Costa Lifestyle
Life here on the Costa del Sol is very relaxed and everything happens at a much slower pace than in the UK. The word “mañana” is certainly much in use here. People love to take their Siesta and in the evening there is a lively atmosphere in the streets, on the many terraces and on the Paseo (coastal boulevard).
There are many fiestas which really bring out the best of Spanish Life: whole
families join the festivities and everybody just enjoys the beautiful sunshine,
the goodness of a lovely Paella and the warmth of the Spanish Life.
It can get very busy at these Fiestas. Roads are blocked off and everybody goes a bit (?) crazy. But when you join in on the festivities, you so much realize that you have come to a very good place…
Nothing is urgent here and sometimes that is a bit difficult to adjust to (like when you have to deal with Telefonica; you will get to know them when you live here and have to get a new telephone line installed). But after all we all come here to enjoy life and to escape the mad rat race at home. A nice glass of wine on a little terrace and life is just beautiful!
You can get Sky TV here, you can still watch Eastenders (just in case anything happens?), you can get practically all of your English shopping in Iceland, you can get English beer, watch soccer matches…
However, with all the surrounding beauty it will be difficult to stay indoors and glued to the TV. There is so much to see. You can go into a big town like Malaga or Marbella and just enjoy the hustle and bustle of Mediterranean life. In Marbella, once you go off the main street, into the maze of small little streets or alleyways, you find yourself surrounded by the authenticity of Spanish life as it used to be everywhere many years ago.
A fantastic place to see is Marbella old town. Spanish and non-Spanish alike flood the little romantic streets filled with laughter and happiness. In many places, these cozy little streets are paved with marble and pebbles. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants which offer drinks, mouth watering tapas or full blown menus. You can have a drink and a tapas on a little terrace and watch the world go by…
The focal point of Marbella Old Town is Orange Square (Plaza de Las
Naranjas). There are many restaurants and cafes surrounding this square
and it is a place where people meet and have a good chat over a glass of
wine or a café con leche (Spanish Cappuccino?).
Malaga is less touristical than Marbella and shows much more the everyday Spanish way of life. People are in general less wealthy but they really show a pride in their town and in their Spanish heritance. Malaga also has an old town with a lovely cathedral and the typical winding little streets. Many terraces and bars offer great drinks and food and there is really a lovely atmosphere.
Going further inland, away from the busy towns, you can find peace and quiet in the mountains or in one of the many white washed villages which are so typical for Andalucia.
Now and then you can hear a Donkey complain about his daily life or a Spanish shout for something you cannot understand but it does sound serious.
You can of course also take a train and visit Cordoba, Granada or Seville just to name a few world renowned places which are all a few hours train ride (or car ride) away.
Shopping is cheaper than in the UK and there are plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit available in the supermarkets or in the many outdoor markets. There is a large selection of fresh fish in the Spanish supermarkets and there are also fish markets where you can get a fantastic selection of fresh fish for your Paella.
Spanish people love family and children. They enjoy life and spend a lot of time together going to the beach or having a family picnic. Costa Bars Spain Buyers Guide www.costabarsspain.com Page 27 of 31 The beautiful weather and the warm temperatures do attract a lot of people who decide to relocate here. The weather is dry and warm, there is a lot of sunshine, nice breezes (sometimes quite strong), and it is just a beautiful and healthy place to be.
In summary, the Costa del Sol offers a better quality of life, in a healthy sunny climate.
Accommodation
There is plenty of accommodation available at very reasonable prices, far lower than in the UK.
Costa Bars Spain will be happy to help you relocate to Spain and find you a nice place to live.
We recommend that you first find the Business you want to buy and then
look for accommodation nearby. This will make life much easier for you as
you could maybe live within walking distance of your new Business.
The average price for a good quality rental apartment is 600 € per month. There are plenty of apartments for rent in various locations. A lot of apartments have a nice Terrace and offer lovely views.
Or you can decide to move further inland where you can rent a villa for about the same price. You might have donkeys in your backyard and no neighbors in sight…heaven.
