"We Left the UK for a Sun-Kissed Paradise with Gas at £14 and Annual Council Tax of Just £220!"

Table of Contents

• Life in Spain
• Moving Costs
• Social Media Reactions
• Moving House Hacks

A BRITISH mother of two has shared her experiences of living in Spain and the costs associated with it.

Jodie Marlow explained that she and her family relocated four years ago and have never looked back.

Jodie Marlow left the UK four years ago to reside in SpainCredit: tiktok.com/@jodiemar1ow The family now resides in the stunning Murcia Region of Southern SpainCredit: Alamy

Jodie, her husband, and two sons currently live in Torre-Pacheco in southern Spain, conveniently close to the beach.

Many have inquired how she managed the move and how living expenses in Spain compare to those in the UK.

In response, Jodie detailed her monthly expenses.

In her video, the stay-at-home mom stated, “We don’t have to pay rent or a mortgage because we own our home.”

Regarding electricity, Jodie mentioned her bill averages around £30 per month, but during peak summer months, it can increase to about £50 due to the constant use of air conditioning.

The family's water bill is just £28 monthly, and Jodie noted that they use gas from a bottle for cooking.

“I found it quite strange at first, but it’s actually quite common in Spain,” she shared.

“A gas bottle costs around 16 euros (£14). Currently, because of the heat, we aren’t even taking hot showers, so we don’t even turn on the gas for that.”

She also mentioned that she usually cooks on the BBQ, minimizing gas usage, with the bottle lasting approximately three months.

In total, her annual expenses for utilities amount to just £220, which breaks down to about £18 per month, bringing her overall household bills to only £110 monthly.

They own a beautiful house by the beachCredit: tiktok.com/@jodiemar1ow

Jodie has also offered advice for those considering a move to Spain.

She explained: “If you hold a UK passport, you can’t just relocate to Spain as you could before Brexit; you will need a visa.”

“You might consider a work visa, depending on whether you have a specialized job.”

“The self-employed visa is nearly impossible to obtain, so we didn’t even attempt that.”

“However, the digital nomad visa allows anyone working online, provided you earn a specific amount that supports your family. They specify exactly how much that is.”

Since Brexit, UK citizens and non-EU nationals require a visa to stay longer than 90 days.

SOCIAL MEDIA REACTIONS

The video of Jodie discussing her monthly expenses has gone viral on her TikTok account @ jodiemar1ow , garnering 300k views.

Many viewers were surprised in the comments, noting that her costs were significantly lower than their expenses in the UK.

One user commented, “Bills are definitely cheaper there.”

Another remarked, “This is so affordable; I want to move!”

A third user expressed, “I really want to do this with my little family, but I’m so scared.”

A fourth said, “Easily 50% less than the UK.”

“Not bad; I’d love to relocate,” stated another.

Someone else added, “That’s fantastic.”