# Move to Gibraltar or not?



## vesna7 (Jul 28, 2013)

Hello everyone,

I'm just wondering if any of you guys have an experience of working and living in Gibraltar (or possibly living in Spain and working in Gib). 
I'm a 30 years old girl, who just received a job offer in Gibraltar and considering making the move. It's a well paid job and I'm very tempted to do it. I also have an option to stay in South of France and not sure what to do at the moment. I'll obviously go and check out Gibraltar and surrounding areas in Spain before moving there, but visiting somewhere and living there is not the same thing. 
Would be good to hear about anyone's experience in Gibraltar and if they're happy with where they are or not.
I'd be living there on my own (or in a shared accommodation). It's not too quiet for young people there, or is it?
Any advice would be appreciated! 

Thanks!


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## Addixxtion (Jul 28, 2013)

I'd also be interested in peoples advice about this as I'm 31 and waiting to hear about a job in GiB but looking at living in La Duquesa.


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## Gloverr (Sep 4, 2013)

Hello

Just wondering if you are still looking for advice on this? I realise you posted it at the end of July so you may have already made your decision! Let me know


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## sootyb (Sep 10, 2013)

Gloverr said:


> Hello
> 
> Just wondering if you are still looking for advice on this? I realise you posted it at the end of July so you may have already made your decision! Let me know


I would be interested if you have any advice


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## biffysplace (May 2, 2013)

I moved over to Spain in May after finding employment in Gib, I live in La Linea and walk across the border everyday. Im loving it 

La Linea is not the most beautiful town but the fact it is walking distance made it an obvious choice for me. It has loads of lovely bars and restaurants and the people are really friendly. Rent for me is €500 a month for a 3 bed 2 bathroom bungalow (you can get cheaper) Gib is pretty expensive to stay, budget at least a £1000 for a flat. 

Happy to help with any questions you may have


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## xxxxxxxMilesofSpain (Sep 16, 2013)

Hi Vesna,

Wow a move to another country! how exciting!
Gibraltar is currently having a lot of border issues with the Spanish government and I have family out there that are struggling to get in and out of the border to work everyday.

When there's no issues though its a wonderful place to live though very expensive for property but if you wait long enough and look hard enough a bargain can be found!

Best of luck with the move!


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## danhawk (Sep 27, 2013)

I've been living in Gib since June and am 28 years old. So far I'm liking it a lot. Weather is great, there is quite an international feel here, its not just British expats anymore. Most people go out in Ocean Village in Gib on Fridays and La Linea on Saturdays so on the weekends there are plenty of places to party. Also its only a short bus ride away from Tarifa and Marbaella, both of which are a lot of fun in the summer.

I live in La Linea which is a lot cheaper than Gib and the apartments are actually generally newer, more modern and bigger. I pay 750 Euros for a 4 bedroom apartment right on the border with a pool which I rent out the spare rooms on AirB&B for some extra cash, you can find much cheaper the further you get from the border though. There are some brand new , super modern places in Gib but expect to pay London prices for them, well over £1000 per month.

In general I think unless you're on a very high salary most people tend to work in Gib for the salary and live in Spain for the cheap accommodation.


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## zenkarma (Feb 15, 2013)

danhawk said:


> I've been living in Gib since June...
> 
> I live in La Linea which is a lot cheaper than Gib...


So you don't actually live in Gibraltar then? :rolleyes2:


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

danhawk said:


> I've been living in Gib since June and am 28 years old. So far I'm liking it a lot. Weather is great, there is quite an international feel here, its not just British expats anymore. Most people go out in Ocean Village in Gib on Fridays and La Linea on Saturdays so on the weekends there are plenty of places to party. Also its only a short bus ride away from Tarifa and Marbaella, both of which are a lot of fun in the summer.
> 
> I live in La Linea which is a lot cheaper than Gib and the apartments are actually generally newer, more modern and bigger. I pay 750 Euros for a 4 bedroom apartment right on the border with a pool which I rent out the spare rooms on AirB&B for some extra cash, you can find much cheaper the further you get from the border though. There are some brand new , super modern places in Gib but expect to pay London prices for them, well over £1000 per month.
> 
> In general I think unless you're on a very high salary most people tend to work in Gib for the salary and live in Spain for the cheap accommodation.


Out of interest, have you ever been searched or delayed at the border or are they only interested in cars and motos?


