Living in Northern Spain on €8700/month - Lifestyles in Spain
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- Опубліковано 21 лис 2024
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In this video, I spend the day with Toby and Lindsay, who moved two years ago to Getxo, near Bilbao, in Spain's Basque Country. They share with me their budget, line by line, so you can see how much their lifestyle costs. Plus, they give me a tour of their beautiful penthouse apartment with sea views!
If you’re new to this channel, my name is James Blick. I'm the founder of Spain Revealed (www.spainrevea...), and I help people discover the real Spain, whether you're here for a visit or a lifetime. 🔥
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You can live everywhere with 8700 €/month. Moreover, you can easily live in the northern regions of Spain (and almost everywhere else in Europe) with 2000 - 2500 €/month.
It would be difficult to live in many areas of California on that amount. And a lower budget is definitely possible in Spain. We mentioned it several times.
@@AlessandroBottoni You would have a hard time living on that amount in the Washington, DC area. We are a family of four and spend more than that, and we do not live lavishly.
@@AlessandroBottoni Greenville SC would be tough on $8700 for a family of 4
Hmm, not almost everywhere in Europe, but yes, lots of places, especially if you’re willing to be outside of the “expat” bubble.
Hmm, not almost everywhere in Europe, but yes, lots of places, especially if you’re willing to be outside of the “expat” bubble.
I am gobsmacked. I don't think I know any Spanish household that burns through that much money every month. And they're not even renting - they bought the flat outright! I'm sure the local community is happy to have people burning so much cash, but, wow, I'm still rather floored.
We live in a fairly expensive area for housing. In our neighborhood the flats cost €400k to €1.5 million. And in the next neighborhood they go up to €5 million. And in the end, this is quite a bit cheaper than living in California. Where we moved from the average home price is maybe $2.5 million.
@@TVanderbeek But this isn't about the house prices, it's about the living expenses. Surely food (supermarkets), clothes, public transport, electricity, etc cost the same in the rest of Spain?
It seems to be a bit more expensive in the north but as we explained our expenses in the video, it is higher than most. We are working on trimming it to be more sustainable but it will never be €2000/month. Just the HOA and utilities is about €1000/month and there’s nothing we can do about that. We have to fly to the US twice a year to see family but we didn’t want to exclude that because that’s part of our cost of living in Spain.
Also, as we explained in the video, this is our budget, not a cost of living video. James didn’t want to do a cost of living video because these are pretty easy to find already.
@@TVanderbeek seria melhor investir num negocio rentavel e viver de aluguel
For anyone considering moving to the area, you can live well with much less in the Basque country. I also have two kids; i live in an area with very similar housing prices to Getxo, in a semi-detached house; the kids go to "concertada" school, have extracurricular activities; we eat fresh and healthy food; go on holidays, also abroad.... (With this I mean that we live a good life)and can manage with 4000 a month. And if you live in an average flat in a town, send your kids to a public school... Can live comfortably with even 2500/3000 (a family of 4).
Con 4 mil euros netos/mes de ingresos familiares NO vives en Getxo ni en zonas similares a ésta. Mínimo 6k netos para vivir relativamente tranquilo en barrios de ese nivel económico.
@FSL123 Todo es relativo. Si consideras una necesidad basica salir a cenar, ir de copas, irte de compras, hacerte tratamientos, irte de finde... Pues claro que no llegas con 4000. No es mi caso. Vivo en una zona con uno de los mayores PIB de Euskadi, pero llevamos una vida relativamente sencilla, donde salir a cenar es algo que reservo para celebrar algo, voy de compras solo cuando necesito algo y viajo dos o tres veces al año. Y con 4000 podemos.
@@naialarranaga2694 claro, tú vives austera porque quieres ahorrar. Pero una familia de 4 con los gastos mínimos de alquiler/letra de hipoteca de casa, colegio de los niños, actividades extraescolares, alimentación, transporte, gastos de comunidad de la vivienda, seguros de coche y casa, seguro médico etc NO vive, ni de broma, con 4 mil euros netos/mes de ingresos familiares en zonas como Getxo y similares. Las cuentas no salen por ningún lado. Mínimo, mínimo, 6 mil.
So are your kids going to public or private school, obviously they are learning Spanish but are their classes in Spanish or English? How did that work?
@@jamesbutler3812 I dont understand your point very well... Anyway, my kids go to a school between public and private ("concertada"), which means we pay but, as it is partially financed by the government, we dont pay as much as those which are private. They study in basque (all schools teach in basque except for the german, french and american/british schools, and some which are trilingual) but they also learn english, spanish and french (french from 12 years old on). I dont know if i answered your question.
LOL, holy crap! I survive on about 8700 euro a year! 8700 a month??? I can't even imagine that kind of fiscal safety and stability! 8700 a month!?! Adopt me please! Please!!!
yes , if i earned 8700 Euros a month i'd be saving 6000 of it for my pension
Indeed, my brother has lived many years in Bilbao, like Madrid or Barcelona property is more expensive than other regions,. . But these figures for cost of living!! . .this is beyond a joke.
It’s not a cost of living video. It’s a video about our own budget.
@@TVanderbeek Dude, it wasn't an attack! Just the truth! I hope this means you're considering that adoption!?! I am not adverse to begging and groveling? In truth I'm used to it! I'm not kidding about what I live on a year, it's actually closer to 8200 Euro a year.
So again, I was not attacking you. Just expressing my truth!
Want to know how you can tell how poor I am??? I'm going to mention that adoption thing again.😉
@@TVanderbeek Sooo, about that adoption???
Wow! It seems like the people you are doing budgets with are those who could afford your online class, along with people to walk them through everything when they arrived in Spain. We did everything mostly on our own and we live on around 35,000 euros a year and we could live on less if we wanted. I hope more content like this is coming with more frugal-minded families.
I think for some it is about living in Spainfor a lot less than you would of been spending in your country of origin.
They are a lovely family. Sure they are privileged, but they’ve done many things the right way! I love how fearless they are immersing themselves into the community, the Spanish language, the food, everything. They are in the minority from my observations among English speakers and are setting such an outstanding example. Thank you for sharing the stories of all kinds of people moving to Spain! ❤❤❤
Totally agree 👏👏
As Americans in Germany who are looking at moving to Spain, it was really interesting to get the behind the scenes look at another family's budget and lifestyle in Spain! We're enjoying these types of videos as it gives us an accurate picture at different lifestyles and costs associated with living in Spain! Thanks, James!
Glad it was helpful guys!
I appreciate that they were part of your Masterclass James and they seem like a nice family but $8,700 euros a month does not represent the reality of living in northern Spain for the vast majority. $2,000 a month on food? Seriously? They obviously earn quite a lot of money and are able to enjoy their lifestyle and that's fine. However, most people aren't spending like that. Bilbao is not cheap and Getxo is very exclusive. It's like a different country to the south of Spain.
