# Cost of living



## Esteponia (Jan 28, 2016)

Hi my husband & I purchased a two bed apartment in Esteponia last year as an investment for our retirement in 5 yrs time. I now find myself unemployed (my husband is retired). We're trying to work out if we can move to Spain now and live off our savings until I am able to access my pension pot (I am 52). Can anyone please give us an idea of how much money we will need on an annually basis for a modest time, we will need to join a golf club, install cable to etc. Alternatively I'll need to secure a job in the uk, we'd prefer to move our plans forward if we can afford to.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Esteponia said:


> Hi my husband & I purchased a two bed apartment in Esteponia last year as an investment for our retirement in 5 yrs time. I now find myself unemployed (my husband is retired). We're trying to work out if we can move to Spain now and live off our savings until I am able to access my pension pot (I am 52). Can anyone please give us an idea of how much money we will need on an annually basis for a modest time, we will need to join a golf club, install cable to etc. Alternatively I'll need to secure a job in the uk, we'd prefer to move our plans forward if we can afford to.


:welcome:

As a general rule of thumb, if you can live on your income in the UK, you can live on it in Spain. Some things are more expensive, some less so. 

If your husband is in receipt of a UK state pension, you will both be covered for state healthcare here, if not, then you'll need to pay for private healthcare until he does. 

I neither play golf nor have cable TV, so I can't personally comment on either, although both have been discussed many times if you do a search.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

It's more expensive to live in Estepona than in many other places in Spain. 
But basically, Xavia is right. If you can live comfortably in the UK on your income you'll have few problems in Spain, although bear in mind currency rate fluctuations which in the last month or so have knocked 100 euros off the exchange value of £1000. If your budget is tight, that can make a big difference.
Add up your community fees, IBI and other taxes, factor in an amount for electricity and water and see what you have left over. Will you require private health insurance? Basic annual fees can be fairly low but costs for procedures can be astronomical, as we found out before qualifying for 'free' health care.
Dental care is also expensive. I'm facing a bill of 322 euros this week for some fairly basic work.
Will you be using public transport or driving? Public transport links between towns along the coast and inland are good and inexpensive but getting around Estepona itself involves walking everywhere.
You don't need to spend a lot of money to enjoy life in Estepona. Just sitting and enjoying the street or beach scene is free. There are many good restaurants which compared to British prices are very reasonable. I'm off to have Sunday lunch in one of Estepona's best restaurants, La Rada, and I anticipate the bill for a good three course meal with wine in lovely surroundings will come to around 30 -40 euros per person. There are many even cheaper and also very good restaurants and cafes in the town.
The work situation is in spite of last summer's tourist surge still dire, over one in three unemployed. 
You'll also need a fairly good level of Spanish as in spite of Estepona's popularity as a tourist resort for Spaniards and foreigners English is not spoken everywhere, certainly not in most local and regional government offices.
I think it's a great place to live and we'll be moving in from our village when this house gets too much for us.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> It's more expensive to live in Estepona than in many other places in Spain.
> But basically, Xavia is right. If you can live comfortably in the UK on your income you'll have few problems in Spain, although bear in mind currency rate fluctuations which in the last month or so have knocked 100 euros off the exchange value of £1000. If your budget is tight, that can make a big difference.
> Add up your community fees, IBI and other taxes, factor in an amount for electricity and water and see what you have left over. Will you require private health insurance? Basic annual fees can be fairly low but costs for procedures can be astronomical, as we found out before qualifying for 'free' health care.
> Dental care is also expensive. I'm facing a bill of 322 euros this week for some fairly basic work.
> ...


Another element you have to factor in as far as costs are concerned is location. So many things in a place such as Estepona will be 50%-100% or more costly than somewhere quieter and inland. For example, four café con leches, and two media tostadas con mermelada y mantequilla cost 5.40€ this morning; a good slap-up meal such as above will set you back a mere 20-25€ and menú del día (three courses and a drink) is, typically 7,50 - 10€ all good quality. IBI and car tax together, here, set us back just 210€


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> Another element you have to factor in as far as costs are concerned is location. So many things in a place such as Estepona will be 50%-100% or more costly than somewhere quieter and inland. For example, four café con leches, and two media tostadas con mermelada y mantequilla cost 5.40€ this morning; a good slap-up meal such as above will set you back a mere 20-25€ and menú del día (three courses and a drink) is, typically 7,50 - 10€ all good quality. IBI and car tax together, here, set us back just 210€


