In our new series about good place to retire we start with - Spain - today.
Capitol: Madrid
Size total: 504,782 sq km
Population: 40,491,052
Climate: temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast.
Language: Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%, are official regionally
Legal system: civil law system, with regional applications
Ethnic groups: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types.
Natural hazards: periodic droughts
Big Mac Index: 4.23
Quality Life Index: 10
Peace Index: 28
Consider over 300 days of sunshine in Spain!
Maybe Spain is Europe´s most exotic country, with it´s easy going lifestyle, the temperament, the variety of food and the mix of traditions. Madrid possesses a modern infrastructure, the Metropolitan Area has a population of slightly more than 5.8 million people. Madrid is full of green spaces and parkland and is renowned for its large quantity of cultural attractions. Barcelona is famous for it´s lifestyle and arts, but has a high real-estate demand that can make housing expensive. Pamplona offers high quality of life, personal security, transportation, employment, health care and affordable housing. Altea located on the Costa Blanca, like Alfaz del Pí and Benissa, has a large number residents from Germany and the UK. If you prefer quiet mountain living, not to far from the Mediterranean Sea, charming Ronda is right for you. You would prefer to live on the Balearic Islands but Mallorca is too crowded for you? Ciutadella, a pretty village on Menorca island is worth a visit.
The dream of living in Spain with it´s sunshine, ocean breezes, sandy beaches and rich culture makes it an inviting place to call a second home. But the thought of moving to Spain brings up many questions, find all the answers in "Moving & Living In Spain"
What are the requirements for a "retirement" visa in Spain?
You must provide an original certificate of a public or private institution, stating that you receive a pension, and specifying its monthly amount (the annual minimum is US$10,000, increased by US$1,700 for each dependant). You also need a valid health insurance .
What is the cost of living in Spain?
Compared to other european countries, the cost of living in Spain is a little cheaper. When you have a look at the list of the 50 most expensive cities in the world, Barcelona is place 49, Tokyo 2, London 17, New York 27, Vienna 28, Amsterdam 35, Dublin 42, Frankfurt 50. For example renting an apartment in Madrid or Barcelona it about 11 Euro sqm/month, it is cheaper on the coast or in Sevilla with avg. 6-7 Euro sqm/month, if you move into the countryside it decreases even to 3-4 € sqm/month. If you compare the grocery costs in the UK, you save 10% in Spain. You shop less expensive at Mercadona or Lidl supermarkets that at Carrefour or El Corte Ingles. A couple with a moderate lifestyle can live with 1000 € a month, plus cost for rent or mortgage. A simple furnished 2 bedroom house with pool 20 km drive to Malaga at the coast you can get for 600 Euro/month.
What about the climate in Spain?
Spain´s climate can be roughly divided into five areas:
1. A continental Mediterranean climate in the inland areas of the Peninsula with temperatures of avg. 30°C in summer and 12°C in the winter month. Annual rainfall under 400mm and heavy snowfalls in winter.
2. An Oceanic climate in the Galician mountains and the coastal strip near the Bay of Biscay with a maximum temperature of 22°C (72°F) and a minimum of -3°C (27°F), annual rainfall between 800-1500mm
3. A steppe climate in the southeast
4. Mediterranean climate on the south and western coast and the Balearic Islands with avg. temperatures of 11ºC in winter and 23ºC in summer and an annual rainfall between 250 mm and 600 mm.
5. A Subtropical climate in the Canary Islands with average winter temperatures of 14°C and summer temperatures of 22°C
Sunshine hours vary in Spain from 1,700 on the Cantabrian coast up to more than 3,000 on the Canary Islands and in southern Spain.
How about safety in Spain?
Spain has a low crime rate and the streets are generally safe at night. Spain: 50 crimes per 1,000 inhabitants, UK: 105 and Germany: 80. Housebreaking crimes have risen dramatically over the last few years, especially in the province of Alicante.
Moving and living in Spain has everything you need for your new life in Spain. From planning, moving to buying a home and... to your daily life. You buy risk free with a 100% money back guarantee and you can even keep your bonuses!
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