Retire and Live in Southern Spain: Good, Bad or just UGLY?
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- Опубліковано 28 чер 2024
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This country is wildly popular with expats from all over the world. Over 60,000 Americans already live here, and many of them live in the region we discuss in this video.
When you’re considering a place to live abroad, several important factors influence your decision, like safety, healthcare, cost of living, etc.
So let's take a look at the 10 most important factors and see how Southern Spain rates to help you determine if it's still a good place to live as an expat.
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0:00 Intro
0:42 Safety & Stability in Spain
1:44 Weather & Natural Disasters
3:22 Quality of Life in Southern Spain
4:44 Healthcare & Health Insurance
7:27 Walkability & Public Transportation in Spain
8:04 Housing in Andalucia
8:45 Food & Restaurants in Southern Spain
10:10 Taxes in Spain
11:07 Cost of Living in Southern Spain
12:17 Spain Residency Visa Options
13:16 Wrap-up
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did the both of you movie to spain?
I think you need to listen to Peninsular Spanish more intently. The S is not pronounced like TH. It is a plain S.
The syllables CE and CI and pronounced exactly like ZE and ZI (equivalent to the TH in THINK). That can be confusing to foreigners who are trying to learn Spanish.
As to the dropping of sounds, that happens everywhere.
Andean speakers speak slowly. Evidently, you are used to that kind of (slow) Spanish.
We Caribbean people are fast talkers and so are Spaniards.
Cheers,
Dave.
P.S. As for verb conjugations, in Spain the pronoun VOSOTROS (we say USTEDES in "The Colonies") calls for conjugations not used anywhere else outside of Spain (except for Equatorial Guinea, in Africa). In fact, the VOSOTROS form is rarely taught in Latin America.
Unlike Americans, who melt when they hear a British accent, Spaniards are "less loved" in the former colonies.
Just like Americans worry about safety, the always think the taxes are too high. But, the tax rate is what makes such a great life style there ie. health insurance prices, transportation, etc. Always a trade off.
Agreed. Spain is more about the community whereas the USA is about the individual. They don't seem to understand that appropriate taxes create a better environment for everyone.
Jajaja, and our taxes in Spain create an elite of politicians who live the vida loca stealing from us.
I went to school in Sevilla in '86 and as a spanish major I understood nothing spoken in Sevilla for two weeks. Then it clicked, and I was already fluent. They heavily abbreviate to the point that it is unrecognizable (para nada is pana... Tienes resfriado is ten'riado). So that you know, that is not "spanish spanish". Proper spanish is castellano, spoken more in Madrid. Uses the "theta". Latin American spanish can be proper (areas of Peru and Mexico) or an interesting mix/hybrid (Argentina). Andalucia is an amazing place and the people are wonderful. I can't wait to return.
I'm from Madrid, and the Spanish I've heard in the Americas that is closest to proper Castellano was in wealthy suburbs in Lima. Mexico is known for having one of the worst Spanish accents, but they speak so slowly that it is intelligible to most foreigners.
@@BritishExpatWorldTravelerThat’s interesting. I like the Mexico Spanish being spoken slow so I can understand it.
I too had a TON of problems understanding Spaniards. My ear is now accustomed to Mexican Spanish and didn’t realize that it’s generally spoken slower. But, I tried my best and the locals were warmly appreciative. I fell in love with Madrid!! Great offering!
"Proper spanish is castellano?, omg, Spanish-Espanol, hast nothing to do with castellano-Castilian, the language of Castile-Castilla, as well as Valencian, has nothing to do with the variant of Occitan that was spoken in the Kingdom of Aragon. In Spain and Latin America SPANISH-ESPAÑOL is spoken.
@maverickgt4757 "Proper" is a term that means the closest to the academic modern root. It is not a slight. Language is a living breathing thing, constantly evolving and we should recognize that. I'm not sure why you say the province idiomatic variants have nothing to do with each other... it is incorrect. If you listen to English in both America and Britain you will hear hints of the Germanic root. But you'll also hear the other influences of languages around the world. It's the same in Valencia, Seville, Latin America. I have no idea why you are so offended but I suppose there's always one in the bunch. Maybe try going back to Medieval Spanish which ended up spawning both Modern Spanish and Modern Portuguese and you will see what I mean. Understanding the evolution from the older language is what allowed me to speak Spanish to the Portuguese and we each understood the other perfectly when I traveled there in '86. Language is fascinating and has a rich historical past.
