Living on the Costa del Sol: an expat guide
What to expect when moving to the Costa del Sol
The Costa del Sol is a coastal region in the South of Spain that stretches from Nerja, past Malaga, and Marbella and onto Cadiz.
At one time the best-kept secret on this coast was the thoroughly Spanish city of Malaga. There was a time when a few brave coastal souls who ventured there were rewarded with the Spanish language, ambience, culture, art, music, medieval buildings, Semana Santa processions at Easter and the spectacular Feria de Agosto (August fair). Now about 23 per cent of Malaga’s residents are international, and it has developed a reputation as Spain's answer to 'Silicon Valley' — thanks in part to Google's setting up its cybersecurity hub in town.
The siesta culture
Integration with the Spanish takes effort and perseverance. Many expats find that it never happens. There are major cultural differences. The Spanish tend to have large extended families and long leisurely Sunday lunches and family celebrations together are the norm.
The siesta culture with the split working day remains prevalent, and it is perfectly normal for Spanish (and many Latin Americans) to be out at weekends until after midnight with very young children. Also, the Spanish prefer to meet in restaurants and cafes rather than invite people to their homes.
At school events, it is common to find Spanish-speaking parents mixing with each other, while Americans and Brits do the same. Making the effort has its rewards though.
In recent years, some Spaniards have resented the pressure on the health and education services created by the influx of foreigners. Nevertheless, there is a delightful, down-to-earth simplicity and friendliness about the people here, especially if you show respect and try to speak their language.
Where to live on the Costa del Sol
Living near the coast
Most northern, and increasingly, eastern European expats live on the coast to the south of Malaga in a series of overbuilt towns beginning with Torremolinos (near Malaga Airport) and spreading southwest through Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Calahonda, the renowned Marbella, Puerto Banus, San Pedro, Estepona, and Sotogrande, before you reach Gibraltar.
Such positives as the weather, the simplicity and relative safety of the environment, the magnificent natural surroundings, and the richness of cultural life continue to glue many expats to this coast.
There are also bigger towns like the Alhaurins (de la Grande and de la Torre) which have larger expat communities. Most of these areas are less than 30 km from one or more of the international schools, which are overwhelmingly situated between Torremolinos and Estepona, within a few kilometres of the sea.
Living inland
Another type of expat family shuns the Marbella lifestyle or simply wants more value for money, and heads for the hills in and around towns and villages like Mijas, Coin, Cartama, Monda, Ojen, Istan, Alora, Casares, and Benahavis. They offer an almost totally rural setting surrounded by panoramic views.
If you choose to live inland, be prepared for chauffeur duties since many activities are on the coast. If you live on the coast, likewise as there’s lots of coastline!
Living within reach of a school
Many families using some of the international schools need to use the challenging A7 (formerly the N340) dual carriageway which runs near the coast. The upside is that the sea and mountain views and the generally free-flowing traffic beat a drizzly London school run any day. The downside is that parts of this road are perceived as being amongst the most dangerous in Europe, due to a combination of fast, impatient drivers, some treacherous bends, and numerous ill-thought-out slip roads.
Each school has at least two school bus routes, usually along the coast. This can be a great help to parents who either work or who need more practice at zooming onto a road full of budding Alonsos.
Getting started on the Costa del Sol
Finding home help
Because you need to be cautious about who you hire, finding the right help is best done by word of mouth, as is finding most products and services on the coast. Other parents tend to provide the best referrals.
Private healthcare
lf you can afford it, private healthcare is common. AXA, Allianz, and Sanitas are all popular in Spain. Many expats use Helicopteros Sanitarios, a 24-hour home doctor service, intensive care ambulances and hospital transfers in Marbella, Puerto Banus and surroundings.
To access publicly funded health care, you need to be paying into the Spanish social security system.
Owning a business
If you own a business, beware of Spanish bureaucracy. Petty (and not so petty) corruption and excessive taxes can often cause problems. Many lawyers and gestorias can take care of all your registration requirements. You will often find these and other professionals well represented among the Spanish parents, many being bilingual, at some of the international schools.
Of the expats with families at international schools who can enjoy a good lifestyle here, many do so through established businesses they own, often in their home countries. There are also many honest, hardworking expats who have found a niche in the market and have succeeded here with their own small businesses. However, Spain does little to encourage entrepreneurs and we recommend you hire a professional to guide you through your tax obligations if you are brave enough to be autonomo (self-employed).
Day-to-day living on the Costa del Sol
Activities with children
Children usually love the coast and its hinterland. Most teenagers are attracted to the idea of studying elsewhere when they reach college age but are happy at school and would prefer to complete their secondary schooling here. With such a big expat community it’s easy to find afterschool activities in English but an excellent way for your children to mix with Spanish-speaking children is to take advantage of the many inexpensive cultural and sporting facilities offered through the local ayuntamientos (town halls) and polideportivos (sports centres).
Learning Spanish
In Andalucia, foreigners may find understanding the locals particularly difficult, thanks to the region’s dialect and accent. Your experience of life in Spain will be richer for having learned the language. We’d recommend an intensive course at a good language school, lasting at least a few months, when you first arrive here.
For many, however, there is little need to learn more than basic Spanish well. You can always pay, or take along a Spanish speaker when you need to take care of administrative tasks. Otherwise, whether your life is one of leisure or in the workplace, native English-speaking expats here tend to live their lives immersed with other English speakers.
Shopping
Shopping malls and commercial centres have popped up all over the place. The supermarkets range from international chains like Carrefour and Lidl to Spanish ones such as the popular Mercadona and even ones specialising in keeping Brits and Americans in their comfort zone.
Outdoor markets are held once a week in neighbouring towns, with each town having a different day. They generally offer good quality, reasonably priced fruit and vegetables, at least on the coast. That said, the value varies from market to market and of course stall to stall. Many love these markets and develop good relationships with their favourite stallholders, which can make for better value and quality.
Don’t miss out on the personal touch and charm of specialised shops, where the staff are usually very patient with expats practising their Spanish. These can be found in the mercados centrales (indoor markets), and many parts of the main towns.
The last word
Such positives as the weather, the simplicity and relative safety of the environment, the magnificent natural surroundings, and the richness of cultural life continue to glue many expats to this coast. The cost of living remains relatively low and with all these things combined it’s hardly surprising that some foreigners have lived here for 40 years or more.
