# Cost of living comparison



## Jillymac (Jan 17, 2016)

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far re our research into retiring to Spain.
We are now comparing the general living costs between UK and Alicante so taking into account utilities, food, insurance etc would we have the same quality of life for our retirement as in UK (besides the obvious bonus of better weather)?


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Jillymac said:


> Thanks to everyone who has replied so far re our research into retiring to Spain.
> We are now comparing the general living costs between UK and Alicante so taking into account utilities, food, insurance etc would we have the same quality of life for our retirement as in UK (besides the obvious bonus of better weather)?


I think 'quality of life' depends on a lot more than living costs and better weather. You need to experience a period of actually living every- day life in Spain to find out if Spain is really for you.
No- one can judge the future quality of someone's life. So many variables.


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## Johnweedon (Dec 23, 2015)

You will have a better quality of life living in Spain


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Johnweedon said:


> You will have a better quality of life living in Spain


Most people do. Some however, for various reasons, don't, which is why so many British immigrants have gone back to the UK over the past two or three years.
'Quality of life' is a very personal, subjective thing and depends on much more than financial considerations.
That's why many of us advise a trial period before making a final decision to relocate to Spain.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

By definition, if your cost of living goes down, your standard of living goes up. True, as to quality of living depends on what you're looking for. For me, cost of living has gone down, standard of living has gone up, and quality of living has gone up. 

In looking for cost of living comparison, the best thing to do is to compare your costs of living in the UK with those in Spain - which is what you're asking. That's one of the factors I took into consideration when determining where to live in Spain. Here's a site that will give you a ballpark figure of cost comparisons for typical expenses - public transportation, rental, eating out (have a look at what they list). You can compare the city you live in in the UK with cities in Spain. You can also choose whatever currency you're comfortable with: Cost Of Living Comparison 

Then what I did was compare other expenses not on numbeo.com, which I did by asking on the forum and looking online, such as grocery stores, clothing stores, medicines and healthcare. Other things you might look at are education, costs of running a car and certain forms of entertainment. So as long as you know your budget in the UK, you can figure out a ballpark of your budget in Spain.


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## EdofWigan (Jun 28, 2015)

I do not, as yet live in Spain. So, probably not qualified to 'Chirp In' However, I have lived in many countries, in addition to the UK. 

Website comparisons can give you an indication on some tangible factors but, alas not on many emotional ones and it is the emotional one that are often subject to the most, unpredictable changes. 

Can I afford to live there? Well that is a much easier question to answer, often coming down to a spreadsheet type approach.

Cost of Living involves many more factors, factors that are much harder to predict. 

Open any Sunday Colour Supplement and there will be a full page advert for an 'Amazing New Slimming Pill' take it and lose 30lbs IN A DAY! ! !

We all know it is rubbish but they sell enough to make their profit and those adverts are not cheap. Why? because we want our answers NOW!

Sometimes, that just is not possible. The only real way is experiential leaning, imho.

Mary's and others advice are sound, you just have to trial it. Keep your return route open (eggs in multiple baskets, so to speak) 

Having said that, it is great fun asking questions, chatting about options and day dreaming about the day you can board the plane, with a one way ticket. 

Luckily for us (Newbies) the more established members of the forum understand our 'Christmas Eve' excitement and spend ages answering the same questions time and time again.

Sweet Dreams fellow excited ones


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

You might find this useful
Cost of Living Series | East of Málaga


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## Jillymac (Jan 17, 2016)

Thank you, that was very informative,


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Retirement itself is the biggest factor for improving one's quality of life, regardless of where you are (provided of course that you are the sort of person who can happily fill your day without getting bored or frustrated). 

I had no problem adjusting to a big reduction in income when I retired here. I have the time to shop and cook properly (no more expensive supermarket ready-meals). I spend very little on clothes (I'm still wearing out stuff I brought over from England 7 years ago) or cosmetics (just a good moisturising sunscreen). A trip to the hairdresser (colour, cut and blowdry) is €18. Socialising is much cheaper - an evening out with drinks and tapas for the two of us costs less than €20. And the best things in life are free - the views, the birds, the wildflowers in spring, walking through the countryside or along the beach, reading, listening to music ...


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

It is interesting to hear of the different approaches taken by different people. So many, when they go on holiday, do all the touristy things (go to the beach, hit the bars, visit the tourist attractions, etc.) One of the things that we have always done is try to understand how the locals live and that involves visiting a supermarket or two - not with the specific intention of summing up the cost of living if we wanted to move but to see just what products (fresh and manufactured) are available and their costs and qualities. For example I know that often fresh fruit in Florida costs between about a half to two thirds of what one would pay in UK but the "apparent" quality is much lower (by apparent quality - I mean that there may be misshapes, less ripe patches, etc) although they may have equal or better nutritional or eatability qualities. Milk, there, comes in US gallons; there is very little really tasty cheese available; shrimps and prawns of varying sizes (determined by "count" and all called shrimp) is readily available and popular. Much medication is available over the counter, etc, etc. 

In Portugal, one can buy a very acceptable wine in a 1 litre carton for a mere 63 centimos and along the coast towards Ericeira they sell an excellent full flavoured cheese made from a mixture of goat, sheep and cow's milk, etc. For really fresh and high quality fish go to the market on Sunday morning in the above village, etc.

In Amsterdam, there is a shop that specialises in cheese with a wide variety of heavenly cheeses (forget the bland stuff like Edam or Gouda) and there are sex shops that sell every imaginable (and some you would never imagine in a thousand years) device for your's and his/her pleasure.

etc.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> It is interesting to hear of the different approaches taken by different people. So many, when they go on holiday*, do all the touristy things (go to the beach, hit the bars, visit the tourist attractions, etc.) *One of the things that we have always done is try to understand how the locals live and that involves visiting a supermarket or two - not with the specific intention of summing up the cost of living if we wanted to move but to see just what products (fresh and manufactured) are available and their costs and qualities. For example I know that often fresh fruit in Florida costs between about a half to two thirds of what one would pay in UK but the "apparent" quality is much lower (by apparent quality - I mean that there may be misshapes, less ripe patches, etc) although they may have equal or better nutritional or eatability qualities. Milk, there, comes in US gallons; there is very little really tasty cheese available; shrimps and prawns of varying sizes (determined by "count" and all called shrimp) is readily available and popular. Much medication is available over the counter, etc, etc.
> 
> In Portugal, one can buy a very acceptable wine in a 1 litre carton for a mere 63 centimos and along the coast towards Ericeira they sell an excellent full flavoured cheese made from a mixture of goat, sheep and cow's milk, etc. For really fresh and high quality fish go to the market on Sunday morning in the above village, etc.
> 
> ...


Spanish people and immigrants resident in Spain do those things when they're on holiday and also as part of their normal lifestyle.. I do too, except if I hit the bars it will be for a coffee. I grew up by the sea and I now am fortunate to live by the sea in my retirement. I like the beach, if it's not crowded that is.
When I used to go on holiday and now, when lucky enough to be on permanent holiday,I also manage to combine going to the beach (if there is one, not easy in New York or Berlin) with visiting local shops and markets, going to museums and art galleries and just spending time sitting and looking.
These things can be combined. Life doesn't have to be an either/or and most leisure activities are of equal worth as their enjoyment is subjective....like quality of life.
People come to Spain to do what they enjoy doing, which is what retirement should be about.
The typical couple retiring to Spain may have racked up eighty years or more of work between them, a sobering thought indeed.
As long as you have the means to live it, your lifestyle is yours to choose.


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