Families relocate to Madrid for many reasons — work, lifestyle, or simply the desire for something new. Whatever your motivation, it’s an amazingly enriching experience and an opportunity for the entire family to share something special (the highs and the lows), immerse themselves in a new language, and embrace a new culture. What’s not to love!
Relocating to Madrid with family, though, takes planning — often a couple of years to get all the details right. Some families dive into research themselves through online searches, blogs, and forums, while others choose to work with local experts such as Steps into Spain, who can take care of the legwork, save hours of your time, and offer that reassuring, experienced touch.
When children are involved, the stakes are high. Who better to share insider tips than families who have already done it — and can tell you honestly what worked and what didn’t.
Schools
Choosing the right school is absolutely crucial when relocating to Madrid with family. Getting an overview of the different educational options is the first step, and the Guía educativa de Madrid is a great place to start. It outlines all school types and includes detailed information on application processes, requirements, and timings.
Madrid offers three main types of schools: public (state) schools, concertado (semi-private) schools, and private schools, including international schools.
Depending on your goals, one will suit your family better than another:
- Bilingual (Spanish/English) public and concertado schools
- Non-bilingual public and concertado schools
- Spanish or bilingual private schools offering Spanish Baccalaureate or International Baccalaureate (IBDP)
- English-speaking international schools (IB, A Levels, US High School Diploma, AP courses)
- Non-English-speaking private schools representing other countries
Bilingual education (Spanish/English)
Bilingual education is incredibly popular in Madrid and is offered from nursery through secondary school. About half of all public and concertado schools are bilingual, and it can actually be hard to find a fully Spanish-only school near your home.
Some families think there’s a difference between public and concertado bilingual programmes, but in reality, they are identical: both offer around 30% of the curriculum in English. Don’t expect many native English-speaking teachers — most are Spanish teachers certified in English at B2 or C1 level.
If your goal is full immersion in Spanish language and culture, public or concertado schools are ideal. They’re also a fantastic way to connect with your local community — your children will make Spanish friends fast!
Concertado schools
Concertado schools can be a bit confusing for international families. They exist between public and private schools, and families pay a monthly fee (usually €100–€350). Most are Catholic, though religion is typically optional. Even in secular schools, religion is often offered, and many even organize first communions at the request of families.
The admissions process for concertados is identical to public schools, though details vary slightly depending on your region.
International education
If you prefer international education, you’re spoiled for choice. Madrid hosts French, German, Swiss, Scandinavian, and other foreign schools. Remember though, most are still majority-Spanish — English may be the teaching language, but Spanish rules the playground!
Many families do their school search from overseas and can’t visit schools in person. That’s where Steps into Spain can be invaluable — visiting schools on your behalf, guiding you through the selection process, and ensuring the final choice fits your family perfectly. Facebooks groups such as Madrid Education are other good, general sources of information.
Spanish Bureaucracy
Ah yes — the infamous bureaucracy. It really is as bad as they say! Consider it a shared rite of passage for all foreigners in Spain. Occasionally you’ll find a helpful funcionario (civil servant), but they’re often outnumbered by those doing the bare minimum.
You must apply for a NIE (Número de Identificación Española) which is the identification number for all foreign residents and non-residents living or conducting tax-related business in Spain. It is needed for almost everything, from opening a Spanish bank account to getting a driving license.
- NIE – EU nationals will be issued a “NIE card” which is a green card with their number and other details, but no picture. NIE can be assigned ahead of your move to Spain at your local Spanish Consulate or Embassy. A big watchout here is timings, some consulates take a very long time processing visa applications and it can mess up travel plans. Be realistic with your timeline rather than hoping for the best. And another point is that each consulate is a world of its own and tends to do things their own way.
- TIE – Needed by non-EU nationals residing in Spain past their tourist visa of 90 days. Before applying for a TIE, you must have already been assigned a NIE number by the Spanish authorities.
Obtaining a NIE is not difficult but it does suck up your time. Since Covid it has been extremely difficult to get a necessary appointment (cita previa) within a reasonable timeframe which has lead to a lucrative side business where you actually pay for an appointment (bonkers!).
Families often choose to work with a professional who understands the process, speaks the language and manages it for them. This same person can also manage other necessary tasks such as; opening a bank account, registering your property at town hall (empadronamiento), social security (la seguridad social) and health card (la tarjeta sanitaria).
Digital Certificate: Whilst this is very useful, the application process is nightmarish (own personal experience). But it is does save time in the long run as it allows you to communicate with any government office without having to be there in person (hallelujah!). This step by step video tutorial installation guide is helpful. Whilst not mandatory for everybody, it is worthwhile to have for tasks like:
- Get a social security number.
- Register home help with social security.
- Register as a self-employed person.
- File personal taxes.
- Receive notices from the tax office.
- Settle taxes and fees.
- Apply for almost any immigration process.
- Get your padrón (to declare where you reside).
- File appeals and claims before the tax office.
- Consultation of traffic fines.
- Consultation and registration in the town hall.
