One Year In Spain: What I Learned Living In Málaga

After one year living in Málaga, Spain, these are the biggest things I learned about building a life here. In this video, I talk about what it has actually been like living in Málaga as an American with my wife Agostina after moving here in May 2025. I cover the good parts, the difficult parts, and the things I wish we understood better before moving to Spain. This is not a “Spain is perfect” video, and it’s not a complaint video either. Málaga has been a great place for us, but living somewhere and visiting somewhere are two very different things. I talk about daily life in Málaga, housing, finding work, cost of living, healthcare, private insurance, public transportation, bureaucracy, language learning, making friends, regional identity in Spain, and what it really feels like to try to build a life here instead of just passing through. If you’re thinking about moving to Málaga, moving to Spain, becoming an expat in southern Spain, or just curious about what life in Málaga is actually like after the first year, hopefully this gives you a more honest and practical perspective. CHAPTERS 00:00 One Year Living in Málaga 00:50 The Good Life Is Real, but It Can Catch Up With You 01:48 Spain Is Deeper Than It Looks 03:38 Housing in Málaga 04:15 Finding Work in Southern Spain 05:23 Daily Life Gets Normal Pretty Quickly 06:24 Language and Belonging 07:41 Healthcare in Spain 08:33 Bureaucracy and Residency 09:21 Public Transport in Málaga 11:01 Weather, Climate, and Calima 12:17 Would I Still Choose Málaga? WATCH NEXT Cost of Living in Málaga -    • Spain Cost of Living 2026: Our Real Monthl...   6 Months in Spain Reflection -    • 6 Months in Spain: Why I Love Living in Má...   Getting Spanish Residency -    • I Got Spanish Residency, Here's What I Lea...   If you’re interested in moving to Spain, life in Málaga, cost of living, residency, or building a life abroad, check out my other videos about living in Spain, moving from Italy to Spain, and long-term travel in Europe. ‪@iancfrancis‬ ABOUT THIS CHANNEL My name is Ian. I’m an American creator living in Málaga, Spain with my wife Agostina. I make videos about long-term travel, life abroad, creative work, and the pursuit of a life well lived. This channel is where I share the honest, practical, and sometimes messy reality of trying to build a different kind of life abroad. CONTACT / SOCIALS Instagram: iancfrancis Website: iancfrancis.com YouTube: ⁨@iancfrancis⁩ Business inquiries/collaborations: iancfrancis.com KEYWORDS living in Málaga Spain, moving to Málaga Spain, one year living in Spain, what I learned living in Spain, life in Málaga Spain, living in Spain as an American, moving to Spain, expat life in Málaga, American living in Spain, Málaga Spain expat, cost of living in Málaga, renting in Málaga, healthcare in Spain, public transportation in Málaga, bureaucracy in Spain, residency in Spain, learning Spanish in Spain, life abroad, moving abroad, Andalusia Spain, southern Spain lifestyle HASHTAGS #MalagaSpain #LivingInSpain #MovingToSpain #ExpatLife #LifeAbroad #Andalusia #Spain