| The Comments |
I am aware there have been previous threads on this topic but I am asking if there is anyone out there who can give me an update idea of the cost of a weekly shop.
My reason for asking is because my wife and I are due to return to Spain next month but so many of our friends have or are in the process of returning back to UK.
One of the reasons given is the cost of living has gone up in Spain but surely it still isin't as expensive as UK?
Could anyone give me an example of a typical weekly shop for 2 adults who like their food,with a small dog.(n0n smokers).
Please dont include the cost of rent,just food,some wine to last out the week,also could you include an update price on a litre of diesel and the cost to replace a 15kg butane gas bottle??
_______________________
Spanish Dragon
0
Like
|
As everyone has different things in their food trolleys your question is impossible to answer. However here are the average price of a few basic products from Mercadona. Litre of milk...from 65c- €1.30 Butter..£1.25 Small Brit cheese... €4 Dozen large eggs...€2.20 Whole chicken from €4.50 Joint of Pork... €5 Joints of lamb €9 - € 26 Loaf of sliced bread..from €1.25 Salmon fillet..€11 ( enough for 4 people) Small piece of beef steak € 12 + Can beer...from 26c and tin coca cola 60c Excellent wine...€3/4 euro a bottle but have enjoyed some good wines from as little as €1. 5kg potatoes €4.50 Last butane bottle I bought cost €19 and diesel , price changes daily is about €1.40 at the moment where I live. If you buy only Spanish produce , from Spanish shops, your weekly shop should be about the same as you spend in UK. hope this is of some help.
1
Like
|
Where DO you live, floella? Not wishing to get into comparisons or a spat, those prices you quote for some things are a bit off the mark.
Small Brit cheese €4 - for €4 we get 400g (almost a pound) of Kerrygold Mature cheddar.(Consum)
Dozen eggs €2.20 - just bought a dozen today at €1.35 (Consum)
Frozen lamb at €7.50 a kilo, fresh lamb at €9 a kilo.
Small piece of beef steak €12. What are you buying, corn fed fillet? Sirloin steak at Alcampo is €13.95 a Kilo, Got a huge, and I mean huge, T bone steak there yesterday for €7.
10Kg potatoes €5 at the stall across the road.
Our shopping bill here comes to about the same in euros as it does pounds in UK.
However, I apologise as I have now got into a comparison bit which I said I didn't want to do as it always causes problems (oh, whole trout at Alcampo for €1 each, by the way).
Actually the reason people would have moved back would not be for the cost of things here. Electricity has risen a lot but it also has in UK as well. Just the horrible 21% VAT payable here instead of 5% like UK. I think that is offset by not paying £160 a month in council tax, though.
Then again, we popped into Iceland the other day and haven't been there for a long time. Hubby fancied a pork pie and I wanted a Take A Break. To see people filling up their trollies with not just English food but fruit and veg (don't they realise those tomatoes are grown in Spain, shipped to England where they are put in a UK wrapper, sent back to Spain and cost the double the amount?) Lurpak spreadable at €3.40 for 250g in Iceland and €1.98 in Alcampo.
Still, IM very HO, it is far cheaper here for most things on a day to day basis. We certainly eat far better (and more, more's the pity) here than we did in UK.
Sorry if I've sounded like supermarket comparison. It's just that we had an enforced 3 month stay in UK last year and I couldn't believe the prices. We were going to stock up on loads of items but, quite frankly, found nothing that was cheaper in UK.
As to prices going up in Spain, the average inflation rate at almost 3% in UK over the last year (and well done for bringing it down to 2% in Jan this year) compare with Spain at normally 0.2% with a high of 0.52% in June and actually a minus figure of -1.28% in December seems to put the lie to that. Of course, for Brits the staggeringly low value of the pound to euro makes things seem more expensive. My pension, in euros, is actually less this month in euros than it was a year ago despite a 2.4% increase.
2
Like
|
This has for many years interested me in more ways then one, good post, two of my friends live in Costa Blanca South and he will always complain about the cost of living in Spain, they both have very good English pensions and years ago they were getting 1.50€ to the pound on the transfer, when it dropped to the regions of 1.25€ to 1.15€ all hell was let lose, like this was Spains fault because he had lost about 400 / 500€'s a month.
They still eat out about 4 / 5 times a week, Sunday out for roast, coffee outside whenever they want it, detached villa with heated pool. We have friendly heated discussions about this all the time with me telling them to try this Spanish lifestyle they have, back in the UK now, and then lets see how far your UK pound pension gets you both.
