Costs are lower
Fresh fruit and vegetables, good red wine, home made cheeses all at a fraction of British prices, sitting in the village square with friends enjoying a cold beer and a warm tapas for half the price our nearest continental neighbor. A three-course meal for two for five pounds is still easily found away from the coast and it’s tourism.

Petrol is still a third less than in the UK. With it’s modernized motorway system connecting all the major cities the roads are almost empty compared to many countries even in mainland Europe, there are no speed cameras, and the traffic cops on the whole are a rare sight. In short driving in Spain is the pleasure it used to be in the UK.

Council rates are, as a rule of thumb 12 times higher in the UK for the equivalent property and your rubbish is taken away daily. Schools are excellent and medical care is if anything better in Spain with it’s growing investment in infrastructure

Quality of Life is Better in Spain 

Spain is probably the most popular Country in Europe for second homes and for Brits moving to the Sun.

Life is better
Why is Spain so much more popular than many other destinations? Obviously the warmth of the climate has lots to do with it, Southern Spain in particular is blessed with, in my opinion almost perfect weather, without the clinging humidity of some hot weather destinations and without the seasonal extremes of others.

However it is the warmth of the welcome given to newcomers by the locals and their laid back attitude to life that really makes Spain my first choice. Spaniards really do have the secret of living well, margarine advertisements aside; the lack of stress in our daily lives really enhances both the length and quality of many people’s lives.