18 Months of Living In Spain, here's my BRUTAL TRUTH (UK Vs Spain)

Very well said, maybe its better life style but you still need a good well paid job to enjoy it .
Salary are less in spain but lower tax .
UK higher tax but more money. So kind of equal.
In terms of UK full of immigrants. Spain has the highest immigration in Europe.
Weather of course much better and food and people more friendly.
But as I said above you need well paid job to enjoy your life

I agree! The NHS in UK caters only to the illegals vs citizens. That’s why it takes so long to get a Drs appointment. Shameful.

How about finding decent paid job in spain ?! Can you make like 3-5K eur a mo there ?

There are pluses and minuses in both cultures the climate in Spain is very variable and it depends where you live. Unemployment is high the bureaucracy is definitely worse than the UK. I do not have knowledge of the health system. The cost of living is definitely less there and they are family orientated and they care for their network of Friends. The tourist traps are horrendous. local places as in most countries in the world are the best bet. learn the language then you'll get access to understanding how the culture works and the mentality plus the sense of humour. Meeting locals is the key and getting their perspective on how things work is what it all comes down to. Brits in a bubble or any outside race who do not speak or wish to learn the language eating their calamari and swigging back their beer does not really give you a much of an insight into the reality of everyday living in Spain. To sum up the people of friendly, the city's can be extremely Loud. The only real way to know is to spend a minimum of one year living in the country, it also depends on your circumstances whether you're going there to retire, to work or run your own business ultimately the more Spanish friends you have the faster you'll know how the place works on a profound level .Small towns in Spain not that much different to the UK's outer Counties and small towns in the which tend to be community orientated and very friendly. Spain is pretty much similar in that respect. The problem we have in the UK is the cost of living and as far as this weather thing goes if you live in the north of Spain it rains just as much as it does in southern England Andalucia is fine but you have to deal with people who try to talk to you in English all the time even if you address them in Spanish and rip off prices depending upon where you are. Ultimately it's horses for courses you can create a great life anywhere in the world it all comes down to whether you're happy inside or not. That is the driving factor.

I have been on the coast for 11 years now, so here is my €1 of opinion.
I rent and although prices have went up, it's still cheaper than renting a shithole area in Scotland. I was shocked to hear a work collegue is paying £340 POUNDS! a month for council tax on a 4 bedroom home in Aberdeen. Renting here i pay €83 twice per year for my bins being emptied (it was €68 until the took away the freeze). Councils in the UK empty bins every 2 or 3 weeks these days. My bins are emptied DAILY! Every night around midnight.
I had private healthcare which was great, but friends who use the healthcare system say it's better than the UK, without doubt.
I love the life here, but i will now go on a rant about what i find is the only negative living in Spain.
Trying to run a business is incredible. It's like governments don't want you to succeed. Every month you have fees just for the sake of being self employed. After 2 years and the discounts expire, you are expected to pay around €350 A MONTH, and it doesn't matter how much your company earns that month. It must be paid. 😢
I now work full time and wanted to start an online business selling things, but i also need to be self employed, which is almost impossible. As i have been self employed in the last two years i don't get discount for the new business. 😢
As for the tax system, compared to the UK there are a lot more tax brackets all the way up to €70,000 and there's only a €5,500 tax allowance, compared to over £12,500 in the UK.
I love Spain, the people and the culture and don't have any plans to move back. The UK is not the place it once was and you sure don't get value for money.

Intruiged to know how you did, work, visas etc post Brexit. Wasn't straightforward for me and I'm married to a Spanish citizen.

The UK is NOT a safe place, especially for children and women. The break down of law and order, softening of sentences for predators, islamification of the country and its laws. The UK is a dump, a complete dump.

As a Romanian working in London, working in IT so not that doing that bad, feel living in uk has gotten worse over time. 10 years ago used to be better, but now even though I can afford it I feel like I am overpaying for stuff. Was in March in Seville to a Michelin guide (not starred) restaurant, food was a fabulous and price was a joke. Really, food does not compare as price and quality. Weather is definitely worse, but ok not your fault. Yes, not much of a community would agree. 7£ for a pint, this is ridiculous. I do enjoy the concerts, jazz clubs, lot of stuff here in London, but used to be so much cheaper. My main grievance is rent, hey paying 2k for a 2 bedroom the size of a one bedroom is not ok, really fix the housing. This is fucking up everyone’s life, young adults, families etc. I don’t know how, but cap those rents or smth. Also nhs, trains, how the apartments look
That being said, the sense of humour, kindness and politeness, tradition, stuff like Wimbledon, theatres, nice people they are still here, just fix those rents :)

UK is depressing and boring.

It's all about sun😒

We move from Spain to UK.The job there .Not a chance. To difficult for anyone.

Cataluna. I can't seem to find it in idealista. We are moving with our four yr old boy next yr and would love to know about schools ✨

Much cheaper than UK and France here on the south Costa Blanca below Alicante. Boomer retirement culture though, you'll have to mix in.

A Brit living in Spain now for 5 years.....no competition! Spain is a socialist country, everything is about it's people and quality of their lives....
Can you say that about UK....
NO!! ..... Oh yes and the climate 😂 and there's no chavs here 😂

I’ve lived full time in Estepona for 14 years, prior to that I lived for six months here every year, and I can honestly say that it’s the best thing I could ever have done.
The whole life is better, the weather, the people, the standard of living, and of course the cost of living.
I cannot think of one thing in Fulham…..where I was born, brought up, ran my business and still own property, that is as good as here.
I’ve never had to work here, but I retired in Fulham back in 1980/81, so I’m making a good comparison.
I still go back to England, albeit less than I used to, but to see the demise of everything that I used to enjoy about W. London, and England in general, confirms that my decision to come to Spain was the best.

