cost of living - Page 2

Cost of living is far less, especially eating out. However, if you want high end its there too. 

Weekly groceries are about the same but you tend to buy more fresh produce, water and alcohol than you would back home. The weekly markets are great value for those who love their fruit and veg and are cheaper for bulk than supermarkets. 

Running a car is the same price bit public transport is cheap. I'd say a car is essential though for most. 

Internet and TV is cheaper than UK and speeds are better. 

Taking in the other costs mentioned above you'd get by on 40% less than you would in UK. 

Our water supplier is Agamed Agua. Hope this helps.

I have lived, for 6 years, in a luxury 2 bedroom apartment on the outskirts of Benidorm.  All I have to pay is rent, electricity, an annual fee for basura and internet. Anyone who has a contract for long term rental is fully covered by the rental laws against eviction etc. This arrangement suits me as my one monthly rental fee covers a multitude of other bills and maintenance costs. Rents can only increase with the cost of inflation. My rent has stayed the same in all the 6 years I've lived here.

Just something worth considering when making plans.

Steve 

£1150.00 per month covers EVERYTHING. Food, electricity,water,insurances,eating out regularly,clothes,residence tax,and Suma,and urb fees,with money over to save also. NO comparison with the uk whatsoever. Forgot to add,we also run a car.

Thank you for replying. I will certainly be contacting them, 

Jackie 

Purple Gran

I’ve just read your message and want to say how delighted I was to see that the two of you are living the dream. Very well done.  Like you, we love going for a walk and coffee and going out to eat whenever we fancy. Isn’t if wonderful to be able to do this on your pension. You are clearly a good home economist and manage your money well.

Unlike you, I have never managed money and don’t even know how to check the bank balance! Before my father died, he had to hand the reins over to Mummy. Like myself, she never dealt with the bills or banking. Amazingly, she proved to be quite able and managed very well until she died some years ago. It frightens me sometimes when I wonder how I’d cope if my darling husband wasn’t here or became seriously ill. Thankfully, my 2 sisters would help as they are very able ladies. I doubt there are too many women today that would admit to being such a failure. 

But, I digress!   The cost of living in Spain must be less than home. No tumble drier needed. Central heating on all day during the winter isn’t necessary. Clothes.... you can wear anything! There’s no need for dressing up to go out, nobody looks at you because they don’t know you. A car?  It can be old or ancient.  Just as long as it passes the MOT, it will do the job. The bus service appears to be good and inexpensive.

The only thing that is expensive is the TAXI SERVICE.  Local taxies are costly and others too.

We joined friends who came to Torrevieja  to collect us and brought us to their home in La Marina for a drink. We then ate at their local Chinese restaurant and split the bill. For 2 of us it cost €37 and the taxi home cost €35. Ridiculous but it is quite a distance. Equally, we used to eat in Torrrvieja town regularly and the taxi back was €12 to €15.   Fortunately, we now have some excellent restaurants close by and rarely travel to eat.

Yes, I’d say it must be cheaper to live in Spain. 

When we are at home in NI, eating out is ( in my view) much more expensive.... not to mention the cost of wine or other alcoholic drinks. As for a coffee, we go into M&S to get food and always enjoy a coffee and cheese scone... £10. Here, it’s a pittance depending on where you go and it’s still a fraction of what we pay at home. 

Is it any wonder that all the holiday home owners are breaking their hearts that they aren’t here ?

I see that no one has yet put a round figure of how much as a minimum would cost for a couple to live in Torreveija!!

Rent apart I would say about 250 Euros per week as a minimum

You can reduce this by the way you plan your standard of living but I would be very surprised if to live out here would cost any less

Good luck

I agree with Steve but think fuel is significantly cheaper here and many other things too like car washes, beauticians, eating out for sure is cheaper and supermarket shopping us a tad cheaper also. Note, I'm Irish and food is more expensive there than in the uk. 

Spain is the most expensive country in Europe for electricity I believe but depends on usage of course.  Overall, in answer to your question I would say the cost of living is cheaper here overall & as another poster commented Council tax, refuse, water etc are definitely significantly cheaper.  

Here's a consideration - when it rains here, which is mercifully rare, it's a very mucky rain and your car and anything left outside will be absolutely filthy after a shower. But, you can wash your car for very little €3/4 does mine & I've even got away with €2 when I hadn't enough moneda in my bag! 

Hope this helps, good luck with your move, I hope you love it here.

Thanks for your comments a few people are saying from €1000 to €1500 per month. This is great as we had thought it would be more just got to find a place now and start to plan our move 👍

While we don’t live full time in Spain but spend extended time there (6 month stints) we find that an annual spend of around €30K for a couple is about enough in Spain for a comfortable lifestyle.

I guess everyone will be different, depending on lifestyle/area/needs/expectations.