Agreed. The couple interviewed there spent 2000,- a month.
We wanted to share our actual costs/budget over the past two years. Dining out also included the kids’ chuches and snacks, coffees and pintxos with friends, eating in restaurants around home as well as while traveling in Europe. It’s pretty much everything that wasn’t groceries. And with two hungry, growing boys, the grocery bills can be high. I also like to cook a bit gourmet so I buy specialty ingredients as needed.
@@TVanderbeekVery kind of you to be so transparent and explanatory.
@@TVanderbeek Absolutely no criticism of you or your spending implied. Apologies if I gave that impression. You're free to spend your money any way you like. James' 'Cost of Living Spain' is somewhat misleading though as it implies, to some extent, that you need a certain amount of money to get by. Clearly, individual lifestyle choices are part of the equation.
I hope you're enjoying life in Bilbao. My wife and I were married in Bilbao many moons ago and my father and sister in law still live there. It's a great city these days and completely transformed from the dirty and industrial city my wife grew up in during the 70's and 80's. The cost of living has certainly gone up. Twenty years ago you could enjoy a quality menu del dia, including a whole bottle of wine, for as little as $8 or $10 euros. Have you dined at Andra Mari? That's one of my favourite restaurants in Spain.
@@UnusSedLeo-w5lThat video was about a couple. This is a family with teens.
Thank you Toby & Lindsey. Appreciate your honesty and candidness. Everyone has their own needs and choice. The apartment is beautiful.
What a lovely family! I loved the part in which they explain their musical hobbies and the part in which Toby explains his love for crochet, I found it very touching. I like people who have an open mind and are not afraid to try and enjoy what they like or catch their attention. Congratulations to the channel and to the couple interviewed!
I love to crochet and knit.
Hi Toby! My kids and I randomly met you in Costco Bilbao today and we were shocked to see you again when we watched James’ latest video this evening. What a coincidence! It was nice meeting you and it’s great to see how you and your family have adapted so well to life in Getxo!
What a coincidence!
I live in GETXO and I can assure that people here live with less and still have a good quality of life! So do not panic
Yes, it’s our budget, not a cost of living. It depends on where you live in Getxo and your lifestyle. At least we can agree that Getxo is amazing, right?
@@TVanderbeek exactly
Two kids in American school (now theyve changed), twice a year tickets to USA, enjoying life..... easily that expenses.
It was so kind of them to open their house and share their experiences with everyone. Much appreciated and wish them the best during their time in Spain.
I don’t get all the negative comments, it’s their life and lifestyle. If you want to see “how to live cheaply in Spain “ , there’s plenty of those kinds of videos out there. Great video and great lifestyle 🎉😊
While it’s nice that they’re honest about their costs it feels dream killing for so many people who just wish to live a life less oppressively expensive. The hope is that we can occasionally get tapas, work enough to put a little away and share with our families. This makes humble hopes feel lifetimes away.
It’s possible to live on a lot less here. While we spend a lot, we are still conscious about where we spend our money as we don’t have unlimited income and savings.
You can buy in cheaper areas of Spain.You can eat cheaply in Spain.The lifestyle doesn't cost a fortune it just depends on what you want to do to occupy your time.
I love visiting Spain have done so since 1985.I always look for bargain prices that way I can travel more to the Country.
Getxo is more expensive than other areas around. Our house is probably under the average price. Some pisos at the waterfront go for over €1.5M and some mansions in the next neighborhood go for €5M. But rentals are reasonable nearby for most people. And if you want to be a bit farther out I’m sure it’s a lot cheaper. As with anywhere in the world you pay to be close to things.
Fantástica entrevista, muy real … los que la critican no se dan cuenta de que esta buena vida no es barata pero no es para todos…. El que puede puede …. Y ellos han sido muy generosos y honestos contándonos su realidad.
Gracias a Lindsay, Toby y James por mencionarme, ha sido y sigue siendo un placer trabajar para esta familia que más que clientes son ya amigos. ❤
€8700 is €4350 each. The average Spanish wage is about €2555 a month.
This is unrealistic. Heck, I live in Ireland with higher costs of living and we are on less than this couple. The cost of living in Spain is 106% cheaper than in Ireland yet this couple have almost a thousand euros each more than the average in Ireland.
Sorry but this is not indicative of a normal family of four.
i haven't gotten through the whole video but where is it suggested that they're a 'normal' family?
@@3zObafouzrThe original title of the video has been changed. It is now saying lifestyles and before it was cost of living.
Cost of living would imply an average. The backlash in the comments seems to have provoked a title change.
€2555 gross - out of which most people pay tax, mortgage / rent, pension / savings. Their *expenditure* is €8700 a month. That's like a gross monthly income for a normal Spanish couple paying income tax, national insurance, some savings and pension, etc of €17000 or a gross salary of about two hundred and fifty thousand euros a year. Again, I'm speechless.
I think the thing to keep in mind is that we don't have to panic and think this budget is necessary. This is simply one budget for one lifestyle. We don't all have to do the same thing or have the same goals.
What a lovely couple. I love how they’ve integrated into their local culture, from supporting local teams to learning how to make local liquors, wow! ¡Muchas gracias por compartir, chicos!
So interesting to see a video about an American family living in Northern Spain. I’ve seen few. Most families profiled seem to be in the south. I appreciate the honest break down of costs as well as a glimpse into the life of a family with kids the same age as mine. What a terrific experience for their family! I hope all is still going well for them.
What an incredible example of integration! I am a Spaniard living in Rancho Santa Margarita Orange County, California for many years. With 600,000 Euros you can't even buy a two bedroom one bathroom condo anywhere in Southern California at least you move close to the Mohave desert. Their expenses are very low expenses comparing to California which is a State that it is becoming unsustainable due to the increase cost of living. I only have respect and admiration for this family taking the plunge and I don't understand some of the non sense criticism. I only wish that you find in the Basque Country the happiness and good life that you deserve and thank you so much for allowing me, as a viewer, enter your home and finances. Best of Luck!!!! Thanks James for such a great interview!
La razón de eliminar la Golden Visa o permiso de residencia por inversión inmobiliaria cuando la propiedad que se compre sea igual o superior a 500.000€ es debido al aumento del precio en la compra de vivienda o también el aumento del precio en los alquileres durante los últimos años.
Actualmente muchos jóvenes en España no puedan emanciparse y se vean obligados a seguir en la casa paterna y muchas familias y personas mayores no pueden pagar los alquileres en continua subida.