More costly but not 50 -100%. You can still get a three-course menu del dia for the price you mention, 8 euros being the usual and a coffee will set you back 1 euro, beer 1.50 in a 'normal' café. 
Our share of lunch yesterday came to 30m euros a head but it was in a restaurant I would call 'posh', starched linen napkins and all that. You can get a good meal in a less posh but still nice restaurant for much less.
I pay 60 something euros for Road Tax for the Freelander and 99.99 euros exactly for the Discovery. I don't know what our IBI is but I don't think it's as much as 200 euros. 
The real extra cost is in property, rents and purchase prices. I've seen properties advertised round here for four or five or more times the price of equivalent properties elsewhere inland or even on other parts of the Costas. Ditto rents.
I think what's happening is that Marbella is becoming too pricey so people of more modest means are buying further along the coast.
Estepona has had a real make-over in the past four years of PP rule at the Town Hall and can justly claim to be the 'Garden of Andalucia'.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Having lived in Estepona and an hour inland, I don't think Estepona is much more expensive - rent and property purchase may be a bit more - and stay away from the Marina for drinking and eating.

I think you'll find that playing golf is considerably more expensive than in the UK.

(Estepon-A not -IA by the way)


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## Esteponia (Jan 28, 2016)

Thanks to everyone who offered advise We hope to move out permanently in the next three months. Please keep posting any advise you feel appropriate .


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## ExpatWannabee (Jul 6, 2011)

mrypg9: I'm surprised to hear you say that dental care is expensive and that you're facing a bill of €322 for basic work. We have a fantastic dentist here in Valencia and that's about what I paid for a root canal and new crown.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

ExpatWannabee said:


> mrypg9: I'm surprised to hear you say that dental care is expensive and that you're facing a bill of €322 for basic work. We have a fantastic dentist here in Valencia and that's about what I paid for a root canal and new crown.


There are cheaper dentists I could use but I like the one I've used for years. Tbh, I'm not sure that his fees are that expensive compared to what I paid for private treatment in the UK ten years ago.
Many things are more expensive in this part of the CdS.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

I had a root canal and the construction of a new artificial tooth on the base of the broken one - it cost me 45€. Best dental work I have ever had - didn't feel a thing, not even the injection.


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## EdofWigan (Jun 28, 2015)

For me, food and trinkets were once a large expenditure but a change of career led to a massive reduction in trinkets. I guess I once rewarded myself with trinkets as i really deep down did not like or enjoy my work. When the work changed to something I really enjoy, the need for the trinkets also changed, for the better.

With food, I just seem to eat less in Spain than I do in the UK. Is it the heat, will that change as I become acclimatised? Who knows 

I also enjoy a slower pace of life in Spain (on my visits) and so I tend to eat little often and in a relaxed manner, rather than 2 to 3 large meals, eaten too fast and portions that are just too large

I divide up, in my mind the relatively fixed costs - Rent (initially) Gas/Electricity/Water/medical/dental/Community Charge etc..

With the flexible costs - Food, to eat in or out, add wine or water, travel, festivals, holidays, entertaining, etc...

Other factors
ROI, exchange rates, necessary UK visits, etc...

It is a big decision to give up work early and I am planning up to 15 years early, so numbers have to add up and have safety margins added.

It all seems to be going well though, atm


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

baldilocks said:


> I had a root canal and the construction of a new artificial tooth on the base of the broken one - it cost me 45€. Best dental work I have ever had - didn't feel a thing, not even the injection.


If you can't feel an injection I suggest you visit a doc.


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## ExpatWannabee (Jul 6, 2011)

45€ ????????? Who was your dentist, a 10-year-old Indonesian?


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

EdofWigan said:


> For me, food and trinkets were once a large expenditure but a change of career led to a massive reduction in trinkets. I guess I once rewarded myself with trinkets as i really deep down did not like or enjoy my work. When the work changed to something I really enjoy, the need for the trinkets also changed, for the better.
> 
> With food, I just seem to eat less in Spain than I do in the UK. Is it the heat, will that change as I become acclimatised? Who knows
> 
> ...


Your first sentence says it all. Then you back it up by talking about the size of your platter - it is down to what women describe as "comfort eating" Only occasionally do we eat out, much preferring to eat at home (the m-i-l describes it as "the best restaurant in town"), which reminds me, I had better get on and butcher a sheet of ribs and pre-cook them in the pressure cooker ready for when SWMBO makes the BBQ sauce later.


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## EdofWigan (Jun 28, 2015)

baldilocks said:


> ... which reminds me, I had better get on and butcher a sheet of ribs and pre-cook them in the pressure cooker ready for when SWMBO makes the BBQ sauce later.


What a great life, I look forward to much of the same


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