What is it like to live in spain ?

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JillPinky

I am an ex pat from the U.K. who moved to Costa Blanca just over 3 years ago. The lifestyle is great, very relaxed. Where I live there is very little traffic hence, no traffic jams, plenty of free parking so that's a bonus. All the utilities and rates are a lot cheaper than the U.K. Employment is not easy to find and expect to get paid a lot less than you would in the U.K. Bureaucracy will drive you to distraction and you need loads of patience. There are no handouts here from the government, so you will need to pay into the system for things like health care and pensions. You can purchase a private health scheme (far cheaper here than in the U.K.). Of course, the weather is a bonus, here it is nearly year round sunshine. Although July and August can be very hot. From my point of view I would not return to the U.K. from choice, but I do not look at living in Spain through rose coloured glasses.

SunnyDays

The grass is not greener this side, its just different.....it all rests on what you want from living here and what you expect. If you are coming over with the intention of fully integrating and learning spanish, living away from the coast in a spanish town and doing as they do, then good luck to you, but if you are coming here to live in a british enclave to eat egg and chips, read the Sun and drink british beer and to moan about the price of Tetley T Bags, forget it, we have too many of those sorts here already!

chrissie

I love living here but there's pros and cons where ever you live. The crime rate is lower here than in the UK and there isn't any 'hangers-on', if you don't work and pay into their system then you get nothing out of it! Everyone has to work here.

Recovering from another session

I grew up in spain and think it is ace...

We moved to the costa del sol when i was 3 (20years ago), and we moved about a bit on the costa del sol, but not far from each prrevious abode.
I went to spanish schools till i went to college in england, and mostly loved it. Even when i was at college io used to go to visit family and friends every half term/end of term. I am currrently trying to buy a house on the costa calida-murcia region.
Obviously when we first moved there it was horrible not being able to speak the language or really understand much of what was going on....
but i loved the sun and the beaches, and all the friendly people....
i went on various trips while i was at school, we went to granada,almeria,nerja,we went on s kiying trip witht the school to the pyranees.
I also used to go with my family to th sierra nevada for skiying, and to the alpujarras to relax in the m ountains.
I often vcisited coin-the set of the bbc soap -El dorado, as my mum worked there.
I went to asturias for a long weekend with my boyfriend at the time, which was amazing, we drove the length of spain and then had such a great time in asturias, where they have a very diffrent way of drinking cider!!!
obviuosly I have visited gibralta many times, and have seen it change very much in the last 20 years, but then agaijn so has spain,
The areas i used to spend most my time in were getting less and less traditional and more and more aimed at 'the tourist' or the ex pats....
I learnt the language (and am fluent) and mixed with all nationalities, spanish,english,swedish,italia...
many british just try and stick to the british, and i dont think thats what you should do, but thats just my personal opinion.
anyway i think ive rattled on long enough
if you have any questions about spain, feel free to email me, if i can help i will :-)
xDebsh

Who is giving me thumbs down??....and why exactly?...i think my answer was perfectly reasonable!

Joan el guiri

I feel that I should clarify some of the points about living in Spain.

Flats in Barcelona are not all small. I bet that Ronaldinho does not live in a small flat.
You get what you pay for and, in general house prices are lower than in Britain.

As to being built of concrete. Of course concrete is used in construction and has been since Spain was part of the Roman Empire.

Pay is as good as in the UK if you have a a good qualification and speak Spanish.
In the UK, Chinese cockle pickers are not famed for their high wages and good working conditions.

Health care is excellent and often better than in the UK. I was unfortunate enough to need a doctor this week in Spain and was treated promptly, professionally and free. (OK there was a small prescription charge).

Spain is not like the UK. They do not appreciate health tourism. If you are an EU resident with the correct paperwork you will be treated free.

Living in Spain is great but if you do not speak Spanish, it can be difficult. Remember if you go to Spain you become a bloody foreigner.

