# Moving to Spain



## jockboy (Sep 12, 2010)

Hi

i know you have all been asked things like this over and over but we are looking at moving over shortely and am wondering at the approx cost for two adults to live per month(rent excluded)
We have a budget of around 1500 euros per month. Should it be feasble to live on this comfortably. Thats working on todays exchange rate and the rent will be paid from other sums. A basic idea of monthly bills (approx obs) would be a great help. 

We are looking at a busy village/town in a cooler area that has low crime rate, medical facilites in walking distance also shops, retaurants and vets, ideas of areas very welcome. Work if possible but obs we know its had to come by and are not dependent on this as we have funds to keep us without. and we will be waiting for the result of the euro vote before we commit.

Any help would be much appreciated and gratefully received.

Thanks


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## emlyn (Oct 26, 2012)

Doesn't it depend on your lifestyle and where are the cooler areas you are considering.


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## jockboy (Sep 12, 2010)

emlyn said:


> Doesn't it depend on your lifestyle and where are the cooler areas you are considering.


obviousy it does but im trying to just get a general idea on both facts and you have to start somewhere for a rough idea


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## jockboy (Sep 12, 2010)

and we are asking for recommended areas


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

jockboy said:


> Hi i know you have all been asked things like this over and over but we are looking at moving over shortely and am wondering at the approx cost for two adults to live per month(rent excluded) We have a budget of around 1500 euros per month. Should it be feasble to live on this comfortably. Thats working on todays exchange rate and the rent will be paid from other sums. A basic idea of monthly bills (approx obs) would be a great help. We are looking at a busy village/town in a cooler area that has low crime rate, medical facilites in walking distance also shops, retaurants and vets, ideas of areas very welcome. Work if possible but obs we know its had to come by and are not dependent on this as we have funds to keep us without. and we will be waiting for the result of the euro vote before we commit. Any help would be much appreciated and gratefully received. Thanks


 when we rented here in Jaca, we paid around 400€ a month. It is very reasonable to get by well on 1500€ a month! and live well. Medical facilities are local for State healthcare and private. It is a lovely area in the foothills of the Pyrenees that gets little snow in winter. The weather is cooler than most other areas of the country. There are a few Brits here and only a couple of Americans. You can take free Spanish lessons by the State. Actually it's a lovely area with much scenery. Pop. Normally around 12,000 but swells during fiesta. Great local bus system. Clean! We lived here a year before finding the exact area to purchase. We also know English speaking Gestors, etc. A local estate agent is also a close friend. Walking distance to everything including a local vet who is a close friend. Look it up on the net... Although living all over the world, including both US coasts, we prefer the scenery of mountains. It all depends on your personal preferences.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jockboy said:


> Hi
> 
> i know you have all been asked things like this over and over but we are looking at moving over shortely and am wondering at the approx cost for two adults to live per month(rent excluded)
> We have a budget of around 1500 euros per month. Should it be feasble to live on this comfortably. Thats working on todays exchange rate and the rent will be paid from other sums. A basic idea of monthly bills (approx obs) would be a great help.
> ...


If you really are Uruguayan this will affect visas, conditions for entering Spain...
Yes, you can probably live off that amount of money, and some areas of Spain ask you to show that you have that amount of money when you become resident - see FAQ's number 1.
There are probably thousands of places that meet your requirements and 100's where I suspect you want to be; the south of Spain, Andalucia.
Try looking for places in the search facility like Malaga, Nerja, Torrevieja, La Linea, Camposol, Oliva, Murcia...

Or do you already have somewhere in mind. I can't tell from your post as you say you are moving over shortly


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## jockboy (Sep 12, 2010)

Thank you so much your comments are very helpful. I will look at the area you recommended


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## jockboy (Sep 12, 2010)

I think Ive set my account up wrong Im in the UK.

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I will take your advice


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## tonymar (Jan 29, 2015)

Hi Jockboy

Welcome , you should be able to live ok on 1500€ per month ,

The costa blanca is quite nice 

Are you thinking of living with other expats in a community of more traditional Spanish rural living ?

Cheers Tony


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## Palang (Apr 15, 2014)

Hi Elyles: Saw your post and hope it is O.K. for me to jump in. We are in the process of applying for our non-lucrative visa to Spain. My question to you is if you have any knowledge about the area - or is it a town - just outside Barcelona by the name of Terrassa? We have lived outside the US for many years (our jobs) and have always been drawn to the Spanish culture. However, we are now retired, older and think it might be better if we had a few English speakers around us as well. Please don't get me wrong - we are moving to Spain for Spain. You obviously have been there a while and will take any advice you are willing to offer. Thanks.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Palang said:


> Hi Elyles: Saw your post and hope it is O.K. for me to jump in. We are in the process of applying for our non-lucrative visa to Spain. My question to you is if you have any knowledge about the area - or is it a town - just outside Barcelona by the name of Terrassa? We have lived outside the US for many years (our jobs) and have always been drawn to the Spanish culture. However, we are now retired, older and think it might be better if we had a few English speakers around us as well. Please don't get me wrong - we are moving to Spain for Spain. You obviously have been there a while and will take any advice you are willing to offer. Thanks.