Spain is absolutely amazing.
Why did you give Spain a thumbs down for the language barrier? Is it Spains fault that you cannot understand them or yours?
I learned Spanish and catalán by myself. Reading, listening to people in the bars and TV.
Learning italian as well now.
If in Germany they speak German, in France they speak French, in Italy they speak Italian...why do Americans complain that in Spain they speak Spanish? Furthermore, it is the original Spanish, the one spoken on the American continent derived from the Spanish of Spain, with a different evolution due to the passage of time and an ocean of separation. Regarding speaking quickly, any language that you do not master well seems fast to you. But it is a perception because the brain does not follow the rhythm of the words well, if you master it, the rhythm seems normal.
Amelia and JP:
As far as health care is concerned, many private health insurance companies have age limitations for healthcare. They will not insure you if you are over the age of 70-75. My husband and I came across this when we were planning to live there, and it was a dealbreaker given my husband needing medical specialists. In addition, there are the income taxes which can be cost prohibitive for a retiree and that along with the healthcare issue killed our dream of living there.
Beatriz
But, to clarify, if you sign up for a private policy with a Spain Health Provider before the cut-off age, you will still be covered after that age. The policies are 'guaranteed renewable' as long as you continue to maintain the policy.
Related to taxes, my advice would be to pay a Tax Attorney a few hundred euros to assess your personal potential tax liabilities.
Spain has tax treaties with several countries including the U.S. to avoid double taxatioin.
(Amelia and JP - where do you call home now?)
Taxes in Europe can be a deal-breaking.
All the private health insurance have age limitations.
@@victoriabarnes5680 But Guaranteed Renewable after you get in. The public system is not age limited.
@@kmarch12 I know that.
Anda-lu-CIA stress at the end of the word ♥ not the middle portion!😀
Yes. Stress is on I.
Just to clarify, Spain taxes private pensions and social security, but they do not tax government pensions (like military, civil servants, or teachers).
This is an important clarification. Thank you.
Good to know. I think France is the same in that respect. Welcome news to my wife and I as I'm a federal employee and my wife is a teacher.
Exactly. As an American, unless you are a low-income retiree you will not save money retiring in Spain if you are tax-compliant.
Although they do not tax your public service pension, I believe your total income sets your tax bracket/rate. It doesn’t take much to hit 32% tax rate. For me, it’s still substantially cheaper than the USA even with the large tax hit.
and much higher quality of life overall @@deebee2603
Love Sevilla. As a Chilean, their Spanish is as borked as ours is. Felt right at home!
Amelia & J.P. :
Tks., much appreciative.
Is really hard to understand , they really talk very fast , but Andalucía’s accent is interesting , is music and funny, and the people are super sweet.❤️❤️
The food schedule was rough for the first few days I was in Spain. Big breakfast, no lunch until around 2 or 3, dinner at 9 or 10, then go to bed and no sleep due to jet lag. 😆 The food was great though! I really loved the coffee!
Café????? Disse cafe? Em Espanha??? Ahahah..Não sabe o qu é Café!
Excellent video, so informative! I will be in Malaga, Cordoba, Granada, Seville in 2 weeks with the goal of retiring there, possibly, so this couldn't be better timing! Thanks so much!
let me know which u choose
Soy de Málaga. Vivir aquí, es un privilegio. Toda España es maravillosa. Que tu estancia aquí sea muy buena!!
Living in Southern Spain sounds dreamy! But it's important to weigh the pros and cons. Thanks for shedding light on this topic!
Soy de Málaga, y, si puedes venir a vivir por el sur de España, se vive muy bien. Y en general, toda España tiene rincones maravillosos. Buena suerte!!