Además muchas de las viviendas compradas por extranjeros lo son para especular con ellas y tensionar el mercado provocando el aumento descontrolados de los precios. Muy pocos se pueden permitir gastar 700.000€ como Toby y Lindsay en comprar un piso o apartamento y muy pocos disponen de 8700€ de presupuesto de gasto mensual.
Son 14,500 Golden Visas y no todas por compra de una propiedad. No compite en nada con vivienda asequible ya que por el monto son propiedades de lujo. El problema es que los ingresos no crecen al mismo ritmo que el costo de la vivienda. Esto es un problema mundial. No hay que creerse la narrativa estatal, que con exceso de regulación e interferencia en el libre mercado ha encarecido el costo de obra nueva.
The elimination of the Golden will go absolutely nowhere towards solving the issue of affordable housing. The numbers of GVs approved for the investment in property are simply too low to have had any effect on property supply, demand or price in any way. You'd like the government to sort the problem? How about they build social/public housing? Or, how about they fix the inheritance laws that leave so many properties empty and in limbo? How about giving landlords surety against okupas and non paying tenants?
Or, let's be lazy and populist and go for the low hanging non problem fruit.
Por supuesto que la supresión de la Golden Visa no va a solucionar el problema de la vivienda en España pero es una medida que ayuda.
Aunque el número de permisos de residencia por este motivo es pequeño se concentran sobre todo en Madrid, Barcelona, Baleares y Málaga lugares donde mas problemas de falta de viviemda hay.
Se dice tambien que la compra de pisos de mas de 500.000€ por personas no residentes en España no influye en la subida de precio de otras viviendas mas baratas pero se pasa por alto que esos precios son tan altos porque hay personas extranjeras dispuestas a pagarlos y que valdrian menos, desplazando a los nacionales a la compra de de viviendas de menor precio pero que tambien son mas caras, es decir, se produce un corrimiento de la demanda.
Finalmente hay que tener en cuenta que la implantación de la Golden Visa fue una medida temporal que se implantó para reactivar el mercado cuando se produjo la crisis financiera y estallido de la burbuja inmobiliaria, circunstancias que son muy diferentes de las actuales, prueba de que no es una medida eficaz es que solo cuatro paises en la Unión Europea Malta, Grecia, Italia y España la mantienen pero con vistas a suprimirla.
@@jesuscarcamo1the data simply does not support your claim.
Properties, such as this one, are being sold by wealthy Spaniards. Spain has always had a wealthy class, most of whom alive today made their money during the pro business post Franco decades.
While this property may have been sold at a profit by the Spanish owner (with the significant tax paid by both seller and buyer), many high value properties sit on the market for many years and sell for their cadastral value (depending, of course, on their age).
What people don't like here is the family is American, they have been successful in the tech industry making them wealthy by Spanish standards, and they e joy, without complaining, their new life. Many comments show a lack of knowledge of how immigration does or doesn't affect the housing market, how much value/tax these high net worth immigrants willingly bring to Spain (for the benefit of all) and,most of all, a disapproving kind of envy that's most unattractive.
@@Sholon Exacto, mis hijos que salen ahora al mercado laboral no compiten con estos valores, ni en compra ni en renta, puro populismo. Estas personas vienen a vivir y gastar.... como hacen los Vanderbeek y muchas otras familias a las que ayudo a instalarse en España.
Wow! My annual income is about €8,700, but I live in Tenerife where the cost is much less.
But in Getxo you are paying for an exclusive place, the average income per capita much higher in Bilbao, san Sebastián and Getxo than Tenerife. Kind of pozuelo or Boadilla or viso in Madrid
Can you live off 700 euro each month?
@@Sarnarath no
Thank you James a very positive interview. I moved to Lanzarote 27 years ago from the UK and have never regretted it.
I was just shocked to find out my cousins were in a UA-cam video!
We are in our second year, and this is very accurate, and they were very open. I'm grateful that they were open. Our first year was over $5k a month.....we keep up with every single dime. James, you did a great job. Some publications sell copies by spreading misinformation. With the info they provided, a person can analyze and adjust to the area they choose to live.
We worked hard to analyze our actual expenses to inform our budget. This is realty for us, not anyone else. It’s possible to live on more and less almost anywhere in Spain.
@@TVanderbeek we are on an NLV in Vigo. We use the ap TravelSpend. Good data is important to making good decisions
That's great. I grew up in Getxo in the '80s
Thank you from one New Zealander to another for this information. We are living in the Canary Islands & we live within an urbanisation with the majority our neighbours are Canarian. The Golden Visas have brought nothing but property to Spain in this instance. The average Spanish citizen couldn't afford the property in question let alone pay for renovations - the seller must have thought they had hit the jackpot with the sale.
They were extremely happy with our offer but I also talked at length with them about how happy we were to make their home our home. They must have had so many memories here. I think they were the original owners and lived here almost 50 years. I explained we would also make some great memories here for our family. The seller teared up and gave me a big hug. We paid 100x what they paid for the piso in 1973.
Love that they have prioritized new hobbies that are Spanish speaking, great way to spend free time!
When I saw this I thought I could never live in northern Spain, it's expensive when I saw their budget so it was very helpful to learn you can have a lower budget and live there. Thanks for including that at the end-so important!
We should have said it up front: this is our budget, not a cost of living video. There are many cost of living resources. We hope people can take at least a little information from the video.
THIS IS PERFECT CONTENT. Thank you so much James.
There are so many comments about the total amount and/or certain pieces of it being too high. This lovely family IS trying it all (and by opening up their books) enable us the viewers get an idea what would the max cost be if we too add some of what they do to our own lives.
We should be thankful for the sharing instead of canceling James or the family.
Just to add, it is all about preferences. For example we spend €1500 a month for education per kid (British School) while this couple spends only €600 (to concerdato). And they reallocate the €900 to hobies. Good for them. I myself have to give that a thought as well.
I agree. This is a family of four with two teenage boys who are physically active. Their quality of life is higher and yet affordable. One crucial point that isn't missed is that their healthcare is ONE TENTH of what it was in the US. Americans run the risk of going into bankruptcy if they have a single catastrophic health event. That danger doesn't exist in Spain.
@@sarpsarikaya1675, good point. It's also important to remember that the Pais Vasco is a fairly expensive part of Spain. Similar quality of life could be had much cheaper in Cantabria, for example. This couple is from California, Mountain View, a Silicon Valley area that is extremely expensive so they are accustomed to a much higher cost of living. Spain must seem very affordable in comparison. Not cheap, but reasonable. I'm from South Florida and I have found that living in Asturias is infinitely more affordable and travel to other parts of Europe are as easy as travel to other states was back home. I adore Spain.