 Never heard of the place! We shied away from living near large cities ourselves having lived around some of the largest (Houston, Tokyo). Barcelona has many English speakers. We live three hours from there, easily accessed by freeways and excellent public transportation. The air is very clean as are the rivers and nearby mountains. I guess by Texas standards Barcelona is cool but we think it is nicer here. It took my wife some effort but we have located enough English speakers here to get legal, real estate and other needs met. There is a small community of British nearby and wife meets with them all the time to socialize. We would be glad to assist if you decided on moving here. We too are retired, having taken early retirement in the US about four years ago. We have easy access to medical clinics and facilities as well as access to senior discounted public transportation. Before deciding on a permanent place to reside I strongly suggest you travel by car in Northern Spain then rent before buying.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Palang said:


> Hi Elyles: Saw your post and hope it is O.K. for me to jump in. We are in the process of applying for our non-lucrative visa to Spain. My question to you is if you have any knowledge about the area - or is it a town - just outside Barcelona by the name of Terrassa? We have lived outside the US for many years (our jobs) and have always been drawn to the Spanish culture. However, we are now retired, older and think it might be better if we had a few English speakers around us as well. Please don't get me wrong - we are moving to Spain for Spain. You obviously have been there a while and will take any advice you are willing to offer. Thanks.


 Woah! Phoenix. I guess anywhere you move would be cooler. Barcelona is pretty humid.


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## jockboy (Sep 12, 2010)

hi

We dont want to be remote. I would like an ex pat community but not o many we forget we are in Spain. Thanks for your reply


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## jockboy (Sep 12, 2010)

hi

We dont want to be remote. I would like an ex pat community but not o many we forget we are in Spain. Thanks for your reply


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## jockboy (Sep 12, 2010)

*areas*

Hi

We have been looking at Valencia as an area to move to any comments?


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## sat (Jul 20, 2008)

Valencia City?
Valencia Province?
Valencia Community (which is the Provinces of Valencia, Alicante,, and Murcia)?


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## jockboy (Sep 12, 2010)

Sorry that was a bit vague wasnt it Valencia Community

Thanks for your patience!!!!!


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

sat said:


> Valencia City?
> Valencia Province?
> Valencia Community (which is the Provinces of Valencia, Alicante,, and Murcia)?


Ooops! No it's not.

It's Valencia, Alicante and Castellon.


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## sat (Jul 20, 2008)

snikpoh said:


> Ooops! No it's not.
> 
> It's Valencia, Alicante and Castellon.


Whoops -
When I was typing that my mind went blank for the third one!!! Could only think of Murcia!!! Doh!


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## sat (Jul 20, 2008)

As for areas - town, village, countryside, coast?
Lots of expats? Spanish ?


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## jockboy (Sep 12, 2010)

we need to be in walking distance of facilities like medical,shops ect. Ex pat community but not so many we forget its spain and no so rural its isolated.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

The threads "Moving to Spain" and "Areas" have been merged as they are essentially the same poster asking for the same information


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

jockboy said:


> Hi
> 
> i know you have all been asked things like this over and over but we are looking at moving over shortely and am wondering at the approx cost for two adults to live per month(rent excluded)
> We have a budget of around 1500 euros per month. Should it be feasble to live on this comfortably. Thats working on todays exchange rate and the rent will be paid from other sums. A basic idea of monthly bills (approx obs) would be a great help.
> ...


A lot of the areas mentioned so far will be blistering in the summer. So far this month, for example, Valencia has had a high of 33ºC/91ºF and the highest humidity was 94%. July and August will be worse. Is this your definition of cool? Maybe the beautiful northern coastline, the Costa Verde or green coast (Cantabria, for example) would be worth a look? The scenery is stunning, there's a guaranteed summer (unlike Britain!) and the winters are mild, with January average temperatures 6ºC higher than London.


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## jockboy (Sep 12, 2010)

hi

that looks like a better option. I will look into those areas. Thanks for the reply


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Madliz said:


> A lot of the areas mentioned so far will be blistering in the summer. So far this month, for example, Valencia has had a high of 33ºC/91ºF and the highest humidity was 94%. July and August will be worse. Is this your definition of cool? Maybe the beautiful northern coastline, the Costa Verde or green coast (Cantabria, for example) would be worth a look? The scenery is stunning, there's a guaranteed summer (unlike Britain!) and the winters are mild, with January average temperatures 6ºC higher than London.


In the province of Valencia, but not the city, we actually had a temp. of 42 a couple of weeks ago with the rest of the week in the high 30's - news programs were reporting that we were a good 10 degrees above average for this time of year!

Don't forget that we still get heavy frosts here as well. It can be -5 overnight but then gets up to the mid twenties during the day.


