# A few (more) monthly expenses questions....!



## Relyat (Sep 29, 2013)

Things are moving slowly forward for us and as part of our preparations a few questions for your collective wisdom.

I know it's difficult to generalise, but any answers would be appreciated to help form our plans.

We intend to move to the Gandia/Oliva/Pego area ( not limited to these towns, that's the general area ). Ideally looking for a two or three bedroom house in the town, not a villa or urb, occupied by us two.

Can anyone give figures for what we think of as council tax, water rates, gas, electricity etc.

We intend to bring with us one 17 year old 2.3 litre car and one 36 year old 500cc motorcycle. Any ideas as to road tax and insurance costs would be good. I think I understand the process for importing and registering vehicles but annual costs would be helpful.

Thanks in advance


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

It all depends on the area you choose to live. Each local council sets it's own road tax. Depends on exactly what the car is . You are highly unlikely to find anyone offering full comp.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

... do you intend to rent or buy?

If you intend to buy - why?


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## Relyat (Sep 29, 2013)

Yes, the intention is to buy. Why? - We have always bought the house we live in as we have never had any intention of moving, although we have done several times.

Rental might be an option if we cant get what we want initially, but long term rental is probably not for us.


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## Relyat (Sep 29, 2013)

No more offerings from anyone?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

VEDShappy said:


> No more offerings from anyone?


not really - what gus posted is absolutely correct - taxes are different in each town

as far as gas, electricity, water are concerned - the main suppliers will have cost per unit on their websites - so it will depend upon which supplier you use

it's generally agreed that if you budget more or less over the year what you would be spending for utilities in the UK you won't be very far out


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Electricity in Spain is among the most expensive in Europe and it's going up again in January. We are two people in a detached 3-bed house (no pool or aircon) and our bill averages about €100 a month over the year. We have to use electricity for heating during the winter months as there is no mains gas.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> Electricity in Spain is among the most expensive in Europe and it's going up again in January. We are two people in a detached 3-bed house (no pool or aircon) and our bill averages about €100 a month over the year. We have to use electricity for heating during the winter months as there is no mains gas.


Wow - that makes me feel better. 

We are a family of 5 with everything electric (hob, oven, water, a/c etc.) we also run two fridge/freezers and have a pool. Our bill is about 160 euros/month - not much more considering the extra people and extra appliances.

I have been told that town gas is a lot more expensive than electricity.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

snikpoh said:


> Wow - that makes me feel better.
> 
> We are a family of 5 with everything electric (hob, oven, water, a/c etc.) we also run two fridge/freezers and have a pool. Our bill is about 160 euros/month - not much more considering the extra people and extra appliances.
> 
> I have been told that town gas is a lot more expensive than electricity.


Two people, two dogs, big detached house with pool. We use electricity for cooking, hot water, fridge/freezer, washing machine, dishwasher, tv, computers, lighting and the pump pool.
Last electricity bill was 300 euros for two months. The usual bill is around 360 euros for two months. It is more or less the same throughout the year.
We NEVER heat with electricity or use air con. This year we started heating with gas and find it cheap and efficient. We heat whatever room we happen to be in and a bottle costing 17 euros lasts us about two weeks, heating from around 7pm until midnight.
I can't remember what we paid in the UK eight years ago but I think it wasn't much different although we lived in a detached cottage with lots of interior wood and very thick walls and used gas for central heating, cooking and hot water.
But I do remember that we paid much more for electricity in Prague, almost double what we pay here. We had a large house there with pool but it was extremely well insulated. Everything was powered by electricity....water was pumped from our very own well, even the gates were operated electrically.

Once when we were cut off by a heavy snowfall we couldn't leave the house for several days as we weren't strong enough to open the gates or garage doors manually!!


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## Relyat (Sep 29, 2013)

Thanks for your contributions. They all help with preparations, no doubt some more will follow


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

VEDShappy said:


> Thanks for your contributions. They all help with preparations, no doubt some more will follow


The problem is though that there are so many variable when swapping expense stories. Lifestyle, health, location, climate variations will all make significant differences to budgets.

For example: I live on the coast where it is warm even in mid- December so heating costs are lower than those of someone living a mere 20 km inland. Yet our house is big with cathedral ceilings in some rooms and marble floors throughout so costs more to heat than my neighbour's house which is large but one storey and with low- ceilings.


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## TSN.IMM (May 13, 2013)

mrypg9 said:


> ... We had a large house there with pool but it was extremely well insulated. Everything was powered by electricity....water was pumped from our very own well, even the gates were operated electrically.
> 
> Once when we were cut off by a heavy snowfall we couldn't leave the house for several days as we weren't strong enough to open the gates or garage doors manually!!


In Russia, my neighbor lives in a house like yours, but he hires Popeye - the sailor man to be his gate keeper, so no problem with snow fall


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## Relyat (Sep 29, 2013)

mrypg9 said:


> The problem is though that there are so many variable when swapping expense stories. Lifestyle, health, location, climate variations will all make significant differences to budgets.
> 
> For example: I live on the coast where it is warm even in mid- December so heating costs are lower than those of someone living a mere 20 km inland. Yet our house is big with cathedral ceilings in some rooms and marble floors throughout so costs more to heat than my neighbour's house which is large but one storey and with low- ceilings.


You've hit it on the head, the more information there is, the easier it is to achieve an average on things such as consumption. Like I said to start with, it's difficult to generalise.

Fixed outgoings such as costs for road tax, "council tax" and the equivalent are useful if provided with the area concerned as these are more direct comparitors. But as mentioned, we're grateful for any information that anyone can provide .

P.S. I am rather jealous of your Azor - we lost Zola this year and miss her deeply.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

VEDShappy said:


> You've hit it on the head, the more information there is, the easier it is to achieve an average on things such as consumption. Like I said to start with, it's difficult to generalise.
> 
> Fixed outgoings such as costs for road tax, "council tax" and the equivalent are useful if provided with the area concerned as these are more direct comparitors. But as mentioned, we're grateful for any information that anyone can provide .
> 
> P.S. I am rather jealous of your Azor - we lost Zola this year and miss her deeply.


But road taxes vary too within regions depending on engine size..
I've just read in El Pais that electricity will rise by 11% in January, the fifth rise in a year.

So sorry to read about your loss. Was she a Ridgeback? Losing a beloved pet is like losing a family member and cuts as deep. It took us a long time to get over losing our GSD Ferdinand..we waited eleven years before getting Azor. We have another dog, Xena, a poor little Cane Corso, neglected, hurt and abandoned by her previous owners.
Adopting her was a spur of the moment decision but we haven't regretted it.
If you decide to live anywhere near Estepona I'd be delighted to show you around the refuge I help run. We have very many dogs looking for good homes.
There are some nice photos of our dogs in my album if you're interested.


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## Relyat (Sep 29, 2013)

Yes, she was a Ridgeback. I'd waited 30 years - yes that long - to get one and she was a beauty (as any dog is). I admire anyone who can help animals, particularly dogs, it would be almost unbearable for me to see the cruelty inflicted I can't abide to even hear about it. I'm no softy, but cruelty just does for me.

I'll take alook at your album, but there are some days when it's still too soon.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

VEDShappy said:


> Yes, she was a Ridgeback. I'd waited 30 years - yes that long - to get one and she was a beauty (as any dog is). I admire anyone who can help animals, particularly dogs, it would be almost unbearable for me to see the cruelty inflicted I can't abide to even hear about it. I'm no softy, but cruelty just does for me.
> 
> I'll take alook at your album, but there are some days when it's still too soon.


I understand.


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