Cost of Living in Spain vs the UK: Moving to the Costa Blanca

Is it cheaper to live in Spain than the UK?

It's one of the first questions people ask when they're considering moving to Spain.

And we'd love to give you a beautifully simple answer.

Yes. Move immediately. Everything costs half as much.

Unfortunately, real life isn't quite that tidy. 😂

Some things may cost less.

Some things won't.

And the biggest influence on your cost of living isn't necessarily the country you choose.

It's how you choose to live when you get there.

A couple living in a village townhouse, walking to local shops and eating a menú del día occasionally will have very different monthly costs from someone maintaining a large villa with a pool, extensive gardens, air conditioning and two cars.

Both are living on the Costa Blanca.

They simply aren't living the same life.

Start with the property

For most people, housing is one of their biggest expenses.

And property costs on the Costa Blanca vary enormously.

A frontline apartment in Dénia or a villa close to Jávea can sit in a completely different price bracket from a townhouse in an inland village.

Move a little further away from the coast and your budget can sometimes buy considerably more.

That's why we don't particularly like beginning a property search with:

"Where's cheapest?"

The better question is:

"Where can I afford the life I actually want?"

Sometimes spending less on the property but driving everywhere costs you elsewhere.

Sometimes paying more to live in a walkable town means you need the car considerably less.

Look at the whole picture.

Buying isn't only about the purchase price

When budgeting for a Spanish property, don't use every euro available as your maximum purchase price.

Buying costs need to be allowed for separately.

Depending upon the property and transaction, these can include taxes, notary and Land Registry costs, legal fees and other expenses.

The exact amount varies, particularly between new-build and resale property.

Your lawyer should give you a proper breakdown for the purchase you're considering.

We'd much rather establish a sensible property budget at the beginning than find your dream house at the absolute maximum and announce afterwards that there are additional costs.

That's not a particularly enjoyable surprise.

What does it cost to run a Spanish home?

Again, it depends enormously on the property.

Typical household costs can include:

• Electricity
• Water
• Internet and telephone
• Home insurance
• Local property tax
• Rubbish or municipal charges
• Community fees where applicable
• Pool maintenance
• Garden maintenance
• Repairs and general upkeep

A lock-up-and-leave apartment and a 2,000 m² finca are obviously not going to cost the same to maintain.

Which is why running costs should be part of your property search, not something you first consider after buying.

Electricity and air conditioning

British buyers sometimes arrive imagining that Spain's wonderful climate means they'll barely use electricity.

Then August happens. 😂

Air conditioning can become part of everyday life during the hottest periods, particularly depending on the property, its orientation and insulation.

And don't forget winter.

The Costa Blanca has a mild climate compared with Britain, but mild isn't the same as permanently warm.

Spanish properties vary enormously in insulation, heating systems and energy efficiency.

A beautiful old stone house may have bags of character.

It may also have opinions about January.

When viewing a property, ask how it is heated and cooled and think about what that may mean for year-round running costs.

What about food and supermarkets?

Your grocery bill will depend far more on what you buy than which side of the Channel you're standing on.

Spain offers wonderful local produce, markets and supermarkets at a huge range of price points.

If you shop seasonally, buy local produce and adapt to what's available here, everyday food shopping can feel very reasonable.

If your trolley consists mainly of imported British brands because you refuse to contemplate breakfast without one particular tea bag, things may look rather different. 😂

One of the pleasures of moving country is discovering how people here shop and eat.

Use it.

Eating out

This is an area where lifestyle can make an enormous difference to your budget.

The Costa Blanca has everything from inexpensive local cafés and weekday menus to high-end restaurants where you can spend as much as you possibly wish.

And that's really the point.

Living in Spain doesn't mean eating out is automatically cheap.

It means you have choices.

A coffee in a village square and lunch at a local bar are part of normal everyday life here for many people.

Dinner overlooking the marina is another experience entirely.

Do both.

Just don't budget for one while living like the other. 😂

Do I need a car?

This depends heavily on where you live.

Choose a town where you can walk to shops, cafés, doctors and everyday services and you may use a car surprisingly little.

Buy a finca in the countryside and the answer is rather more obvious.

For many households, transport costs include:

• Buying or financing a vehicle
• Insurance
• Fuel
• Maintenance
• ITV inspections
• Vehicle taxes
• Parking where applicable

If you're considering bringing your existing vehicle from Britain, we've also created a separate guide to Bringing a UK Car to Spain.