Spaniards expect you to integrate. There is no multi-cultural Spain so do not expect to be liked if you slag the country off. They are also not politically correct so you will have to expect to have some great arguements.

sunlover

This is for Debsh.
I have lived here 17 years and agree with you. Don't know why you get thumbs down either. The only thing I can repeat which comes through on most answers, that you must expect lower wages and have to speak some of the language, not fluently maybe, but enough to help you in the doctor's for example or situations like this.
Don't want to go back either now. Still miss English thiings, but this is Spain, and the sooner people realise we are the foreigners not them, the better!!

Pat C

Do you mean the real Spain or the costa del England?

I lived in Barcelona for a year and a half and it was awesome, although the pay is terrible and the apartments are concrete and small. Just cause it's a place people go on hols doesn't mean you don't have to shop, clean the house and work like anywhere else in the world.

But, the weather's great, there's bucket loads of culture and cool festivals and it's awesome (as long as you can afford to enjoy it on a Spanish salary).

MrandMrs

I agree with many of the comments above. I moved to Spain almost 5 years ago, I do live on the Costa Blanca but fortunately am surrounded by mostly Spanish! I personally am not interested in being part of the "egg and chip" brigade! One thing not said is that if you are coming over and not working (jobs do not fall into your lap here) then you must be 100% sure you can live with your partner 24/7. I have seen several couples many of whom have been married for years, return to UK because they couldn't cope. Many were used to working in the UK and its totally different when you are together night and day! That said, we are both very happy here and our only regret is that we didn't do it years ago....

Ruth P

Good, the people are friendly, the weather good,cost of living and crime rate lower than many other European countries and the attitude to life relaxed and relatively stress free-

http://www.costadelsol-vacationrentals.com/live-in-spain.html

pmgled

Where are you looking to live? We live south costa blanca, life is great easy going relaxed but you must be willing to work and i meen do anything to get money, there are no such things as benefits, I have been through the thick and thin but i would never go back to the uk, please think seriously about what you want to do for work as it is not easy to find,most work here is in the property industry selling property, builders etc come over thinking they will get work easy but you must speak spanish, for the sales this is a very stressfull job as you are alway aiming at getting the sale or you have no money. Setting up business on your own is good but think it through properly, look into the tax system you pay autonomo which is a monthly payment even if you do not earn anything, then you pay quarterly tax and yearly tax which is classed as personal tax. You would be best renting for a while as we did just to ensur eit is for you and not blowing your money on a property as they are difficult to sell on.

Once you do have work and the stress of this is gone life is one hundred times better, it is a better life for the children etc.

BAr work waitressing etc is easy to come by, Sales jobs are easy to come by and if you are a teacher you may stand a chance with the international schools or set up doing private tuition with kids.

marinternational2000

It is good, if you are prepared to work full time, and don't
ever expect to fall on hard time's, be ill, etc, you will find the
Spanish system very different to the UK, the benefit's are nothing,
and you will find it hard to find work in some places, other than that it is nice country to live in.........

basquemactee

I live well away from the Southern brit part of Spain, in San Sebastian in the North, the Basque Country, so it's a little bit different here compared to the rest of Spain (if anyone mentions terrorism and ETA, then they should reading the papers and try listening to people that live there).

I moved here six years ago, and at first it was tough, as I didn't speak the language, but I am married to a lady from here so she helped me to integrate and learn Spanish. The first few months were to be honest hell as I couldn't communicate with anyone, but with perseverance I now have my reward. Although I only work in a bar, the locals respect me, and love the fact that a foreigner has integrated with THEM. OK, the salary has nothing to compare with the UK (less than half), BUT, when you can eat a 3 course meal of FRESH fish/meat and I do mean FRESH, fish caught midday, on your plate at 3pm, for less than 10 EUR, about Â£7.50), can have a real laugh and a joke with people who are genuinely emotional about things (my best mate told me loved me, at first I thought he was gay, but realised it's just how expressive the people are........thank god.....lol), can walk the streets with feeling like you're going to be mugged, enjoy sunshine, great music (check out the group Estopa if you get the chance), and can be genuinely open minded, then you will love it.
Sorry UK, this is HOME!!
Si vienes, que te disfrutes de lo que hay aqui!!
Aupa Euskadi!

Bom Chicka Wa Wa

im goin there for summer so ask again in a few months! hot and fun i hope!

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