| The Comments |
The poll results this week were what I expected. Thanks to everyone who left a comment but I thought it might be an idea to continue the conversation in a thread as it seemed to be a popular topic and of great interest to those who are considering moving to Spain.
The results for those who didn't take part and don't know were :
www.eyeonspain.com/blogs/macpoll/10142/POLL--Does-Spain-still-offer-a-low-cost-of-living.aspx
DOES SPAIN STILL OFFER A LOW COST OF LIVING?
YES : 69,99%
NO : 30,34%
I THINK THE FIGURES SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. I ALSO FOUND THIS RECENT COMPARISON TABLE WHICH IS COMPLIED BY USERS SHARING LOCAL PRICES AND COSTS OF LIVING. I RAN IT VIA SEVERAL OTHER TOWNS/CITIES IN THE UK AND VALENCIA ALWAYS CAME UP TOP...
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Consumer Prices in London are 32.83% higher than in Valencia
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Consumer Prices Including Rent in London are 76.05% higher than in Valencia
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Rent Prices in London are 235.90% higher than in Valencia
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Restaurant Prices in London are 35.09% higher than in Valencia
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Groceries Prices in London are 43.40% higher than in Valencia
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Local Purchasing Power in London is 2.90% lower than in Valencia
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Valencia
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London
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Difference
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Restaurants
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[Edit]
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[Edit]
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Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant
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9.00 €
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11.88 €
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+32.00 %
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Meal for 2, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course
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40.00 €
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59.40 €
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+48.50 %
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Combo Meal at McDonalds or Similar
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7.00 €
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5.94 €
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-15.14 %
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Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
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2.50 €
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4.16 €
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+66.32 %
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Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
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2.70 €
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4.16 €
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+54.00 %
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Cappuccino (regular)
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1.80 €
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2.97 €
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+65.00 %
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Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle)
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1.70 €
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1.40 €
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-17.54 %
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Water (0.33 liter bottle)
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1.17 €
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1.19 €
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+1.11 %
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Markets
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[Edit]
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[Edit]
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Milk (regular), 1 liter
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0.70 €
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1.18 €
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+68.02 %
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Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g)
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0.90 €
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1.19 €
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+32.00 %
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Rice (1kg)
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0.80 €
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1.65 €
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+106.42 %
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Eggs (12)
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1.60 €
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2.85 €
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+77.83 %
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Local Cheese (1kg)
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8.50 €
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8.67 €
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+2.03 %
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Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless), (1kg)
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6.25 €
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8.32 €
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+33.06 %
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Apples (1kg)
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1.50 €
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2.02 €
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+34.64 %
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Oranges (1kg)
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1.00 €
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1.84 €
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+84.15 %
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Tomato (1kg)
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2.00 €
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2.38 €
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+18.80 %
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Potato (1kg)
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0.75 €
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1.19 €
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+58.40 %
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Lettuce (1 head)
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1.00 €
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1.19 €
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+18.80 %
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Water (1.5 liter bottle)
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0.80 €
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1.19 €
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+48.50 %
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Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range)
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5.00 €
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8.32 €
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+66.32 %
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Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
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0.95 €
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1.78 €
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+87.58 %
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Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
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1.20 €
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1.66 €
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+38.60 %
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Pack of Cigarettes (Marlboro)
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4.50 €
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8.79 €
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+95.37 %
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Transportation
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[Edit]
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[Edit]
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One-way Ticket (Local Transport)
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1.75 €
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3.56 €
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+103.66 %
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Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
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43.30 €
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142.56 €
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+229.25 %
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Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
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4.00 €
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3.56 €
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-10.90 %
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Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)
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1.00 €
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3.32 €
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+232.19 %
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Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
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30.00 €
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59.40 €
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+98.01 %
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Gasoline (1 liter)
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1.50 €
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1.66 €
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+10.88 %
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Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car)
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22,000.00 €
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19,177.84 €
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-12.83 %
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Utilities (Monthly)
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[Edit]
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[Edit]
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Basic (Electricity, Heating, Water, Garbage) for 85m2 Apartment
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145.00 €
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190.44 €
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+31.34 %
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1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans)
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0.35 €
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0.24 €
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-32.11 %
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Internet (6 Mbps, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)
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40.00 €
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23.76 €
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-40.60 %
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Sports And Leisure
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[Edit]
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[Edit]
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Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult
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50.00 €
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65.34 €
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+30.68 %
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Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend)
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17.00 €
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10.69 €
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-37.10 %
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Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat
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8.50 €
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13.25 €
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+55.84 %
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Clothing And Shoes
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[Edit]
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[Edit]
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1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
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90.00 €
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71.28 €
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-20.80 %
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1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...)
