thunderflash

Hi !
Just have a few questions on my relocation choice and cost of living.
I am considering a move to either Galicia or Northern Portugal, the location has to be near the coast , as I have lived my whole life next to the Atlantic in West Cork.
I earn around 50000 euros after tax and my wife earns around 25000 part time, I would like to rent a nice place near the coast, and eventually build a small eco home once I find the right location, I am just wondering on the cost of living for a few things in 2017.

A big thing for me is I own 2 spanish mastiffs who are fed on a raw meat diet, just wondering is it possible to buy beef/lamb etc at a reasonable cost wholesale etc, as my dogs go through a lot of raw meat in a week around 15kg min, would anyone have an idea on the price of wholesale meat chicken/beef/venison in spain, a funny question but really important for me!

I would like to rent a place not too far from the coast it would need to have a garden and be detached, what sort of price would you expect to pay for a decent property say 3/3 bedroomed house per month and where is the best place to look both in n.portugal and spain?

I am looking for an area with a mild climate in the winter, it does not need to be baking hot, but I would ideally like to be well away from freezing temps as I have a bad neck injury from a car accident, Ireland is a killer for me in the winter because of the damp, it is not really cold but the winds and the rain is relentless, would like to be somewhere substantially better in the winter than southern Ireland temps wise!

Is the overall quality of life better in northern spain compared to portugal, my idea of quality of life is being near to natural places, the coast etc, nice food/markets cultural places to visit, also we are keen on fly fishing so being near rivers that are good for this is important.

Are there any restrictions on dog breeds and is spain /portugal dog friendly, laws here require me to muzel my dogs which breaks my heart as they would not harm a fly, just based on there size appearance.

Basically the big question is on food shopping and utilities etc and genuine comparison, everything is very expensive in Ireland and the quality is not great unless you like meat, and basic veg and fruit.

Whats the difference in the cost of living and quality of the mentioned above between the 2 countries.

Thanks for the help, although I have visited both many times it was purely for a holiday.

Cheers T

Rosemary

Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. Myself and Fred James are the moderators for the Spanish forums whilst myself and BEVS moderate Europe. Please read the Site Rules Site Rules | British Expatriate Community adhere to them so that the site runs smoothly. Moderators are there to ensure that the rules of BE are maintained. This is so that members gain the information that they are looking for and find their experiences on the forums to be friendly and worthwhile.

Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderator who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are usually friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge about the issues of living in Spain. I hope that you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Moses2013

In Ireland myself and have a place in Spain but if you have a problem that it's damp, I would not go to Galicia. Like anywhere temps can vary but along the Atlantic coast in winter it's going to be wet. Yes, you'll get a few more sunny days and the temps can go higher but in general a city like Vigo is wetter than Dublin with just as many rainy days. Other things to consider would obviously be taxes if you are self employed?

FranE

Many years ago I spent a couple of weeks camping down the Atlantic coast of Portugal and even in the summer there seemed to be quite a lot of sea mist near the coast and our tent was often soaking wet in the morning. If you want to avoid damp then I would suggest the southern part of the west coast of Spain. I am now 5km from the coast approximately half way between Barcelona and Valencia and in the winter it is quite damp. Lots of dew outside from early evening until late morning, and the house needs a lot of heating. We rarely have a frost but it's not unknown. On the other hand, 4 years ago I spent the whole of November near Gibraltar and even then it was so dry that hand washed jeans dried overnight outside.


Sorry I can't help you about dogs, except to say our two (both retired) neighbours have between them 2 Alsatians and 4 terriers, and they seem to manage OK.


Compared to England I find the cost of living cheaper for some things - food, clothes, petrol/diesel mainly - but furniture, cars and (my husband says) tools and car parts, are more expensive. Fortunately the drop in Sterling won't bother you!

Moses2013

You can be lucky anywhere in November but Tarragona (so not far from where you are) is actually drier than Gibraltar from November - April. My advise would be to spend the spring and summer months in Ireland and maybe spend the winter months in a drier part (med side). Then you have the best of both worlds.

bxpuser24710519

I don't know if this is right up to date or not but it gives an idea.
https://andaluciarealty.com/en/pets-in-spain-laws/