Very informative! I think that I would give the language a thumbs up for at least the touristy areas of Andalusia because, on my visit last September, I wasn't really able to practice my Spanish much because of so many of the employees in shops, cafes, and restaurants speaking English. Also, even with the challenge of adjusting to the local dialect, the grammar is still a lot easier than in languages with cases (like the Slavic language) and they of course use the same Latin Alphabet that we do.
😊 I don't do well in extreme heat. I found myself staying in Asturias during the peak summer months and then back to Cadiz and Malaga from late September through mid- May.
I like your presentations and your honest approach…Thanks for sharing….until next time ….Alex🇬🇷
Thanks y'all! Southern Spain is on my list of expat destinations. I seem to navigate toward Spanish-speaking countries!
Expat??? or migrant??
Great video! We are in Madrid now and planning to explore southern Spain next week. We pretty much came to the same conclusions you did so far. People in Madrid have been incredibly nice, and it is so beautiful here. The cost of living seems great compared to the U.S.
On another subject, Amelia, your hair looks adorable!
BTW,
Madrid and New York are the same latitude. Let that sink in.
Gulf stream.
Cheaper than big cities here in California, however their drought and ability to resolve will be something to watch. In the South, Mallorca appeals to us. In the North we fell in love with Bilbao. Agree about feeling safe too. 🙏🏼
living in California and concerned about the drought in Spain...
@@mactravel112 …odd comment IMO. There is no drought in California currently. We’re over the annual rainfall in my city.
@@jonniesantos But La Niña is making a comeback. Hopefully our reserves are full enough to last us at least a couple of years.
@@mactravel112 Well, of course. We've had some nasty droughts and fires so who wants to trade for the same elsewhere?
@@ufosrus California would definitely be easy to leave
😊Spain is the best place to be and to live!!!🎉
When in Europe, we used flix bus to travel, it is very cheap and the buses run on time and have wifi and plugs for your phone, very comfortable seating and it can take you anywhere in Europe/Spain.
Real Spanish is like going to the UK and listening to their accent and trying to understand it :) Another excellent video JP AND AMELIA. excellent. Thumbs up.
Thank you for everything yo do
I liked Spain.
The rail from Madrid to Barcelona to Valencia was great.
But almost every one I spoke to in the south kept correcting my Spanish with Catalan.
I think the weather in the north is better, but not sure about the Spanish/French/Basque fusion?
Someone who visited Barcelona said the whole city smelled like a sewer the whole time. Is this true??
Thanks.
The Spanish spoken in Andalucía is probably the hardest to understand of any of the regions. They speak so fast and chop off the endings of many words. It would be comparable to an English language learner trying to understand someone in southern Mississippi 😂
Es muy fácil de entender y no soy Andaluz
Try Murcia 🤪
I had a rough time with the language, and to this day I still speak my fractured Spanish with a "th"!
I was a fitness instructor in Marbella and Benal Madena...definitely a preferable quality of life compared to the US. I was given an ooen-ended rt airline ticket, a flat overlooking the Mediterranean (Edificio Mediterraneo) and my monthly salary (including free medical).
Very nice vdeo , I wish you could do the same video for Italy and Greece please( so i could compare wich country I will like the most.. I will probably retire in one of those 3 countries .Keep up the good work.:)) I am from France but I live in NYC now for 37 years.
Gracias x compartir
I don’t get the language barrier part. I picked up my Spanish on the streets of LA , Chicago, Mexico, etcetra. I am in no way fluent in Spanish. But speak at I would guess an Intermediate level.
However in every country, different regions of countries there is a dialect. I had no problem communicating in Spain. At all.
I do however have a hard time in Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic. I have to listen a lot harder. But Spain is pretty simple to just jump in .
I have a friend. He studied Spanish for 15 years. He’s fluent. However he has a hard time talking to people on the street. He can’t pick up the slang. The rhythm. He can conjugate. He can write. But when we’ve traveled together I’m the one the cab drivers, the waitresses , the women in the cantinas talk to.
And it would get him so frustrated. He would tell me your Spanish is awful. Your conjugation is incorrect. And I’d tell him yes , it is. But you’re talking to the cabdriver like you got a stick up your ass and you’re a doctor. They hear me and even though I botch the conjugation they know I learned everything from talking to people in bars and construction sites and such.
