cost of living in the sun

[bevgt]

How is the cost of living in the sun now effecting all you ex pats living in beautiful puerto pollensa,We have noticed over the years food prices increase to more or less the same as home.but does that mean to that your gas .electric, water rates have also shot up,or is it still cheaper to live in the sun.

 

[Deanscroft]

I have lived here permanently for three years and have now come to the opinion that taking everything into account the cost of living in PP is now about the same as the UK. This does depend on living here truely meaning living here ie being a resident and declaring for tax in Spain rather than the uk. By doing this you get a better income tax personal allowance than in the UK and don´t pay the property owners imputed income tax. When you add these to the considerable saving on `rates´ then it just about cancels out the higher cost of just about everything else.

 

[bevgt]

Really wanted you to say its so cheap so I could dream a little longer of living in the sun.Are you enjoying living there Deanscroft and do you feel you made the right choice.

 

[Sparky]

We have been here for nearly two years and have to disagree with Deanscroft, we are finding it much cheaper. Yes of course somethings are more expensive ie :- internet and of course if you buy english products, we have found the spanish equivalents to be as good if not better at often half the price we paid in the UK.

I suppose you have to take into account the fact that we came from Devon and paid the highest water charges in the country, plus food and drink cost more because of the "transportation costs" or at least that was always the excuse. As you will know Devon/Cornwall are tourist areas and i used to get quite angry with holiday makers who were convinced the prices were higher for them, they would not accept that our cost of living was higher than theirs and that our average wage was lower than theirs .

 

[susiejb]

That is interesting Sparky and encouraging too for those like us who live in a constant 'shall we ......shan't we' twilight world

 

[Sparky]

Susie i can and only do ever speak from our own personal experience, we all choose our own path.......for us it works out cheaper....it just depends on what you want out of living here in this beautiful place.
We are living our dream.

 

[bevgt]

Thank you Sparky, my cousins live in Devon and I was shocked when they told me how much there water rates are and how expensive it is to live in Devon.
My husband plays alot of competitive bowls and thats the only thing that seems to be missing for him if he couldnt play his favourite sport,will have to try and convince him to take up golf.

 

[Deanscroft]

All else being equal which would you rather do -

Wake up most mornings looking at a bright blue sky and rarely have to wear a coat
or
Spend your time sitting in a traffic jam watching the drizzle fall from the grey sky onto the grey land.

??????????????

 

[debz1]

All else being equal which would you rather do -

Wake up most mornings looking at a bright blue sky and rarely have to wear a coat
or
Spend your time sitting in a traffic jam watching the drizzle fall from the grey sky onto the grey land.

??????????????

Answers on a postcard written whilst lounging on a sunbed in Formentor with a cold beer in your hand!

 

[Sparky]

No contest....even when the weather is dreadful PP wins hands down.

 

[lollipop]

We currently live on about 1/5th of our income when in the UK. We don't eat out as often as we might like but we didn't in the Uk so no different, but when we do we use a variety of restaurants and take advantage of the MDD. As Sparky and Deanscroft said "No contest".

 

[Gommar Goffer]

Oh what the hell lollipop - you are on holiday..........oh no you are not....... is that one of the dangers? you feel like you are until reality and the bank balance kicks in

 

[lollipop]

We save our 'holidays' for when we have visitors and restrict at other times. You just have to treat life here as you would have done in the UK. Just a much nicer place to be and where in the UK would you get a 3course meal plus wine for €8 . Also sitting on the seafront or market square for coffee is so much more appealing than in the middle of a busy town.

 

[Sparky]

With you 100% lollipop, we met up with some friends (who are on holiday) yesterday, we always came for hols at the same time as them. We had a couple of drinks and told them that we were going home for a snack and siesta, they could not understand why . I suppose until you actually become true full time residents it must seem like it is a permanent holiday.

 

[Smiddy]

Sparky, Your idea of "a couple o' drinks" and mine don't equate No wonder you needed a siesta

 

[Sparky]

SSHH!! Smiddy, don't give away all my secrets, at least i have never gone through Jaime's cocktail list in one visit