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## crookesey (May 22, 2008)

I presume that by working in GIB and living in Spain that you would have to be a Spanish resident and tax-payer. I have no idea what a well paid job actually pays in GIB, but let's say £35K p/a. Would it not be better to pay £1000.00 p/m rent in GIB and pay their taxes than €750.00 p/m rent in Spain and pay their taxes?


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## HAH001 (Feb 21, 2014)

Hi Everyone,

Currently I've got an offer of 50k in GIB. We are a family of six and 3 of our boys already in school. As far as I know, we have to live in GIB to be able to send the kids into schools for free, so live in Spain not really an option. Can you please advise us if this amount of money will provide a comfortable, but not luxurious life for us? We have already checked rental opportunities and it's seems like it won't be an easy case, but manageable around 1500-1700 / month for a 3 bedroom apartment. 

So the question is if the rest of money would be enough?

Thanks!


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## biffysplace (May 2, 2013)

HAH001 said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> Currently I've got an offer of 50k in GIB. We are a family of six and 3 of our boys already in school. As far as I know, we have to live in GIB to be able to send the kids into schools for free, so live in Spain not really an option. Can you please advise us if this amount of money will provide a comfortable, but not luxurious life for us? We have already checked rental opportunities and it's seems like it won't be an easy case, but manageable around 1500-1700 / month for a 3 bedroom apartment.
> 
> ...


You will need to be carefully where u rent and make sure you are able to get resident status at the address or schooling will not be free. A lot of places for rent are already used for residency status by the owners
Make sure you ask the question. We live on Spain and receive free schooling for our daughter but this is at a Spanish state school. You may not want to do this. It's has helped her Spanish no end! She was 10 when she started school
You will struggle to find anything cheaper to rent than what you have quoted unfortunately. You could live cheaply in Spain and pay for schooling in gib but this may be a more expensive option. What I would say is I am loving it out here and the struggles are worth it  good luck !!!!!!


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## HAH001 (Feb 21, 2014)

thanks for the residency idea, we will ask it. Still I don't know it this salary is enough for six of us.


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## biffysplace (May 2, 2013)

HAH001 said:


> thanks for the residency idea, we will ask it. Still I don't know it this salary is enough for six of us.


I'm on 43 with a wife and one kid. Shopping and rent in Spain is cheap and we have a comfortable life. I am not into designer things or anything my only passion being my Harley. We rent a small car (2nd hand market is a joke over here and for 250 quid a month I have a couple year old fiesta including insurance breakdown etc. if the car breaks we get another) 

Without meaning to sound cheeky do you live on the same back home? If so you would be able to save money on some things (just don't so your shopping in morrisons as it's bloody extortionate!!!!! Lol)


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## biffysplace (May 2, 2013)

Meant to say if you have any questions I will try to answer I moved over last year with the family so have some recent experience. I would seriously think about the Spanish state schools to be honest. The teaching is excellent and will help the kids integrate.


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## HAH001 (Feb 21, 2014)

biffysplace said:


> Without meaning to sound cheeky do you live on the same back home? If so you would be able to save money on some things (just don't so your shopping in morrisons as it's bloody extortionate!!!!! Lol)


Well, we are living in Hungary currently, it's impossible to compare the two location (even with UK), currently our rent with bills included is only 425 GBP / month, and my salary reflects this difference. Our biggest problem, that we are not sure if we would be able to manage a comfy life. We don't want to buy designer things, and for the first year not even a car rent/buy, only to be able to finance the food, cloths and some entertainment for us without worrying at the end of the month. We are planning to shop food on the spanish side.

We want our kids to learn engilsh as a second language because they are only speaking hungarian currently, therefore spanish school is not an option for us. 

One thing come into my mind: in GIB is there such a thing as child benefit? Because it's exist here in Hungary and also in the UK (as I have read). 

Thank you for your help and kindness answering to my posts.


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## biffysplace (May 2, 2013)

Sorry assumed you were in the uk. As far as as I am aware there is no child benefit I am afraid but will double check on Monday for you when I am back at work. Understand about the schooling. I have some friends with kids that live and work in gib. Let me speak to them and I will let you know their honest opinions. Will come back to you on Monday


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## HAH001 (Feb 21, 2014)

biffysplace said:


> Sorry assumed you were in the uk. As far as as I am aware there is no child benefit I am afraid but will double check on Monday for you when I am back at work. Understand about the schooling. I have some friends with kids that live and work in gib. Let me speak to them and I will let you know their honest opinions. Will come back to you on Monday


My bad. the system at registration requires a field "expat to:" and there was no GIB available, but it was a mandatory field, so I clicked at UK.