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30.00 €
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35.64 €
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+18.80 %
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1 Pair of Nike Shoes
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86.50 €
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71.28 €
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-17.59 %
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1 Pair of Men Leather Shoes
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100.00 €
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83.16 €
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-16.84 %
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Rent Per Month
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[Edit]
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[Edit]
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Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre
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462.50 €
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1,663.25 €
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+259.62 %
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Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre
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306.08 €
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1,069.23 €
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+249.33 %
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Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre
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845.00 €
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2,970.09 €
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+251.49 %
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Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre
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650.00 €
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1,900.85 €
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+192.44 %
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Buy Apartment Price
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[Edit]
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[Edit]
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Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment in City Centre
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3,325.00 €
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9,504.27 €
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+185.84 %
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Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre
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1,800.00 €
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4,752.14 €
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+164.01 %
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Salaries And Financing
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[Edit]
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[Edit]
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Median Monthly Disposable Salary (After Tax)
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1,390.00 €
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2,376.07 €
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+70.94 %
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Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentanges (%), Yearly
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4.00
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4.50
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+12.50 %
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Last update
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May, 2013
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May, 2013
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Contributors (past 18 months)
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65
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501
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Currency: EUR
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This message was last edited by mac75 on 07/05/2013.
_______________________
A donde el corazón se inclina, el pie camina.
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You're now going to get tons of responses like "I got a meal in a cafe in Smallhampton-on-sea for £1.50 and they gave me a cup of tea with it" or "But Findus finest horseburgers cost 5 euros here and I can get them for 85p in my local CostCutters". So, to start off the protests, who pays €100 for a pair of shoes in Spain? (Just thought I'd get in quick before all those living in Camposol start on you.)
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Glad to oblige, Bobaol!
Why should Camposol have views that are different to anyone else? We are a mixture as I'm sure your area is.
If you put London prices, of course they will be sky high. Most of us live in/near small towns and villages so the Valencia prices are way out.You need to compare some where like Mazarron with Hitchin! Prices for clothes are way above what most people pay.
As for utilities most of UK uses gas for central heating, Spain uses more electricity hence large heating bills.
Cigarettes shouldn't feature in cost of living anyway!
Some of those items don't apply to us or are not used by us.
Nothing on cost of accountant, funeral insurance, security.insurances
When people add up what actually applies to them they may find the opposite to the survey findings or that there's not much between them
Agree about£100 shoes-9 euros off the market for me!
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Those who can afford it pay 100 euros for a pair of shoes. I suppose the ones that contributed to this survey like good shoes! :) I on one hand would rather by one pair of good shoes that a few pairs of crap shoes. So I would be one of those that would spend 80 - 100 euros on a pair of shoes, once a year!!
// If you put London prices, of course they will be sky high. Most of us live in/near small towns and villages so the Valencia prices are way out.You need to compare some where like Mazarron with Hitchin! Prices for clothes are way above what most people pay. //
It was more a case of choosing two Cities that everyone would know and could relate to. Sorry but I have no idea where Hitchin is... nor did the web site that offers the comparison details.. actually it didn't even know where Mazarron was. So I would just take this for what it's worth. A simple comparison of like for like products and services. The prices for clothes stated are what they cost here in Spain, if you don't buy those brands you obviously won't pay those prices, but if you want a pair of levi jeans you will have to fork out €90+.
If you are a smoker, cigarettes constitute a major part of your cost of living so I think it is logical that it should be included.
Anyway I looked up Hitchin and this was the closest comparison I could find for your interest... Cambridge - Alicante . It wouldn't have Murcia either... but it's much the same story and although the prices are an average no matter what you put in Spain is always cheaper on the whole.
