# Cost of living around Marbella



## rodap (Feb 13, 2013)

Anybody can give me an idea of what is a medium family income for 3 around Marbella ? We are a modest family, I cook almost daily and we are not spenders in general . 

Thanks.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

rodap said:


> Anybody can give me an idea of what is a medium family income for 3 around Marbella ? We are a modest family, I cook almost daily and we are not spenders in general .
> 
> Thanks.


I live a short drive from Marbella and I would like to be able to help but your question is too open-ended.

I'm taking it that you mean 'How much does a family of three need to live on in Marbella' . Well, that depends on so many things, doesn't it, especially the ages of the three people. Your tastes in food, entertainment, whether you rent or own your house....all determine the monthly expenditure. 

Marbella and the area around is certainly more expensive than other CdS towns. 
I would say that if you rent and live modestly three would require around 2000 euros a month to live fairly well. You will be paying around 600 euros a month for a two-bed/bath piso, plus utilities. Electricity is expensive in Spain as is internet connection.

But if your question really does relate to average earned income: again, that depends on the earner's occupation. Doctors and dentists will obviously have a higher income than a bus driver.

There are many HNWIs in the area...sadly, I am not one of them..

If you are hoping to work and have no contracted job I would think long and hard before moving to this or any area in Spain at this time.


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## rodap (Feb 13, 2013)

Thanks for the info . 

We are looking for a business in San Pedro de Alcantara and just wondering what the net profit ( income ) will be enough for us . Like I said, we are modest, no expensive hobby's , entertainment for us is walking down the beach or on mountain trail, bike, visit close towns around . We eat a lot of pasta, salads, soups, some meat and fish/seafood , pretty healthy in general , our son is 8 and barely eats anything . We are thinking to rent a 3 beds flat and we will have one car .


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

rodap said:


> Thanks for the info .
> 
> We are looking for a business in San Pedro de Alcantara and just wondering what the net profit ( income ) will be enough for us . Like I said, we are modest, no expensive hobby's , entertainment for us is walking down the beach or on mountain trail, bike, visit close towns around . We eat a lot of pasta, salads, soups, some meat and fish/seafood , pretty healthy in general , our son is 8 and barely eats anything . We are thinking to rent a 3 beds flat and we will have one car .


your flags indicate that you are US citizens?

I guess you've sorted out the visa situation?


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## rodap (Feb 13, 2013)

Yes, that is not a problem, thanks.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

rodap said:


> Yes, that is not a problem, thanks.


interesting...


we have so many posters from the US trying to get resident visas for Spain (& usually not succeeding) that it would be really kind & helpful of you if you could post a few pointers as to how you've managed it!!


we call it 'paying it forward'


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## rodap (Feb 13, 2013)

We are part of EU too .


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

rodap said:


> Thanks for the info .
> 
> We are looking for a business in San Pedro de Alcantara and just wondering what the net profit ( income ) will be enough for us . Like I said, we are modest, no expensive hobby's , entertainment for us is walking down the beach or on mountain trail, bike, visit close towns around . We eat a lot of pasta, salads, soups, some meat and fish/seafood , pretty healthy in general , our son is 8 and barely eats anything . We are thinking to rent a 3 beds flat and we will have one car .



It's very hard to say how much you would need overall but you can put all the pieces together.

Here's a selection of 3 beds in the area - prices start about 750/ 800month right up to 10,000month!! http://www.idealista.com/alquiler-v...lcantara/con-de-tres-dormitorios/pagina-1.htm

As Mary says, rents are higher on the coast near Marbella than in many other areas, where 350e/month seems quite possible for a 3bed villa.

For an International School, per your other thread, prices vary but 1000e/ month is quite possible - this isn't included in Mrypg's earlier estimate.

Entertainment and eating out, etc also seems to cost a bit more than in other areas.

There are lots of threads with cost of living for utilities, car costs, etc - try the search facility.

It is a very difficult time to start/ run a business with the economy in Spain in crisis Unemployment on the CdS is around 35% (65% in the under 25 age group) so people just do not have money to spend.


