No idea re: comparison costs of setting up businesses - never done it inUK (at least, not legally!) But basically, as usual my dear, we agree. I think alas, perhaps we are just too alike to be compatible, but we can still be friends?
I have been following a hilarious thread in A.N.Other forum (some insignificant website dedicated only to some region in the south of Spain beginning with A) about cost of living. It got extremely heated, because some dimwit who lives in the campo insists that they can live comfortably (2 adults, 8 cats, 4 dogs, 2 cars etc) on €500 a month. Naturally others disagreed, at which the original poster became offended, and defended their right to survive by going to local bars and ordering 1 euro beers in order to get a free tapas, rather than cooking a meal at home! BTW, same place I found the one-legged semastress thing!