I was wondering about cost of living statistics for Spain. I am moving from the Philippines to Spain in about two months time. As everyone may know, the cost of living is relatively low here in the Philippines. The dollar is approx 45 [Philippines] pesos while the Euro is approx 60 pesos. So, there is about a 1.4 index for USD to Euro Conversion. I am looking to acquire my Spanish Citizenship (currently a US citizen and would like to retain that also, another topic.. and I have some information about previous US law if anyone is interested in retaining both). Since I was born in Spain it should only require 1 year.

Currently, my cost of living is well under 1,000 Euros per month; howevever, I know that this is an unlikely cost of living in Spain. Does anyone have cost of living or budget information for Spain? I know that a 1,000 Euros per month is unlikely in the city, how about elsewhere? Is there anywhere I can live comfortably for 1,000 Euros per month? What about 2,000 Euros per month?

Any help or guidance would be appreciated. Also, if anyone has questions about the Philippines (maybe unlikely given the topic of this site), feel free to send me a message.

Thanks,
Dave

HI Dave,

good luck on your move.

I am and live in italy but I can give you some general info on cost of living in spain as its quite similar to italy in many ways. Alot has to do with where you live and which part of the country. Big cities tend to be more expensive especially places like Barcelona or madrid - generally speaking:

rent - you can hook up with others and share a flat rent and costs
transportation - quite good in the bigger cities and cheap if you dont have a car that is
food - bigger supermarkets will be your best bet ; eating out isnt too expensive if you go local
jobs - office clerk probably gets approx 1000 euro/ month avarge

I think that 1000euro is possible in the bigger cities (hence more expensive cost of living) if you share accomodation, and live in a low budget life; 2000 euro you can live alone as this is a pretty good pay for spain

Hope that helps

Claudio

grew up in manila ‘77 - ‘86 graduated form ISM

This is really useful information. Thanks for the post! And good luck DAve!

cost of living would be cheapper them most place , ha live on the coast del sol and you pay of it are big citys

go where the Spanish go and fine it lot cheaper
top restaurante in Elche Pernil for 2 (mate and me 2 girls where off in Alicante for the night ) end up 68.89 euros

triangulo de ensaldilla 5.94
pernil de bellota       10.49
ens camp delx         6.39
mariaantonia         2.50
glaseada             1.50
heineken             2.15
copa t superior       1.95
pachran endrias con hielo
                      3.31
jack daniel con hielo 4.00
arroz de perinl       9.50
entrecotte de buey al gril
                    14.50b
i.v.a tax 7%          4.52

68.89 what it can to all price in euros
top restaurante

hotel in Madrid with Peiti Palace Arenal 3 star about 100 euros a night

stay in Santa pola last summer for 8 days and got the hotel 150 euros on the website june 24 weekend

was in milenio hotelelche for one night 145.00

hiper shopping list from yesterday coke 2ltrs 1.25euros
beers heineken 12 bottles 0.3 = 6.96
jamon cocido extra 2.38 . 8 pices of ham
gillett gel 3.90
After sun 3.50

just some off the list in shop in Elche

If you’re happy to live in a rural community 1,000 euros a month will go quite a long way.  Up in the Alpujarra in Granada you can rent a small house for a few hundred euros per month.  Food is very inexpensive providing you’re happy to stick to local seasonal produce, with markets - and guys selling from trucks in the street - much cheaper than supermarkets.  Alcohol and tobacco, if you use them, are amongst the cheapest in Europe - you can buy wine for less than a euro a litre, spirits for about 7 euros and up for a litre, cigarettes for under 3 euros a pack.  Bars in Granada province still provide free tapas with a glass of beer or wine for one euro or 1.5 euros, and you can still get a three-course meal in a restaurant with wine for about 8 euros (but of course you can spend many times that if you want to).  Utilities and local taxation for water and refuse seem very cheap to me - but I’m from rip-off Britain.  On the downside, you will need a car if you live in an isolated village.  Vehicles are quite expensive and particularly used vehicles are ridiculously over-valued, as the Spanish don’t seem to appreciate the concept of depreciation when it comes to cars. Gas is creeping towards a euro a litre.  To be honest life is cheap up here because there isn’t that much to spend your money on - you would either love or hate this depending on what you’re looking for.  More seriously there isn’t much good employment -lots of chances to work a few days here or there in agriculture, building, hotels and so on, but it’s all badly paid.  If you can make your own work via the net then that will be different, obviously.

I’ve always fancied going to the Philippines and I’m interested in scuba-diving there, as I understand it’s excellent.  Any particular islands you would recommend?  And how safe is it? - I’m a relatively savvy traveller and I had no problems in some supposedly dangerous places (like Mexico City and Rio) but I have heard some paranoia-inducing stories about Manila.