Algarve Cost of Living
I dont know how things are going in the UK, and other countries up in the frozen north, but as part of my ongoing attempt to share what happens in the slow lane south of the snow line I am going to update you on the weather conditions here in the Algarve, and the general cost of living.
Here’s the weather forecast for the next few days…
And I have been keeping a log of my expenses since the beginning of the year, so the following figures are for five weeks.
Shopping for food, wine, and odds and ends at the local supermarkets: €326.47. That includes spending €40 for an extra heater, and yesterday I topped up the wine cellar with 9 bottles of rather nice wine.
Cost of services:
Internet: 37.09
Electric: 23.08
Petrol: 30
MOT: 120
Total for the whole lot comes to €536.64. Call it a straight £500, or approximately £100 a week.
The above is for myself and my daughter living in a four bedroomed ancient farmhouse.
This last week has seen non-stop clear skies, which has meant that we have been having lunch on the patio, but we have seen light frosts every night, which means that it starts to get chilly from about five o’clock in the evenings, and it is a bit parky up until about 9.30 in the mornings. Heating is from a wood fire in the living room, with an extra electric heater or two as required.
We are living a very pleasant, unstressed lifestyle, and we live very well, but we dont waste money on status symbols, and I have negligible debt. The odd mortgage I have has an interest rate of 2.1% so that doesn’t give me problems either.
The one thing that has shocked me is to hear that my daughter regularly spends about £1,200 a month in the UK; that includes shopping at the local supermarket for her family of two, plus a couple of cats, and includes petrol and services. It does not include heating as she is surrounded by woodland. You guys up north are paying for the privilege, but I have to wonder if it is indeed a privilege.
Right! Time for lunch on the patio.