# Moving to Spain this year



## WanderingPeppers (Jun 7, 2016)

Hi chaps and chapesses

I am moving to villamartin area near Murcia in September with my hubby and daughter. I have work already sorted but finding it difficult to work out how much envy thing will be costing. We are looking at renting a 3 bed villa. What additional costs are there and how much will they be?

We are bringing our vehicle over and have investigated the IVA etc but can't seem to find out about insurance and tax. 

Is anyone else I the villamartin area?

Thanks all


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## cllve (Apr 19, 2016)

Hi. I live in that area and a short answer to you living costs is that if you can afford to live in the UK, you should be able to live in Spain. Some things are cheaper, and some more expensive so it tends to balance out.

Your car will need to be matriculated. This means that it will need to be registered onto the Spanish system which will include work to change the headlamp units and to swap the wiring of both the reversing lamp and rear fog lamp unless your car has two of both at the rear. You will also have fees to pay on it and it will need an ITV test which is like an MOT.

There is plenty of information on this site regarding this.


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## WanderingPeppers (Jun 7, 2016)

Thank you we have found a fair bit of information regarding the car and fairly comfortable with that part. It's that day to day stuff with normal utilities etc we can't seem to get estimates. So far I've seen €100 to €500


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

Expenses very much depend on your area and way of life. For a rough guide, look here:
Guest Info-graphic: Cost of Living in Spain vs UK
Or put in the towns you wish to compare here:
Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid, Spain And London, United Kingdom


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

For us it is as follows:
Electricity is perhaps more expensive than UK.
Gas is far cheaper than UK
Water a bit cheaper than UK.
Fuel is cheaper than UK.
Food is about a third cheaper than UK
Eating out can be FAR cheaper than UK
Enjoying decent weather - you will be doing a lot more of that then in UK...


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

thrax said:


> For us it is as follows:
> Electricity is perhaps more expensive than UK.
> Gas is far cheaper than UK
> Water a bit cheaper than UK.
> ...


I would add:

Phones/internet are more expensive than the UK
Alcoholic drinks are much cheaper than the UK
Anything involving labour (builders, mechanics, hairdressers etc) are cheaper than the UK because wages are lower.


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## Taker13075 (May 17, 2016)

I would suggest you get a Certificate of Conformity for your car before going to Spain otherwise you will need a Technical report before you will be able to register your car. The certificate of conformity for my car was just over half the price i would have paid for a technical report.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

I would also say that if you've owned it for at least 6 months prior to your trip, then get it matriculated within 30 days of signing on the padron. By doing this you save yourself the registration tax which is about 7-10% of the estimated value (as dictated by hacienda).


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## WanderingPeppers (Jun 7, 2016)

Thanks for the advice! Much appreciated. 

We are really looking forward to it and it will be a great experience. 

How quickly can we move in to rented accommodation and what deposits are normal. I am finding some agents are asking 5 months worth of rent up front which seems like lot to me (I haven't rented for 15 years)

On that note if anyone knows of a decent 2/3 bed house or apartment for rent in Villamartin near torrevieja please let me know


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

WanderingPeppers said:


> Thanks for the advice! Much appreciated.
> 
> We are really looking forward to it and it will be a great experience.
> 
> ...


5 months rent upfront is rather OTT

The law states a cash deposit equal to a month rent is obligatory - although if you agree to more then that's up to you.

Usual is a month rent upfront + a deposit equal to a month rent. Often for furnished accommodation a deposit equal to 2 months rent is asked for. 

No more than that though.

Of course agents have to be paid, & some charge the owner, some charge the tenant. This is often equivalent to a month rent.

So that would at most bring it up to the equivalent of 4 months rent.

Ley 29/1994, de 24 de noviembre, de Arrendamientos Urbanos. T?TULO IV.?Disposiciones comunes.


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## WanderingPeppers (Jun 7, 2016)

Thanks! Had an agent today ask for the entire years rent up front. 

They may find their property empty for a while!


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

thrax said:


> For us it is as follows:
> Electricity is perhaps more expensive than UK.
> Gas is far cheaper than UK
> Water a bit cheaper than UK.
> ...


Food* can* be cheaper...depends on what you buy, eating out *can* be cheaper...depends on what you consider a good meal.

I'm only in Spain from time to time but looking at prices it seems it is nowhere near as cheap as it once was unless your a chain smoking alcoholic. The quality of meat and fresh produce is hit and miss at best; I have easy access to a far wider range of good to high quality foods and eateries in the UK than what is available in Spain.

Rose tinted glasses do not mean its  everyday.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

bob_bob said:


> Food* can* be cheaper...depends on what you buy, eating out *can* be cheaper...depends on what you consider a good meal.
> 
> I'm only in Spain from time to time but looking at prices it seems it is nowhere near as cheap as it once was unless your a chain smoking alcoholic. The quality of meat and fresh produce is hit and miss at best; I have easy access to a far wider range of good to high quality foods and eateries in the UK than what is available in Spain.
> 
> Rose tinted glasses do not mean its  everyday.


I've said on other threads in this region I still think it's quite a lot cheaper than in the UK, but you get what you pay for. 
If a menu is 8 - 10 € it might be good, but it's going to be frozen fish, peas and artichokes from a tin in the menestra, and probably wine that it's better to drink Casera with.
Go to 14€ and you could be getting really good fresh ingredients although probably a limited choice. 
15 - 18€ could be something they've taken off their main menu and they are serving it on the Menu del Día cheaper for this day only


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## Jesnat (Mar 5, 2016)

We have recently rented a small town house. The landlord asked for two months rent deposit and month's rent in advance + fee to agent so effectively 4 months rent up front. We are early retires with no source of Spanish income i.e. no work contract to show a regular income so actually I think this is fair enough. I would do the same in the UK. More than that would seem unrealistic. We also have a dog so the landord insisted on the two months.


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