Living in Spain for a short period of time.

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methionine

Posts: 13
Joined: Aug. 27 2016

Living in Spain for a short period o...

Hey guys,

I lived in Latin America for 3-4 years, I have since been living in Canada 8 months of the year and Central America for 4 months of the year.

This year, I want to go to Spain. Watch some real Flamenco, and change it up from Latin America.

I'm looking for any guidance. I was thinking somewhere in Andalucia but I am unsure what I can expect in terms of costs.

Some people I have talked to say Spain is quite cheap, but hard to say. Anyone have any experience living in or around Seville?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2017 17:24:12

Piwin

Posts: 3566
Joined: Feb. 9 2016

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to methionine)

Seville is probably the most expensive option of all of Andalucia.
If you're willing to share an appartment, rent isn't too bad but if you want to live alone it can start to get a little pricey.
And of course it's cheaper to live outside the city.
If you live in a smaller town or in Granada, you can survive by just buying beer and eating the free tapas that come with it.

Forget about getting anything free in Sevilla though. Still a great city, and lots of good flamenco.
When I lived in Granada, I'd say I spent something like 600 euros per month for rent+related (own appartment + gas and electricity and that sort of stuff) and food. You could bring that down substantially by sharing an appartment.
And then the rest really depends on lifestyle. It's always hard to say though. I thought I had a nice appartment for what I was paying. Some would think I was rich living the good life, and others would think I was dirt poor living in a shack.

edit: I should add that given the amount of students who go down there to study flamenco, sharing an appartment could be a really good deal unless you're a recluse like me. Cheaper and people to practice with.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2017 18:28:51

Leñador

Posts: 5237
Joined: Jun. 8 2012
From: Los Angeles

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to methionine)

I love Sevilla but from what I could tell it was only marginally cheaper than Los Angeles, so no way, not cheap at all, but a great city.
Yeah I'd try a smaller town, Jerez seems pretty cheap and you're sure to find some flamenco.

Here you go:
https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/seville

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2017 18:41:25

methionine

Posts: 13
Joined: Aug. 27 2016

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to methionine)

Thanks guys, exactly what I was looking for.

I only plan to be there for a little bit, so not sure if I will be able to rent an apartment.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2017 18:50:11

Piwin

Posts: 3566
Joined: Feb. 9 2016

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to methionine)

You should be able to find short-term rentals. Offers on the street are almost always cheaper than what you find on the internet so you could always book a room for a week and use that week to find something else.

@Lenador
There's one problem with the list. "Bread for 2 people for 1 day". It should say "sucky bread for 2 people for 1 day". (yeah I know. This again. Sorry couldn't help it!

)

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2017 18:53:29

Leñador

Posts: 5237
Joined: Jun. 8 2012
From: Los Angeles

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to methionine)

quote:

@Lenador
There's one problem with the list. "Bread for 2 people for 1 day". It should say "sucky bread for 2 people for 1 day". (yeah I know. This again. Sorry couldn't help it! )

Haha they made another mistake, "1 beer at a pub" should say "1 cup of yellow colored water" haha

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2017 19:09:46

methionine

Posts: 13
Joined: Aug. 27 2016

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to methionine)

I hope the beer is better than in Central America.

The beer is a mild step above water, especially compared to what I'm used to in Canada.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2017 20:02:37

Piwin

Posts: 3566
Joined: Feb. 9 2016

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to methionine)

Prepare to be underwhelmed.
If I'm completely honest though, I've been known to enjoy a clara every now and again during the summer months.
Something about the squelching heat makes a glass of p**s water pretty enjoyable.

The big brand in Andalucia, Cruz Campo, is very weak. Other brands like Mahou or Alhambra have some stronger beers, though still rather weak IMO.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2017 20:33:08

Leñador

Posts: 5237
Joined: Jun. 8 2012
From: Los Angeles

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to methionine)

Even Guinness has a special formula for Spain, it was obviously lighter tasting,
Yeah, when I was wandering around Sevilla mid August lost looking for my hostel with all my luggage and guitar that ice cold Cruz campo hit the spot!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2017 20:53:49

BarkellWH

Posts: 3464
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to methionine)

quote:

I hope the beer is better than in Central America.