Link that page here.

Healthcare costs

Healthcare costs depend upon your circumstances.

Some British citizens moving to Spain may qualify for access to the public healthcare system through a particular route.

Others may need private health insurance, particularly in connection with certain residency or visa requirements.

If private healthcare forms part of your relocation, include it in the monthly budget rather than treating it as an unexpected extra.

Our Healthcare in Spain for UK Citizens guide explains the main questions to investigate.

Internal link here.

What about community fees?

If you're buying an apartment or a property within an urbanisation or community, there may be regular community fees.

These contribute towards shared costs such as communal pools, gardens, lifts, lighting and maintenance.

Fees vary enormously depending on the development and facilities.

Ask what the current community fees are before buying.

And ideally look at what those fees are actually paying for.

A beautiful communal pool and immaculate gardens don't maintain themselves.

Pools cost money

There. We've said it. 😂

We know.

You're moving to Spain.

You want a pool.

And a pool can be wonderful.

But private pools require cleaning, chemicals, electricity, equipment maintenance and occasional repairs.

If you're going to use it constantly, fabulous.

If you'll look at it lovingly twice a week and spend most of your summer at the beach, perhaps ask yourself whether you actually need your own.

The same applies to enormous gardens.

Buy the lifestyle you want to maintain, not just the lifestyle that photographs beautifully.

Property taxes and local charges

Owning a Spanish property brings ongoing taxation and local charges that should be understood before purchase.

These may include local property tax - generally known as IBI - as well as other municipal charges.

Your individual tax position may also depend upon whether you're resident or non-resident and your wider circumstances.

RENVIDA isn't your tax adviser.

We'll happily talk about the house.

When it comes to your personal taxation, we'd much rather introduce you to somebody properly qualified than make something up beside the swimming pool. 😂

What about tax if I become resident?

This is one area where you need individual professional advice.

Becoming resident in Spain can affect your tax position, and the implications depend upon your income, assets and personal circumstances.

Don't assume that because something worked one way while you were living in Britain, it will work identically once you're resident in Spain.

And don't wait until after you've moved to ask.

Tax planning isn't the exciting part of relocation.

But getting it wrong is considerably less exciting.

Schooling and children

If you're moving with children, education can have a substantial impact on your household budget.

Spanish public education and private or international schooling involve very different costs.

And school location can influence where you choose to live and how much driving you'll do every day.

Our Moving to Spain with Children from the UK guide looks at these decisions in more detail.

Internal link here.

The hidden cost: recreating Britain in Spain

This is one people don't always consider.

If you move to Spain but attempt to recreate your entire British lifestyle here, living costs can creep upwards.

Imported food.

Constant trips back to the UK.

A large house because that's what you had before.

Two cars because you've always had two cars.

Air conditioning set to Arctic because you're not accustomed to August.

You don't have to abandon everything you love about Britain.

But allow your lifestyle to change.

That's rather the point of moving, isn't it?

Could you live with less?

One of the interesting things about moving somewhere with a warmer climate is discovering how much of your life can happen outside the house.

Morning coffee on the terrace.

Lunch outside.

Walks.

Beaches.

Village squares.

Fiestas.

Friends meeting at local bars rather than always entertaining at home.

Suddenly the question isn't necessarily:

"How much house can we afford?"

It becomes:

"How much house do we actually need?"

That can change the budget considerably.

So, is Spain cheaper than the UK?

It can be.

But we wouldn't base a life-changing move on a generic percentage somebody has pulled from a cost-of-living website.

Instead, build a budget around your intended Spanish life.

What property will you own?

Where will it be?

Will you need one car or two?

Private healthcare?

School fees?

A pool?

A gardener?

Frequent flights back to Britain?

How often will you eat out?

Will you live near everyday amenities?

Those answers tell you far more than an average national comparison ever could.

Work out the life first

This is why relocation and property shouldn't really be separated.

The house determines part of your cost of living.

The location determines another part.

And the lifestyle you choose determines the rest.

Tell us your budget.

But also tell us what that budget needs to provide.

Perhaps you don't need to spend as much as you thought.

Perhaps moving ten kilometres inland transforms what you can afford.

Or perhaps being able to walk everywhere is worth paying more for the property.

There isn't one correct answer.

There's the answer that works for you.

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