Maybe ditch the books for a bit and learn how people talk in a barrio in Mexico City , a working class neighborhood versus whatever you’ve learned in a book.
I’d imagine the difference would be like speaking to an upper class Brit educated at Oxford and speaking to a guy from the south side of Chicago. They may be speaking the same language , but they definitely are not speaking the same lingo.
Not criticizing. Just something I’ve noticed with people that take Spanish classes. Book Spanish and the Spanish you need to survive the streets of Santo Domingo can be two different things
@@user-hq6hb2xv4n His pronunciation is so tight that it must be very difficult for him to get rid of it to speak any foreign language. The way he pronounces words in Spanish makes me very doubtful that he speaks anything intelligible in that language. In fact, going a little further, I think the British would have some difficulty understanding him.
thanks
Hot weather does not bother me , Cold - yes . Malaga would be my pick , thanks .
Malaga is great for Holiday's but permanent residence, Granada is ideal,
The heat is a deal breaker for me but I have always have wanted to visit. The culture I think I would love. Grenada sounds good.❤
Granada is amazing!
There are some areas of Spain that never get hot. Check out the "Goldilocks' monthly temperature averages in a couple of my favorite towns in Galicia - in the NW Corner - Pontevedra (With no car traffic allowed in the old city) & A Coruña. But the North Coast of Spain does get significantly more rainfall. It's not the typical dry Mediterranean climate you think of in the South of Spain.
Try northern Spain like Oviedo, Santander
as some people said, they reviewed Andalusia, which is the hottest region of Spain
My take is there is a positive correlation between taxes and security on the street.
This, so much this.
Not to mention quality hospitals, schools, universities, roads and public transport. All paid for by taxes!
Would love to see a video about the countries with the best elder care. 👍😊🌻
Agreed.
That's a major issue. These places seem like great expat destinatons for relocation. But getting health insurance after ages 65 -70 is impossible in most countries. If this is essential, stay where you are. Vloggers never directly address this issue head on.
Good points. We spent 5 weeks in Andalusia in December/January and most of the time we had nice weather, and it is wonderful to swim in the sea and eat outside, walk outside in January. But in summer you won't generally see me in southern Europe, it just gets too hot for my northern skin. Andalusia, apart from some ugly mass tourism areas, is a very interesting part of Spain, with lots of culture, good food and wine and friendly people.
Great info. Are you guys currently living in Spain? if so where, and on any specific visa?/ thanks!
Those Clint Eastwood westerns were mandatory viewing for me as my real first name is Rowdy (Rowdy Yates)
I literally just unpacked a new packet of tomato seeds called "Clint Eastwood's Rowdy Red". 😂
@@jodibraun6383 I have seen those old Spaghetti westerns at least 6 times each. My first name is Rowdy, but I didn't get the Yates part of that. Have to keep a look out for those Tomato seeds 🙂
@@NNI4262 I have too! My boyfriend loves them - that's why I got the seeds! 😄 I got them from a place online called Tomato Fest. 🍅
There is a place in Alabama that is called Andalusia, but we pronounce it differently.
Love your videos. I have a question do you use a teleprompter when presenting?
No.
Native Spanish speaker here and I have a hard time understanding Spanish (aka Castilian) in Spain because of the reasons you mention. I ended up speaking only ENglish because it slows them down lmao.
Anytime I speak to people in Spanish, I have to ask them to speak slowly. No entiendo mucho cuando tu hablan demasiado rapida. Despacio por favor!
I also speak Spanish. It took me less than a month to get use to the Castilian accent, pronunciation & difference in vocabulary. After that, no problems, I only spoke Castilian. Returned to California with a Castilian accent, friends made fun of it. In Spain, they said I spoke "Mexican". They stated, "We don't speak Spanish. We speak Castilian."
I do not like their accent.
Nicely done. I knew I could get solid information from you.
Amelia & JP, l enjoy your videos! It would be great if you could give some details about tax brackets for expat retirees as well. Italy just increased taxes for expats!😬
One thing I don’t you mentioned, they have super good tasting oranges there. I can’t get any comparable oranges in the markets here in San Diego.
Yes but only in the mercado. Don't eat the oranges off the trees lining the streets...SUPER bitter!
