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The Cost of Living Thread

157K views 564 replies 139 participants last post by  xabiaxica 
#1 ·
As time goes on I will add costs of stuff in Spain here for info, so you can build some kind of idea of the cost of living here in Spain. Bear in mind I am in a rural area, 6 kms from the sea in Northern Costa Blanca. CDS, and the cities will be more costly.

Hope this helps :)
 
#2 · (Edited)
Groceries:

12 large eggs €1.07
Sardines in tomato, 4 x €1.56
8 lit bottle mineral water €1.84
Muesli 750 gm €2.09
6 x 1 ltr skimmed milk - €6.30
Tinned tuna 400 gms €3.75
Flora marg 600 gms €2.30
Gammon steak 340 gms €3.75
4 x Bifodus 0% fat yoghurts €0.95
Coffee beans 500 gms €2.20
Bunch of bananas €1.11
6 big apples €2.53
1 whole pineapple €2.10
Crianza Rioja Red wine €3.95
300 gms mushrooms €1.00
Bottle brandy 1 lit €7.45
750 gms sugar €1.60
I litre orange juice €1.19
24 cans Mahou beer €9.66
Oven Chips €1.85





Car:
Fuel: €1.05 diesel
10 w 40 Motor oil - 5 lit - €29.88
 
G
#3 ·
Well now you can add around 30% to the price of diesel (and petrol) since January.

And if that is not bad enough, the price of Gin in Carrefour has rocketed to nearly 5 euros a bottle over the last year. What is a man to do?
 
#4 ·
Prices have rocketed

I have lived in Spain for the last 7 years, and i can agree, that prices of food and other household groceries has risen massively in that time.
The price of fuel is the obvious reason for this. Lots of people who live in the UK, including some of my friends, think that living here is really cheap, but its not now.
The only things i still see that are cheap are Beer and Cigarettes, i dont mind the beer being cheap, but i dont smoke, so cigarette prices dont mean anything to me.
Here's to hoping that fuel prices level out and hopefully drop soon.

Lee.
 
G
#8 ·
..... Here's to hoping that fuel prices level out and hopefully drop soon.

Lee.
No sign of that yet Lee but I did note a few true words on Top Gear last week that driving style makes a huge difference to your effective cost per kilometre. I can get anywhere between 45 and 65 mpg equivalent by being heavy or light footed and even at 1.40 euros a litre the financial incentive is not there to pussyfoot around all the time, sometimes one just has to show the young @sshole in the flash job just how fast a diesel goes these days. :eek:
 
#5 ·
3 course menu del dia, Menu of the day.
On the coast in the Port of Javea.
Huge amount of food.
Torpedo Roll, Garlic, Ali Oli
Salad, Soup Starter
Main Course, Fish, Chicken, Pork
Dessert, Fruit Salad
Wine, or Drink

Good quality food. 8 euros 50.

Always packed full of retirement people and spanish white collar workers

Where can you get this in the UK? Would be 3 times the price.
10m to the sea.

Fantastic.

Cant do it too often, as there is too much food.

The Menu Del Dia (the menu of the day) seems to be a spanish quirk, where most people eat a sound days food at lunch time.

The prices range on the coast from 7 to 10 euros and it stops you from needing to cook and cater for the day. Very good.
 
#11 ·
Hello everyone

I have a job offer for Malaga. That's why I'm assessing the cost of living of this area.

Would approx 1900 Euros a month be enough for a young lad's decent life AND generating some savings? After my first enquiries I highly doubt it. What you you think about it?
 
#13 ·
The employer is a worldwide IT-company, which is establishing a new office down there.

Coming from Switzerland I could earn here approx 4000 euros. So it's hard for me to believe, that life in Malaga would be half as expensive as in Switzerland, but it seems, that I could be wrong?
 
#14 · (Edited)
My son was a student in Montreux for 3 years, I found Switzerland very expensive, especialy eating out, Come down here for a weekend and find out for yourself, (A 2/3 course menu of the day includes wine & bread. 7-50 Euros!)
I can take you to a place on the front line,overlooking the Med. where you can buy a beer (30cl) or a freshly made coffee or a mineral water, price?, 1 Euro, glass of wine 1-60€.
 
