September 11, 2025 
6 mins to read Most people that have started living in Southern Europe will agree with this: your social life will get an enormous boost. The locals, but also the expat communities, are welcoming, and social life in Southern Europe is way different than you might be used to. So are you ready for long dinners, deep conversations and days filled with spending time with friendly people? Don’t wait and start looking for a new job, so you can start to live in the south!
Close your eyes and imagine yourself sitting in the sunshine of Barcelona. You are enjoying your free time by relaxing at the beach with friends. No phones in sight, just friendly people enjoying each other’s company. A friend of your friend walks by and joins you. Chatting with her, it feels like you have been friends for ages. Doesn’t that sound like a great social life? Well, that is living in Southern Europe for you.
A culture of spontaneity
Life in Southern Europe is known for its spontaneity. Maybe your life right now is planned. Meetings with friends and family are scheduled weeks beforehand. In a country like Spain, this is way different. Friday, after your last day of work that week, your weekend planning could be empty. And before you know it, every day is filled with meeting people and having fun. You can get a phone call from a friend, asking if you’d like to join him and go to the beach. Who knows, you might end up eating dinner with this friend and two other friends of his.
This spontaneous way of socializing is perfect. You can say yes to plans on the moment itself, which makes sure you really want to do it. When planning things months in advance, chances are you won’t be in the mood to hang out with friends on the day that was planned. You still do it, because otherwise you won’t see your friends for another month. This doesn’t happen in Southern Europe, because plans are made on the spot and people meet very often.
Just relax! The slower pace of Southern Europe
If you are sick of the high paced (and stressful) life in your country, the slower paced lifestyle in Southern Europe will fit perfectly into your dream life. Whether it’s a passeggiata in Italy or a siësta in Spain, the people in Southern Europe know how to relax and clear their mind from work.
If you start to live in the south, don’t rush your life. Countries like Greece are also known for being slow when it comes to administrative things. So don’t get stressed out too much when you have to wait for days (or even weeks) for that one document to get filled in.
The outdoor life
Southern European countries generally have great weather year round. This makes life take place outside, which is a boost to social life. It’s proven that being outdoors is better for your mental health. People are more happy outside. This obviously helps having fun together. No time for winter depression, because even in winter the sun shines more often in Southern Europe.
Nice weather also makes it possible to organise parties and festivals outdoors. Primavera Sound in Barcelona is a music festival, with music varying from indie rock to electronic. The stages are set right on the Mediterranean in Parc del Fòrum. Or visit Festival Músicas do Mundo in Sines, Portugal. The main stage is built against the wall of a medieval castle. The outdoor vibes of these festivals increase the friendly atmosphere and allow you to connect with others.
Relearn your social life skills
If you start working and living in Southern Europe, you will almost have to relearn your skills in being social. Having passionate conversations with strangers may sound weird now, but it’s not that weird in a country like Italy. The total amount of friends you have will definitely grow while living in Southern Europe.
It’s no wonder that lots of recruiters from Job Squad once moved to Southern Europe. Most of them only planned to live in the south for a couple of months, maybe just spend their gap year abroad there. But the social life in Southern Europe hooked them, and they decided to stay there for much longer. So if you also want to get away from the fast paced north, consider one of the countries in Southern Europe!
Getting a job and living in Southern Europe
At Job Squad we can help you find a great job in Southern European countries like Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece or Malta. With a job in one of these countries, you make money and are able to afford to live in the south. Life in these countries, and in some cases even areas within the country itself, is somewhat different. Still, they define themselves as slow paced, social and welcoming.
Hanging out with colleagues after work is not weird in these countries. Don’t be surprised if your direct colleagues turn out to be your new friends while living and working abroad!
Click here to find our latest vacancies, with lots of job opportunities in Southern Europe.
Conclusion
Moving to Southern Europe can be the change you need in your life. Maybe you are stuck in your work focussed life. Change the scenery to sunny Southern Europe and bring your social life back.
To summarize the differences between life in Northern Europe and life in Southern Europe, we have made this table. Shortly read about different aspects of life and decide if moving to Southern Europe could be something for you.
| Aspect of life | Northern Europe | Southern Europe |
| Typical evening | Planned in advance, mostly at home | Spontaneous meetups in bars, cafés |
| Social gatherings | Every few weeks/months (due to busy schedules) | Multiple times a week (unplanned) |
| Eating out | Expensive, there needs to be a reason for it | Common, affordable and part of social life |
| Work-life balance | Fast-paced, focus on working | Slower pace, room for personal life as well |
| Outdoor activities | Depends on the weather, limited in the winter | Year-round possibilities |
| Meeting new people | Through hobbies, planned events or from school | Through friends of friends and casual chats |
| Attitude to time | Punctual | Flexible |
| Weather impact | Short summers, not much room for outdoor socializing | Long sunny seasons, encouraging outdoor life |