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

rodap said:


> We are part of EU too .


Not sure what you mean. USA isn't in the EU.


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## rodap (Feb 13, 2013)

We are US and EU citizens .


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

rodap said:


> We are US and EU citizens .



Oh right, how does that work.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

You mention San Pedro de Alcantara...I was there today, talking to a bunch of students about the work of the animal rescue charity I work for.
As Brocher says, unemployment is very high in that area. I wouldn't think of starting a business at this time unless you had a selling point so unique and attractive that it's a sure-fired success.
We did our weekly shop today for two people, a big dog and a feral cat that lives in our garden. My partner is vegetarian and we have a freezer full of Quorn. She doesn't drink alcohol and I drink a mere single glass of wine a day now - doctor's orders. Yet we spend around 600 -700 euros a month on food shopping, cleaning products,detergents, toiletries and sundries.

I was amazed when we visited an inland town about 100 km away recently to note how much cheaper things were than here. I reckon we could knock 20 - 25% off our living costs if we moved there, not to mention more than a 500 euro drop in rent.

But we are settled and happy here...


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## rodap (Feb 13, 2013)

Thanks for the info .


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## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Hi

I live in the Costa de la Luz - but visit friends in San Pedro occasionally. I echo mrypg9´s thoughts. 

San Pedro is expensive and businesses are failing - for someone to sell please ask youself why they are selling - are they hiding something? 

I obvously don´t know the answers - hopefully you do and can tell if even in this crisis, you can succeed where so many others are failing. 

Put quite simply, I wish you luck and hope you will succeed in your new venture 

Davexf


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

As long as the EU citzen can prove income and healthcare provisions to support the family, I believe they can become residents. The USA citizen can then apply for work permits if they want. If memory serves we had this a while ago on the forum, but they had problems because the wife was the UK citizen and the husband was an American so couldnt work or claim residencia because of his nationality. Its only easy if the main breadwinner is EU, I think they left Spain as it was too complicated and almost impossible - I'll see if I can dig out the threads about it!!??

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> As long as the EU citzen can prove income and healthcare provisions to support the family, I believe they can become residents. The USA citizen can then apply for work permits if they want. If memory serves we had this a while ago on the forum, but they had problems because the wife was the UK citizen and the husband was an American so couldnt work or claim residencia because of his nationality. Its only easy if the main breadwinner is EU, I think they left Spain as it was too complicated and almost impossible - I'll see if I can dig out the threads about it!!??
> 
> Jo xxx


yes, they were planning to go back to the UK - but look!! They got it all sorted in the last couple of days :clap2:


http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...merican-brit-wife-england-moving-spain-3.html


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> yes, they were planning to go back to the UK - but look!! They got it all sorted in the last couple of days :clap2:
> 
> 
> http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...merican-brit-wife-england-moving-spain-3.html


 LOL, I couldnt find it - well done you!! I'll have a read...............

Jo xxx


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Back to the question of cost of living, well as a "rule of thumb" that (provided you live in the UK and know your outgoings there) whatever you spend in the UK to live in £s will be roughly the same figure you will spend in spain in €s - But I would guess a family of three would need a minimum of around 1,500€, BUT if you use an international school that figure will go up cos of the fees, uniforms etc. The thing we found more costly than we anticipated was owning a car - simply because the distances were further than we thought and petrol became expensive, so we were spending a lot on that weekly.

Marbella isnt a cheap area, we lived a little further east near Benalmadena and yes, we needed around 2000€ a month with two teenagers (excluding school fees)

Jo xxx


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## rodap (Feb 13, 2013)

Thanks everybody , I really appreciate your help !


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## expatspain (Feb 27, 2013)

2,000 Euro a month for a family of three is just surviving, 2,500 euro a month you can do things entertainment etc.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

expatspain said:


> 2,000 Euro a month for a family of three is just surviving, 2,500 euro a month you can do things entertainment etc.


 depends on the rent, if you use a car, smoke, drink, do sports..........

Jo xxx


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