Hello. I'm new here.

Hello Sergi, I have been considering moving to Valencia for some time now based on what I have read and seen but I would love to learn about the lifestyle there and the cost of living. How difficult is the paperwork process? Well, actually, I like to hear about what you have learned in order to move there and what you experience living there.

Thank you so much for sharing.
Aly

It's not so difficult. Problems you may find here are not the problem of moving here, but everything else. If you want to have a business, for instance, permits are exhausting. And  incomes are usually low, similar to the cost of living. Lots of bureaucracy.
If you can keep working for other countries and just live here you can be really happy.

With everything I have read so far on getting legalized for employment, that has been my idea as well (work remotely)

How are you finding the culture and people welcoming you to Spain?

I am Spanish, but we're really friendly with people coming here. Lately we've been having some problems with xenophobia, but to be honest it's basically focused in illegal immigration and they're racists. Don't expect big problems. You'll find lots of differences, but probably they'll be enjoyable for you.
It's important you get a decent level of Spanish, because you'll find a low percentage of people fluent in English, and that may let you enjoy less the country.
Be conscious, also, that Spanish is not our only language, and depending of the zone, there are other languages which are more spoken: in some zones of Galicia, Catalunya, País Valencià, Illes Balears, Navarra and Euskadi Spanish is just second language. They will understand it but not everybody wants to speak it.

I am from Spanish background (great grandparents) and I am first generation American Cuban. I will not say that you’ll ever find me “teaching Spanish - pero me defiendo bastante bien” 😉😁

My family and I visited Barcelona last year and I fell in love with the culture and architecture. I had always heard that the Spanish were distant people but to be honest that wasn’t what I found. But I was also told my experience was due to a very “touristic area” which is why I asked. I’d like to visit Madrid but my goal / hope is to settle in Valencia. Though I’ve seen beautiful things about Malaga, I’ve read that Valencia is the closest to a large city with certain “comforts” (good internet, night life etc) with low cost of living.

Valencia is the third largest city in Spain.  Madrid is largest at about 3.2 million people; Barcelona is about 1.6 to 1.8, or 1/2 of the Madrid population.  And Valencia is 800k or so, or 1/2 the population of Barcelona and 1/4 the population of Madrid.

They all have their own "feel". Madrid really feels like a big city, with highways all over the place.  But you can find little towns that have been consumed by Madrid over the years, so fairly close in to Madrid but small town feel (eg Las Rozas de Madrid)

I haven't explored much of Barcelona, my son studied there for six months but he lived near the Rambla.  It was over come with tourists crowded and noisy.

In contrast, Valencia is much less crowded it feels like a town trying to be a city.  I like the easy access to beaches, and accessible transportation.  I feel like I can get anywhere around Valencia with no more than 2 bus changes, while I don't feel that way about Madrid or Barcelona. 

So much depends on what you are looking for.  I'm retired and for me I don't mind it being quiet and uncrowded  My 19 year old really likes Madrid now that he is going to school there 

Good luck and regards

Thank you for that very helpful "break down". It really gives me a better insight and comparison. I like the small town feel but with all the "big city" benefits (ie... night life, internet, social opportunities etc.)