Those citrus trees on the street are purely decorative - not for consumption. They provide a lot of shade and they are green all through the winter.
Very helpful video, thank you. I decided to go to Valencia and Malaga for a few months. After your review, I’m staying away from Seville.
Seville is beautiful but we would not want to live there. Great place to visit for a week.
Don't go to Valencia, now there's a big backlash against tourists and expats. A dozen violent incidents against them just last weekend.
Spain is really a very cool country in which to retire. Quality of life is top of the list.
Communication in Spanish ought to be top of your agenda. Life becomes generally easier to manage.
''¡Con pan y vino se puede andar por el camino. Pero si bebe para olvidar no se olvide pagar!''
"With a morsel of bread and a dash of wine you can promenade down the pathway of life.
However, if you drink to forget, don't forget you have to pay!"
I watched your greece video now spain. Wondering if you will do a country rank video when this is all done.
Great suggestion 👍
How about if you are on social security and veteran disability pay is that taxes
Great video!! We love living in Madrid. Only drawback is the taxes but that's the price we have to pay to live in this wonderful country so it's worth it to us.
I just got back to Texas. Had dinner with friends last night. Paid $30 for chicken and rice, $15 for humus dip and $14 for a glass of wine.
Plus 20% tip. I think it has gotten ridiculous expensive here in the US. Last summer in Crete I could have treated every table at the local taverna a liter of house wine be popular and still be ahead of what I paid last night. And yes there was a language barrier, the waiter spoke English alright but the plate handlers spoke only Spanish. Go figure...
Most Spaniards avoid eating out too. It’s expensive for them too. At least in TX there are jobs. Low paying jobs maybe but lots of jobs. In Spain no jobs and very low salaries
@@Kolach0 I just saw on the news that inflation in the USA has just gone up 3%. I live in Texas in San Antonio. My city at one time was a very affordable place to live, Not any more! There are very few places now with affordable housing and everything here in USA is super expensive now. The health care is ridiculously expensive, and many people just go without it. The direction this country is going is down..
@@williesteele4503 SA is the most affordable city in TX. Like George Carlin used to say “Be happy with what you got” Inflation is everywhere….even in Latam “Hola Medellin”. Cut some coupons out and enjoy your local HEB bro 😎
Love Spain.
Moving to Valencia or Malaga next year.
Great to see you both after all these years.
I had lost contact with you.
BTW. Spain has the fastest internet in Europe.
Same problems in Spain as US. My friend had a house in Spain which was occupied by squatters she had a hard time removing.
WE'VE PRETTY MUCH GIVEN UP on moving to Costa Rica. Our relatives there (Ticos) say their cost-of-living has spiked during the last 2 years. House prices are close or higher than USA prices (Florida). Used to be you could RENT a place on the cheap - you still can, but maybe NOT any place you would WANT. The CR government now requires expats to sign up for their health insurance (La Caja) - and there are only 2 major hospitals with "critical care" facilities (heart attack, stroke, etc.). ADIOS, PURA VIDA !
Stay put or comeback to the US to work. There’s no where to run
I guess you could have summed it up by saying "another country ruined by dollarizing the economy" 🤣
Too many gringos there.
No thanks to tropical heat and humidity.
Costa Rica appears to me as a U.S. colony. I read about three decades ago that Americans owned 60% of the best land in that country, so imagine how much more they own presently.
I wonder how long before the ticos wake up to that fact and decide to do something about it.
It’s hot! 🥵it was too hot. It was beautiful but the heat was too much! You have to go and live somewhere else in the summer period. ❤
Check out the "Goldilocks" temperature averages in some of my favorite cities in the North of Spain like Pontevedra, A Coruña, or San Sebastian. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
I love Spain, but….decided no because of taxes…. I’m still looking ❤
Trains and buses are the best. So cheap still compared to the US. Food is cheaper and better. In my experience, just going to th2 pharmacy can save a trip to the doc cuz the pharmacists function as doctors too! Hate the tourists so find the forgotten Pueblos to live the real vida
When I was in Sevilla early last year, I was surprised at how different their accent was from what i experienced in Colombia and Peru. I did luck out in that the locals I met wanted to practice their English.
