7 reasons why North Americans are choosing Mallorca

1. Mallorca is trending in the US

US heavyweights have been drumming the Balearic beat for some time. “Mallorca is hot, hot, hot, and deservedly so,” proclaimed Forbes in 2023. The New York Times also states “the Mediterranean island is more popular than ever among the art and design crowd.”

2. The Golden Visa

If settled status in Spain is the ultimate end goal, the Investment Visa remains the goose that lays the golden eggs. Permanent citizenship is secured after ten years via this route. One of the advantages of this type of visa is that you can work remotely for an American company without becoming a fiscal resident in Spain, continuing to pay your taxes in the US.

3. Fresh flight routes from the US

With seasonal direct flights from New York to Palma now well established, air carriers are looking elsewhere. Speculation abounds that American Airlines is eyeing Miami-Palma as a potential new route, and according to sources, LA could soon follow suit.

4. Lower property prices

In Mallorca, you can live magnificently on considerably less than in the US. The Balearics may be costlier than other places in Spain, but since the country is 32% cheaper than the US, according to the Where Can I Live 2022 Cost of Living Index, prices – including property – are still markedly lower.

5. Proximity and accessibility to the rest of Europe

Fancy hopping over to Cologne for a weekend city break? At the time of writing, you can fly to no less than 134 destinations from the Palma airport. For those North Americans accustomed to exhausting Transatlantic flights, this is an exciting proposition.

6. A sense of safety

Global database Numbeo’s ‘Crime Index’ scale, which collects data from surveys to determine residents’ perceptions around safety and crime, shows Palma positively. Worries about violent crimes such as assault and armed robbery score ‘Low’ – while ‘Worries about being subject to a physical attack because of your skin colour, ethnic origin, gender or religion’ score ‘Very Low.’

7. Culture, heritage and tradition

Julie Mai Haberstroh is a Canadian artist who in 2021 took the plunge and moved to Fornalutx. Her outlook reflects that of many North Americans: “Coming from North America where everything is relatively new, I’m in love with the beauty and charm of the old stone architecture,” she says, adding that she enjoys living in a town where the locals still have a stronghold.