Thank you for understanding. Our mortgage in California is about $4000/month. We don’t have that expense in Spain but it’s important to understand that costs can be high anywhere depending on lifestyle. Just our HOA in Spain is €533/month. I know some people done spend that much on rent. In the past two years we were spending €12k/year/kid on private school but that has now gone down to about €4K each at the concertado. Private schools in California can cost $50k/kid/year.
The comments are interesting. This family willingly opened their lives to us. They are telling you how *they* live, not how anyone else lives. I think the value of what they get for the expenditure is phenomenal. Trips back home and schooling are included. Most wouldn’t have that expense. They were honest. I can think of at least one private school here in Vancouver charging over $30k per annum and it’s close to double if you aren’t a citizen! I don’t mean the independent Catholics schools, which charge a lot less. Shoes, I relate to! When I was a little girl, we lived in Toronto for a year. My Mum had to reheel our shoes once a week because we walked so much! In any case, thanks to this family for talking about their lives in beautiful Spain!
Very interesting! Great info. Thanks for opening up your home and giving us an idea of costs. Enjoyed!
Absolutely LOVELY!! Thank you for these videos James!! :D And thank you to everyone who lets us behind the curtain every now and then!! We took your course and are getting ready for our big move in April. :D
Glad it was helpful guys. Good luck for the move!
Spain is a large country which caters for a wide range of budgets. This video shows the higher end of that scale, which is absolutely fine. If you factor in the area you want to live and the lifestyle you want to have, there is no point talking about the "average" cost of living because there's no one amount that fits all. I'll be honest, on seeing "€8700/month" in the title I immediately thought this video did not represent the average person living in Spain, but I had to remind myself that that's not the point.
If this video isn't relevant to your budget, that's fine, it's way beyond my budget, too, but as long as you understand that different lifestyles cost different amounts of money, it's more realistic than claiming that "X" amount of money is what you need to live in Spain.
The video was about our budget, not cost of living here. James said it’s easy to find cost of living for anywhere in Spain so he didn’t want to do a video like that. And for our neighborhood and the one next door with the mansions, I’m am quite sure there are people living on way bigger budgets than ours. And no one is complaining about that because they don’t share their information. I’m sure people would complain about Amancio Ortega’s budget and he has more money than anyone here.
@@TVanderbeek yeah you guys are being unfairly punished for being transparent! Well done on making such an effort to integrate, by the way!
Thank you Toby and Lindsay for allowing us to experience a little glimpse into your life. Those were some great and really valuable lessons on integration into the community. Thanks to you as well James for all you do.
James - Excellent content and thank you for creating these type of videos.
My pleasure! Thank you for watching :)
Lovely family and a nice tour - Bilbao his really pretty; it felt amazingly safe when we were there visiting last year.
I love the content on Spain Revealed. But this video just feels like a long advertisement/commercial for James' Masterclass!
While the cost of living has skyrocketed in Spain, and in many countries the last few years due to the cost of housing, and inflation etc. Living on 8700 Euros a month is insane. Very small percentage of spaniards even make that much money a year in terms of gross income. he average annual salary in Spain is 27,000 euros (gross). So even a couple, on average would be 54,000 euros annual income.
With all due respect, you´re right about the average salary in all Spain with 27,000 €. In all the Basque Country the average salary is 32,313 €. But Lindsey and Toby don´t live in Portugalete, they live in Getxo ( Guecho in Spanish), exatcly they live in Las Arenas bordering Neguri also in Getxo. In Neguri the average household income is about 300,000 € a year. Because of that they aren´t the richest of Getxo, not even close. Getxo population is almost 90,000 people and the average household salary is 61,355 € per year, but household income is about 100,000 € because one thing is what you earn as salary and another waht you earn with investments.
And Getxo is not the richest county in the Basque Country , the richest county is Laukiz and the second one is the home of the golf player Jon Ram, Barrika. Getxo is the sixth. And none of the richest counties of the Basque Country are among the 10 richest of Spain. The richest Autonomous Community ( or regions , it´s like States in the USA ) of Spain by far is Madrid and the richest counties are Pozuelo de Alarcón and Boadilla del Monte, both with almost 100,000 people. But in Madrid city there are lots of boroughs with higher income, like El Viso where Amber Heard came to live here where Florentino Pérez lives, but El Viso with houses about 2 million € to 12 million euros is not the richest borough in Madrid is the sixth. The richest are Valdemarín and El Plantío.
And you don´t say that the South of Spain is poor, places like MArbella is really expensive or even more expensive like Sotogrande with houses in the range of 5 million to 20 million euros.
Good luck and kind regards.
This is a great perspective. We get grief for sharing our lifestyle. It’s not a cost of living video. Many people don’t understand Las Arenas, Neguri, etc. just as they don’t understand what it’s like to live in California. In our neighborhood in California some homes around exceed $5M and there are many like this, but here in Getxo that’s the top and there are few.
Thanks, I understand there are some places in Spain that are more expensive than others (like anywhere) haha! My wife is from Spain, born in Madrid but grew up between Castilla la Mancha (Almagro) and Granada. I have spent several years living in Andalucia (Granada & Almeria), and have traveled extensively throoughout the country, including all the communities touching the North Atlantic in “España Verde”, Asturias, Cantabria, and the Pais Vasco). We even did the Camino de Santiago (Portguese Route). San Sebastian is probably one of my favorite places in the world, and I have also visited Bilbao, Vittoria etc. I am just saying this video caters to the 1% and feels like an advertisement! End of story. Pero gracias por la informacion! Jajaja
@@TVanderbeekthe family in the video seem like great people. I’m an American and live in Massachusetts, which is also extremely expensive just like parts of California. I applaud them for moving to Spain and integrating into the society. My commentary is strictly based off of the video feeling like an advertisement.
@@patminella7951It’s us
I think it's helpful to show these kinds of videos with all different budget levels. It shows what kind of life you can have with a certain budget. You can definitely live in Spain at lower budget levels. I live in Sevilla and I probably live off 3000 euros a month as a single person, not including my travel budget. I think Andalucia region is cheaper than Bilbao, San Sebastian, Madrid, or Barcelona.
We can’t say that for four people the budget would be 4x yours since housing is a single cost, etc. Although a family would require larger housing at higher cost. But I think you understand where we are coming from. And we included our travel in the budget as it’s an expense we occur on a regular basis. We could have cut many items out of the budget for the video but then there has to be a * next to every line to explain it.
The family profiled seems to be lovely and their efforts to integrate are laudable. I must agree however with some other commenters that the large influx of migrants with this kind of purchasing power has seriously distorted local housing markets in some cities (although I’m unfamiliar with the situation in Bilbao). I think in general it would behoove would-be migrants to Spain to be sensitive to this dynamic when choosing a place to live.