Thank you for the videos. Does Spain's retirement visa offer residency or citizenship or does that have to be renewed periodically and can, potentially, be canceled at the discretion of changing laws?
The NLV Non-Lucrative "Retirement" Visa gives you permanent residency beginning in year six. You renew after year one, and again after year three, and for permanent residency at the end of year five.
Citizenship is an entirely separate process - if I reacall - at year 10.
(I suppose these rules could potentially be canceled at the discretion of changing laws, but I don't see that happening with the NLV. There is talk of eliminating the Golden Visa which requires a 500K euro investment. Portugal has done that.)
@@kmarch12 Thank you!
@@kmarch12 I heard a Kiwi married to a spaniard (they have a UA-cam channel) state that there's no dual citizenship in Spain and he'd have to give up his NZ citizenship if applying for one in Spain.
Not very affordable for retirees
You're absolutely right.
Gracias for all your videos. I'm learning a lot from you folks. I also speak Spanish. It took me less than a month (was there 90 days) to get use to the Castilian accent, pronunciation & difference in vocabulary. After that, no problems, I only spoke Castilian. Returned to California with a Castilian accent, friends made fun of it. In Spain, they said I spoke "Mexican". They stated, "We don't speak Spanish. We speak Castilian."
Well there is a explanation for that.
In Spain there are 5 official languages, all considered Spanish because are languages from Spain.
Spanish is just castilian, but Euskera, Gallego, Catalán or Valenciano are also spanish. They have their own grammar and they are studied in the school, as well as used in the local administration.
In Spain there are what we call "autonomous communities", similar to the "states" in northamerica. They have some independence to administrate their territory, funds, health system and even their own police. For example in the vasque regions the local police is called Ertzaintza and in Catalonia is called Mossos d'Esquadra.
After living some time in Spain you will discover that the country is very diverse in all senses.
What’s a situation for a spaniard returning to live to spain when retirement from USA? my hubby planning to return to spain him and I when he retires.
Fairfax County Public Schools offers great Adult Community Education Spanish classes. In person and online. Great classes, small groups.
Thank you for the great information..can it be it's cheaper to get a visa in Spain than Mexico????
I started to watch your videos in Denver long time ago. Now in Spain.The problem with the Spanish is in Andalucia. In Castilla y Leon or in the north is perfect. Visit Salamanca, Santander or Zaragoza.
Northern Spain is so beautiful. I can’t wait to see it!
I have been watching your videos since before I moved to Mexico. Just got to Cuenca today and it would be nice if we could meet up but maybe you're not here now.
day nada! jaja. ty 4 vid
Thank you for this video, as an American who would like to live in Spain from interest from USA, do you end up paying more in taxes than if you stay in USA?
Looking at the Lifetime price. I get it’s 70% discount but how much is
Compared to Arizona, Spanish summers are cool
Depends where in az. Flagstaff does not get to hot in summer
Fascinating. I met Spanish people in USA living on Spains Dole. They had never worked and they were in their 40s.
I think there is a large socialism component to that tax.
Schhhhh, 🤐🤐don't say that too loud, all the Spaniards will know, and many will move to the United States. And then who will pay the taxes that allow all of these people to live big without working? Will it be American expatriates?
That's only feasible for a short period of time. They check that you live in Spain when you're on the dole, you have to go to their office regularly, in person.
I don't think so... we don't generally find living in the States tempting at all. In fact, our fear is that U.S. retired people come to Spain to live.
The "dole" is temporary and barely $600/mo. for anyone that's already exhausted their unemployment benefits that they paid for when they were employed. Must be loaded or have supportive parents to be able to support that lifestyle, or have some kind of disability (which still is less than $1k/month and hard to get). Source: I am a Spaniard with a relative who exhausted their unemployment and dole due to cancer and long unemployment stints. I spent most of my life in Spain unemployed and left - I was never eligible for any sort of "dole".
The Big down vote for Spain IS the lacks of rivers and mature. There is still wonderfull places with great beauty but not so expontaneous mature like northern or latinamerican countries
Me imagino que te refieres a la naturaleza: nature.
