Retiring abroad is becoming increasingly popular in Britain with over 200,000 Brits over the age of 65 have chosen to live abroad, the majority of them being in Spain and Portugal. Southern Spain has a growing community of retirees but why do they move to Spain beyond the pleasant weather.
Affordable
Spain can be extremely affordable in comparison to UK costs of living, in particular away from Madrid and Barcelona. In popular destinations with brits moving abroad such as the Alicante region restaurants tend to be up to 50% cheaper and local draught beers can cost as little as £2.60. A more in depth look at the cost of moving to Spain can be found in our other article. Lower prices can allow for you money to go further and enable a better standard of living as not only the cost of living is cheaper but so is property.
Healthcare
Spain has an excellent public healthcare system in which it has surpassed the UK’s NHS according to the report by Lancet medical journal and ranked among one of the best in the world. It is mostly paid for by taxpayer’s social security. All Spanish residents including expatriates who are registered can access the healthcare services at little to no costs.
Community
With there being a large presence of British expats in Spain there is an ease of integration within the locals and other expats. Many regions offer a wide variety of activities that keep you busy and socialise with new people. Many events are perfect for expats for example Local Language Exchange Events, to improve your Spanish and make new friends, or a range of traditional festivals where you are able to integrate with the locals.
Ease of Travel
Spain is a around a 2-hour flight from London depending on the region you are flying to, with tickets being extremely affordable, especially in the off-season where you commonly find return flights for under £80. This makes commuting back to the UK to visit family and friends extremely affordable. This allows you to relax in beautiful weather and enjoy a paella, while being able to get on a flight and see your family in rainy England on the same day.
Spain offers a pleasant Mediterranean climate with a beautiful climate at an affordable price, while being able to travel back frequently at little cost. If you are thinking of moving to Spain and would like some guidance, please contact us for support or explore in more detail how to move abroad in our other articles.
