Lower-Cost Alternatives to BA?

[WorkingClassHero]

thanks again Fifs2 for the info, so I understand Sevilla, Granada or Cadiz in terms of prices, cost of daily life, quality of services are more or less the same?
When I was living in Barcelona I heard so many times about the budget costs in Andalusia.
And yes Argento, for European standards is Spain a low budget destination, the crisis, even with the rise of the VAT, makes Spain indeed a cheaper country than the Netherlands par exemple.
Wanted to add some information of de days I've been now in Bogota, Colombia. Although it seems not as cheap as Ecuador or North-Peru (Trujillo, Huanchaco) it;s far more affordable than BsArs, even now with the blue dollar/euro. Friends of mine live here with a million of Colombian pesos a month: between 400 and 500 euro's including rent in a nice area and using multiple taxis during the day.
And besides, I've to say Colombians are like Costaricans: very friendly, well mannered, good educated; so different than in BsArs! This is my third time here and I never felt somebody was trying to get advantage of me 'cause I'm a foreigner meanwhile I as a Argentinian living abroad had that sense constantly in BsArs.

Thanks for the info. It's quite useful.
You made a reference to Costa Rica. A friend of mine went there on vacation a few years ago and was telling me how beautiful and affordable it was. I wonder how nobody mentioned it in this thread. Do you know anything about the price of living there nowadays?

 

[Joe]

I'm thinking of going to Spain next. Some of you seem quite familiar with Southern Spain. I am interested in Cadiz, Catagena, Granada, Sevilla. How would you compare these in terms of cost of temporary apartments (1 month stay). Right now I am thinking of one month in Granada and one month in Cadiz and one month of traveling. Many of you mentioned Cadiz. Is Cadiz large enough to have a gym and ethnic restaurants?

What's the best method of finding a temporary apartment? Is it like Mardel where you can just walk around the street and visit a estate agent in the neighborhood you want to stay in.

Also what is the closest/best place to get your passport stamped? Gibralter? Morocco? I have two passports so a place that is casual about passport checks is better (because you are only allowed 90 out of 180 days in the EU as a tourist). No perma-tourist as in Argentina.

 

[fifs2]

I'm thinking of going to Spain next. Some of you seem quite familiar with Southern Spain. I am interested in Cadiz, Catagena, Granada, Sevilla. How would you compare these in terms of cost of temporary apartments (1 month stay). Right now I am thinking of one month in Granada and one month in Cadiz and one month of traveling. Many of you mentioned Cadiz. Is Cadiz large enough to have a gym and ethnic restaurants?

What's the best method of finding a temporary apartment? Is it like Mardel where you can just walk around the street and visit a estate agent in the neighborhood you want to stay in.

Also what is the closest/best place to get your passport stamped? Gibralter? Morocco? I have two passports so a place that is casual about passport checks is better (because you are only allowed 90 out of 180 days in the EU as a tourist). No perma-tourist as in Argentina.

I'm outside Seville and although close to Cadiz can't offer any expert advise on appt. rentals there but here in Jerez there is just so much rental offers that the prices have plummetted so (for a 2 - 3 bed appt) 250 euros per months is very possible but plan for 300-350 to give yourself a broader offering. No idea on the 1 bed options to be honest. Theoretically you can Just walk into any estate agent in town and they will have furnished rentals but having experienced that myself 18 months ago I'd say walk around, see an area you like and take down the tel. numbers of the se aquila signs. That way you avoid any agent commission and the owners who typically have multiple properties in a building/s can give you some options. We've only rented in the Sierra Nevada ski resort which isn't representative of Granada city prices so can't help there sorry. My food experience of Cadiz has been Spanish, Middle Eastern and Peruvian. I associate Cadiz with good fod - certainly better than where I live and there's a tendency to drench food with fat and sherry! There's a Cadiz resident on this site who will be much better versed to respond on this point.

