Originally Posted by Stravinsky

No Pete, I live in a very nice area ... I refer to generalities I have learned about all over Spain, mainly in the Costas and, yes, in Mallorca. Thats what I mean about rose tinted glasses ... you concentrate on the plusses and ignore the minuses!!

Sure if you booze and smoke you will save money, but you've ignored the fact that income tax in Spain can be as punative as in the UK, and when added to the wealth tax (a tax on your assets, savings, investments etc) whether they be UK, offshore or Spain, and the Inheritence tax has NO allowances. Depending on your circumstances you pay IHT on all your wealth. Also if you are unfortunate enough to peg it, your family can't sell your villa in Majorca to raise the funds to pay it ... they have to raise the funds to pay it before they can sell it.

Health cover ..... unless you are of retirement age the best you can qualify for is a couple of years under the state system with an E106 .... after that you have to take private cover until you reach retirement age ... another expense.

You missed my point really though Pete .... all I was saying was that you have look at the whole picture. I'm not saying that the UK isn't an expensive place to live, I'm saying that living in Spain has its hidden costs too.