Choosing a neighbourhood if you work from home

Key rules

• Fibre: Get written confirmation that fibre can be installed before you sign the lease.
• Noise: Visit the street on a weekday morning, a weekend night after 23:00 and a weekday evening.
• Heat: Top-floor flats facing south or west are the hardest to keep cool in summer.
• Coworking: Desks cluster in central and business districts, and prices are highest in Madrid and Barcelona.

Start with the internet, not the view

Do not sign until you have confirmed in writing that fibre can be installed at the flat. Some buildings only have copper or radio links, and installation can take days or weeks.

Use the checklist below for the steps. Keep in mind that operators' online checkers show theoretical availability. A visit from a technician, or a word with the current tenant, is the real proof.

Check the noise before you commit

Lively areas are hard to work in. Bar terraces, restaurants and traffic are loudest in the afternoon and evening, and worst with windows open in warm weather.

• Many big cities publish noise maps on their council websites, with day and night levels. They show averages, so they can miss nightlife and terraces.
• Visit the street on a weekday morning, on a Friday or Saturday night after 23:00, and on a weekday evening.
• Look for double glazing, nearby bars, schools, building works, bus routes and rubbish collection times.
• Some cities have "zonas acústicamente saturadas", which have stricter noise limits. Local terrace opening hours vary by town, so ask your town hall.

Keep the flat cool enough to work in

Summer midday heat is a real problem in the south and the interior, such as Sevilla, Córdoba, Madrid and Valencia. Top-floor flats and those facing south or west get very hot.

• Choose a flat facing north or east, or onto an inner courtyard.
• Prefer a middle floor over the top or street level.
• Look for shutters (persianas) or awnings, and for air conditioning, often a split unit. Fans are the minimum.
• Air conditioning raises summer electricity bills, so check the tariff.
• Work early in the morning and move calls to quieter hours. Noise-cancelling headphones help.

Find coworking and cafés nearby

Coworking spaces cluster in business districts and central areas with good transport.

• Madrid: the centre, Chamberí, Salamanca and the Castellana business axis.
• Barcelona: the Eixample, 22@ in Poblenou, and the Born.
• Valencia: Ruzafa, the centre and Marina.
• Smaller cities and holiday towns such as Málaga and Alicante: the centre, near the port, or in tech parks. Rural areas have few.

Prices depend on the city and the desk type. A hot desk (a flexible seat) is cheapest, a fixed desk costs more, and a private office costs most. Madrid and Barcelona are the most expensive, and smaller cities are cheaper. Day passes and part-time plans are common, and VAT is usually added on top. Check current price lists from operators in your city. The decision block below helps you weigh working at home against renting a desk.

For cafés, walk the area on a weekday morning with your laptop in mind. Check for seats, sockets and a calm atmosphere.

Where remote workers cluster

• Madrid and Barcelona: jobs, airports and coworking.
• Valencia and Málaga: climate, beaches, lower costs than Barcelona and strong expatriate communities.
• Alicante, the Costa del Sol, Sevilla, Bilbao and San Sebastián also attract many.
• The Canary Islands (Las Palmas, Tenerife) offer winter sun and a convenient time zone. Mallorca draws people for lifestyle.

Expect a tight rental market in these places. You will find more cafés, coworking and company, but you will also compete harder for flats.

Choosing between options

Should you work from the flat or pay for a coworking space?

• Work from the flat: The flat has confirmed fibre, stays quiet with the windows open and keeps cool at midday in summer.

• Rent a coworking desk: The street is lively with terraces and traffic, the flat gets very hot, or fibre cannot be installed.

• Work from home and use coworking some days: The flat is fine most of the time but you need a quiet place for calls or the hottest summer days. A part-time plan or day pass fits here.

If you have written confirmation that fibre can be installed and the flat is quiet and cool, work from home. If any one of those fails and you cannot fix it, budget for a coworking desk.

Home-office neighbourhood checklist

• Look up the address on the national broadband coverage map to see which technology serves it.

• Enter the full address and floor into the coverage checkers of the main internet operators.

• Ask the landlord for the current line's operator, speed and a recent bill, and ask if the building is ready for fibre.

• Ask neighbours or the current tenant which operator works well in the building.

• Get written confirmation that fibre can be installed before you sign, since some buildings only have copper or radio links and installation can take days or weeks.

• Check your city's noise map on its council website for day and night levels on the street.

• Look for bars, restaurant terraces, rubbish collection times, schools, building works and bus routes near the flat.

• Check that the windows have double glazing.

• Find coworking spaces near the area, usually in business districts and central areas with good transport links.

• Look for cafés within walking distance where you could work when you want a change from home.

• Pick a flat facing north or east, or onto an inner courtyard, on a middle floor rather than the top or street level.

• Check the flat has air conditioning or at least fans, plus shutters (persianas) or awnings for the midday heat.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a coworking space cost per month in Spain?

Coworking prices in Spain depend on the city and the type of desk. A flexible hot desk is the cheapest, a fixed desk costs more, and a private office costs the most. Madrid and Barcelona are the most expensive, and VAT is usually added on top.

Where in a city are coworking spaces usually found?

Coworking spaces usually sit in business districts and central areas with good transport. In Madrid, look at the centre, Chamberí, Salamanca and the Castellana axis. In Barcelona, try the Eixample, Poblenou and the Born; in Valencia, Ruzafa, the centre and Marina.

Can I keep a flat cool enough to work in during a Spanish summer?

Yes, you can, if you choose the flat well. Pick a north- or east-facing flat or an inner courtyard on a middle floor, with shutters and air conditioning or fans.

Which cities do most remote workers choose in Spain?

Most remote workers choose Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga. Madrid and Barcelona offer airports and coworking, while Valencia and Málaga offer climate, beaches and lower costs than Barcelona. The Canary Islands, Alicante and Bilbao also attract many, and rentals in popular places are tight.