02 Nov 2025 8:09 PM:
Not exactly hidden expenses as you'd pay them anywhere. If you are buying a property to live permanently, there wlll be 10% transfer tax on the price. You will also be liable for Spanish income tax on all world wide income and mine is about 3% more than I'd pay in UK for the same income.
Council tax, well someone must either have a cheap one in UK or an expensive one here. My IBI for a 3 bed semi detached has just gone to 258 euro a year plus the 120 euro waste collection tax so 378 euro a year (rather less than 50% that the £2,137 a year my 3 bed house in UK has just gone up to). Average water rates in UK are now between 40 and 74 pounds a month whereas mine here is 55 euro per quarter. Average gas/electric bill in UK is now about £145 a month in UK, here my bill is always less than 60 euro a month although more expensive at 90 euro a month in Summers like we've just had with the aircon. My daughter, who has just visited, says she pays almost £400 a month in domestic fuel, water and council tax per month. Mine here is around £85 a month. (council tax and waste collection at €31.50 a month, water at just over €18 a month and €60 a month electric - we don't have gas).
The big thing would be if you lived on a community and your community fees will depend on the facilities offered such as swimming pools, gardens, lights, lifts and so on. This can vary greatly from about 200 euro a year (one community near us is just 180 euro a year but only has one pool) and another with lifts, tennis courts and so on are over 1000 euro a year. Mine, where we have electric gates, extensive gardens, 3 main pools and 3 children pools costs us 180 a quarter so 720 a year which pushes the prices up. My €85 a month goes up to €140 a month with community charges but we get quite a lot for our money. That 140 a month is less than the council charge in UK which would be over 210 quid a month with 10 payments a year.
Shopping depends on where you shop and what you buy. Many things are cheaper but others more expensive. Ours comes to a little less than it would in UK but not much. Alcohol much cheaper as there is no duty but only the equivalent of VAT. Petrol prices are cheaper (just filled mine up at 1.35 litre which was £1.15 but, due to the pound collapsing once again, would now be near £1.20 a litre. Yes, the big stations like BP, Repsol and so on are a lot more expensive but there are plenty of cheaper ones around.
If renting, the owner of the house would be responsible for the council tax (IBI) which will be reflected in the rental. Rents have gone up like they have everywhere but depends where you buy.
This message was last edited by mariedav on 11/2/2025.
Thread:
What Are the Hidden Costs?
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