Fleeing Madrid with kids: is returning to your home province justified?
Moving back to your province with children? The debate on Burbuja.info pits those fleeing Madrid over costs against those who see it as a downgrade.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Fleeing Madrid with kids? The debate dividing Burbuja
A forum user laid out the numbers: in Palencia, you live better on 70,000 euros gross than in Madrid on 90,000. The calculation of housing, transport and education yields savings of 3,000 euros a month for a family returning to their home province. The thread, with nearly a hundred replies, pits those who see it as a professional "downgrade" against those who argue it is the only sensible way out of the capital's soaring costs.
The numbers that don't lie
User Andergur broke down the figures: net salary of €65,000 in Madrid versus €53,500 in Palencia, but the cost of housing (80 m²) drops from €2,000 a month in Madrid to €520 in Palencia, and transport from €600 to €100. Private schooling, almost compulsory in Madrid, adds €1,200. The result: in Madrid you spend €3,000 more a month, with barely €1,000 of extra income. "Is that a downgrade?" he asked.
Other users shared personal stories. isolate said his niece, cleaning in a town of 30,000 inhabitants, lives better than his brother, an electrical engineer in Madrid. And buhardilla43 described how he returned to his province, managed to work remotely and then found a local job because "there aren't enough people".
The cultural battle: quality of life versus opportunities
The thread starter, no me creo nada, argues that returning harms the children's professional future, as they will miss out on the big city's opportunities. But most reply that "hostile Madrid" — traffic jams, runaway prices, mass immigration — is no place to raise children. User Malo de Tasmania, a Madrid native, admitted he is "thinking of leaving" because of the stress and the queues.
The debate reached apocalyptic tones with user ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ♡ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ, who predicts that "Madrid is an island where there is nothing for 250 km" and will end up becoming an exclusion zone. Others accused him of "Madrid-phobia" and pointed to nearby cities such as Toledo, Segovia or El Guanol.
The missing consensus
There is no agreement. Those who left (like buhardilla43) insist that "everyone is happy". Those who stay argue that the capital still concentrates skilled jobs. The question nobody fully answers: does the monthly saving make up for the risk of losing long-term career opportunities? The thread remains open, and the answer is as personal as each family's budget.
Related debates on the forum
A forum user laid out the numbers: in Palencia, you live better on 70,000 euros gross than in Madrid on 90,000. The calculation of housing, transport and education yields savings of 3,000 euros a month for a family returning to their home province. The thread, with nearly a hundred replies, pits those who see it as a professional "downgrade" against those who argue it is the only sensible way out of the capital's soaring costs.
The numbers that don't lie
User Andergur broke down the figures: net salary of €65,000 in Madrid versus €53,500 in Palencia, but the cost of housing (80 m²) drops from €2,000 a month in Madrid to €520 in Palencia, and transport from €600 to €100. Private schooling, almost compulsory in Madrid, adds €1,200. The result: in Madrid you spend €3,000 more a month, with barely €1,000 of extra income. "Is that a downgrade?" he asked.
Other users shared personal stories. isolate said his niece, cleaning in a town of 30,000 inhabitants, lives better than his brother, an electrical engineer in Madrid. And buhardilla43 described how he returned to his province, managed to work remotely and then found a local job because "there aren't enough people".
The cultural battle: quality of life versus opportunities
The thread starter, no me creo nada, argues that returning harms the children's professional future, as they will miss out on the big city's opportunities. But most reply that "hostile Madrid" — traffic jams, runaway prices, mass immigration — is no place to raise children. User Malo de Tasmania, a Madrid native, admitted he is "thinking of leaving" because of the stress and the queues.
The debate reached apocalyptic tones with user ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ♡ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ, who predicts that "Madrid is an island where there is nothing for 250 km" and will end up becoming an exclusion zone. Others accused him of "Madrid-phobia" and pointed to nearby cities such as Toledo, Segovia or El Guanol.
The missing consensus
There is no agreement. Those who left (like buhardilla43) insist that "everyone is happy". Those who stay argue that the capital still concentrates skilled jobs. The question nobody fully answers: does the monthly saving make up for the risk of losing long-term career opportunities? The thread remains open, and the answer is as personal as each family's budget.
Related debates on the forum
- Surprise at a bar in Valencia: the unexpected surcharge that appeared on the bill after breakfast · 141 replies
- STRANGE WORLD: The "Chubby Flour Celebrities" phenomenon — after losing weight, they lose all their charm and stop being cool (photos of examples inside). · 116 replies
- Hahahahaha. A former minister under Zetapé says he is so useless and incompetent that he can't see him leading a incivil network · 59 replies
- Brutaaaaaaaaaaal - urgent - Zapatero confirms his only assets are a plot of land and a bungalow · 41 replies
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (99 replies).
More summaries
-
Caring for Childless Uncles: Law Doesn't Require It, Inheritance Decides
Spanish law mandates support for children, parents, and siblings, but not uncles. Caring for an elderly relative without descendants is primarily a bet on inheritance.
-
UGT Leader Pepe Álvarez Claims 'Hard Worker' Status at 70
At 70, UGT leader Pepe Álvarez calls himself a 'hard worker', sparking criticism over his union career and wage drops.
-
Pedro Sánchez to meet WHO director this afternoon over Hantavirus pandemic fears
Sánchez-WHO meeting: are restrictions coming back? An economic analysis of fines, debt and the new 'Phantomvirus'.
-
Germany's voluntary military service flops: 500 out of 300,000
Germany has secured only 500 volunteers out of 300,000 sought for its military reserve. The recruitment failure reignites debate over a return to…
-
Theft of Vito Quiles' file from Ospina law firm: dirty tricks or setup
Unknown intruders stole Vito Quiles' file from Ospina Abogados in Madrid. The firm was defending Hells Angels members. CNI intelligence operation or a setup? Key facts about the incident.
-
Wife of ETA fugitive 'Txistu' killed in Venezuela earthquake; he survives
The wife of ETA fugitive Txistu has died in the Venezuela earthquake, while he survived. Venezuela has been a refuge for some twenty ETA members on the run since the 1980s.