Here in Valencia there is a severe housing shortage, with accompanying crazy cost increases. While there are multiple causes, foreign buyers and speculators (and uncontrolled tourism) have been assigned most of the blame. Most homes in the center are now purchased by foreigners and/or outside investors, and locals are being pushed out of the city entirely to the surrounding towns. Yesterday there was a massive demonstration here (with at least one ‘guiris go home’ flag), yet most guiris seem to be oblivious of their own contribution to the problem.
James, I like your videos and have followed you for some years; it would be great to see you profiling people who have chosen to move to areas less inundated with wealthy expats :)
The price we paid for the house is perhaps average around here. It had been on the market for a while. And the seller was so happy we wanted to purchase her house because she wanted to move to a care home. How does this distort prices? The prices in the neighborhood range from €400k to maybe €1.5M. And homes nearby can be up to €5M.
There are so few expats here. In all of Getxo’s population of 80k I think there might be a dozen Americans families. The locals are wealthy here.
I've lived in Northern Spain for years and I watch your videos with interest but this is giving a strange perspective. . I've never had any Spanish friends who get 9k euros a month... and 1000 euros a month eating out??? A normal middle class/well paid working class couple would be on around 4000k a month.
And thats before tax....
And is that both people working?
As we explained we have our lifestyle and it’s not the same for anyone. Many would spend less than us but some could also spend more. We live in a place with mansions on the cliff that cost millions, but those people probably wouldn’t share their budget.
its not correct unless you live keepg up with the joneses lifesthle am from the basque country you need about 1500- 2000 euros to live monthly my city is vitoria gasteiz
@@jimmyjohnny3779 mate u dont need that much 2000 euros is roughly
This is all well and good but these folks are obviously quite wealthy given the cost of their home and the renovations, plus the photos that show they've done some world traveling. How about a feature on the other end of the spectrum: a single person with a more modest budget?
Great idea!
I find it so interesting that everyone is commenting what this family spends and judging them, they were so open and gracious about their lifestyle and their move which I greatly appreciated. Dividing that monthly total by 4 and converting it to Canadian dollars brought a whole new perspective. As a single person living in Toronto my cost of living is higher. It's all about perspective and less judgement. I absolutely love how they demonstrate integrating into the local culture and learning the language. I've seen videos recently about people moving back to their home country as they were very unhappy in Spain but they didn't integrate so they were miserable. This family has Spanish friends and participates fully, which is what every county wants from immigrants. As someone mentioned in another comment though, I would love to see James' next video focus on a single individual and learn their experience. Thanks for the great content James!
We really enjoyed this episode James, like we did when you interviewed the Canadian couple a few weeks ago. It's always good to get a different perspective. Thanks to Tobey and Lindsay for sharing with us.
It would be great in the future to have interviews with other families or singles who live in Spain with much smaller/tighter budget. When we get setup, we'll be at the other end of the rainbow. 😂 We'll volunteer.
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@spainrevealed 100%! Looking forward to the next one.
Me and wife will be moving to asturias in a village in the hills. We want to live off £1500 a month. Also want to do trips all over spain..wish us luck🤞
Good luck guys!
Sounds great. Cider and greenery.
@@spainrevealed we will need it but looking forward to the adventure. Nice quick train from oviedo to madrid for a treat😁
Nice. Asturias is great. Good luck.
¡Suerte! Y no os olvidéis de llevar el paraguas.
As a follower since more than 5 years ago, this kind of videos showing wealthy people are making me closer to stop following this channel. I miss the old times with Madrid tips and food places all around Spain
Hi there! Thank you for being a long time viewer. The channel will have content aimed at helping people explore Spain as tourists authentically and also move to Spain. The previous video was tips for ordering in tapas bars and the next one is a pintxo crawl in Bilbao. Hope you’ll hang about the videos the interest you :)
I used to be in Chicago a translator/interpreter and a relocation agent. Interesting video. Thank you.
It’s great to see the expenses for different lifestyles. Their lifestyle might not be for everyone but it’s interesting to hear about it and I am sure is valuable to some.
I will keep my comments about how they spend their money to myself. And I have to admit skipping parts of the video once I got a feel for it. But the most important information was missing! Where do they get their €8700 from per month?? That would be the really interesting and relevant thing.
Presume they rent their property(ies) in Mountain View, CA
Good video to show people that life in Spain really isn’t all that cheap. Huge housing crisis in Spain atm too
I want to move to Asturias 💕. I am thinking of Oviedo or Gijón because it's so lovely there. I know it rains a lot but I like rain and the lifestyle I saw there.
We have been to Gijón a few times. It’s nice. But it’s also way west and takes longer to get in and out. We like being near Bilbao as the airport is 20 minutes away.
Go to Asturias and Gijón for a week and explore both.
I´ve written you already a message but it doesn´t come out, so sorry. I´ve told you that you´re superwelcome in Asturias, everyone is. Asturias is just beautiful but it rains even more than in Washington State. If you like rain it´s your place in the world, if you´re madly in love with rain like living like a siren Galicia is your place, it even rains more. But the real state prices in Asturias are unbeatable, you can buy a place to live in Oviedo for less than 30,000 US $ and a little more in Gijón. If you can work in remote, you´ve found your place in the world. But it´s nothing like Getxo.
Sorry I can´t tell you the name of the US girl who bought a house in Spain for 20,000 US $ and also she bought a big apartment for 10,000 US $, if I write down the name this comment doesn´t come out, so sorry. Ans also check the famous web for finding places in Spain, it´s also in English. Good luck and be welcome. See you around. Kind regards.
Getxo is beautiful one of the nicest places I visited when I went to Bilbao. The houses were incredible. The beach was great. I'd love to live there but the properties are expensive.
For most people including me, living in California is no longer possible economically but Europe is affordable and that's why we are considering moving there. Now I would do very well in California with $8,700 a month. In other words, what is the point of this video, it's obvious we can live anywhere if we have money.
But for a family of four in the SF Bay Area, €8700/month is not enough. The point of the video was to show one budget, not cost of living.
Beautifull family, beautifull apartments. It was very interesting to watch this video. Thanks for sharing the budget. Thank you!
I loved the video and the philosophy of this family. I grew up in Spain and may be making my way back from Australia one day. But wow, so much envy and jealousy in the comments! They say that envy is the national sin of Spain, but obviously it's not just Spain!
I thought fútbol was the national sport but someone told me it is complaining.
I really liked this family, although they might be wasting some money.
Maybe I am very disconnected with house prices (I never had to buy one, I live in Valencia), but that one is quite steep! In any case, it is a lovely place and you made it look amazing. Well done.