1
Like
|
I live in Lorca mariedav. No consum here but we do have most of the other supermarkets. I was just highlighting Mercadona prices but if one shops around prices will differ. I was quoting for a dozen large eggs. Medium are about 1.35 However I prefer this supermarket. Individual prices may vary but have found overall weekly shop costs about the same in Spanish shops. And we both agree food shopping here is comparable to UK. Really all depends what one wants to eat and how much time one spends seeking the bargains. Mature cheddar from Iceland is pro rata the best buy at €7.50 for 880 gr or kilo but the 2 hour round trip it is impractical unless one is in the area and can stock up.
1
Like
|
What a response,thank you all very much.I have come to the conclusion,if you want something bad enough you can always think of the reasons to have it and not not to have it.
A lot of the ex-pats/friends we know have come to that time in their life when they have the 7 year hitch,not matrimonial problems,although it may cause some but missing Britain and the family syndrom.
Once in that frame of mind we get tunnel vision to get back home and come out with all the excuses under the sun to get back to UK and one of the "excuses" used is,the cost of living in Spain.
I dont know what they will expect to find when they come back to Britain.My wife and I have tried twice to make a new life in Spain but returned firstly for my wife to have an operation on her knee.She has been waiting now over 5 years for an operation and had 4 cancelled operations!! They have now told her they will not even consider an operation till she is 70 years old, (she is presently 57)
Our second attempt was brought to an end when we had a guilt trip and were missing the family.We returned to find the family were getting on with their lives and not really missing us.They still went to work,the grand children still went to school the word did not stop because Nanny and Granddad came back home and we soon learned we had deprived them of future holidays in the sun!
Finally ,since we returned appart from the bad weather all we have heard about is friends being ill and dropping dead.We have now realised that life is not a rehersal this is now our time so we are returning to enjoy what is left of our lives.
I thank you all for your replies,I apologise that mine is so long winded but you have helped us make our minds up that we are doing the right thing.
_______________________
Spanish Dragon
4
Like
|
The real difference is if you buy Spanish products. I only buy Spanish butter for example, and it is 95c in Mercadona.
Dairy food generally has never been mega cheap in Spain imo. And I only buy Spanish bread - delivered fresh to my door (and left even when I am not at home) and it costs less than 1euro a day - actually substantially less - I think it comes to about 4 euros for 6 days. Why would I pay for British sliced bread?
2
Like
|
Mantequilla in all Mercandonas in my area have, since Christmas ,gone up from 99c to €1.25
0
Like
|
Mantequilla in all Mercandonas in my area have, since Christmas ,gone up from 99c to €1.25
0
Like
|
Roly2 the Mantequilla in all Mercandonas in my area have, since Christmas ,gone up from 98c to €1.25 and the sliced bread I buy is also theirs. The only one product that I have so far been unable to find a Spanish equivalent for is black tea.
0
Like
|
Inflation is everywhere, and in many cases it's not due to rising costs of the raw product, or any other expenses, mostly only down to the shops, this week in the papers they are having a pop at some of the supermarkets here who have reduced many items by 50%, to compete, only to find that these items were cheaper before the 50% drop, all they did was to increase the price for a while..then drop it 50%.
Good case of this was from Edinburgh Mills a few months back, I looked at a nice looking thick fleece for outdoor work at £50.00, to much because I would have wrecked it, went back in for something weeks later and they had reduced it to £25.00, so I bought two, then a couple of weeks later again this fleece was advertised at £60.00 each...Reduced to £30.00 each in the sale.
0
Like
|
Yes, of course prices change - but I stand by my basic arguement that is if you want to buy English stuff (or even substitutes) the bill will be higher. I focused on butter because in the UK, a pack of a butter in Tesco costs between £1.30 (own make - but not as good as Mercadona!) and £1.70 for Lurpak. I am sure Lurpak in Mercadona is also expensive. I also accept that a sliced loaf may be all some people buy for a week. But I would rather stick to my Spanish pan and have it fresh every day. And by the way, that costs around 60c in Mercadona, and 45c in Dia. I pay a whole 10c for the joy of having it brought to my door.
Sorry - but there simply IS no comparison for me.
3
Like
|
Sorry roly2 , just dont understand your "basic argument " quote when everyone who has responded agrees buying Spanish products from Spanish shops keeps the costs comparable to UK. There are regional differences...with supermarkets in Murcia seemingly a trifle more expensive unfortunately. Only difference I can see is that the sell/best buy date is ignored so never any cheap offers.