#15 ·
Cost of Living

Hi Dizzy,

If you are coming to the Costa Brava you can add quite a bit to the cost of living given here. There are also summer and winter prices.

Aiguafreda is beautiful. You haven't just bought the 5 Million € house have you? :)

I live in Begur. The newspapers are reporting that 6 million car journeys will be taken this weekend. I think about one million of those have headed to Begur.

If you need some local information let me just ask.

Cheers

Barry
 
#265 ·
Wow
Hi Dizzy,

If you are coming to the Costa Brava you can add quite a bit to the cost of living given here. There are also summer and winter prices.

Aiguafreda is beautiful. You haven't just bought the 5 Million € house have you? :)

I live in Begur. The newspapers are reporting that 6 million car journeys will be taken this weekend. I think about one million of those have headed to Begur.

If you need some local information let me just ask.

Cheers

Barry
wow..5 million,,where is that at,,l'm looking for a small estate, finca, cortijo,,land to build with land,,any ideas...
 
#17 ·
Hi there,
my wife and i are comeing out on an inspection trip on the 21st august 08.

We are thinkink about moveing out lock stock and barrel to Northern Spain (javea/ Denia area) can you tell us about the weather, the local people, way of liveing and also cost. This would be great if you could shed some light on this.
Kind regards
Danny
 
#19 ·
Hmmm reading your responses about the young lady who has asked whether $1,900 would be enough or not, I am getting worried about the offer I received.

I am offered €2,050/mo. after all taxes in Madrid. I suppose there's no way I am going to be able to afford living alone comfortably in a 1 bedroom apartment after being used to earning $4,850/mo. in Washington DC which appears to be cheaper than Madrid.

I am 24, male, drink a lot of wine ( :) ), social smoker...

Also, does anyone have an idea how much pool memberships cost?
 
#20 ·
Flora €2.90
Calcium Milk €0.90 - 1.25 lit
Skimmed milk €0.84 lit
Coriander €1.15
Orange juice €1.19 lit
Peach juice €1.65 lit
Yoghurts 0% €0.80
Onions €0.59 kg
Pasta (Tricolour) €2.00 kg
Coca cola €0.45 per can
Spaghetti €1.05 kg
Tinned Sardines €0.74
Mineral water €1.94 8 lit
Oven chips €1.20
Coffee Beans €7.84 kg
Mixed fresh salad €1.94 300g
Pistaco nuts €3.00 500 g
Toilet rolls €6.50 (24)
Mayonaisse €0.92 450 g
Eggs €1.15 (12)
Gin (Larios) €10.45 lit
Mahou beer €9.66 (24 cans)
Sugar €0.85
Aluminium Foil 50m €2.35
Clingfilm (50m) €4.35

Mixture from Carrefour, Mercadona & Eroski
 
#22 · (Edited)
Update 4 November 2008

Rent - 3 bed 2 balcony piso in Aiguafreda (50k north Barca) 500EU per month + tax. + 40% of outgoings

Carrefour Shopping List
Weetabix 2.65
Dozen eggs 1.29
Gin Old Thames 700ml 4.25
Nescafe coffee 200gr x 2 9.65
Peach Juice 1lt 0.53
Ketchup 560gr 0.92
Tuna 260gr 2.40
Honey 1kg 3.79
Margarine 500gr 0.75
Bacon Rashers 700g 5.00
Sangre de Torro Wine 4.00
Bread 1kg Toasting 1.24
Cupasoup 4pack 1.10
Cornflour 285gr 0.48
Iceberg Lettuce 0.69
Tissues pack 100 0.89
Fresh Bread 1kg 2.29
Milk Full Cream UHT 1.5lt 1.49
Spaghetti 700gr 0.75
Tonic Water 6 x 200ml (to go with the gin) 1.14
Dijon Mustard 200ml 2.30
Tomato Paste Tetra Brick 390gr 0.38
Yoghurt 16pack individual danone brand 2.99

Local Supermarket

Bag crossants 1.00
Apples x 5 Royal Gala 2.65kg
Blood Plums x 5 2.95kg

some things are cheap - others are not. It all comes out in the wash. My fortnightly shop for 4 people has been around 120EU - but i do get free mushrooms from the mountains, chestnuts too, and the occassional wholesale meat order from work.
 
