jj1969

Hi All.
First time poster so hopefully in the right forum.
I have three possible job offers in Gibraltar working for a gaming organisation all in IT.The salaries are around the £30,000 per annum mark
I have twenty yrs experience in IT covering Desktop,hardware,software,networks etc.

My question is it possible for two people to live on this wage while the other person finds work.
Doing a lot of research and reading these forums Gib looks way too expensive but Estapona has reasonable costs and seems around a 30 min communte.The jobs include shift work so assuming will need a car for this.
My wife is a special needs teaching assistant with around twenty three years experience so is there work for her skills ?
We are looking for something small say a two bed apartment to start with nothing big or flash.
We have a house in the UK to rent out and about £4000 in savings.
I can see other posts outlining the sitiuation in Spain at the moment with high unemployment and the housing market at an all time low but really like the idea of the warmer climate with the obvious fact we will still be working.
The only other issue is our son who is 15 and will be leaving school next year then onto college.It is pointless trying to intergrate him into a Spanish school while he has his all important exams coming up so have to factor this in as well.
Any advice positve or negative welcome, I am a realist so know it's not going to be walks along the sunny beach everyday I am aware of that.

cricketman

Hi jj1969

For £30k yes you can live comfortably in a 2 bed flat near Estepona. Rent will be say, 700 euros per month for a half-decent one.

You will need a car, maybe 2 depending on your wife. Your wife wont be qualified for Spanish schools but you could try the many international schools in the area.

The biggest problem is your son. An international school here to do A-levels (I am guessing thats what he wants to do?) will cost between around £8-12k per year. So that will be very difficult to pay if on £30k per year. If he wants to do any other kind of training, I dont think he'll have any options

lynnxa

well done on the job front!!!

I think the big issue will be your son - yes, he'd need to go to International school & he must be halfway through his GCSE courses?

that will be the hard part - you'll need to find a school doing the same subjects with the same exam boards, so many GCSEs are modular, that igf he has started with on exam board he'd need to continue with the same one

also, many International schools do the IGCSEs - which are rather different to the UK GCSEs

also, he'd probably/almost certainly have to return to the UK for college

also, your wife might strike lucky finding a job in her field - although even that is unlikely - very few International schools have provision for special needs & there would be no chance at all in the state sector

Fredbargate

Cricket man is right 30K is is very OK

However your son is the problem, if you were to live in Gib then he would receive free education. Taking that into account the higher Gib rents are not so bad and you would not need a car except for pleasure.

Finding good accommodation in Gib can be difficult and word of mouth from employers / employees / friends is the best value.

This thread has a list of Gibraltar estate agents to save all the Googling

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=722938

Your wife may find work in Gib

jj1969

Many thanks for the swift replies really appreciated...

I only dismissed living in Gib as the few websites I have visited all property seems to be £1000 per month plus but these are water front properties..
Yes the tricky part is my son but did not realise he gets free education in Gibraltar, does this count even if you have just moved there ? Do you not have to be a fulltime resident ?
I have seen other posts that food/drink and utilities etc seem to be the same as the UK is this correct ?
My wife is fully versed in the Uk National cirriculum ( she's smarter than me anyway in my opinion lol..) so could teach children after hours or one to one but again that depends on what the education is based around and children in the area.
Is it possible to find Gib rentals for say between 500-1000 euros per month ?

jj1969

Can I ask in terms of employment/employers are the laws pretty much the same as in the UK.

lynnxa

yes, education is free if you live there, even if you have only just arrived

you do have to be full time resident though - although I have heard that if you live in Spain you can pay to go to school on Gib - I heard something like 1000 a term - but that was a few years ago

Fredbargate

Yes nearer £1000 note £ sign we don't do €s

I believe so but I left UK a long time ago because I was unemployable

jj1969

Great reply thanks, luckily employable due to IT skills , if only it was in a warmer climate lol...I currently work in the Northeast of England so not only get frequent rainfall and showers also get the lowest temps as well would be nice to commute to work under a blue sky...
Well you have all given me something to think about especially in terms of rentals will no doubt be back to pester you all some more..thanks !!

lynnxa

I haven't got an easily accessible quid sign on my computer...............I guess I could/should have put GBP

jj1969

Back already sorry forgot to ask what is the current tax on Gibraltar as in your salary...

Fredbargate

Tax and Social Security:-

http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/on-business/tax-information

Check your messages

Fredbargate

jj1969

Ah the queens head on the note feels like home already..lol

Rotor

Yep as Fred says your son would get free education in Gib plus no queuing for hours at the frontier if you rent in Gib! Use Spain for your free time