You might try an imported beer, assuming the imported variety is not geared to the Spanish taste for weak beer. For example, with Spain's historic connection to the Philippines, it would not surprise me to see the Philippine beer San Miguel available. San Miguel in the Philippines, while not a strong beer, is decent enough. But again, it would have to be unadulterated. Good luck.

Bill

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2017 21:50:55

Escribano

Posts: 6428
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to BarkellWH)

Best beer on a hot evenings is a frosted tubo of Alhambra. Decent flamenco was not that easy to stumble across in Granada 10 years ago and I suspect it is even harder now. Personally, I would budget around 1200 Euros a month all in, for a decent time but I have marginally more expensive tastes in accommodation, beer, cigarettes and food.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2017 22:25:46

Piwin

Posts: 3566
Joined: Feb. 9 2016

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to Escribano)

quote:

but I have marginally more expensive tastes in accommodation, beer, cigarettes and food

I should've specified that the food portion in my budget was just "eating at home" money. Eating out and drinking definitely upped my budget a few hundred euros. If I include everything I was doing, including mischief, I was probably somewhere around the figure you cited. Spent a lot on gas to get to the trail heads the sierra. Got a few multas for driving through the north end of Recogidos and then Gran via (which is closed to trafic except cabs and buses but is pretty difficult to avoid unless you really know your way around the city) and another for busking at the wrong time in the wrong place.

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"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2017 22:45:27

mark74

Posts: 690
Joined: Jan. 26 2011

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to methionine)

I think maybe the best beer is from Belgium. Germany gives it a run for its money. Spain is all about wine and sherry, especially the riojas (IMO) which are some of the best wines for the price

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2017 22:44:30

edguerin

Posts: 1592
Joined: Dec. 24 2007
From: Siegburg, Alemania

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to mark74)

quote:

Spain is all about wine and sherry

But most Andalucians drink more beer than wine

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 3 2017 6:56:23

mark74

Posts: 690
Joined: Jan. 26 2011

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to edguerin)

Do they have any craft beer culture in Andalucia?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 8 2017 20:56:37

Leñador

Posts: 5237
Joined: Jun. 8 2012
From: Los Angeles

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to methionine)

There wasn't last time I was here but there appears to be now a bit. Jerez has a micro brewery and this place. My quick walk around Sevilla today saw a couple places advertising stouts and IPA's.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 8 2017 21:34:12

mark74

Posts: 690
Joined: Jan. 26 2011

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to Leñador)

Im guessing Alhambra, Cruzcampo and Mahou are the equivalents over there of Bud, Coors and Miller. They have those at the Spanish tapas place I go to every great once in a while , but I just get Corona cause honestly its better.

Looks like they have a lot of great beers from other countries on that menu, but just like anywhere else theyre quite a bit more expensive.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 8 2017 21:45:32

Piwin

Posts: 3566
Joined: Feb. 9 2016

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to mark74)

The craft brewing industry has been growing fast in Spain. As was the case in France, there was a brit behind it all. I forget his name but they usually credit the movement to this one British guy in Barcelona. There are a lot of them in Catalunya, quite a few in Madrid and Basque country. I don't think it's worked nearly as well in Andalucia though. They're doing well in those areas where the hipsters and pijos are, so mostly in the big cities.

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"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 8 2017 22:18:10

Leñador

Posts: 5237
Joined: Jun. 8 2012
From: Los Angeles

RE: Living in Spain for a short peri... (in reply to methionine)

I was shocked that Jerez had TWO places to get decent beer, it's a pretty small city. I may make Sevilla a craft beer tour.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 9 2017 3:36:33