Ibiza belongs to the Balearic archipelago and is the third largest island after Mallorca and Menorca. It is a truly fascinating place that has a double soul: Music, dance, noise and irrepressible fun on one side and enchanting views with unique landscapes and beaches surrounded by lonely nature on the other. For this reason, many foreigners are living in Ibiza.
Since there is almost no public transportation, you need a car or a motorcycle to get around the island, but in the summer months, during the tourist season, driving becomes hell as there are thousands of vehicles on the road. Everywhere.
The climate on the island is fantastic. The weather is one of the main reasons why so many foreigners (especially British and Germans) have chosen Ibiza. Rainy days are rare and the sun shines on average more than 300 days a year. The average annual temperature is about 20º C. In the winter months (especially in January and February) the temperature can drop to about 7 ºC at night, but during the day temperatures can easily reach 20º C even in winter. So the main problem is not the low temperatures, but the high humidity in the houses, which makes the temperatures feel lower and damages walls and furniture, so a good dehumidifier is necessary.
I’ll tell you right now that living in Ibiza is expensive, because it is tourist prices for which services and leisure activities are expensive. Finding a rental apartment is difficult and expensive, and buying a house is even more expensive. Not to mention that public services are also expensive, primarily water and electricity.
Living in Ibiza means living 24 hours a day during the summer season in a place full of discos and clubs where the fun never ends. But if you are one of those people who love peace and quiet, you can find places and beaches away from the noise and everyday life, where peace and silence reign.
But Ibiza is known all over the world for its nightlife, people go out until very late. The clubs don’t open until midnight, but people come as early as 3 am, after spending part of the evening in a bar.
The club as we know it today was born in Ibiza. And this is the main reason why tens of thousands of young and old people from all over the world gather in Ibiza to party all night in one of the many nightclubs on land, on the beach or in the middle of the sea (Boat Party).
In winter the island completely changes its appearance, it is empty of millions of tourists who visit it every summer, and only 130,000 inhabitants remain, even the air connections are almost eliminated and people live almost isolated from the world, there are not many things to do if not rest and prepare for the next season.
When it comes to work, Ibiza is a fantastic place to live, except for the work aspect: it is relatively difficult to find a good job, and earning a good salary is even more difficult. Unless you have solved the work problem, like the many retirees or telecommuters who have chosen to live on this island.
The most accessible jobs for foreigners in Ibiza are those related to tourism and hospitality. The problem is that the salaries are not too high and most jobs are seasonal, so many are forced to move to other places to work during the winter months. So if you can not find work all year round, I recommend you do not move to Ibiza.
If you want to find out more about the job opportunities on the island, I recommend reading the article: Jobs in the Balearic Islands
Living and working in Ibiza pros and cons
Living in Ibiza, pros
- Open, friendly and open-minded people, also towards foreigners of any origin
- High level of security with a low crime rate, but this is a fact common to all islands of the world
- Tolerance towards minorities (sexual, religious, etc.)
- Good Mediterranean cuisine
- Relaxed and stress free life
- Free health and education
- One of the best places in the world for entertainment and nightlife
Living in Ibiza, cons
- Seasonal jobs
- Low salaries
- High cost of living
- Out-of-control real estate market (expensive rents and difficulty finding housing)
If you want to know all aspects of life on this island, you can read the article: Living in the Balearic Islands
