# Canadian Couple looking to move to Malaga



## misspamela (Aug 22, 2013)

Hi everyone,

I just posted on cost of living thread, but thought I'd add a few more questions here 

We're working on our budget plan, and we truly need some realistic numbers to fill in the blanks.
Don't laugh (or rather, please do!!) but we are budget nerds  and we put everything into our budget.

Would you care to share a few of your costs with us?

What do you spend on groceries a week/month?
What is the cost of a six pack of beer, and a bottle of decent wine?
Anyone do their laundry at a Laundromat? If so, what does it cost?
Do you have medical Insurance, if so, who do you use and how much?

We're really excited about the prospect of moving to Spain, just need to fill in some blanks and your help is truly appreciated.

Also, just wanted to say how glad I am to have stumbled upon this forum, so many people here!! Other forums I have looked at have people reading, but no one replies... 

Pamela


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

I can help you with the booze. 

4.68 euro for a 6 pack of 500ml cans, then again I like the posh local stuff so I'm sure it's cheaper if you wanted Heineken or the standard variety.

I also try not to spend more than 4 euro for a bottle of wine, sometimes I can stretch to 5 or even 8 for the Jacobs Creek.


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## elisa31bcn (Jan 23, 2013)

I use a self-service laundromat because I don't have any room to dry..it costs about 9 euros, wash and dry, 10 kilos approx.
Health insurance, Sanitas, 65 euros a month..


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Food and groceries are a difficult one to price cos we're all so different. I can compare it to living in the UK, but to Canada/Oz????? I'd say for a family of two, a grocery shop once a week may be around 100€???? Depending on what you buyy, where you buy and your standards!?

Welcome to the forum tho 

Jo xxx


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

We spend about 500€/month on groceries for a family of 4 (two adults and two college aged kids). We don't skimp but we don't splurge either.
Beer is cheap - a six pack might run you about 5€ although imported brands are a little more. Wine is cheap too - a perfectly decent bottle could cost you as little as 3€ but of course you can find stuff that's much more expensive.
I've never seen a laundrymat in Seville.
I pay about 50€/ month for health insurance with Adeslas. I'm a healthy 53 year old. The price varies according to your age and health.


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## misspamela (Aug 22, 2013)

jojo said:


> Food and groceries are a difficult one to price cos we're all so different. I can compare it to living in the UK, but to Canada/Oz????? I'd say for a family of two, a grocery shop once a week may be around 100€???? Depending on what you buyy, where you buy and your standards!?
> 
> Welcome to the forum tho
> 
> Jo xxx


Thanks Jo! I have read quite a few threads and see you contribute a lot! A big thanks from all us "dreamers" who are doing the research and trying to get all our numbers right  :cheer2:


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## misspamela (Aug 22, 2013)

Wow! Thanks everyone!!!

This helps a lot. I know groceries is a hard one 
It really does depend on ones lifestyle and how many people etc etc.

Groceries - We are a healthy couple (35/44) and we eat healthy. Pescatarians, so we only eat seafood, no red meat, no chicken. 
Most of our groceries tend to be fresh fruit and veg - and then staple stuff like canned tuna, bread, olive oil, butter, flour, OJ, Milk, pasta, pasta sauce, nuts, lentils (jajaja, Im picturing my kitchen cupboard as I type this!) and spices, lots of spices (cumin, paprika, curry, salt, pepper, cayenne etc).

Booze - well, I won't lie, we love our beer and wine, so glad to get those numbers !! 4EU wine woooohooooo!!!

Insurance - Perfect! Thanks guys, truly...its hard to get these numbers, I've found brokers, but they all want you to give them your email and phone number (ugh!), so Im glad to get some numbers there. I will definitely look up Sanitas and Adeslas.

Laundrymat - Awesome, its what I expected 

Thanks again everyone, this has been soooooo helpful!! Nice to have some AUG 2013 info


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## zenkarma (Feb 15, 2013)

misspamela said:


> ...a bottle of decent wine?


Well that's where Spain is really good. You can get a pretty decent bottle of wine there for anything from €1.50 upwards. If you're fussy, €3-4 will get you a pretty good one and €10 upwards a corker Faustino if you'll excuse the pun.

Incidentally, if you're originally from Australia and coming in from Canada, can you legally reside in Spain? Is one of you an EU citizen?


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## misspamela (Aug 22, 2013)

zenkarma said:


> Well that's where Spain is really good. You can get a pretty decent bottle of wine there for anything from €1.50 upwards. If you're fussy, €3-4 will get you a pretty good one and €10 upwards a corker Faustino if you'll excuse the pun.
> 
> Incidentally, if you're originally from Australia and coming in from Canada, can you legally reside in Spain? Is one of you an EU citizen?


Hi Zenkarma. Both Australia and Canada allow residence in Spain if you meet the qualifications. We have looked into all that, and we're set 
Lots of paperwork, but anything worth doing isn't going to be easy...:fingerscrossed:


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

misspamela said:


> Wow! Thanks everyone!!!
> 
> This helps a lot. I know groceries is a hard one
> It really does depend on ones lifestyle and how many people etc etc.
> ...



There are a lot of markets in Spain that sell fruit and veg fairly cheaply, so you'll be ok on that front. Mercadona is the main supermarket and does all the usual staples - they all have fresh fish/seafood counters. In fact your diet should be fine in Spain and not too expensive. Its the processed stuff and the "exports" that are expensive in general.

Jo xxx


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