Madurez?
I'll feel at home. Just like so cal without the bull.
Can foreigners buy property?
Yes, foreigners can buy property in Spain…and don’t have to be permanent residents.
@@Joseph-wu6kd what are Poms?
I am definitely considering retiring in Spain and would consider moving there sooner if I could find a job, particularly a "work from home" type. I need to do more research, for the retirement portion. I would love to live in Barcelona but I suspect it will be too expensive. Thus, somewhere in Southern Spain or I have discovered Northern Spain (Salamanca, Santander, Bilbao) recently and was quite impressed. The weather is not as appealing but it is much cheaper than Southern Spain. My first goal is to master Spanish. I know that Lingo Pie was promoted, but there are others such as Berlitz, Babbel, Rosetta Stone, etc. I think that is one of the most important tasks in able to enjoy my living there to its fullest. Does it make more sense to rent or buy? Any ideas?
We always recommend renting first to learn the area and make sure you like it.
I think the language being a thumbs down is saying unless they speak English or the exact type of Spanish we are used to hearing, it is a thumbs down. They speak Spanish. I speak elementary Spanish and have no problem communicating. So it is surprising for you two living and speaking Spanish in Ecuador to act like speaking Spanish in Spain is a negative. Come on. That seems like a significant cop-out for not accepting the minimal challenge of perfecting your Spanish skills in Andalusia, Spain. Geez, they are not speaking Greek. Why promote LingoPie if you are thumbing down the language of a country you supposedly speak?? 🙄 Also, May and June are beautiful months in Costa del Sol, but I know it is all subjective. Some people love July and August, but some may not like hot weather. Thanks.
I speak Spanish and found it profoundly challenging to understand Spaniards! I would need a month to grow accustomed to their accent, pace, and different vocabulary. Keep it positive.
Certainly not a reason for a thumbs down. Just keeping it real.
I totally agree. I am a non-native, yet fluent speaker. Yes, it sounds a little faster than the average Latin American Spanish speaker, but it just takes watching some Netflix series to get used to the differences. Any dialect you are not used to can be tough to adapt to. Argentinian Spanish is a little challenging, as well as Caribbean Spanish, but it depends on what you are used to. hearing.
Learning dif. languages it's always great adventure ; just need open your mine and memory and very important talking with people's ; not feeling shame to do so ; despite could be some few rude one does exposing yours errors ; never mine ; even that ; does helping to correct and becomes better as autodidact .
Biggest roadblock is the high taxes in Spain.
What you get is a public health service and other services. I use the public health service. No medical debt 🍷
In Spain and Europe, taxes finance health, roads, security, infrastructure... Americans want to live in Spain, receive services and zero costs. Selfish attitude.
I have been living in Spain for ten years. A car is necessary to get around. I had been living in the UK before retiring. I did not find learning Spanish all that difficult. The USA struggles speaking English, I had no idea it transferes to other languages. 😮
Ok mate... How many pints did you had ?
What do you mean "the USA
struggles speaking English"?
English is the official language for USA people!
@@djzrobzombie2813 did you have
@@evelynqueen2352 He's just "being English" . first day in Spain , i asked a couple if they could recommend a good Restaurant . The Englishman replied "what ya lookin for MCDONALDS" in a condescending tone .
You may be an Englishman but half the stuff you speak most wont even understand.. I thought you must be good in Spelling being an Englishmen...."transferes"
Do you happen to know what they are taxing people on their income...I wonder how to find that out. I did hear that the "golden visa" was not longer a valid visa option as of 2024, but am not sure when (if) that will be 100% official.
I spent a cold and rainy Fall in Sevilla. Not so warm in winter as I expected. But it is the low season.
Gosh I have always wanted to live in Spain but...Did you say they have a tax treaty with the US? Does that mean that I would not be taxed on SS in Spain if I pay tax's on it in the US? Thanks
US Social Security is taxed by Spain. But you would want to analyze the big picture because health insurance, most food, property tax, and many other aspects of everyday life cost much less. My wife and I pay $200 a month total for our health insurance here in Spain, but we never pay for doctor visits or deductibles. Prescriptions aren't covered, but most of ours are less than we paid in the US (diabetes). Healthcare costs alone offset our tax costs.