I think the house was a good value. There didn’t seem to be a premium for the view. In this size there was nothing cheaper. There are pisos on the waterfront for over €1 million. And some mansions on the cliff for up to €5 million. But that’s Las Arenas and parts of Getxo. It is not difficult to find lower cost housing all around us. Many 2-3 bedroom apartments rent for around €1000/month. But this is all so much lower than housing costs in California. It would cost at least $6000/month to rent a house in the neighborhood we moved from in California. Many people can’t understand this if they have never been there.
@@TVanderbeek in US costs are so high! I have many friends there and just blows my mind. I am lucky that I live in a big old flat that is near the center. My grandpa bought it and it's been in the family since there. Saving in housing is something that I don't take for granted.
8700euros a month?! Who are you making these videos for? This is not an accurate 'cost of living in Spain' piece. Sure the wealthy can live almost wherever they want, but you might as well call it something else like 'how the other half live' lol. I was drawn to this channel for providing answers to how people spend locally that don't have over-inflated bank accounts, but rather manage with the basic costs of actual living without spending needlessly. This title is a joke.
I think the video is great, and the family is great - there is nothing wrong with what they do or how they do it. But the title could indeed have been more along the lines "Monthly Budget of the American Upper Middle Class Family". But kudos to them - they worked hard, and they got the amenities they want, and I'm not seeing multiple Mercedes's or lavish 5-star family vacations to Dubai.
@@yuriyzenda5857 That's true yet I live in Spain in quite a well off area and if you put me on that kind of budget I could easily divert enough for the fancy cars and 5star vacations (not that I'd want to). 😉😅 So yes, I guess it's just the title and intro that rubs the wrong way (feels very misleading if people don't know better).
Maybe a future video on budget living.I visit Spain throughout the year and I shop like here in the UK looking for the best food prices, Bars,Tapas and anything where else that cost nothing to admire a view like local parks etc.I've visited Spain since 1985,ran my own Spanish Travel Business for 28 years.
If I lived in Spain I'd be looking for the best prices for everything.
This channel is NOT only for retired ppl. 😅 Expats could be all different finance levels. Well , ppl from the states DO have higher average incomes than Europeans. 😂 . The house in California alone is a few times more expensive than Bilbao.
@@orangelily935 Not sure what any of that has to do with anything. I'm not retired. Of course people have differing incomes/finances. The point is simply the title and intro are misleading. One persons ability to spend has nothing to do with the actual 'cost of living' in a given area.
Love the variety on your channel.
Welcome to Spain, from a Spaniard and Basque. I hope your experience becomes even better. I see you are open-minded and really embraced the local culture and stuff , you integrated quite well. Impressive and not common to see many as you, I have to say.
I don't understand why everybody is complaining so much. That's just an example of a wealthy family that lives in Las Arenas, one of the wealthyes areas in all of northern Spain. I don't think this videos have to show whats the bare minimum you need to live in a place. As more diverse get this videos they will help more people.
Thank you. This is just our perspective. There’s room in Spain for any budget.
Thanks for an interesting interview, Toby. Teenagers are expensive, and your family's life is wonderful. You dont have to defend or explain your choices. I get it. There's only 2 of us, and our budget is only a little less than 50% of yours because, similar to you, we have return flights to New Zealand to include at least once a year. The north of Spain is fantastic, we're super happy here too.
I tried to show our budget, all in. I could have left many things out but that wouldn’t have been realistic for us. Thank you for your support.
$8700/month is not a positive selling point. That's super expensive.
And we explained that it’s our budget and that everyone has their own budget, and it’s possible to live in Spain and Basque Country on almost any budget.
Nice family. Eventually they will be able to live in Spain with much less money.
Thanks James for scaring off 98% of potential future expats to the area.😂😂😂😂😂😂
We recently used Devour Tours food and history tours and they were amazing in Barcelona, Madrid, and Athens!
I was just reading in the Spanish press a while ago that less than 5% of people in Spain make more than 4000 euros a month. The headline of this video blew my mind when I saw 8700$ (I was an expat in Spain for 3 years)
The negativity is ridiculous, this is how this family of four lives, it does not mean everyone does. Not everyone needs to live to " your ideals". I appreciate the openness and also how they have integrated into the culture and lifestyle.
Is it above my means, yes...can you live in the region for less, yes but I recognize folks have a life outside of my bubble. I'm sure somewhere my expenses are outside of someone else's means.
Thanks to the family for sharing.
@TVanderbeek thanks for sharing your details about this move from CA. (I used to live in Mtn View but now in Southern Ca). Was curious to get more info about the tax stuff you mentioned. I feel like it got kind of cut off in the video. Were you suggesting a better option would have been to move to another state before moving to Spain, as to not be a resident of CA under their tax laws while you are out of the country? Thanks again. We love the way your family is really immersed in the culture and country. I think thats the best way to go!
California is one of half a dozen sticky states that wants income tax even if you move overseas. There are ways to stop this so we are working with our tax advisor. But moving to another state first is one way. We didn’t do that so we are looking at other options.
@@TVanderbeek that's what I thought! good luck with everything
@@TVanderbeekhow long does one have to move to another state for before moving to Spain? Asking as a CA resident looking at Spain.
@@aircraftcollectorI heard six months to a year, but a financial advisor or relocation expert is who to ask.
This is a fantastic video. I remember when I first moved to Japan, I was hungry often until I found food I liked. Anyway, thank you for your video. It was very interesting.
8700 a month? And 2000 for the couple living at Costa Blanca? Wow...
Lots of lifestyles/budgets are possible in Spain. :)
In Eroski markets you can find peanut butter, and a much healthier peanut butter than Skippy.
This reminds me of the digital nomad visas Portugal is handing out ...They wanted to boost the economy with foreigners' cash so anyone earning 36,000 Euros a year or more can get one ....This backfired as property prices in Lisbon have risen to levels approaching those in London or Paris yet many of the locals earn only 600 Euros a month
Spain Speaks channel mentioned this in the Summer.The Portugese not happy with the Nomad Visas.
One more little thought. It’s great that you guys caption your videos, but the captions that UA-cam generates are very inaccurate especially when it comes to Spanish terms and place names. (Bilbao was called Bilbow and Basque was rendered variously as Bus, Bass, etc.) Just a quick pass editing the captions would take care of that. Thanks for all you do!
If I lived in a Rural area in the North Of England my cost of living would be substantially cheaper than living in central London. Spain is no different. You can have a great standard of living in Northern Spain in a rural area. In addition if you pick an area of rural depopulation your presence really makes a difference to these communities. However, that is a lifestyle choice I understand many people prefer and can afford the Metro lifestyle.