- Electronic signature of documents and official forms.
Housing
The rental market is fierce and even more so in the bigger cities. Idealista is the most popular website in Madrid for housing and is especially useful as a starting point to help you understand prices based on size and location of the apartment/house. It can also be challenging to find the right neighbourhood, this Madrid specific article shares some of the best family friendly neighbourhoods in the city.
Most people live in apartments although some do live in houses (chalés). Apartments can either be in big buildings (common in city centre) or what is known as an ‘urbanización’ which offer communal play areas and a swimming pool (common in suburbia).
Families looking for accommodation in Madrid can choose to either look for housing via Idealista, choose to work with a personal property shopper assisting and supporting them from the very beginning, handpicking properties best suited to their needs, accompanying on visits, assisting with terms of contract and setting up utilities. Or families may work directly with a reliable and trustworthy agent (yes, they do exist! I know a couple).
Healthcare
Only Spanish nationals, self-employed or employed resident can access public healthcare. That is why many immigration procedures require expats who will start living in the country to contract private health insurance. Note that tourist or travel insurance won’t work for residency applications, it must be private and can be equated to the offerings of the Spanish public healthcare system.
Watch out for pre-existing conditions — some insurers won’t cover them. Speak to several insurance agents and get in writing what exactly is covered. And when you’re ready to cancel a policy, do it while still in Spain, as doing it from abroad is notoriously tricky.
Languages
Spanish isn’t the only official language in Spain — you’ll also find Catalan, Galician, Basque, and Valenciano in various regions. Madrid, fortunately, is Spanish-only, so you won’t face this extra layer of complexity.
Even so, not everyone speaks English fluently. The better your Spanish, the easier your adjustment. Sign up the whole family for lessons — LAE Madrid is a great academy and even offers online classes. Or try a Spanish summer camp for the kids in June/July to give them early immersion.
Destination Reality Check
It seems obvious but sometimes we are blindsided by life dreams or desires to return to an idyllic destination from a past life (Erasmus, gap year etc. ) which although amazing then, might look very different with children in tow. If you want a beach lifestyle and mild all year round temperatures, Madrid is most definitely not for you. Neither will Madrid be the right place if you are looking for a slow paced, tranquil way of life. But if you want vibrant culture, great food, and city life, it’s perfect. 😉
Meeting People
Spaniards in general are friendly, sociable, enjoy chatting and meeting new people. Big cities like Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia all have a good mix of locals and expats living together amicably. Of course local languages can be a type of barrier if your goal is to hang with the locals (not in Madrid though, ha!).
Another nice aspect about Madrid is that most Madrileños’ parents / grandparents come from another part of Spain and moved to the capital many years ago to find jobs. This means that Madrileños are a great mix and usually outnumber ‘Madrileño gatos’ (somebody whose parents and grandparents were born in Madrid).
There are many in person meet ups across the city. INC Madrid is a very active group, regularly meet up and organize interesting activities. Facebook is another great place to ‘meet’ others, groups such as Moms and Dads in Madrid, New and Expecting Moms, Raising your Intercultural Family and Madrid Tweens Teens are excellent resources for families.
There are other thriving facebook groups like IWBB (International Women Building Businesses), a wonderful, supportive, international group of women entrepreneurs who organize regular in-person meet ups.
Finding Help
If you move to Madrid with a family, occasionally you will need a babysitter (date night is a must), how to find somebody trustworthy and kind? The local playground can be a good starting place. Chat to some of the parents and the nannies, check out availability.
Tutors, drivers, home help are all common requests for newly arrived families. Facebook groups (like those mentioned previously) are again useful especially as most are recommendations from other families–these are the very best. Agencies do exist to help you and usually charge one month of employees salary. From past experience, there really is nothing like word of mouth.
Safety
Spain in general is a safe country. Bad things do happen but on a much smaller scale and generally make the news and are dissected for weeks afterwards. However, do be aware of pick pockets, they are rife in the big cities like Madrid especially in tourist areas and even on the metro to and from the airport. They are professionals and whilst almost never are violent (you usually don’t even notice), they tend to strike in a moment of distraction; walking with kids, pushing buggies, getting on / off bus / metro etc. Just be aware of your belongings and you will be fine. If you are robbed, go to the police station immediately to report it (poner una denuncia).
Conclusion
By following these insights, families can relocate to Madrid without feeling overwhelmed. From choosing the right school and neighbourhood to handling paperwork and insurance, every step can be managed smoothly with the right preparation. Steps into Spain is here to help families transition confidently and enjoy everything Madrid has to offer — from culture and cuisine to community and connection.
Planning a move to Madrid and unsure where to start with schools?
There are different ways to get started, depending on whether you’re looking for information, personalised guidance or full school search support.
Sinéad Galvin is the Founder of Steps into Spain, a boutique education consultancy based in Madrid. She helps families from all over the world find the right school for their child and navigate the Spanish admissions process. Get in touch via stepsintospain.es or Reserva tu llamada gratuita to get started.
