andyrich666

amazon will knock that on the head, so many things used to cost so much, our business for instance, we buy direct for Dell for peanuts for volume, we could never do that without a internet presence, I still feel Spain and other EU countries are 2/3 years behind the UK on that, once that is established more, prices will come down on such items.

whether they allow Amazon too kill the high street is another issue, but its one forces down further cost of living

Lynn R

A great deal of the privations described in the article relate to the fact that the working age population is suffering badly, though, because of unemployment and wage cuts, whilst:-

"As a result of high unemployment and wage cuts, retirees have been the section of society that has best weathered the storm, often helping out other members of the extended family.

Average spending for this group was up 0.8 percent at 25,817 euros last year, while the budget for families where the head of the household was in work fell 4 percent to 32,005 euros. In the case of families where the head of the household is unemployed, spending fell by 2.8 percent to 19,152 euro"

The vast majority of British people thinking of moving to Spain are the retired and early retired, and they will not find it as difficult. After all, is not the cost of living in the UK rising by the day also? And probably everywhere else in Europe too.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...n-in-2005.html

jackytoo

It does say in the Spanish article that

Electricity cost 254 euros more, a rise of 52 percent, while spending on transport has risen by 31 euros, or 47 percent. Spending on attending university has climbed 23 percent, while outlays on technical training have risen by 36 percent. Part of that might be explained by the fact that students are deciding to remain in education due to a lack of job opportunities, given the parlous state of the labor market.

I also noticed when we were there that petrol was €1.54. Funny, Spanish fora are always saying things have gone up but expat ones claim things have gone down

Seems by most posts the most important decision to stay in Spain is the fact hey can drink themselves silly on €2 plonk

pete_l

That's very true (and the crime rate is another one )

I think that if we were all being totally honest with ourselves , the answer is simply that we came to Spain on holiday and associate the country with easy, carefree living and sunshine and THAT's the reason we came - the only reason. All the other stuff is just rationalisation.

Lynn R

It does indeed say that the cost of electricity has increased by 52% over 5 years. However, in the same period the average dual fuel bills in the UK increased by 65%:-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/financial...ld-energy.html

Transport costs? Look at the graphs in this article to see how much rail fares have increased for commuters in the UK (ie millions of people) since 2008:-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datab...ommuter-routes

You can't take price rises in Spain in isolation as though the cost of everything in the UK is remaining static - it most certainly is not.

Lynn R

But there are plenty of places I had been to on holiday and enjoyed, complete with sunshine, and whether they might be cheaper or not I could never have contemplated living there.

cricketman

According to this survey, Spanish pensioners and working households have a lot money that British pensioners and working households

The average pensioner household in the UK has less than 20k euros income, which Spanish pensioners spend 26k euros per year

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/p...ng-harder.html

While the average UK household spends 23k euros per year, a Spanish working household spends 32k euros

So either Spaniards are much richer than Brits, or there is something wrong with the survey

To me, it actually make sense that the average Spanish pensioner is richer than the average British pensioner, but I am surprised about the working household data

Mitzyboy

Presently South Birmibngham, but that will be changing soon :-)

Well, you say that but people in Spain on different forums have been saying its about the same (in certain areas) for ages.

As I'm always told when I mention council tax ..... "council tax isn't everything". There's a lot that's more expensive in Spain than the UK.

You have to take a broad point of view. In the CB North we were careful about where we shopped and what we bought. We kept our costs down. In the UK we follow the same line now, and we go to Aldi / Lidl before we do the Asda thing :-) I wouldn't say its cheaper at all to be in the UK now, but I wouldn't say that the gap is as huge as many seem to think (and that included me, until I had up to date experience of both economies).

And I'm sorry to break this to you all. I know it's hard to take .... but the UK isn't the crap horrid crime ridden place that some seem to be intent on saying it is. .

andyrich666

I have always been of the belief that if you have a country with a area such as Real Canada which the UK has the mirror of say Jaywick, then if such poverty exists and people can live it proves without any doubt 100% that the cost of living must be cheaper, it just depends how you choose to live.

Rosemary

Never heard of it!!!!!!!

Rosemary

Mitzyboy

Its very close to Birmingham

stuboy

Sorry Andy I don't get this logic.

Dick Dasterdly

As you describe it, quite a lot wrong with the survey.

Average UK household compared to average Spanish WORKING household.

Obviously the Spanish NON working households of which I imagine there must be many in these troubled times, appear to have been left out of your equation ?????

Statistics, statistics.............

jackytoo

Well you could have fooled me. Hardly ever seen a prosperous looking pensioner in Spain. They hang around the streets with nothing to do, the women in their pinafore dresses from the market In the UK the country Inns and restaurants are full of well-dressed pensioners having lunch, they also join golf clubs, go to the theatre. Holidays are cruises etc. Infact they re all over the place!

jimenato

Where are you reading that?