You would need around 3,229.01£ (3,836.17€) in Cambridge to maintain
the same standard of life that you can have with 2,300.00€ in Alicante
(assuming you rent in both cities).
This calculation uses our Consumer Prices Including Rent Index.
| Indexes Difference |
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| Consumer Prices in Cambridge are 40.13% higher than in Alicante |
| Consumer Prices Including Rent in Cambridge are 66.79% higher than in Alicante |
| Rent Prices in Cambridge are 179.36% higher than in Alicante |
| Restaurant Prices in Cambridge are 67.68% higher than in Alicante |
| Groceries Prices in Cambridge are 68.19% higher than in Alicante |
| Local Purchasing Power in Cambridge is 68.81% higher than in Alicante |
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Alicante |
Cambridge |
Difference |
| [Edit] |
[Edit] |
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| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant |
9.00 € |
19.01 € |
+111.21 % |
| Meal for 2, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course |
30.00 € |
42.87 € |
+42.90 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonalds or Similar |
7.50 € |
5.93 € |
-20.96 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught) |
1.75 € |
4.04 € |
+130.82 % |
| Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) |
2.50 € |
4.16 € |
+66.32 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) |
1.50 € |
2.38 € |
+58.40 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle) |
1.20 € |
2.38 € |
+98.01 % |
| Water (0.33 liter bottle) |
1.00 € |
1.31 € |
+30.68 % |
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| [Edit] |
[Edit] |
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| Milk (regular), 1 liter |
0.90 € |
1.25 € |
+38.49 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) |
0.78 € |
1.19 € |
+53.29 % |
| Rice (1kg) |
1.50 € |
2.38 € |
+58.40 % |
| Eggs (12) |
1.45 € |
2.02 € |
+39.29 % |
| Local Cheese (1kg) |
8.12 € |
10.69 € |
+31.60 % |
| Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless), (1kg) |
6.00 € |
11.88 € |
+98.01 % |
| Apples (1kg) |
1.20 € |
1.96 € |
+63.35 % |
| Oranges (1kg) |
0.90 € |
1.43 € |
+58.40 % |
| Tomato (1kg) |
1.35 € |
2.38 € |
+76.01 % |
| Potato (1kg) |
0.80 € |
1.43 € |
+78.21 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) |
0.88 € |
0.83 € |
-5.76 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) |
0.55 € |
0.93 € |
+68.48 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
4.72 € |
9.50 € |
+101.15 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) |
0.85 € |
2.02 € |
+137.61 % |
| Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) |
1.30 € |
1.54 € |
+18.80 % |
| Pack of Cigarettes (Marlboro) |
4.30 € |
8.20 € |
+90.64 % |
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| [Edit] |
[Edit] |
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| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) |
1.40 € |
2.38 € |
+69.72 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) |
32.50 € |
47.52 € |
+46.22 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) |
3.50 € |
2.38 € |
-32.11 % |
| Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff) |
2.50 € |
2.20 € |
-12.09 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) |
10.00 € |
23.76 € |
+137.61 % |
| Gasoline (1 liter) |
1.40 € |
1.66 € |
+18.38 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) |
21,350.00 € |
22,629.08 € |
+5.99 % |
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| [Edit] |
[Edit] |
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| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Water, Garbage) for 85m2 Apartment |
110.00 € |
118.80 € |
+8.00 % |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans) |
0.18 € |
0.24 € |
+32.00 % |
| Internet (6 Mbps, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) |
32.50 € |
20.20 € |
-37.86 % |
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| [Edit] |
[Edit] |
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| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult |
45.00 € |
39.21 € |
-12.88 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) |
13.50 € |
11.88 € |
-12.00 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat |
7.05 € |
9.80 € |
+39.03 % |
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| [Edit] |
[Edit] |
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| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) |
69.50 € |
53.46 € |
-23.08 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) |
29.00 € |
28.51 € |
-1.68 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Shoes |
70.00 € |
77.22 € |
+10.32 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Shoes |
80.00 € |
58.21 € |
-27.23 % |
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| [Edit] |
[Edit] |
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| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre |
400.00 € |
1,182.09 € |
+195.52 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre |
300.00 € |
795.98 € |
+165.33 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre |
600.00 € |
1,603.85 € |
+167.31 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre |
450.00 € |
1,306.84 € |
+190.41 % |
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| [Edit] |
[Edit] |
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| Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment in City Centre |
1,760.00 € |
4,395.73 € |
+149.76 % |
| Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre |
1,100.00 € |
3,088.89 € |
+180.81 % |
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| [Edit] |
[Edit] |
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| Median Monthly Disposable Salary (After Tax) |
1,000.00 € |
2,815.64 € |
+181.56 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentanges (%), Yearly |
3.95 |
5.00 |
+26.58 % |
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| Last update |
April, 2013 |
April, 2013 |
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| Contributors (past 18 months) |
39 |
31 |
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| Currency: EUR |
_______________________
A donde el corazón se inclina, el pie camina.