You can choose between an apartment, townhouse or villa and live either on the coast, inland in the mountains or anywhere in between.
The rental contract is usually for 11 months and, if both parties are happy, can easily be renewed. Landlords usually request a 2 month security deposit and the first month’s rent upfront.
Healthcare
When you pay Social Security you will enjoy free healthcare. Spain has quality healthcare within reach of everybody. Hospitals are nice and clean, doctors and nursing staff are normally speaking pretty good English and the care itself is of a high standard.
There is also the popular “Helicopteros Sanitarios” (http://www.helicopterossanitarios.com/) which is a service you can subscribe to (about 350 € per year for a couple) which gives you a doctor on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week. They also provide emergency transport to hospital if necessary.
Schools
When you are paying Social Security, your children can go to a Spanish state
school for free. The education is of good quality and the added advantage is
that your children will become fluent in Spanish very quickly and will be able
to integrate very easily into the Spanish community. Children are very
flexible and you will be amazed how quickly they can pick up a foreign
language which for us is quite hard to learn.
You can also send your children to a private international school. They are many British schools which follow the regular British Curriculum and which offer good quality education. The cost per child is on average about 5000€ per year.
If you want to have more information on Schools or would like to talk to someone about Schools here in Spain, please feel free to contact the Costa Bars Spain Team. They have the experience of having their children attend either Spanish Schools or Private Schools.
Cost of Living
Since the Exchange Rate collapsed, it is very hard to compare the cost of
living on the Costa del Sol with the cost in the UK. Previously, before the bog
drop in the Exchange Rate, the cost of living here was about 30% below the
cost of living in the UK.
At the moment, the cost of living is still lower here. Especially where fresh vegetables, fruits, alcoholic drinks (especially Spanish drinks like wine and sherry) and toiletries are concerned. But you have to shop in the right places. Some Spanish Supermarkets (like Mercadona) are definitely cheaper than the international ones or some other more exclusive Supermarkets like El Corte Inglēs. You also have a great choice of outdoor markets where beautifully colored fresh vegetables and mouthwatering fruit are on offer at very reasonable prices.
Pets
Many people hesitate to relocate to Spain because they do not know whether they can bring their pets or not. They are worried that their pets will not be allowed to travel at all or that they will need to go in quarantine for an extended period of time and of course there is the cost associated with this.
Let me put your minds at rest. There is no problem bringing your pet. Your pet will need to undergo a bloodtest and vaccination. Once this is done, a “pet passport” will be issued which allows travel anywhere in the EU. The vaccination needs to be performed six weeks before coming to Spain. The best thing is to contact your local vet for exact procedure and price.
There are also plenty of kennels here in case you need to travel from here back to the UK or you need temporary accommodation for your pets for whatever reason.
So to all the pets…Welcome to Spain!
Cars
Insurance
You can drive your UK registered car in Spain provided you have a “green
card” on your insurance. Normally “green cards” are only valid for a certain
amount of time. If you wish to have a “permanent green card” you can
obtain this from some companies in Spain so that your UK registered car can
be insured in Spain for an unlimited time.
You can either reach Spain by crossing the Channel to Calais in France by Ferry or by the Chunnel. There are also ferries from the UK to other parts of France. In addition, you can take a Ferry from Plymouth to Santander on the lovely Avon Ferry (state of the art Ferry).
Driver’s License
EU citizens
- Non-Resident in Spain
You can legally drive a car in Spain with your EU Driver’s License. Your UK License (if a photo card license) is an EU Driver’s License.
- Resident in Spain
You can either have your EU Driver’s License stamped or you have to exchange it for a Spanish driver’s License.
Non-EU Citizens
If you are a non-EU citizen, you have to apply for a Spanish Driver’s License. Dependent on your citizenship, you might be allowed to drive here on your home country’s Driver’s License for up to a year.
If you are from the US, a separate agreement with each state has been made with Spain and it will depend on this agreement how long you can use your own Driver’s License for.
