A scouting trip without a system is just a vacation. You’ll eat great food, enjoy the weather, and come home with photos — but no actionable data for the biggest financial decision of your life. This checklist turns your scouting trip into a structured evaluation that makes the “where should we live?” question answerable with evidence instead of feelings. Print this out, bring it on your trip, and score each city on the same criteria.
How to Use This Checklist
For each city you visit, rate every item on a 1-5 scale:
- 1 = Dealbreaker or major concern
- 2 = Below expectations
- 3 = Acceptable
- 4 = Good — meets or exceeds expectations
- 5 = Excellent — a strong positive factor
Score each item based on what you personally observed, not what you read online. The whole point of a scouting trip is firsthand verification.
Housing & Neighborhoods
| # | Item | What to Do | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rental prices | Search Idealista for 1-2 BR apartments in your target neighborhoods. Note prices. | /5 |
| 2 | Apartment quality | View 2-3 apartments in person. Check natural light, kitchen, bathroom, noise insulation. | /5 |
| 3 | Neighborhood walkability | Walk to grocery store, pharmacy, coffee shop, park. Note distances. | /5 |
| 4 | Noise levels | Visit the neighborhood at night (10 PM-midnight). Spanish streets get loud. | /5 |
| 5 | Safety feeling | Walk alone in the evening. How comfortable do you feel? | /5 |
| 6 | Green space | Are there parks, gardens, or waterfront within walking distance? | /5 |
| 7 | Building condition | Check the building entrance, elevator, stairwell. Is the building maintained? | /5 |
| 8 | Furnished vs. unfurnished | Are furnished options available in your price range? | /5 |
Key action: Browse Idealista listings before your trip, then view at least 2 apartments in person per city. See how to navigate the rental process for what to look for in a Spanish apartment.
Cost of Living
| # | Item | What to Do | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Grocery prices | Shop at a local supermarket (Mercadona, Lidl, or market). Buy a sample basket. | /5 |
| 10 | Restaurant prices | Eat a menú del día at a local restaurant (not tourist zone). Note price. | /5 |
| 11 | Coffee/café prices | Have a café con leche at 3 different cafés. Note prices. | /5 |
| 12 | Transport costs | Buy a metro/bus ticket. Check monthly pass prices. | /5 |
| 13 | Utility estimates | Ask your Airbnb host what they pay for electricity, water, gas. | /5 |
| 14 | Overall affordability | Based on all observations, can you live comfortably on your budget? | /5 |
Key action: Track every expense during your trip. This gives you a real daily spending snapshot. For detailed city-by-city cost data, cross-reference with the real monthly numbers.
Healthcare
| # | Item | What to Do | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Public health center | Visit the nearest centro de salud. Walk in, observe wait times, facility quality. | /5 |
| 16 | Private clinic/hospital | Visit a private hospital or clinic. Note English availability. | /5 |
| 17 | Pharmacy access | Locate the nearest pharmacy. Check if your medications are available. | /5 |
| 18 | English-speaking doctors | Ask at the clinic/hospital about English-speaking doctors. | /5 |
| 19 | Emergency proximity | How far is the nearest hospital emergency room from your target neighborhood? | /5 |
Key action: Walk into a centro de salud and ask about the registration process. This gives you a realistic picture of the public system. For insurance options and costs, see what your coverage options look like.
Transportation
| # | Item | What to Do | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Metro/train system | Ride the metro or commuter train. Note frequency, cleanliness, coverage. | /5 |
| 21 | Bus system | Take at least one bus ride. Note frequency and route coverage. | /5 |
| 22 | Walkability | Can you walk to daily essentials (groceries, coffee, pharmacy) in under 15 minutes? | /5 |
| 23 | Bike infrastructure | Are there bike lanes? Is cycling practical? | /5 |
| 24 | Airport access | How long does it take to reach the airport by public transit? | /5 |
| 25 | Car necessity | Could you live without a car? Or is one essential? | /5 |
Climate & Environment
| # | Item | What to Do | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Temperature comfort | How does the temperature feel during your visit? Check seasonal averages for extremes. | /5 |
| 27 | Sunshine | Is it sunny? Check historical sunshine data for the city. | /5 |
| 28 | Air quality | Notice the air. Any pollution, traffic fumes, or industrial smells? | /5 |
| 29 | Beach access | If important to you, how far to the nearest beach? Quality? | /5 |
| 30 | Outdoor recreation | Hiking, parks, sports facilities, waterfront promenades available? | /5 |
Note: Try to visit during a season representative of when you’d be living there. A city that’s perfect in October might be unbearable in August.