Gibraltar doesn't stamp your passport - we've entered with a US, Argentine, Swedish and Irish one and no stamps yet. They just check it. The Taifa to Tangiers ferry is a good option if you're up for a day trip. 35 mins trip, 53euros return trip. The Malaga car ferry costs 70euros but takes 7 hours so probably better suited if you're planning to stay overnight.

 

[glasgowjohn]

Spain do not stamp passports when people leave or arrive in Gibraltar as they do not recognize it as a frontier it is merely a "police control"

 

[mariano-BCN]

Think about Spain, the situation is very much like Argentina: the country is in deep trouble and next coming years won't change. It's affecting the quality of life, even of those who are "pensionados" or receive money from abroad like freelancers and expats. Criminality has risen, the quality of public transport, health, public works and services are decreasing. The IVA is one of the most highest in the EU. There's too much unrest to enjoy life there, the sooner or later you'll notice it.
Consider Portugal: it's in crisis too but things are less sharp as in Spain, you won't notice that much.

I've been in Medellin now for a couple of months and I really love it here. It's still Latin America (read: there's corruption, inefficiency, things don't work as good as in Europe) but so many things are good here and expected to become better: the level of poverty is decreasing, lot's of green in the city, people are very very kind, price-level 's affordable, services are more or less ok. Important: you don't have the Argentinean mala onda porteña, nor the feeling you've to be careful all the time you'll get screwed.

 

[fifs2]

Think about Spain, the situation is very much like Argentina: the country is in deep trouble and next coming years won't change. It's affecting the quality of life, even of those who are "pensionados" or receive money from abroad like freelancers and expats. Criminality has risen, the quality of public transport, health, public works and services are decreasing. The IVA is one of the most highest in the EU. There's too much unrest to enjoy life there, the sooner or later you'll notice it.
Consider Portugal: it's in crisis too but things are less sharp as in Spain, you won't notice that much.

I've been in Medellin now for a couple of months and I really love it here. It's still Latin America (read: there's corruption, inefficiency, things don't work as good as in Europe) but so many things are good here and expected to become better: the level of poverty is decreasing, lot's of green in the city, people are very very kind, price-level 's affordable, services are more or less ok. Important: you don't have the Argentinean mala onda porteña, nor the feeling you've to be careful all the time you'll get screwed.

Hey Marianao in October last year you felt Spain was worth a look - did you come and hate it or has Meddelin been too fabulous that you changed your mind? Interested to know as it seems how people feel about Spain very much depends in which part they live. Whilst I'll agree on the economic situation being pretty dire for those who rely on domestic work and income if you're financially secure or reliant on external income sources Spain really is just a great spot not just to live but for cheap and rapid access to the rest of Europe. We're in Ireland and Paris this month, skiing next month in Granada 3.5 hours drive from home. Availability of hotels and appts already limited. Argentinean, English, Irish and Swedish friends already booked to come spend time with us in Feb and March. Travel options are so broad and affordable both within Spain and in Europe as a whole that you don't feel trapped by the borders and there's still a lot of movement within this part of the country for established tourism to do with equestrianism, hunting, wines, sherry etc. The vibe is still mostly positive here in Andalusia even if it's the worst hit in terms of youth unemployment. A large part of that has to do with family values still being so strong. People are friendly and contacts are very important, with families looking to help each other out. It feels safe. I can imagine there are certain crime spots in the costa del xxx but in real Spain ie Andalusia people just live so open and secure both inside and outside their homes. As we're tax paying residents we're using the public health system with no complaints so far to make us go private. Apptments are by email, fast to get and my husband had a minor surgery arranged and completed at the local hospital in 3 weeks.We're sending our kids to private school for a bilingual education and we are now paying less for such than our friends in Argentina in the local private primary in Caballito where our son was a pupil.
I don't want to paint an over rosy picture - the worst is likely yet to come as the trickle effect of the contraction starts to hit other layers of society but with new rail links and roads, shops and restaurants opening as quickly as older ones close, there isn't a sense of dark depression in Cadiz or Seville provinces where I have most of my friends. There's a sense that this dark time is justified. That the time to pay for previous excesses has arrived but the anger is whole heartedly aimed at the politicians not the business owners or wealthy locals. The social divide remains narrow.
No doubt Medellin is a fantastic option - somewhere I really want to visit. Just don't write Spain off. On paper, like Ireland the numbers are bleak but in reality living here or in Ireland is still very much fun. Here ends my advert for the Spanish tourism board.