Britain 🇬🇧 is a shithole compared to Spain 🇪🇸

One of the most common issues when you want to move is the job. How are you handling this part?

Interesting one for me. I'm in the uk with my partner (who is spanish). There are reasons why we can't relocate right now but in the future hopefully. It's fair to say I'm already disalusioned with the uk - tax, weather, loss of identity, and that prat Kier in charge 😂...I don't really see any benefits to the uk houses are really expensive so is rent, quality of life not great, a lot of division. I obviously like sun/good weather too and that in itself improves my mood. I've heard there are some pretty bad tax rules in Spain too, such as upon death, but i'm no expert in that and haven't looked into it.

Is this how u make your income?

What is it like for work?. I was a nurse but have?recently been doing care/support in the community around family as I am 54. Is there much need for support in the home?. Also what opportunity for teenagers?.

Lifestyle has to be better but the practicalities, work, jobs, income as these are the basics to give you a life in another country, always wanted to live in Spain.

Im South African and have lived in England for 26 years and I cannot wait to move to Spain or Portugal where there is the community I miss so much. In SA you can ask a friend for help with something and by the end of the day someone you dont know will call you up and have the help you need - no such thing in England. People have no consideration of others here either, and dont get me started on being miserable due to the miserable weather for 9 months of the year. It's June and it's raining and 13 degrees FFS. If you like this kind of life, good for you but I am solar powered, I need sunshine to feel like myself and like a normal human being.

When I was in Lisbon I went to a tiny restaurant and was seated at a communal table between two couples, one from Australia and one from England. The Brits ignored me and I got happily chatting to the Aussies. As a South African, the lack of openess to strangers in England does a number on your mental health when you come from a culture where everyone is essentially extended family.

I noticed you’re speaking about the ENTIRE UK when you say back at home. It sounds like the area you live you’re not getting these elements of communities etc. I can categorically tell you it’s where you live in the UK. I grew up in the midlands, and certainly relate to some of what you’re saying, community, weather etc. but since moving south to Sussex, it’s quite different. We have so much community where we live now and also the south coast has way fewer rainy and cloudy days.

Great speech thanks

How can anyone compare two countries with two different climates? Total crap !!

Viva Spain.

Appreciate the video. A few points-

1. Spanish population is likely healthier than the UK population so less strain on the Spanish system

2. Spanish culture is more family orientated and ‘nicer’

3. Spanish vs UK economy are v different; UK is twice as big and higher gdp per capita; this is not to say bigger is better. Rather, the UK, in order to keep growing came at a cost to the avg citizens- like ‘growing pains’

Barcelona is incredible- London is a mess

I've been in Mallorca and in Madrid and the food is definitely not so cheap. Also I don't know about the energy bills that a Spanish is paying because energy in Europe is more expensive. So it is not everything so perfect. The best that I found in Spain is the controlled illegal aliens the opposite that is happening in London and in the UK right now.

Are you serious ..with the €16 .i go to Spain quiet a bit ..but find the food prices are gone up a lot in recent times..i live in Ireland. but the sun i would not like all the time..i lived in London too ..but i wouldn't swop my lovely life here in kerry for anywhere...but so glad you found a lovely life ....🎉🎉🎉🙏💚🇨🇮🇨🇮

I have moved to the UK almost 10 years ago. The longer I live here, the more I love and appreciate it. Yes it has its flaws, but if your ego permits you looking past your own convictions you can find absolute beauty and peace here, you just need to know yourself and listen to yourself instead of following someone else's opinions. The grass will always be greener on the other side if you permit it to be, even in Spain.

Wonderful content ❤
Thrilled for you and your family .

Keep em coming!!

You've a new subscriber 🎉

I took my young family (wife, twins aged 8) to Spain and we loved it for the reasons you outline. COVID nixed that, it was house arrest, so we escaped to Portugal which is far more relaxed. It's like Spain forty years ago, for good and bad. Both countries are great, but we're very happy in Portugal, a truly beautiful people with an international mindset because so many of them have lived abroad.

I live in the UK. Never suffered from long waiting lists for my local doctors but this year it’s hit us hard and we’re now waiting 1 month or more for a phone call with a doctors… Yes, a phone call. All the local hotels are also full of illegal men. The UK has gone down the toilet and we cant wait to move to Spain!

Can I ask what jobs you have? I think its all well and good promoting the lifestyle but if you cant afford to live and work its futile

Where do you go on holiday now? 😅

whats the work situation like , im a warehouse worker but willing to learn another career but is there training ?

Of course they don't mix..England is becoming muslim...its never going to be the same ever and will get a lot worse.

Why be sorry to say the health service is better?
That's half the problem

I have my retirement home already paid for semi retired now. Looking forward to leaving the UK !

Clickbit. Didn't say any Brutal true. Obviously is better weather in Spain.

Just stay in UK with your shit!

I'm too old to leave the UK. I'm willing to go down with this ship, and believe me, its going down.

eh si, é cosi... anche noi siamo degli SFIGATONI senza fissa dimora... non ci daranno mai nemmeno le CIABATTE... siamo condannati sul serio a restare per strada... nemmeno lavorando, compreremo mai una CASA... i ricchi diventano piú RICCHI e i poveri restano sempre POVERI... fra 4-5 anni, rischio di diventare sul serio un HOMELESS o uno SCARAFAGGIO... thank you for the EURO minister MERK-KILLER

Men that have worked all our working lives now Thick Government is Taking our money off us Men

I agree with you I’m Portuguese and my wife does Spanish as main language and we are planning to move from uk to Spain soon if God permits

I am a Brit and so saddened with the UK I’m a huge patriotic but with a few things that have happened to my family and friends in last few years I’m disillusioned with my country .😢