Is Spain now much cheaper than UK?

* carottes

Actually Fleurpepper it's just occurred to me that I've boosted the Swiss economy too with all the Lindt chocolate I bought, so you'll be fine!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202312/medium-198523-20231220-145101.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202312/medium-659562-20231221-083106.jpg

I've no idea about Spain, but I've just helped an ailing French economy. M Macron will be grateful to me. A whopping bill in a French supermarché, definitely dearer than in UK.
And that's without all the smoked salmon, speciality cheeses, wines, cakes and hams from individual shops.
A cauliflower was €3,99. Carrottes de sable were expensive too, (but I couldn't resist).
Clothes were also dearer.
But parking was very cheap in comparison. Phew!

Greciangirl

Benidorm is very cheap.
We have friends just returned from there.
On a daily basis they reported just about everything they ate and drank because we were interested to know.

We just couldn’t believe how much cheaper everything was compared to UK.

Definitely going there next year for a holiday.

They rented an air b&b apartment for a month but ate out a lot.

You will find The Old Town of Benidorm so much cheaper than the tourist area Coffee & Brandy with pastry for 3 euros and menu del dia from 9-12 euros.
Get your fresh veg twice a week from the farmers markets all so much cheaper & fresher than the Supermarkets,you will improve your Spanish vocabulary at the markets at the same time

MayBee- so so many countries unfortunately. Italy and Greece are not much better.

I have 2 friends who live in Djerba- as they love the sun and it is cheap. But they are constantly witnessing terrible cruelty to animals- all animals, and spend all their time rescuing, treating and trying to re-home 'back home' (like our Princesse Yata). The current one was shot with another group outside a local Hôtel- shooting ordered by said Hôtel. She survived, with a bullet in the back and one in a foot. Rescued and being treated and vaccinated, etc, for long term rescue. I couldn't live in a country where I am confronted with such cruelty.

Apologies - I responded to MayBee- not the subject of the thread.

Oh no MayBee70 - you’ve reminded me of my mother. One of their first holidays abroad was to Spain. As part of the tour they were taken to a bullfight. She refused to stay in the audience, or ever to return to Spain. ‘They’re cruel to animals, that tells you so much about them” - no budging mum once her mind was made up. She loved Italy and Greece and travelled internationally later in life.

😲

I know I’m going off at a tangent here but I really struggle with the way the people inSpain treat their hunting dogs; at the end of the hunting season they just discard them, often in the cruellest of ways, shooting them or throwing them out of cars.

Let’s do it Callistemon

NotSpaghetti

As I said, Fleurpepper, I'd been distracted.

Sorry again.

no worries at all

Iam64

Better weather, food less expensive and good quality , less heating costs - I’ve grown to love Spain (alsmost as much as Greece )

Shall we all move there en masse?

We could buy a Gransnet Olive Farm collective

As I said, Fleurpepper, I'd been distracted.

Sorry again.

NotSpaghetti

And then health care costs too...

The OP is clearly about holidays in Spain, not living there.

www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=Spain&country2=United+Kingdom
This is a contributor based website, which is used Europe wide. It certainly indicates that living in Spain is considerably cheaper than living in the UK for UK nationals.

Sorry, was sidetracked by prices in Germany, Portugal, France etc!

Didn't mean to hijack the thread with America. Sorry.

Better weather, food less expensive and good quality , less heating costs - I’ve grown to love Spain (alsmost as much as Greece )

Depends which part of Spain too. And which currency you use to visit Spain. If you have a strong currency, it is much cheaper- if you use Sterling, not so much.

And then health care costs too...

I haven't been this year but noticed that California was much more expensive than the UK for (our) ordinary groceries it seemed to me.

We eat a lot of "wholefoods", fresh fruit and veg, pulses and nuts and only organic dairy - their organic prices were eyewateringly expensive
- unbelievable!

Of course wages are higher there if you are a "professional" - obviously not significantly if you are on the $15.50 minimum wage..

Given that California has high minimum wages for the USA don't know how some people manage..

We go to Spain often and I don’t think there is much difference TBH.

It’s swings and roundabouts. Beer and wine is cheap but some food items are more expensive.

My friend moved to Spain and the first year they moved out they were freezing in the winter. Tiled floors and no carpets so they had to try and buy a gas heater but everywhere was sold out. They drove hundreds of miles in the end.

Here is a link to an EU site giving comparative costs of living in EU countries, although, obviously not the UK.
ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Comparative_price_levels_of_consumer_goods_and_services

Spain is cheaper than France
Here is another useful comparison site www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/

Have been in The Capital of Madrid 32 Years.

CAFÉ: a hole in the wall great café = 1.45 € - 1.50 €uros

CAFÉ: Fancy terrace upscale: 2.00 € - 4.50 € depending on location.

A menú del día served between 13.00 - 15.00:
A 3 COURSE LUNCH CAN RANGE FROM 10 € per person including bread and wine or beverage & dessert ..

And if at a upscale establishment can go from 13 € a person to 35 € for a business lunch.

It all depends on where you select.

Does that cover all sectors MerylStreep? I know that a lot of my son's students are taking English exams at the highest level for entry into professions and the civil service. I would be surprised if it is true for their potential salaries.
Housing is a lot cheaper in Spain of course and the cost of living lower overall.
My son has lived there for more than thirty years and is shocked by UK prices. My Spanish DiL loves UK charity shops for clothes though. 😊

On average Spanish average wage is 54% lower than the uk= that’s why it’s so much cheaper for most of Europe to holiday/ live there.

Mollygo

Yes re the UK BlueBelle. In Buxton last week we had 4 lattes for under £5 altogether. In Manchester, I’d be lucky to get 2 for that price.

And yet I think Buxton as rather upmarket!