@@mikepreisterBut what about also having your SS taxed by the U.S. or only by Spain?
It works in a different way i think.
You pay taxes in both countries but from the amount in US it´s substracted the amount you pay in Spain. Better to check it out with a tax attorney.
What puts me off about moving to France/Spain/German/Italy is that they don't have small houses with gardens in cities. In London we do. I don't want to live in a condo, however luxurious
There are some. Not many, and they cost vastly more than a luxurious condo.
I have long wanted to live or at least spend an extended period of time in Spain. I would probably be happier further north. My primary interest in Spain is the Spanish language. I read somewhere once that the best place in the world to learn Spanish is in Valladolid, Spain. I don’t know why that would necessarily be the case but that’s what I read. I know they do speak very fast but so do many others in Latin America. The same with leaving out letters in Latin America. I do prefer how the Spaniards pronounce the C and Z as a “th” sound. But as I understand it the people in Southern Spain pronounce the C and Z as an “s” sound. Anyway there is no possibility that I will ever set foot on Spanish soil or Latin America. I am too old and too poor.
lol Valladolid sucks
Did you check on the assessed TAXES ???????
Yes. I live in Spain. I pay more taxes here than the states but still when you add to the equation cost of living you are still saving a lot of money. Health insurance alone was 85% cheaper for private comparing apples to apples. If you don't like paying taxes for what you get, please stay where you are and don't come here. People that move here, asked to come here and many of them then complain about things, including taxes. It's revolting and disgusting. It's people that love to whine and complain. It's a victim mentality.
@@hectorsuarez846It's not revolting or disgusting to complain about how much the government confiscate from the people. The last time I was in Europe and asked about salaries, the most common answer was not how much they made but their answer was "the government allows me to keep this much " Now that is revolting and disgusting.
@@hectorsuarez846 100% agree! To rave about the benefits, but complain about the taxes that pay for it is ignorance. I have no problem paying taxes for services.
200 * 2500eur/month = 6 million euro/year income requirement for the nomad visa sounds a bit high. Are you sure it's not 200% rather than 200x?
Correct. It’s 200%.
I'm looking to relocate to southern Spain after I get my degree and become a physician
The language barrier you'll created yourself, when I moved to the US from Cuba I had to learn English, an English kind of different to the one I've had learned ( British)
Love you Amelia ❤❤❤
Andalucía ❤❤❤❤❤
I’d rather live in Tenerife than the mainland. But South America is where I’m probably going to end up going.
I thought you were living in Ecuador? How did you wind up in Spain?
exMichigan in Spain 🇪🇸🇪🇺,left the dream in 2000. Been here since 🍷🍷👍
Language and heat are major factors to consider so I am not sure based on this video
You both miss one of the best cities in Spain. "Salamanca"
Gets that hot here in British Columbia Canada, almost 50C in some areas on the coast as well as inland
50C on the coast lol.
lol, maybe one day but I doubt even that.
Are you guys out of Equador permanent??
No. We’re slow traveling for a while. Our Thoughts About Ecuador Right Now…
ameliaandjp.com/our-thoughts-about-ecuador-right-now/
@@AmeliaAndJP thank you so much for replying. I was starting to really like Manta Equador but after learning what's going on there man I'm scared.
@@AmeliaAndJP what are your thoughts about Manta?
The $600 per person for food seems a bit high. I did not spend much during the week there. Maybe I would spend more each week if I was there longer. Food was generally higher than in Portugal. In regards to healthcare for the non-lucrative visa, would a private plan in the U.S. that reimburses for overseas expenses (after the member pays) qualify for that visa? Does Spain require a person to stay in the country a certain number of days each year during some period of time like I believe Portugal does? After traveling through some countries there, I decided that I need to learn a few languages fast. I will check into the link.
Thanks for the “Spaghetti” explanation….
Spain also has a wealth tax.
Andalusia recently passed a law/ruling that the wealth tax will not apply to those purchasing a property costing €700,000.00 euros.
By the way,I am a Spanish tutor in Malaga. 😊
You both are nice people…