Thank you for this video. The reality of Spain is that the cost of living - to live like its the 21st century - is equal to most other countries in Europe. This video is a very good illustration that Spain is NOT a cheap place to live well. It may be cheaper than Sweden or Norway BUT it is not cheap. My cost of living in rural Cordoba is actually higher than it was when I was living in the center of Amsterdam. In the end, living in Spain is a lifestyle choice NOT a way to save on living expenses.
Spain can be less expensive than other places but it depends so much on lifestyle. It’s less expensive than it was in California, especially for health care. But there we had a mortgage and in Spain we don’t. In Spain we have an HOA and in California we don’t. In Spain we have concertado school costs but in California we didn’t. So it’s not an easy direct comparison other than overall costs, and those are less in Spain. People are used to a certain lifestyle and they are likely to live the same anywhere. While some expenses are lower in Spain, we also spend a lot on new hobbies, sports, and music since we are exploring what Spain has to offer.
I missed that webinar in September just so happened was on my way to Spain on vacation
No worires! I run them regularly, all about topics on moving to Spain, and with top experts. And they're 100% free. You can sign up for the next one or future ones here: www.spainrevealed.com/webinar
Thanks James. If possible, can you find out what service they use to forward their mail from the US for their bank, credit cards, brokerage accounts, and general mail. Also, did their CPA successfully file their FTC for the taxes that they paid in Spain to reduce or eliminate their US taxes? Any help with this would be appreciated.
We use AnytimeMailbox with an address in the city we moved from. But I have also tried really hard to eliminate as much mail as possible, get off mailing lists, convert mail to email, etc. I wish we didn’t get any mail but it seems impossible. We just finished dealing with 2023 taxes in the US and are still working on Spanish taxes. It’s a complicated situation that I think will become more simple over time.
@@TVanderbeek Thank you. This is helpful. So, did you change your mailing address for your bank, credit cards, etc. to the AnytimeMailbox address where you moved from? I've researched some virtual mailboxes and I've found that if there isn't a physical address that is recognized banks, etc. may flag them. I did see that AnytimeMailbox does have a physical address option as well. Is that what you are using?
Yes, the address is actually a Postal Annex in the town we moved from. We got off every mailing list possible, changed as much to electronic as we could, and gave the rest our new address if you want you can put APT or STE for the box number. You don’t have to say box. Eventually I’d like to get rid of the mailbox but I don’t know if it’s possible given that many companies won’t switch to digital delivery.
@@TVanderbeek Thank you for taking the time to reply. I am planning to retire in Spain and this is one topic that I have gotten a lot of mixed messages on. One last question if you. Don't mind. Did your bank, credit card, and brokerage firm let you change your address to Spain? I've read that some banks and brokerages will close your account if then know you live overseas. Hence all the questions. Personally, I think that I would always need a US mail service for at least the IRS and potentially banking services. I want to keep using all my US credit cards while in Spain in order to maintain a US credit rating and to bridge the gap until I can get a decent credit card in Spain. Again, I appreciate your help with this. Regards.
Did you folks watch the video and paid attention to the numbers? It'll make sense if you watch it again.
I think many people didn’t even watch it once after reading the title.
Very interesting video and thank you for sharing. The question I have for this couple or anyone is how the fridge THinQ works? We are in the process of renovating the house and I dont have much info about the brand but I have seen it in El Corte Ingles. Thanks!
@@TVanderbeek thank you so much for the feedback.
I'm doing well if I'm spending 8700€ in 6 months in Spain.. What universe is this?
It’s our universe. We explained what we spend and why. I wish we could cut our expenses down to €8700 in 6 months. But we are a family of four with two hungry and growing teens in a concertado school. Just the kids’ school is going to be €8700 for the year. But there are free public schools for those who want it. The good news is that any budget can work around here.
They came from the heart of the Silicon Valley, where an average home costs $1.5 to 2 million. When they sold they likely had over $1 million which would allow paying for the penthouse outright as well as the monthly costs. That being said, part of the fun of moving outside of the US is to NOT reproduce the lifestyle of the US. I moved out of the US to another European country and spent far less. I enjoy a simpler life now.
My Business has been Spain for 28 years.I love my visits and as a Spanish Friend once told me I was more "Spanish" than the "Spanish" when over in Spain!
If I lived in Spain I'd be doing as the Spanish do.I don't watch UK TV but watch the Spanish Channels buy the Spanish Food too.I don't visit British Bars etc either.I'm happy in a local Bar full of Spanish.
My 4 youngest children have Spanish Names and my youngest two were baptized in Spain.
Hey James and Yoli. The comments section can be brutal and it seems here is no different. Thanks for sharing such high quality content. I hope the comments don’t sour the hours you’ve put into this one. I appreciated it as a different take on the subject
Thanks for that. Yes, this one seems to have touched a nerve.
I think it’s touched a nerve for a few reasons.
Firstly, just plain old jealously. There’s no need for most of these comments. They seem like a lovely open family and it’s really nice of them to bare all re their finances in Spain. I wouldn’t have done it & I’m grateful they did. They’re not showing off or humble bragging, this is just their financial reality.
Also the reality that people like this family, (& my own soon hopefully) are inevitably inflating the property prices & pricing out many locals. This is always going to touch a nerve & it’s totally understandable.
It could also be the fact the the cost of living in Spain has risen, like most of the world & the reality of this video, may have actually priced out many, from the Spanish lifestyle they were expecting/hoping for.
I think like me, some are just so confused by the cost. I know so many people living in Spain, expats with very good jobs and locals with all types of income. None of them spend anywhere near this amount and without wishing to be rude have, a from our perspective better lifestyle & property, in comparably expensive parts of Spain. I hope that comment doesn’t seen to mean, it’s all subjective & just one persons opinion & I suppose the people we know may actually be spending this much, who knows🤷♂️
Love this video and all the information the family shared. Big thanks to them for opening up their lives and their fridge 😂 Its super helpful to show a variety of budgets. Well done!
I didn’t want to show in the fridge but James insisted!
All the people complaining here are underestimating the cost of moving to a new country and just paying whatever the price is to get what you need, instead of having to deal with a headache each time you need something seemingly simple. Sure, the longer you spend in a place, the more you'll figure it out and become more knowledgeable about how to 'live like a local' and reduce costs. That said, the whole reason you moved to a new place was to have experiences, learn culture, and embrace something new - not spend that time exhausting yourself in the navigating simple daily things that were easy to do back in your home country. Imagine how much higher this €8700/month might have been if the SpainRevealed channel did not exist!
I have a very well paid job by UK standards and I don't earn this amount per month. I think the people "complaining" aren't really doing so, they are saying that it's unreasonable to suggest that you need 8,700 pm to live in Spain, which is what the title of the video suggests. Also, you don't pay top rates just for ease if you can't afford it. The title of this video may put people off moving becuase of the cost implied, perhaps At the end of the video, there is mention of living on a smaller budget, perhaps James needs to do a video about someone on his Masterclass that survives on a more realistic amount.
