We want to move to Madrid! :)

Hi there,im an expat living in Spain fo 10 years now and let me tell you that this country look awfull from the economic point of view.Madrid is the worst and the best place to work because the majority of the expat lives there but at the same time the job offers will be more to chose from.I am working 2 hours a day at airport downloading planes,mi girl,her boss let her know that in july "hit the road jack".The country is the perfect place to live for me,but is to god damm expensive.All my expat buddys are unemployee,living from their wives who still got a job of cleaning houses or nursing elders.I dont know what are you or your girl do for a living but unless you guys are high profile specialist in your work area,it will be imposible to make a living.To rent a decent condo it will cost you around 8000€(800/month+1month in advance+bank deposit waranty just in case you gona destroy the place)just to let you in.For a room it will cost around 400€ but you will have to share with people who you dont know and stuff.A menu at a workers restaurant is 10€ minimum,at a good one is 60€ and up.Midle brand name clothes like Ralph Lauren, Levis is absolutly untouchable for an unskilled labourer like me(i buy all my things from the states via ebay).And i think thats it,very beautiful but expensive,very expensive.I dont want to ruin your day but economicly this is a total mess,its up to you buddy,let me know if you need enything.

Financially/Security-speaking, you and your fiance would be better off living/working in the USA if he can get his green card. Surely, you'll be able to marry and, with a little time and patience, he too will be able to live/work legally in the USA much easier than in Spain.

Both he and you will have a very difficult time living/working legally in Spain, as asafa mentions. Wages are among the lowest in Europe - but they're low everywhere, any no one's hiring and unemployment is high. It really doesn't matter if he/you are educated. There are a lot of professionals working as waiters - and even they have trouble finding work as illegal aliens are willing to work longer hours for half the salary.

Work Visas are tough - if not impossible - to get these days unless you're a highly skilled and experienced engineer, for example, and even those jobs don't pay much.

A European friend of mine pays about 1,400 Euros cash per month for a small two-bedroom flat (albeit with a small balcony and in a nicer neighborhood). Foreigners tend to pay more because without residency they can't sign legal documents to rent properties.

But with regards to safety, Spain is a very safe country. You have quite a bit of non-violent crime (pick pockets, purse-lifters, business break-ins) but very very little violent crime.

Best of luck!

Saludos, MadridMan @ http://MadridMan.com!