Moving to a vibrant city such as Madrid sounds like a thrilling experience. But settling in needs some efforts! No worries, here we are to help to choose the best accommodation in Madrid.

Every year, the Spanish capital city welcomes thousands of national and foreign students and young professionals, coming here to live an amazing experience. Therefore, the house rental market has been growing, offering as many options as you could think about! The point is that it is not always easy to find the best accommodation in Madrid, that suits everything: budget, needs, location, etc. 

At helpHousing, we got a decade-long experience with providing young internationals with accommodation and housing services, to make their arrival and stay in the city as easy as possible. We are here offering you some useful information and tips to find the best accommodation in Madrid.

How to find the best accommodation in Madrid 

Before even starting your flat hunting, you should consider some things, such as setting a budget, collect information about the house rental market in Madrid, decide your style and comfort level and how many housemates you would like to share the accommodation with, general needs (closeness to university, office or other facilities).

Depending on these matters, there are few strategies you can adopt for to research the best accommodation in Madrid:

• Start researching online at least 3 months in advance. This will allow you to have a rough idea of what the accommodations and prices are like. 
• Join house rental and room rental Facebook groups. Nowadays there’s nothing better than sharing personal experiences on social networks. By joining facebook groups you’ll find many young people looking for accommodations, many advertisements and reviews.
• Spend some days in Madrid. If you have the chance and a budget that allows you to travel to Madrid some weeks (or months) before your official arrival, our tip is to visit the rooms or apartments in person. This way you can avoid scams and also see the real dimensions and current condition of the accommodation.
• Arrive in Madrid one or two weeks before the start of your classes or new work. You can come a few days before starting your new life here. Stay in a hostel or book a room/apartment on platforms such as AirBnb. You’ll have time to choose wisely the best accommodation in Madrid and also explore the city.

Book on trustful websites and platforms. If you don’t have the chance to visit your room or apartment before booking it, our tip is to book on trustful websites, which own the flats or are intermediate with the landlords. Yes, you’ll probably have to pay an extra fee, as agency costs, but this guarantees that you’ll have an accommodation, that it looks exactly like in the online advertising and you won’t have any contract issues or other problems during your stay.

Which accommodations in Madrid are good for students and young professionals? 

Along the last years, we have been witnessing an increasing outbreak of young internationals coming to Madrid to study or work. 

Most of them, because of the budget, of the age, and the kind of experience they’re looking for, decide to rent a room in a shared flat, instead of choosing a studio by themselves.

Which are the reasons behind this choice?

Well, by sharing a flat, they’ll make sure to have some friends to start the new adventure with. They’ll also learn to co-live with other personalities and get to know different cultures and languages. 

Living abroad is all about this kind of challenging experience, isn’t it?!

Best locations to stay in Madrid

Madrid is the biggest city in Spain and it counts many districts and neighbourhoods. It boasts an excellent transport network that allows people to move around and reach easily every corner of the city. But if you are planning to stay for a semester or a year, our tip is to rent an accommodation in the centre of Madrid.

You’ll have all the facilities you need, you can reach your university by public transport in the blink of an eye, and, more importantly, you will live close to the main international venues that offer you leisure activities to make your stay abroad unforgettable!

The neighbourhoods that international young people mostly love are: 

• Sol: literally the heart of the city, the historical place where Madrid rised.
• Gran Vía: the main shopping avenue, with many shops, restaurants and rooftop terraces.

• La Latina: an area loved by locals, with uncountable hangout spots.
• Malasaña: a bustling neighborhood, home to vintage shops and hipster cafes.
• Lavapiés: an multicultural area, where many young foreigners decide to live.
• Chueca: a coloured and friendly neighbourhood that hosts the best bars. 
• Retiro: An elegant area where you can find the most famous green areas and museums.

But there are so many other neighbourhoods you can choose among. You just have to set your priorities and then start your flat hunting.

Are you ready?