quarter, village feel, good value.
- El Cabanyal and the beach barrios — the old fishermen’s quarter beside Malvarrosa, transformed over the last decade.
- Outside the city — Alboraya, Godella, Rocafort and Bétera for houses, gardens and international schools.
What it costs
Valencia is the value proposition among Spain’s big three, though rents have risen sharply as more people have worked out the same thing — it is no longer the bargain it was five years ago. Budget above the small-town costas and below Madrid.
One local check worth doing: the October 2024 flooding affected parts of the southern metropolitan belt, and flood history varies street by street in some outlying municipalities. Ask directly about it for any property outside the city proper.
Paperwork: NIE and the padrón
You’ll need an NIE before renting or opening a bank account. With an address in place, register on the padrón at the Ajuntament de València (or your local town hall) — the certificate proves residence for healthcare, schooling and residency paperwork.
Our requirements guide → covers the visa routes and the order to do things in.
Healthcare and schools
The Valencian health service covers the city through Hospital Clínico Universitario de València and Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe, plus local centros de salud where you register for a GP.
For schools, the Valencian Community teaches in both Valencian and Spanish, with the balance varying by school and programme — ask each school directly rather than assuming. The international schools sit mostly in the northern and western suburbs, around Godella, Rocafort, La Cañada and Bétera, which is one reason families settle out there rather than in the centre.
Getting there
Valencia airport has direct UK routes year-round, and Alicante is a comfortable drive south if the schedule suits better.
Moving your belongings
Valencia is on the standard Mediterranean run, so it’s well served by shared loads and part loads — which is the cheapest way to move a modest household if your dates can flex a little.
The practical detail here is the same as any Spanish city: lifts and streets. Ruzafa and El Carmen have older buildings with lifts too small for a wardrobe, and streets a full-size lorry can’t work from. Say which floor you’re on and whether there’s a lift, and the quote will hold.
Removals to Valencia → · Get a quote →
Frequently asked questions
Is Valencia cheaper than Barcelona or Madrid? Yes, noticeably — though rents have risen fast in recent years, so it’s better value rather than cheap.
Do people speak Valencian? Yes, alongside Spanish. You’ll manage in Spanish, but Valencian appears in schooling, signage and official life.
Where do British families with children tend to live? The northern and western suburbs — Godella, Rocafort, La Cañada, Bétera — where most of the international schools are.
Does Valencia have a beach? Yes, Malvarrosa and Patacona are inside the city, reachable by tram and bike.
Should I worry about flooding? For most of the city, no — but flood history varies in the southern metropolitan belt, so ask specifically about any property outside the city proper.
What’s the cheapest way to move a flat’s worth of furniture? A part load on a shared vehicle, with a flexible collection window.