#25 · (Edited)
So how are people managing now ( Pension wise) with the downturn of the Euro/Pound,

BBC today tried to make a massive issue on Pensioners running for the UK hills as they can no longer afford to live out there. typical news media.:rolleyes:
I think the BBC were on this forum a week or so ago looking for people who were struggling to make ends meet here and wanting to go back - that in itself tell me that the conclusion and the story was decided by the media and not by the reality. They could have asked for people who were doing well out here and they'd have got responses and made their programme about that - but all the british media ever do is "doom and gloom" - I hate them, they're biased and they make what they report happen!

I KNOW there are alot of folk who are finding the euro/pound thing a pain, me included but the media seem to enjoy "bigging" it up and making it worse. I dont believe running back to the UK would be a cheaper option tho!

Jo
 
#28 ·
Just to give you an idea of how inexpensive transport is - Fuengirola - Málaga by train 45 minutes just 2,60 euros (By bus it's 50 minutes and just 1,70)

Barajas to the centre of Madrid - just 1,60 (?) (Compare that with the Heathrow/Gatwick/Stansted Express)


Another GREAT offer that is overlooked and NOT promoted well is the www.alsa.es "tarifa plana" for one week/fortnight/month. For just 99 euros you can get UNLIMTED travel on their buses/coaches. When you consider that Málaga - Barcelona is 135 euros return you can see what fantastic value it is - this week I am doing Málaga-Murcia-Torrevieja-Valencia-Barcelona-Torrevieja-Alicante-Málaga .....all for 99 euros!!
 
#29 ·
I read a friend's paper today Daily Express 50p whereas I pay 1,10 euro for my daily here. Almost exacttly twice as much in Spain,

I thought about a new laptop for Christmas and they are wayyyyyyyyyyyyy cheaper in the UK.

So, lower salaries but two more examples of products that are cheaper in the UK.

Don't get me started on internet charges here!
 
#31 ·
buying a pre paid cell phone

Hello we are staying in Spain for the month of feb arriving from Canada and would like to know if the grocery costs you posted are todays prices and is it possible to buy a very inexpensive pre paid cell phone any info would be gratefull, we are staying near the town of Mijas. regards Michael.
 
#33 ·
cost of living etc

Thank you Steve for your very quick responce i have been told that the weather in Feb is quite mild approx 18c so i plan to play a bit of golf while i am in Spain much to my wifes objection so i am planning to take my clubs with me and as all prices have gone crazy its difficult to know how to budjet for the month we are going to be staying, so my question to you is what is a round of golf going to set me back beer included ,also the basic cost of gas ( petrol) Once again kind regards Michael
 
#34 ·
#40 · (Edited)
Well for start you'll almost certainly find that ALL you'll be offered is THIRD PARTY ONLY, because it's over five years old.

You may be offered Fire/Theft/Glass - but comp very very unlikely - and if it is will have a HUGE excess or be silly expensive.

The price will depend where you are located - and can vary HUGELY. For this reason many Spaniards keep a rustic address as their primary one rather than where they actually live - it affects insurance/tax. Also which engine? - Insurance is cc dependant - NCD? - some companies will honour them - others will not!. Also your age and sex.

My recent experience of insurance here is that it is COMMON for one company to "suddenly" have an offer for one marque or even model - where the price drops by 50-60%. 10 years ago it was NOT the case - prices were more or less the same across the board. I halved teh insurance on one of the bikes this year.

Tends NOT to apply to old cars though. This often in cahoots with a manufacturer. And as they desperately want to sell new cars due to the recent 50% drop in sales - I think we'll see more of this.

At a guess we'd be looking at 350-450Euros TPFT for a car like that. But we're in Madrid which is NOT a cheap area. Spanish built cars are generally MUCH cheaper to ensure. Take into account that here they generally insure the CAR not the Driver. So a car is not only insured for you but generally also so are others.
 
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