Thanks for asking your friends.:fingerscrossed:


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## HarryB (Jan 17, 2013)

Hi. There is no Child Benefit in Spain and only very minimal benefits payable to those who have paid Into the Spanish system for many years. I have no experience of schools in Gib, but have had children in the Spanish state schools. If you want your children to have a good grasp of English, then you would probably need to put them into International school which can be quite expensive. Good luck if it is what you want to do, but think long and hard. Spain is not an easy place to live at the moment unless you are retired with no money worries.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

HarryB said:


> Hi. There is no Child Benefit in Spain and only very minimal benefits payable to those who have paid Into the Spanish system for many years. I have no experience of schools in Gib, but have had children in the Spanish state schools. If you want your children to have a good grasp of English, then you would probably need to put them into International school which can be quite expensive. Good luck if it is what you want to do, but think long and hard. Spain is not an easy place to live at the moment unless you are retired with no money worries.


I would second that. No doubt some will see a £50 k salary as a fortune but if that is the sole income for a family of that size it most certainly isn't. 
Bear in mind that very many UK families with one child or two have dual incomes exceeding that to get a sense of comparison. 
After rent and utilities and food are accounted for, there are the add- ons....the insurances, the repairs, the replacement of appliances, the health bills.
Much thought and consideration of all factors needed here.
Gib may have a low tax regime but with such regimes social welfare benefits are usually minimal or non- existent.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Gib has a contributory welfare system, i.e. you are only eligible for benefits once you've paid in enough contributions. No mention of child allowance.

https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/on-business/social-security-information


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## HAH001 (Feb 21, 2014)

thanks for the answers HarryB and mrypg9. Yes we will have only my salary as an income, my wife will stay home with our 4 months old daughter. That's why we would like to see if it's enough for us or not. Comparing to my current salary in Hungary 50K is a lot's of money, but as I have mentioned our 3 bedroom, full furnished apartment in the heart of the capital city of Hungary is just 425 Ł / month, as I see we would need to spend x4 in Gib for the same kind of apartment. 

I think Gib schools can teach a lot more proper English to our kids than the Hungarian schools....

So we would like to live and send the kids to school in Gib, and shop our foods in Spain.


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## HAH001 (Feb 21, 2014)

Alcalaina said:


> Gib has a contributory welfare system, i.e. you are only eligible for benefits once you've paid in enough contributions. No mention of child allowance.
> 
> https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/on-business/social-security-information



Thanks, I'm not sure if I get this correctly, just to make it sure: you stating there is no such a thing as child benefit.

As of my understanding at taxation ABS has child allowance, there is 3 category:

Nursery School Allowance £3,000 pa
Child Relief in respect of first child only	£997
Child Relief in respect of each child educated abroad	£1105 

Well, we have 4 kids, and non of them in nusery school or will be educated abroad of Gib, so we can't have that relief, so we would have on 997 allowance for only one child. This is ABE, of course if GIBS used, we don't have to worry about that.


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

HAH001 said:


> We want our kids to learn english as a second language because they are only speaking hungarian currently, therefore spanish school is not an option for us.
> 
> One thing come into my mind: in GIB is there such a thing as child benefit? Because it's exist here in Hungary and also in the UK (as I have read).
> 
> Thank you for your help and kindness answering to my posts.


I would think again about languages, particularly when you consider their
employment prospects for the future. My attitude is they know their English from
mixing with their English friends & Family - a second European language be it
French, Spanish, German, etc is a MUST and will help their employment prospects
no end. Particularly if you ( the parents ) see your future remaining on mainland
Europe rather than returning to Britain.
Also it's easier for them to master a foreign language while they are young and 
of course fluency in a second European language will make them stand out
from the crowd.
Ive heard a lot of nonsense that learning a foreign language is dead thanks to
Wiz bang App's like Google translate. Don't you believe it - many companies
value candidates with European languages - especially from Younger people
struggling to get their first step on the employment ladder.


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## HAH001 (Feb 21, 2014)

Williams2 said:


> I would think again about languages, particularly when you consider their
> employment prospects for the future. My attitude is they know their English from
> mixing with their English friends & Family - a second European language be it
> French, Spanish, German, etc is a MUST and will help their employment prospects
> ...


