One year in Barcelona as a remote worker

• Morning: free time, gym, errands, Spanish class twice a week
• 2pm to 5pm: deep work
• 5pm to 11pm: meetings with the US team

It suits me because I love long mornings, but it is hard to have dinner with local friends, who eat at 9 or 10pm, exactly when I have meetings. I have negotiated two meeting-free evenings a week.

Taxes

This was the part I underestimated. As a Spanish tax resident, I must file a Spanish tax return, and as a US citizen, I also file a US return. The digital nomad visa gave access to the special tax regime for inbound workers (sometimes called the Beckham law), but applying for it had strict deadlines and needed an accountant. I paid a gestor around 900 euros for the year, which was worth it.

Lifestyle

• The Mediterranean is 25 minutes away by metro
• Walking everywhere. I sold my car in the US and have not missed it
• Excellent, affordable fresh food at markets and a menú del día for 14 to 16 euros
• Weekend trips to the Pyrenees, Girona and Valencia by train

The hard parts

• Bureaucracy. Every process needs an appointment, and every appointment is hard to find
• Language. Catalan is widely spoken, and I sometimes feel like an outsider when conversations switch
• Loneliness in the first months. Remote work means no colleagues nearby. Coworking spaces and a hiking group helped
• Pickpocketing. My phone was stolen on the metro in month two

Numbers

My monthly costs are around 2,900 euros: rent, utilities, groceries, eating out, coworking, gym, insurance and a little travel. That is about 1,500 dollars less than my life in Portland.

Would I recommend it?

Yes, with respect. Barcelona is a real city with real housing problems, not a playground. If you come, learn the languages, support local businesses and stay long enough to contribute.