A guide to the expat community and life in Barcelona

Dreaming of life in Barcelona? Join the club. 

Every year, tens of thousands of people move to the Catalan city in search of a unique experience or a better life. Set between the mountains and the Mediterranean coast, it’s one of the world’s most beautiful cities, offering everything from outdoor beauty to history, culture, fabulous food and wonderful weather.

Of course, one of the best things about Barcelona is its cosmopolitan nature. There are people from all over the world living in the city, bringing a little cultural flavour from every corner of the globe, perfectly complementing the uniquely marvellous local Catalan culture.

Whether you want to take a gap year, a summer language camp, or you’re looking to live in the city long term, you’ll want a better idea of the expat communities in the city. As experts in all things Barcelona, TEFL Iberia is on hand to answer everything you ever wanted to know about the city’s expat population. 

How many expats live in Barcelona?

There are currently 437,000 expats living in Barcelona. This accounts for 25.5% of Barcelona’s total population of 1.7 million. That’s an increase from 337,600, and 20.7% of the population, in 2021.

In 1999, there were only 25,000 expats living in Barcelona. This made up just 4.4% of the total population of 1.5 million at the time.

What are the largest expat communities in Barcelona?

Italians are by far the largest foreign-born group living in Barcelona. There are currently over 50,000 Italians living in the city, which is almost twice as many as the next most populous group. Italians make up 11.6% of all expats living in Barcelona.

Colombia is the second-largest group, with 29,500 Colombians living in Barcelona. Making up the top five are Pakistan (24,800), China (22,300) and Peru (22,100).

What are the largest English-speaking expat communities in Barcelona?

The United Kingdom has the highest number of expats from countries where English is the primary native language, with a total of 8,500 Brits living in Barcelona. This is closely followed by the United States, with 7,700. The two combined make up just under 4% of total expats in the city. The next biggest English-speaking expat group is Ireland with 2,100, followed by Canada with 1,200.

There are currently only 629 Australians, 275 South Africans and 214 New Zealanders living in Barcelona. 

Where do expats live in Barcelona?

The Barcelona expat population is spread across the city’s 10 official districts. Here are the five barrios or neighbourhoods in Barcelona where most expats live. 

Ciutat Vella 

The city’s Old Town, Ciutat Vella’s expat population is around 60,000, which is over half (53%) of the neighbourhood’s population. Characterised by narrow, winding alleys and streets, Ciutat Vella is by far the most popular neighbourhood for expats in Barcelona. It’s also the main tourist district in the city.

Eixample

The city’s biggest neighbourhood, Eixample means ‘expansion’ in Catalan. This sprawling district is split into two separate parts, Dreta (right) and Esquerra (left). Around 80,000 Barcelona expats live in Eixample, which is over 18% of the neighbourhood’s population.

Sants-Montjuïc 

There are 53,000 expats living in Sants-Montjuïc, around 27% of the area’s population. It’s a neighbourhood that comprises the city’s main train station Sants, and Montjuïc, a beautiful hill featuring scenic parks and sweeping views over the Mediterranean.  

Gracia

Barcelona’s bohemian district, Gracia is situated a little uphill from the city centre. Featuring trendy bars, chic cafes and art studios, just over 30,000 expats live in Gracia, almost a quarter of the neighbourhood’s total population.

Barcelona’s foreign population speak more than 300 different languages.

There are over 10,000 Brits living in Barcelona, a number that increased sharply shortly after Brexit, and an estimated 8,000 US nationals in Barcelona.   

The most populous foreign nationality in Barcelona is Italian, with around 42,000 Italians living and working in Barcelona.

Source: Institut d’Estadística de Catalunya

What’s the best way to move to Barcelona?

For those living outside the EU, the golden ticket to living a life in Barcelona is to become a TEFL teacher.

At TEFL Iberia, we help people from all over the world move to Spain – and we’ve been doing so for years. As one of Spain’s best TEFL providers, we offer a pathway for people wanting to live and work in Barcelona. We provide expert assistance when it comes to getting visas and even offer our own accommodation service in Barcelona. Plus, our fully-accredited TEFL course qualifies you to teach English anywhere in the world.  

There are opportunities to combine adventure, teaching and learning Spanish in Barcelona with a gap year. At TEFL Iberia, our Gap Year Program immerses you in Spanish classes, work experience and fun cultural activities with like-minded people, providing you with an internationally recognised English teaching qualification at the end of the program. 

Contact us today to find out more about moving to Barcelona