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I think that's a better comparison. Valencia, however wonderful, is a regional city not a national capital. London is always going to come uo as ridiculously expensive. I'm impressed you dug up a second comparison :-). But in the end the majority of us are living DIFFERENT lives from that which we did live or wouuld be living in the UK. If still working, is it exactly the same work? Usually not. So most people are living here on less money, either because of retirement or a drop in earned income. But retirement brings additional costs - more time to play golf (if that's your thing), go out to lunch, drive around Spain, all of which costs more than sitting in an office. I voted "Cheaper here" because my monthly outgoings (including a share of annual insurances etc) are about €500 inc fuel. I know I couldn't live on that in England.
_______________________
Blog about settling into a village house in the Axarquía. http://www.eyeonspain.com/blogs/tamara.aspx
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Isn't it odd that Mcdonalds above all places is more expensive in Spain than the UK. Why would that be? Does it really cost that in the UK? I haven't been back for a while...
This message was last edited by eos_ian on 08/05/2013.
_______________________
Ian : EOS TEAM MEMBER
.jpeg)
www.eyeonspain.com/blogs/ianandspain.aspx
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As a scientist I'm always interested in numbers, stats, how things work (or don't) and found the comparisons interesting.
As others have said, if retired then it's possibly lower costs in Spain.
However rather than conparing prices compare minutes worked to earn an item or service. That will give you a better comparison than just comparing prices of items in different currenties.
Rossetti
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Quite a thorough cost breakdown Mac75, with just one flaw....
You are not comparing like for like. Cambridge is one of the most expensive cities in England and you are quoting locals prices in your friendly neighbourhood place with town centre prices in a historical university town.
To get a better comparison you need to look at spanish resort prices which are considerably higher. None of your prices for Spain bear any relevance whatsoever to what you would pay in a main town/resort.
Come on, a 3 course meal for 2, in a mid range restaurant for 30 euros? You'd pay more than that for 2 mains in a mid price restaurant in the costas. Good luck finding a 3 bed apartment in the centre of Marbella for 600 euros a month. The only 1.75 euro pint of beer you'd find round here is in a grotty hole during happy hour
When considering the cost of living you should also start factoring in the private health insurance which is now compulsory in order to get residencia. Also the price of housing should be updated to include the 8% taxes etc and complimentary taxes which are becoming more of a problem.
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I wouldn't say one flaw.. I would say it has a handful of flaws to be honest. The cost breakdown isn't mine I found it on a cost of living comparison website which is "compiled by/contributed" to by real people/expats living in these towns... so take it for what it's worth.
"Good luck finding a 3 bed apartment in the centre of Marbella for 600 euros a month"
that's funny I could have sworn I did the comparison with Alicante....
Good luck finding a 3 bed apartment in Madrid or Barcelona for 600 euros a month. Marbella is not your average town so I don't think anyone would expect to pay the same prices in Alicante as in Marbella.
The price of housing considers rental properties all taxes included.
At the end of the day the figures are averages so factor in a % of error if you think the prices are out, but some things cost the same all over Spain no matter where you live.
_______________________
A donde el corazón se inclina, el pie camina.
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