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## Kikie (Nov 7, 2008)

We are trying desperately to find somewhere where my partner is less likely to catch colds in winter as they are dangerous for him. The UK has been trying to kill him off each winter and nearly succeeded a couple of years ago. We have loads of other criteria but to be honest that is the overiding one. Which probably means somewhere we can live a fresh air life and avoid snotty crowds in enclosed spaces. Are there any areas that aren't too soggy in winter and where people seem to snuffle less?


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Kikie said:


> We are trying desperately to find somewhere where my partner is less likely to catch colds in winter as they are dangerous for him. The UK has been trying to kill him off each winter and nearly succeeded a couple of years ago. We have loads of other criteria but to be honest that is the overiding one. Which probably means somewhere we can live a fresh air life and avoid snotty crowds in enclosed spaces. Are there any areas that aren't too soggy in winter and where people seem to snuffle less?


Yes, Spain!


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## Kikie (Nov 7, 2008)

*ta!*



snikpoh said:


> Yes, Spain!


Thanks for that! But any particular places in Spain? Less cold and damp in winter, but not too dry and dusty in summer? Where we can have windows open most of the year?


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Kikie said:


> Thanks for that! But any particular places in Spain? Less cold and damp in winter, but not too dry and dusty in summer? Where we can have windows open most of the year?


If such a perfect place existed, everyone would move there and prices would be sky high...

And with climate change plus El Niño the weather is much less predictable than it used to be. New records are broken every year - the wettest March, the hottest August etc etc.

Learn to live with the climate. Mild wet winters mean beautiful spring flowers. Hot dry summers mean dust and/or high humidity. Someone mentioned catching colds and flu - the best way to avoid these is to stay away from other people. Viruses don't care what the weather is like.


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## Kikie (Nov 7, 2008)

*oh dear*

such places do exist. Just that the ones we know of are too far away for us for the next few years for a few reasons. As for learning to live with the climate, I wish we had that option. We are not being petty with this nor exaggerating. His life is at stake.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Alcalaina said:


> If such a perfect place existed, everyone would move there and prices would be sky high...
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Which sometimes puzzles me regarding the Spanish insistence that cold weather causes the illnesses


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Kikie said:


> Thanks for that! But any particular places in Spain? Less cold and damp in winter, but not too dry and dusty in summer? Where we can have windows open most of the year?





Kikie said:


> such places do exist. Just that the ones we know of are too far away for us for the next few years for a few reasons. As for learning to live with the climate, I wish we had that option. We are not being petty with this nor exaggerating. His life is at stake.



I did not think that these types of places exist, but if you say they do then you have obviously researched, and If you could give an example of where they are then those of who live here can compare with where we live in Spain, so I do not think people are being difficult. The weather has no bearing on infections and colds, it can affect allergies etc prevailing winds etc


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Elyles said:


> Which sometimes puzzles me regarding the Spanish insistence that cold weather causes the illnesses


Lots of Brits think that too. My mum still thinks if you go out into the cold before your hair's properly dry you'll get pneumonia.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

cambio said:


> I did not think that these types of places exist, but if you say they do then you have obviously researched, and If you could give an example of where they are then those of who live here can compare with where we live in Spain, so I do not think people are being difficult. The weather has no bearing on infections and colds, it can affect allergies etc prevailing winds etc




We lived in the Upper Rocky Mountains for our last ten years in the US in Wyoming at 2300m. The winter lasted at least 8 months a year with tons of ass busting ice and snow. When we discovered Jaca, purely by accident, we fell in love with it. There are a few English speakers, but not many. We are in the foothills of the Pyrenees, offering us great year-round weather with four actual seasons. It rarely gets very hot or very cold allowing cycling and other activity all year. But, we are only 30km from great ski resorts but it is straight up from here. To deal with the heat we installed ceiling fans and our triple glazed Windows keep the heat in in winter. To me, not slipping on the ice is priceless, not to say that I miss shoveling the snow either. Although our windows could remain open year around, we keep them open at top to keep the cats in.


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

Kikie said:


> We are trying desperately to find somewhere where my partner is less likely to catch colds in winter as they are dangerous for him. The UK has been trying to kill him off each winter and nearly succeeded a couple of years ago. We have loads of other criteria but to be honest that is the overiding one. Which probably means somewhere we can live a fresh air life and avoid snotty crowds in enclosed spaces. Are there any areas that aren't too soggy in winter and where people seem to snuffle less?


Canary Islands?

The best climate in the world | You're on the Canary Islands Tourism website.

24ºC average in August
20ºC average in winter


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## Ifn (Jan 29, 2017)

Palang said:


> Hi Elyles: Saw your post and hope it is O.K. for me to jump in. We are in the process of applying for our non-lucrative visa to Spain. My question to you is if you have any knowledge about the area - or is it a town - just outside Barcelona by the name of Terrassa? We have lived outside the US for many years (our jobs) and have always been drawn to the Spanish culture. However, we are now retired, older and think it might be better if we had a few English speakers around us as well. Please don't get me wrong - we are moving to Spain for Spain. You obviously have been there a while and will take any advice you are willing to offer. Thanks.


Hi Palang. I'm an American retiree too. I wonder if you did move to Terrassa and how you found it?


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