Hi, I'm a 24 year old British girl (I don't speak Spanish!) who is thinking of moving to Madrid but I have been reading about how many pickpockets there are, and now I am worried that I would not feel safe, and that I would always be paranoid. Could anyone who lives there give me their opinion/experiences please?
Do you also think it's worth it to take a pay cut from the UK for the supposedly better lifestyle in Madrid?
Thanks in advance!

I would not recommend any lone female move to foriegn city without having trustworthy contacts there, like all city`s throughout the world it will have its fair share of scumbags ,ones a lot worse than pickpockets!,worrying your not safe is a good thing, your not!
If you dont have a job lined up where your employer will help with relocation dont do it.

Rgds

Rotor

Please don't get paranoid about reports in the tabloid media. I have lived just outside the capital and worked in Madrid itself for more than 25 years without experiencing anything out of the ordinary for any big city. Naturally, there are areas, particularly downtown, where you have to exercise more precaution than others but, as stated, this is the norm in most large cities.
As for the cost of living, Madrid is certainly cheaper to live in than London. How much, depends on your lifestyle. Much would depend on the size of the paycut you are talking about. Having said that, normally when getting personnel to make crossborder transfers multi-national corporations do not expect their people to live on less. However, your initial lack of Spanish is an important disadvantage which you should make a big effort to overcome asap.
Good luck.
iant

Big difference if your a young lone femail iant,? I guess your male ? Totally different if your a big ugly so and so bloke like myself, I would not want my daughter turning up in a big city knowing SFA.

Rgds

Rotor

Believe it or not there are several million females who live in the Madrid area, and they all seem to survive ok. If you're still in doubt ask around the English schools (yes women there too). In fact you're probably far safer on a night out in Madrid than in most British city centres. However, you do have to be careful regarding pickpockets in the centre and in the major train stations. After a time you will have a defensive routine, and it will all become second nature. Go out with a good attitude, and you'll have a great time!

Madrid is a great place to live. My daughter has been there for several years without problems. Don't miss the opportunity. Go!

As for work - Madrid is the best place in Spain to find work (I found it better than London). You will have to do your sums though as the net pay will be lower. If you avoid flights back to Blighty, running a car, espensive restaurants etc you'll probably be okay. A monthly travel card will set you back what you'd pay weekly in london. However it's just as impossible to afford a house there as in London. I know the market is "adjusting", but don't expect to see cheap houses in Madrid anytime soon.

you have the same troubles in any city in the world.once you are there you will know the good parts and the not so good parts same as your home city in the uk.I would rather have my pockets picked in madrid than be stabbed to death in the uk.I feel safer when im in madrid than london

same here aswell Madrid has it problems like every where but much safer

its the Migrant are morcans that are try to rip you off with scams are get to your pockets

one way ticket out here that sould get
and stop them coming in to EU and spain has the place facked like the uk in the 80s

it's safer than the Scotlands in Wolverhampton and fab parties happen in the streets very centrally. But, I guess those living on the outskirts are very desperate. You wouldn't choose to live in a cardboard house?

Agree with pretty much everyone although I don't spend much time around the centre. Watch out for people approaching you with distraction tactics and invading your personal space, or leaving your mobile on a table next to you. Everything else is pretty much as per any other city these days.

And don't expect to get by without any Spanish. The level of English is nothing like the costas so you'll struggle without help and prior learning. You can do a lot with vague grunts, context and pointing but I wouldn't try and set up home here on my own without a lot more.

Take a holiday before committing.

As for work, see if you can get a secondment and remain on the UK contract/payroll if you're talking about an employer sending you. This can work for several years, though you would have to pay Tax/Social in Spain after a while. It can be very difficult for expats to set themselves up without the support of an employer or if they're on Spanish rates from the off.

you could nip up an see her rotor and be her freind and guardian.fill her with wine and give here the smooth talk.it works every time

The wife gets really annoyed when I offer this kind of help to young ladies