 

[Joe]

One issue with Spain for me is the cost of healthcare. In Argentina (ditto Thailand, Vietnam, etc), I knew even if I had a serious illness it wouldn't send me into financial ruin like in the USA. I'm guessing that living in Spain uninsured as a tourist is very risky. True?

 

[Joe]

Think about Spain, the situation is very much like Argentina: the country is in deep trouble and next coming years won't change. It's affecting the quality of life, even of those who are "pensionados" or receive money from abroad like freelancers and expats. Criminality has risen, the quality of public transport, health, public works and services are decreasing. The IVA is one of the most highest in the EU. There's too much unrest to enjoy life there, the sooner or later you'll notice it.
Consider Portugal: it's in crisis too but things are less sharp as in Spain, you won't notice that much.

I've been in Medellin now for a couple of months and I really love it here. It's still Latin America (read: there's corruption, inefficiency, things don't work as good as in Europe) but so many things are good here and expected to become better: the level of poverty is decreasing, lot's of green in the city, people are very very kind, price-level 's affordable, services are more or less ok. Important: you don't have the Argentinean mala onda porteña, nor the feeling you've to be careful all the time you'll get screwed.

I have considered Portugal but since I struggled to just reach basic Spanish proficiency, I don't want to try to learn Portuguese. I still plan to visit but think I would only be there for a short time.

Regarding Columbia, I do plan to visit in the coming years. And the City of Eternal Spring is at the top of the list. Equador is probably at the very top of the list, because I get the impression that Columbia still has a lingering violent crime problem. I know it has improved a lot since the drug wars. Maybe BA has overtaken Columbia in violent crime at this time? I really enjoyed my four months in Peru several years ago and would love to revisit Cusco and Lima.

I hate tropical weather - the reason Central America, Thailand, Vietnam are only short term, winter destinations.

 

[nikthaimassage]

Was in Ecuador over a year ago, traveling into cities that were supposed to be an Eternal Spring (perfect place for retirement) plus easy access to a medical, Quito and Cuenca are not an ideal for Eternal Spring but COLD and that was in the Summer, what would it be like in the winter. Banos, the hot spring area is ok, pleasant place and lovely temperature, but to live there, guess not. Along the coast, Montanita is the best, lovely place, warm water and cheap, but the nearest hospital is 3 hours by car.

Lima and Baranco, along the coastline, beautiful, low cost and great food. The water is cold and winter is also cold with no heating. I was there for 5 months.

Heat and Could. Panama, on the Pacific Coast is great.

 

[fifs2]

One issue with Spain for me is the cost of healthcare. In Argentina (ditto Thailand, Vietnam, etc), I knew even if I had a serious illness it wouldn't send me into financial ruin like in the USA. I'm guessing that living in Spain uninsured as a tourist is very risky. True?

To be honest Joe it's still a grey area and I don't know how it really works. About 5 months back the govt. announced that all non-residents would be charged for any public health service. Indeed, as business owners we are registered for free health care but the registration for my eldest son took longer as he was born in EEUU. He needed emergency treatment for a chest infection and the hospital treated him (March 2012) but sent a letter immeditaly after advising us that a bill would be sent for such. We never received that bill and the govt. seems not to have formalized that policy. My English friend and her husband are here living as tourists effectively (they have NIEs but don't work or pay tax) and she's receiving free monthly treatment for (High blood pressure) and subsidized meds from her local clinic. All she did as register at her local clinic using her rental home address and NIE. Sorry I can't be more help but I don't think its black and white and many local councils may not have a clue themselves how to treat the situation.