Hi there -- the last video before this was a couple living on 2000/month. In the end, I'll be doing a range.
What's so special about living in northern Spain if you have 8,700 euros /month?? You can live almost anywhere in the world with that money!
You will not have the same standard of living in other places offering the same range of goods and services. Here, they are Californians and they wanted something similar to California. They could go to Alabama to spend less, but it was not what they wanted.
The Weather is different.
@@elizaphe58 I guess that Spanish Basque Country as pretty much the same climate than North California.
It’s really not about the money for us. That’s what many people are getting wrong. We moved to Spain so we could work on our castellano and show the kids what it’s like to live in another country, and to have some new adventures. We had no idea that we’d make such good friends, continue to learn Spanish but also euskera and enjoy the basque culture, go for morning swims before school, walk the Camino, play basque instruments on mountain tops, root for Athletic Club, learn new sports like pádel and balonmano, and so much more. We really feel at home here.
And we do love the weather. It’s cooler than Northern California and the weather changes often which keeps it interesting. We like rain and cooler temperatures.
@@TVanderbeekMy Eldest Daughter and her Hubby live in Vancouver they are now Canadian Citizens.They were in Australia first but moved to Canada in November 2011.They love the Lifestyle etc they have Fabulous Jobs.Just recently bought a small House there with a yard.They travel over the border to the USA just recently collected their Rescue Puppy from California just been on holiday to Palm Springs.They meet up with family in Vegas cheaper all round.
Live your best life I wish you all well for the future.
Strange choice of lifestyle at 8700 p.m. Why not go to an average, more realistic British ex pat couple in,say Andalusia, and see how they live. Bet its less than 2.5k p..m
James wants to show various lifestyles that people are living across Spain.
James has already done the interview you suggest. This is a different family and lifestyle, I thought it was very interesting.
because its more shcoiking thta a guy from claifornia woould randomly live in getx bilbao many brits came spain but amercians is mre unusual specially in basque country and youn do not need 8700pm in the basque country none ears that lol hes probaly just wealyhy and spendes people roughly spend 1600-2000 euros
We live MUCH cheaper in spain ! Only €30 per person per month for healthcare for example (co-pago, so each doctor visit costs extra €6 €). And no need to pay for schools, great spanish schools for free (yes partly in the local language, but it's similar to french so for normal developing kids shouldn't be an issue) . Also solar electricity means very low electric bills.
How do the family go on with the children playing ball games in the apartment with neighbour's?
We are respectful of our neighbors. The ball is foam and doesn’t make any noise. But we do talk to our neighbors in our building since we see them every day. We don’t play loud music. Respect is required in buildings. Also I’m the president of our portal this year so neighbors come to me with problems.
@@TVanderbeek That's good to hear...I know when I used to go on holiday with my family.I instilled in my children it's not like Our Home upstairs and downstairs,you have to respect the neighbour's up and down.Many a time in a holiday apartment someone up above in heels clipping around.Then moving furniture!
Great motivation video to try to achieve more in life.
Great video. So informative
Money now seems to be a divisive word indeed and being offended if you think another person has too much money is now okay because, well, you know, every one has an opinion and is entitled to vent a spleen for no good reason. There are many issues in modern life but at no time in my life would I have thought that a family buying a home, overpriced perhaps, could somehow be directly linked to the Spanish government's lack of a coherent home-building and attendant infrastructure plan.
Not one negative contributor has at any time stopped to consider what this family may or may not have had to endure to arrive at the point of filming this video. Did the gentleman or the lady in question build a business? Was it built perhaps following a failed venture? Did they lose their house having had to remortgage in order to support the business before getting it right, being able to sell and then offering themselves the choice of where they would like to live next? Have they had to endure other hardships or ill-health along the way? None of this may have happened, and they may be heartless capitalists out to crush the spirit of the working-class as they walk over their prone bodies everyday on their way for their matinal chocolate and churros or, and I'm risking eternal damnation from the opinionati, they are simply good people who have done well.
What I saw was a family with the means to live as they see fit. They contribute handsomely to their local economy through what they spend and the subsequent taxes levied upon that money which will be used for the common good in the country. It is facile to point at what we see as inequality but this is an example of being offended for the sake of it. Should you be really bothered at Spain's housing crisis then let out your spare room to someone or organise a march in your local town or even better run for office in your municipality and implicate yourself in policy-making.
James and Yoli, keep up the good work!
Thank you for your comment :)
Well, said. I like to think we are the latter, good people who have done well. We contribute more than financially to our community. We pick up trash others walk over, cover graffiti, organize beach cleanups, spread basque culture and music, and so much more. People are very judgmental. It’s easier to sit back and judge rather than take the time to understand someone.
Folks, there are wealthy people everywhere, including Spain. I appreciate them giving us a glimpse into their lifestyle. Some can obviously afford it. If you can’t, that’s perfectly fine, you can skip this video. James has content for everyone.
Thank you. James had no idea about our budget when he first asked us to do the video. I think any budget can work in Spain. It just depends on lifestyle.
I like the video. Nowhere do they pretend they are poor or anything, comment section seem to be suggesting they are? Maybe I’m missing something
In Denmark we also keep our eggs in the refrigerator🙂
I do here in the UK.
what a lovely couple!
WTF
Seriously, I understand if this is meant to show a wealthy American transplant family, but this is like showing how much it costs to run a Cadillac Escalade in Spain.
A tiny percentage of Spaniards/ Basques live like that... and not at all representative of how you can live in Spain.
I would guess that moving from an area in California in which you would have to spend double that for a domicile, might make it seem a lot less expensive, but that doesn't mean that it's reasonable.
This is depressing for somebody who is getting his citizenship and thinking of moving to Spain from somewhere not California (truth be told, we're originally from California, and it was clearly much more expensive than the high quality of life, college town in which we live)...
More power to them, but it's ridiculous ("Raves"?...)... maybe less relevant outside of a "singles" demographic
The video was meant to show our budget, which is what James asked us for. It wasn’t meant to be a cost of living video. We or anyone could live in Spain for less money. And many people live here on more money. As for the raves: Monegros. It’s in the budget. Nothing wrong with letting loose once in a while.
Northern Spain, specifically the Basque Country, is much more expensive than Southern Spain. You have to know that the Basque Country is the richest region of Spain. San Sebastian is even more expensive than Bilbao area.
Insightful watch as always 🫡👊🏿
This is upper class spending
What’s wrong with that?
Getxo is unique and quite exclusive. Great great place to live. San sebastian os very nice coast city but maybe too many tourists. On the othet hand in getxo you have also the sea and you have a great and big city loke bilbao close by.