1
Like
|
I would ask 'Spanish Dragon' why they cannot enjoy their lives in UK and why do they imagine it will be very much different in Spain? I accept the better climate reason that is always given in these debates but really a climate alone does not a happy life make. The fundamental reasons why you cannot be content in UK will be exactly the same in Spain or anywhere else for that matter. Grass really is not greener, only in your dreams.
The old addage of 'travelling hopefully is better than arriving' is very true.
This message was last edited by Mickyfinn on 29/01/2014.
_______________________
Time is the school in which we learn
Time is the fire in which we burn.
Delmore Schwartz.
1
Like
|
Morning Micky Fin
I take your point,truth being I could be happy anywhere,I dont know where you are located at present but to me,the weather/climate is a very good reason to live in Spain.A sunny day does make you feel good!
I also want to get good value for money from my pension and I know I can do that in Spain.and having lived in Spain previously we have experienced a more relaxed way of life which in our time of life suits us and we look forward to meeting up with our old friends to rekindle our social life.
So I don't" imagine"things will be different in Spain,I know they will having tested the water before hand.
With regard to the "butter" debate below,I don't really want to get involved with that one but apologise if I have opened a can of worms!
f
_______________________
Spanish Dragon
1
Like
|
The cost of living, if you are on a sterling income, will of course vary with the exchange rate.
When the Euro became the currency in your pocket, in 2002, it was at around 1.60 euros to the pound.
A couple of years ago it was at almost 1 euro to the pound.
It is now 1.20 euros to the pound.
So the cost of living, based on sterling, has varied tremendously. At its height my OAP was about 800 euros per 4 weeks, at its lowest 500.
2
Like
|
You have opened a big can of worms because you will get the wine and fag brigade telling you everything is cheaper in Spain I don't live in Spain but I go to my holiday home every 6 weeks so I can comment on this subject .
Asda supermarket
1 large of quality bread Kings mill and the like £1.00
18 eggs medium £1.50
6 rashers of bacon £1.50
4 tins of branded beans £1.25 heinz
1 jar of pataks curry sauce £1.00 4.50 grams
350 grams of mature cheddar £2.00
! burrito dinner kit £2.00
1ltr of milk 75p
250 gram tub of butter £1.00
Electricity in Spain is the most expensive in the E.U
Bottled gas is more expensive
Water is also more expensive
without a doubt it is very expensive to live in Spain .
This message was last edited by windtalker on 29/01/2014.
This message was last edited by windtalker on 29/01/2014.
This message was last edited by windtalker on 29/01/2014.
1
Like
|
This debate about the tiny variations in supermarket shopping is missing the point. The fact is if you remove the costs of housing and higher taxes on alcohol in the UK everything is more or less the same everywhere in Europe. Some things are cheaper and some more expensive but it evens out on a weekly shop.
I live parts of the year in France, UK and Spain. I notice little difference in any country over an extended period. It's all relative.
_______________________
Time is the school in which we learn
Time is the fire in which we burn.
Delmore Schwartz.
2
Like
|
This debate about the tiny variations in supermarket shopping is missing the point. The fact is if you remove the costs of housing and higher taxes on alcohol in the UK everything is more or less the same everywhere in Europe. Some things are cheaper and some more expensive but it evens out on a weekly shop.
I live parts of the year in France, UK and Spain. I notice little difference in any country over an extended period. It's all relative.
I would agree that there is very little differences between supermarket prices in the UK and Spain. However, you have to remember that salaries are a lot lower in Spain, with 1000 euro net per month being a typical salary in Spain. So in relative terms, I would say that Spain is a lot more expensive than the UK.
_______________________
Read my blog: Spain Money Saving Tips and Offers 
Use TransferWise to send money abroad. A lot cheaper than the bank and other online currency exchanges!.
2
Like
|
That's an interesting point Sanchez. Spain is as difficult financially for the Spanish as UK is for the British. Housing and travel costs in the UK are utterly crazy but incomes are higher to provide the means to meet those costs. It's all relative.
British immigrants on a Sterling income feel Spain is cheaper because real prices reflect real Spanish incomes. However currency variations and costs reduce that purchasing power. International ForeX exchanges are volitile and can unexpectantly reduce real incomes for a very long time. Ask any Brit expat on a sterling pension who has lived in Spain longer than this curent financial crisis.
_______________________
Time is the school in which we learn
Time is the fire in which we burn.
Delmore Schwartz.
1
Like
|