how much do you need to live on in spain

OK maybe I live like the Queen of England or something but I do not understand for the life of me how anyone could live in Spain on a 1000 a month even after spending only 450 on rent (mine is 660) after bills it doesn't leave you much. As suemac put it 280 a month is 70 a week, 56 a week on a 5 week month, minus an evening out (not several) means you have perhaps as little as 40€. I don't anyone who can live on 40€ a week food much less everything else (execpt that one evening out a week). And don't forget being British means you pay higher prices for the privalige of speaking English.

Just this week (and the week ain't over) I've gone through close to 250€, 75 for a hair cuts (English lady a treat I know) 40€ gas for the car, 40€ small shopping, 35€ (2 bottles of wine, and a small birthday present), Starbucks and lunch at McDonalds (occational treat) and a few misc things. So that would leave me 50 for the balance of the month

Most couples I know need two incomes to survive, and don't forget spanish kids live at home till age 30 or more, so 1000€ a month is 100% disposable income or 5 times what some people live on.

As far as I'm concered no one can live on 1000 a month

Wow ! What a great thread! I have gleaned so much info-my pension is between 1800 and 2000 Euro  monthly ,depending on the exchange, and our mortgage is reasonably cheap at  232 euro. Most of the budgets I have worked out are allowing for 400-500 for food and entertainment and by what I have read here that is more then adequate for "cafe con leche's' and a few brews on the beach.  We should have some left for savings as well. You have been amazingly helpful and reassuring. thank you so much!

Rob in Madrid, I can see from your post how you get through that sort of money - Starbucks, McDonalds.  You sound as if you're living in Madrid (more expensive anyway), as you would in the UK.  And what sort of wine costs that much?  When I go out to eat (lunch 2/3 times a week, included in my budget), I eat as the Spanish do, a Menu del Dia.  I live inland so it's cheaper than the coast.  I don't have a car, so that's one big expense spared, but I do have a mortgage.  I can't speak English where I am, because no-one would understand - no greater incentive for improving your Spanish.

I thought about it for a while and your correct, if you can live on 1500 pounds a month in the UK you shouldn't have a problem living in spain on the same, particularly as you coming when the exchagne rate is weak, somethings are cheaper some things are more expensive. Still I find it hard to believe that someone could live on 300 a month (net after rent/mortgage and bills etc) but I do know people that do that

off topic but kathym, don't you find it lonely not having any English speakers around, it's one thing to get around in Spanish, day to day things, it's a total different thing to communicate at the friend level. Even up here in Madrid I am mostly surrounded by English speaking people.

We actually have no income of any kind whatsoever , & live off of capital. Our total outgoings are less than 3k€'s for the year not including diesel, food & cigarettes, which can be as little or as much as we want. No one here speaks English either , & we didn't speak spanish when we first arrived ! I speak most of my english to two of our dogs & the 3rd only understands spanish . You can spend as much or as little as you want , it just depends on the people. I never had to worry about what I spent in the UK  but then again if I'd continued there I probably wouldn't be here today. A large % of Murcian are mileuristas ,or less , but there are plenty more with a bottomless pit !  I wouldn't mind 200€ 's a month as ' spending money '. Roll on a pension, but that's a long way off, if ever !

I agree with most of what people have said, but 1000/month is a bit tight and leaves nothing for emergencies, like when the fridge or the TV need repair or worse have to be replaced

Rob in Madrid:  Starbucks and lunch at McDonalds (occational treat)

Jeez, Rob! We stroll around Madrid every few weeks and have a coffee/tinto in one of the innumerable wonderful & elegant bars and usually an inexpensive menu de dia in one of the innumerable restaurants. Anyone famliar with Spain can imagine.

And you call coffee at Starbucks and lunch in MacDonalds a treat???

I mentioned previously that we spend around 1000 euros per month on just the essentials.  If we owned our property, the mortgage would be significantly more than the rental amount.  We pay 500 euros per month, but the landlord's mortgage is 750 euros per month.  He also has to pay IBI and community fees.

So if we were a property owner, we'd need a lot more than 1000 euros per month.

sanchez some people who have mortgages pay less than you pay in rent it all depends on circumstance alot of older people who retire to spain own their properties outright  so €1000 for a couple like that is not a unreasonable amount .others have income from a rented property in the uk to offset that expence its all about circumstance.

One's piece of string can be as long as one wants it to be.    OH and I  live very comfortably on around €1500 a month.  That includes all household bills and taxes (but no children, dogs, mortgage, aircon or swimming pool). 

It is of course much easier to live cheaply when you don't have to go to work.  I spend less per year on clothes and shoes now than I did per month when I was working, and cook fresh food every day rather than eating out or buying ready-prepared stuff.

 This is an interesting article i dont particulary have an opinion it was just interesting to read some of the comments

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-1357315/Thousands-pensioners-flee-Spain-retirement-dreams-sour.html

Rod

Would not have said it was interesting,more like a load of rubbish, obviously the Daily Mail are struggling for stories, perhaps they will do an article on those that live in Spain and have no intention of returning to the UK........but that would not be sensationalism and sell papers would it.

 Personally I think Euros 800 plus any mortgage cost would would provide a comfortable standard of living provided you didn't eat out excessively. Some folks maybe able to survive on less, it all depends on what other activities you do and any related costs associated to them.

Re the Daily Mail article.  If you can't manage on your income in Spain, I can't imagine how you'd manage in the UK.  For starters, Council tax per month is more in most cases than the annual equivalent here.  I know people who've got back to the UK who are now living in poverty and wishing they'd never moved back.  I certainly couldn't afford to - even if I wanted to!

JazII, I agree with you estimate of what would give you a reasonable standard of living in Spain.

Kathy

 Here are the monthly costs for the UK (northwest)

Montlhy Costs

Average Rent 3 Bedroom House - £575

Council Tax - £130

Water - £50

Elec + Gas - £175

Phone & Broadband - £50

Thanks, ramchip.  I think that should knock any arguments on the head!  At the end of the day, we all have different lifestyles, and one person´s necessities (does anybody else drink vino?) may be another person's inessentials.  However I think I am safe in saying that whatever you need to live on in Spain will be less than you would need to live on in the UK.  John and I are in fact a lot better off here, as we moved from London to inland Murcia, but even when we spend a few days away in a Spanish city we find that costs are a lot lower than they are when we return to London to see our families. (That is why we encourage our families to visit us here rather than the other way round!)

Sue

The Daily Mail is a joke paper, the puzles are good but the rest of it is fantasy, you are better infornmed in the Dandy and Harry Potter is more believable that the Mail

haydngj

18 Feb 2011 19:04

The Daily Mail is a joke paper, the puzles are good but the rest of it is fantasy, you are better infornmed in the Dandy and Harry Potter is more believable that the Mail

suemac you are so right i took my kids up to london yesturday we went to the national gallery (free) then on to hamleys and a trip on the london eye we had burger king for lunch and also stopped in starbucks for coffee it cost over £20 for 4 burgers chips and a drink each in bk and £16 odd in starbucks for a drink each and a muffin  for that amount in spain we could of had menu del dia each,the eye was £56 and the train was £25 for the 40 minute off peak trip.we went to mundo mar (with discount leaflet) and spent the whole day there for less than the eye ride which lasted 30 mins and it was misty couldn't even see greenwhich park and could only just make out the chimneys of the battersea power station.all things considered i would rather spend my time in spain only the work situation and the mrs stopped us being there full time