Postby Brian c » Wed Mar 13, 2013 9:38 pm
Cost of living 2013
Ok here we go again.. Goodness knows what the cost of living is anywhere these days as prices and taxes etc seem to change from one week to the next.
The following are the figures finalised for the middle of 2012 and contributed to by many, many people living mainly on Crete.
From my own recollecting of the many people that have contacted me over the 4 or 5 years of compiling this list, it would appear that most couples do well on a figure of somewhere between 11,000 and 18,000euros , but if you want all the toys, a car and a pool and a pet and insurance etc etc these things cost an additional amount so you select from the list of the items you will use and make up your own costs. I would also point out that a lot of the folks living on Crete have found the better and more economical ways to use their money .. i.e the right shops, local tradesmen, grow their own food etc, hence they make their money go further and have a nice lifestyle on less than the newcomer to the island would need to get by.
Also over the last 2 years a few people have contacted me and said they do very nicely on 8000 a year and others say the 30,000 is a bit light …it all depends on your own lifestyle where you live,and whether you already own your home, hence no mortgage/rental.
And contributions from the folks living on Crete would as usual be most appreciated and I will update the list as your advice comes in.
Thanks in advance for any practical comments.
Cost of living 2012
1. RENT/MORTGAGE ……………...…… € 3,600 to € 7,000 VARIES FROM 2 BED FLAT TO 3 BED HOUSE
2. GROCERIES FOR A YEAR…………. € 4,500 to € 7,500 depends on your diet, do you grow food etc INC'S TOILETRIES
3. RATES & WATER………….………... € 230 .. MAY BE GOING UP SOON
4. PERSONAL CARE ……………………… € 1,400 .. DENTIST/PRESCRIPTIONS/HAIRCUTS ETC
5. ELECTRICITY…………….…………...… € 800 .. PLUS, DEPENDENT ON USE
6. OIL/WOOD/HEATING/……………... € 800 .. 2/3 BED HOUSE WOULD BE NEARER 1000 EURO
7. TV LICENCE ……………………………. € 51 .. ……… WHETHER YOU HAVE A TV OR NOT
8. INTERNET&PHONE…….……………... € 400 PHONE AND INTERNET OFTEN COME AS A PACKAGE DEAL
9. CLOTHING…………………………………. € 560 .. ……… I WISH MY WIFE WOULD READ THIS
10. EMERGENCY /MAINTENANCE … € 700 REPLACEMENT WASHING MACHINE/LEAKING ROOF ETC ETC?
€ 13,041 TOTAL OF ITEMS 1 TO 10 THAT ARE PRIORITIES
EXTRAS
ENTERTAINMENT(i.e.eating out) .... € 4,200 .. EATING OUT TWICE A WEEK AT 20 EURO A HEAD
CAR COST/REPAYMENTS YEARLY . € 1,600 .. ………. DEPENDS ON CAR OF COURSE
One CAR FUEL FOR A YEAR……….…. € 1,600 .. ………. DEPENDS ON MILAGE
CAR INSURANCE & road tax…….….. € 650 to € 1,150 DEPENDANT ON CAR SIZE
INSURANCE LIFE………………………..… € 700
INSURANCE BUILDING……………….… € 300
INSURANCE CONTENTS…………….…. € 170
INSURANCE HEALTH……………………. € 2,500 … FOR 2 PEOPLE, ..or do you qualify for nat health/ika
SKY TELEVISION…………………….……. € 700 .. from British address(remember setup costs for dish on Crete)
HOLIDAYS/FLIGHTS TO BRITAIN.... € 2,000
PET /FOOD & HEALTH CARE ........ € 1,000
POOL MAINTENANCE?.................. € 1,000 .. €100 for the chemicals if you do it yourself
ACCOUNTANT ............................€ 100 ... if you live here permanently you need an accountant
NEW PROPERTY/POOL DUTY.............. € 400 ... if you own a home (property tax)
GRAND TOTAL FOR EVERYTHING € 29,961 PLUS ONE OF SET UP COSTS OF AT LEAST 3000
Last edited by
Brian c on Mon Apr 08, 2013 3:07 pm, edited 5 times in total.
dont sweat the small things