Well, from this point of view they already have a second European language - Hungarian, it is their mother tongue even if it's only spoken by 13 million people worldwide. We would like to them to learn proper English in GIB (it will be much better than the language education in a Hungarian state school), then of course help the to develop other language skills.


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

HAH001 said:


> Well, from this point of view they already have a second European language - Hungarian, it is their mother tongue even if it's only spoken by 13 million people worldwide. We would like to them to learn proper English in GIB (it will be much better than the language education in a Hungarian state school), then of course help the to develop other language skills.


Of course, it's your choice ( Hungarian as you say has limited possibilities ) but I
wouldn't decry the chance of them picking up Spanish ( used not only in Spain )
but also the many emerging markets nations.


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## HAH001 (Feb 21, 2014)

Williams2 said:


> I would think again about languages, particularly when you consider their
> employment prospects for the future. My attitude is they know their English from
> mixing with their English friends & Family - a second European language be it
> French, Spanish, German, etc is a MUST and will help their employment prospects
> ...


Well, from this point of view they already have a second European language - Hungarian, it is their mother tongue even if it's only spoken by 13 million people worldwide. We would like to them to learn proper English in GIB (it will be much better than the language education in a Hungarian state school), then of course help the to develop other language skills.


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## biffysplace (May 2, 2013)

Hi Apologies for my delay in coming back to you, one of these weeks so far. Speaking to colleagues I am afraid they have advised that to live in Gibraltar you may struggle to live comfortably if your salary is the only income. 

I am just being honest in what they said and would by no means take this as a final decision. May be you need to speak to your new employer and see if they could assist in finding more affordable accommodation etc.

Good luck on whatever you decide mate


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## HAH001 (Feb 21, 2014)

biffysplace said:


> Hi Apologies for my delay in coming back to you, one of these weeks so far. Speaking to colleagues I am afraid they have advised that to live in Gibraltar you may struggle to live comfortably if your salary is the only income.
> 
> I am just being honest in what they said and would by no means take this as a final decision. May be you need to speak to your new employer and see if they could assist in finding more affordable accommodation etc.
> 
> Good luck on whatever you decide mate


Thank you for asking it, and sharing it honestly, I was affraid of this, and I'm in continous contact with the empolyer. Whatever it will be I'll share it here.


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## HAH001 (Feb 21, 2014)

Hi All,

Just a quick question: where to shop in Gib or in La Linea for Pampers diaper? Overall where to shop for baby care things?

Thanks

HAH001


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Morrisons Supermarket in Gibraltar must surely have Pampers. There is a Mothercare in Main street and an Early Learning Centre just off Main street.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

HAH001 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Just a quick question: where to shop in Gib or in La Linea for Pampers diaper? Overall where to shop for baby care things?
> 
> ...


I'm almost certain that the Spanish brand Dodot is actually Pampers with a different name

& available in most Spanish supermarkets - as are most babycare things - also in farmacias


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## HAH001 (Feb 21, 2014)

thank you for the answers both of you.....


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## HAH001 (Feb 21, 2014)

Just another question Seems like we have to buy lot's of things for our rented apartment, I just read here and there that electronics stores are kind of rip off's in Gib, things are cheaper in UK or Spain. I would need for example a vacuum cleaner, hair drier, etc, also linens for the beds, so lot's of household things. Assuming that Spain is cheaper which is the best place to go shopping for this in La Linea, to get everything hopefully in one turn (something like a big tesco). Please consider that I wont have a car, however I more likely will take a taxi, to bring everything home from the "big shopping".

Thank you!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

HAH001 said:


> Just another question Seems like we have to buy lot's of things for our rented apartment, I just read here and there that electronics stores are kind of rip off's in Gib, things are cheaper in UK or Spain. I would need for example a vacuum cleaner, hair drier, etc, also linens for the beds, so lot's of household things. Assuming that Spain is cheaper which is the best place to go shopping for this in La Linea, to get everything hopefully in one turn (something like a big tesco). Please consider that I wont have a car, however I more likely will take a taxi, to bring everything home from the "big shopping".
> 
> Thank you!



I dont know about Gib prices (Altho take a look in Morrisons, the big Supermarket there) , but for electrical goods, I'd say the UK is probably cheaper. But for household stuff, there are plenty of cheap chinese shops in Spain, or Carrefour for slightly better stuff. or El Corte Ingles for the good stuff

Jo xxx


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