American citizens are competing to place their roots in Madrid, as Europe’s most vogiu capital becomes a haven for “Trump refugees” who are trying to escape the US president.
The influx has already been fuelled by the division and remote work of wealth in the US Spain since the Covid-19 pandemic, but Americans want life from the second period of Donald Trump It’s overcharged.
“The level of interest was amazing,” said Federico Gonzales, founder of GS Legal Consulting, who built the business by advising Americans about moving to Spain. “I can barely catch up.”
The wave of arrival is the latest indication that Madrid, long underrated overseas, is enjoying what its leader calls “moment.”
Cost of living is also part of other major cities, including London and Paris. Americans with US salary and savings struggle to find a glass of wine at Mercadona supermarket 55 cents croissants and just 3 euros.
Some content could not be loaded. Please check your internet connection or browser settings.
For Gonzalez, inquiries from US clients began to increase in 2023. The increase surged when Trump concluded his Republican presidential nomination last March. “People were very worried, and now many of them are here in Spain. They’ve begun to arrive,” he said.
By mid-2024, the number of Americans living in the Madrid region had already reached nearly 10,000. Despite the pandemic dip, this has increased by 35% since mid-2018, according to data from the Ministry of Immigration. Since then, residency applications have continued to pile up, especially for so-called “digital nomadic” visas.
Facebook forums that include self-styled “Trump Administration Refugees” are bustling with tips for relocation. The Madrid Schools in the United States report great interest from California, Colorado and Florida. And in a city that’s mad at Padel, Americans gather to play pickleball. This is a racket sport unknown to most Spaniards.
Korean-American Sunny Lee moved from Atlanta to Madrid in 2023 with her husband and two children. “It was just a whim, and based on the current political climate, it was a very good whim,” she said. “At this point, I have zero desire to go back to the US. It gives me a lot of anxiety about what’s going on here and there, especially as a family of colour, especially as a woman.”
Serena Templeton, a Canadian-American author and editor, arrived from Los Angeles last summer and became a role model for her tormented friends in her hometown. “They say: Trump was elected. It’s a shit show in this country. I want to leave. How did you do it?”
However, Spanish knowledge remains patchy. Trump himself hinted last month that he was a member of the BRICS group in an emerging economy.
“These are the best,” said Jeremy Sheck, 24, the author of a cookbook who moved from New York to Madrid last year. I always have a question: Is Spanish food spicy? ”
For years, if Spain was reminded of a city, it was Barcelona. However, last year’s anti-tourism protests knocked it out of many bucket lists. For those who want to learn or hone Spanish, the prevalence of Catalonia in Catalonia’s regional capital is also counted against it.
The new magnet is Madrid, with nearly 7 million in its metropolitan area. Over a million American visitors came to the city last year thanks to more flight connectivity and marketing by local governments.
New residents say they value how Madrid combines the fuss of the big city with the sense of mind. They enjoy the lack of walking in school, architecture and active shooter training for their children. They love the Spaniards for being warm and chatty, as they said, “in your business.”
There are even Hollywood conditions. What Richard Gere and Amber have heard is that both make the city their home.
When immigrants became a new avenue with digital nomadic visas. It provides residence to non-EU citizens who work from home for non-Spanish organizations. You also need to earn at least 33,000 euros per year.
In 2023, the first year of the visa, Spain issued over 9,500 to people from various countries. While many were aimed at West Coast software engineers, they also went to people like US government contractors, accountants and Shek, who are also social media food influencers.
Contemplating the events in my hometown, he said: “It definitely feels like a sense of security to be removed a little further from the daily highs and lows.”
Kai Bryant, head of the relocation agency Blueprint Spain, said he was following inquiries from Americans near the end of his working life, where he was worried about Medicare and pensions. “They say: I don’t feel comfortable retiring in the US. What’s my option?” he said. “Some of them are a bit misguided and ask if they can apply for asylum. But it just shows despair.”
The Spanish Golden Visa program, available to anyone who has invested 500,000 euros in their property, is popular with Americans approaching retirement, said Arena Recina, U.S. Aston Chief of Immigration Advisor. However, in April, we will approach new applicants.
Recommended
The arrival of the US does not have the wealth of the Latin American elite migrating to Madrid. However, in parts of the United States, there is an impressive everyday richness that will be transformed into Spain.
The average annual salary for the Madrid region is around 32,000 euros. Attorney González said his clients usually earn between $120,000 and $200,000. Those selling assets purchased 10 or 20 years ago, whether it’s a California mansion, or a stock in Amazon and Nvidia, come with millions of people to the banks.
But every new country brings that challenge. Americans are amazed at Madrid’s late meal times and harsh opinions about when to be consumed. “I love vermouth here, but if you order before dinner when it’s not there, you get these looks,” Templeton said.
Others miss the comfort and modernity of the home. “When we first came here, I felt like I was from the future,” Lee said. “In the future, instead of these keys that look like castles, there are pads that unlock the door.”
Data visualization by Keith Frey
