Planning to live your retirement in Spain?

All right, we’ve convinced you; living your retirement under the sun is a good plan. Now comes the important part, how do you do it? Here’s a list of ‘things to consider carefully’ before deciding to come and live with us.

1. Study the area: We recommend looking for a city/town that meets the conditions you desire: Beach, services, nature (although you have it easy here, each of the cities that make up the Costa del Sol has small nuances that make us lean more towards some than others). Try spending short periods in them before making a decision.

2. Visa and Residency: Depending on your nationality, you will need to meet visa and residency requirements to retire in Spain. Some people may apply for retired residency, while others may need temporary or permanent residency visas. The Golden Visa, for example, allows us to obtain a visa if we make a real estate investment.

3. Health Insurance: Although the healthcare system in Spain is accessible to residents, we recommend confirming this thoroughly. While you are not a resident, you can apply for the European Health Insurance Card, but it will be much better to come with your backs covered.

4. Taxes: It’s important to get advice on the tax implications of retiring in Spain. It will be important for you to make those calculations to add them to the fixed expenses you would have.

5. Social Support Network: Although English is widely used on the Costa del Sol, which will help you not to feel isolated until you learn Spanish, we recommend looking for an association or club that will help you integrate into your new life.

While retiring on the Costa del Sol is a lovely idea, we always recommend doing it sensibly and planning well, even seeking the help of an advisor. These are decisions that need to be made without leaving anything to chance.