Daily Life & Culture
| # | Item | What to Do | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Grocery quality | Visit Mercadona, Lidl, Carrefour, and a local market. Assess produce, variety, prices. | /5 |
| 32 | Restaurant scene | Eat at local restaurants (not tourist traps). Quality of daily dining? | /5 |
| 33 | Cultural activities | Museums, theaters, concerts, sports — what’s available? | /5 |
| 34 | Nightlife (if relevant) | Bars, live music, dining late — does the city match your lifestyle? | /5 |
| 35 | Language barrier | Can you manage with English? How much Spanish is needed for daily tasks? | /5 |
| 36 | General vibe | Does the city feel like somewhere you want to live, not just visit? | /5 |
Internet & Remote Work
| # | Item | What to Do | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | Internet speed | Run SpeedTest at your Airbnb. Target: 100+ Mbps download for remote work. | /5 |
| 38 | Fiber availability | Ask your Airbnb host or check coverage maps (Movistar, Vodafone, Orange). | /5 |
| 39 | Coworking spaces | Visit at least one coworking space. Note price, vibe, internet speed. | /5 |
| 40 | Café work culture | Can you work from cafés? Do they have WiFi, power outlets, and tolerance for laptop workers? | /5 |
Bureaucracy & Expat Infrastructure
| # | Item | What to Do | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | Expat community | Find a local expat meetup or Facebook group event. Attend if possible. | /5 |
| 42 | English services | Are there English-speaking doctors, lawyers, gestorias available? | /5 |
| 43 | Bank accessibility | Visit a bank branch. Ask about opening an account for new arrivals. | /5 |
| 44 | Government office proximity | Where is the nearest Oficina de Extranjería? | /5 |
For Families
| # | Item | What to Do | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | International schools | Contact and visit at least one international school. | /5 |
| 46 | Public school quality | Research the local public school. Visit if possible. | /5 |
| 47 | Playgrounds/parks | Are there quality play areas for children? | /5 |
| 48 | Family-friendliness | Do you see other families with kids in the neighborhood? | /5 |
| 49 | Childcare options | Research guardería (daycare) availability and costs. | /5 |
For families with school-age children, the school decision may override other factors. See the full rundown on education options for a full breakdown of options by city.
Scoring Summary
After visiting each city, total your scores:
| Category | Max Score | City 1 | City 2 | City 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (8 items) | 40 | __ | __ | __ |
| Cost of Living (6 items) | 30 | __ | __ | __ |
| Healthcare (5 items) | 25 | __ | __ | __ |
| Transport (6 items) | 30 | __ | __ | __ |
| Climate (5 items) | 25 | __ | __ | __ |
| Daily Life (6 items) | 30 | __ | __ | __ |
| Internet/Work (4 items) | 20 | __ | __ | __ |
| Bureaucracy (4 items) | 20 | __ | __ | __ |
| Family (5 items, if applicable) | 25 | __ | __ | __ |
| Total | 245 | __ | __ | __ |
Weight categories based on your priorities. If climate is your top factor, double those scores. If cost matters most, weight that section. The numbers won’t make the decision for you, but they’ll prevent you from ignoring important factors that your emotional reaction to a city might overshadow.
Common Scouting Trip Mistakes
Spending all your time in tourist areas. Stay in residential neighborhoods. Eat where locals eat. Walk the streets you’d actually walk every day.
Not testing infrastructure. Actually ride the bus. Actually walk into a health center. Actually view an apartment. Observation from the street isn’t enough.
Visiting in peak season only. A city in May feels very different from the same city in January or August. If you can’t visit in multiple seasons, at least research seasonal extremes.
Making a decision too quickly. Use the scouting trip for data collection. Go home, compare your scores, sleep on it. The decision should come after reflection, not during vacation euphoria.
Skipping the expat meetup. Other expats are your best source of unfiltered information. They’ll tell you about the bureaucratic nightmare at the local extranjería, the bank that’s expat-friendly, and the neighborhood that’s gentrifying fast.
Bottom Line
Print this checklist, bring it on your trip, and fill it out honestly for each city. The 30 minutes of daily scoring will save you from making a €50,000+ mistake. For the full trip logistics — how to structure your time, where to stay, and how to get between cities — see our structured day-by-day plan. And if you haven’t decided on your visa yet, start with our visa comparison guide to narrow down your residency path before you go.