Spain, as a whole, is far from a cheap place. On the contrary, there are so many places in this country that are some of the most expensive in the world. Madrid, for instance, the country's capital, required you to have thousands of Euros in your bank account in order to live a stable life here. The same goes for Barcelona, arguably Spain's most famous city, as well. But then there are cities like Alicante, a beautiful coastal town, where though it may seem expensive here, it's really not. Living here is actually quite affordable on most fronts.
Costs of Renting in Alicante
Let's start with rent! Oftentimes, it's the common rental fees within a certain place that really determines if it's more or less expensive or affordable to live there. Here in Alicante, if you could believe it, rent actually ranges within the hundreds instead of the thousands. This isn't to say that there are no homes that cost more than a thousand Euros here, of course, there are! Most
luxury apartments here would often cost thousands per month. However, you can still rent a home for as low as €350.00 a month in this city. In fact, the common range of median prices for rental fees here is from €500.00 to €900.00 a month!
Costs of Buying Property in Alicante
Even buying your own property in Alicante wouldn't cost that much compared to other cities in the Mediterranean. It's easy to think that since the city is by the Mediterranean sea, very much like Monaco and the like, that owning property here would cost a lot. It does, but it's not as expensive as other places. Specifically, the common price per square meter for land within the
central districts of Alicante would range from €2,300.00 to €3,000.00. For a place along the outskirts of the city, it'd be from €1,500.00 to €2,800.00.
Utilities Costs
Even if these rental or property prices are still too steep for you, at least you wouldn't have to worry about your monthly bills all that much! Your utilities costs in Alicante are some of the lowest expenses you'll face regularly. For all your basic necessities, such as electricity, water, heating, garbage disposal, and the like, you'll only have to pay around €78.00 to €150.00 per month! That's less than €200.00! As for your wifi? You can get internet in your home for only €30.00 to €40.00 every month! Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?
Food Costs
Hungry? Don't worry! Food costs in Alicante aren't that high either. In fact, you'd be surprised at how little of your money you'll need to spend in order to buy all your basic food necessities in this city. The common total median price for food in Alicante is €50.43. This will already include water, milk, a dozen eggs, a loaf of bread, fruits, vegetables, different types of meat, snacks, and even alcohol too! And all that for a little over half of €100.00!? And they can last you at least one-to-two weeks? Don't pinch yourself, you're not dreaming!
Dining Costs
Now, let's discuss dining!
Alicante's foodie hotspots range from upscale to cheap, it depends on you on where you want to eat. But don't think that all the great places to eat in this city are only the expensive ones. You can still enjoy lunch or dinner in Alicante without risking bankruptcy. Specifically, a lot of great affordable restaurants and bistros in the city would only cost you €8.00 to €15.00 a meal. And if you want to treat someone else to a three-course dinner, choosing a mid-range place would only cost you around €30.00 to €50.00 for all of it.
Transportation Costs
How about
public transport in Alicante? Will that be expensive? Of course not! Public transport, no matter which city you're in, is rarely expensive. Here in this coastal city, you'll only need to spend around €1.35 to €1.50 for a single-ride ticket on any of the public transport systems here. Double those numbers for a round-trip and you'll only need to spend €2.70 to €3.00 to get to your destination and back! If you traveled by taxi, on the other hand, expect to pay more than what you would have if you took the bus or tram. Most especially if you used a ride-hailing
transportation app to book it!
Clothing Costs
Fashion isn't exactly that important in Alicante so expect your clothing costs here to be more or less affordable. You might still see some luxury designer shops here and there here, but for the most part, you can get by choosing
high street brands or even homegrown boutiques. A piece from a famous contemporary store here would only cost around €15.00 to €30.00 per piece. Some new running shoes from a big-named sportswear brand, on the other hand, would cost you €50.00 to €90.00 per pair. And want a new pair of formal shoes as well? Expect to pay around €50.00 to €100.00 for them!
Leisure Costs
Enjoying some leisure time in Alicante wouldn't cost a whole lot as well! Let's say you want to watch a movie. How much does a ticket here cost? Around €6.50 to €14.00. Add a few extra Euros for your refreshments (popcorn, anyone?) and you can enjoy your time at the movies for less than €20.00! How about when you want to work out? How much would that cost? Well, it depends on where you exercise. If you choose a mid-range gym and want to become a member of it, you'll have to pay a membership fee of €30.00 to €63.00 per month.
Education & Childcare Costs
Lastly, one of your most important expenses in Alicante: your child's education. To ensure your little one's safety and security for the future, you'll want to enroll him/her in the best daycare centers and schools you can afford. For the former, that'll cost you around €300.0 to €400.00 per month. As for the latter, even if you enroll your kid in an
international school in Alicante, it'd still cost you €6,000.00 to €15,000.00 per school year! They're very high costs, yes, but remember that every penny you pay here is for your child!
Here in Alicante, the living costs are actually quite affordable than most. It only goes to show that you can still live the good life in a beautiful coastal city like Alicante without having to shell out tons of money that you risk bankruptcy!
