If youre considering moving to the Canary Islands, its likely you wont mind being around plenty of expats. Which is the best Canary Island to live on? But whats living in the Canary Islands like for expats? We initially decided we wish to live in Portugal, but the housing market was not advantageous giving the summer gold rush and the demand for short term lets. It doesnt get as busy as Gran Canaria or Tenerife, but you can still expect a tourism boom in the summer months. The expats' guide to living in the Canaries: the pros and cons, the cost of living, the best places to settle down, and some tips about buying property. Broadband speeds in the home are adequate at best with the advertised speed of 6MB being standard although you rarely find that speed actually getting streamed. I am hopeful to make a visit to Tenerife with my family in the next year or so. Hi Susan, here you can find all the info about bringing your pets to the islands: https://www.pettravel.com/passportnew.cfm Just type the country you are interested in in the search bar. Pedestrian crossings are carelessly placed directly next to bus stops . Im looking to nip across and start building a client base maybe one week a month and gradually phase across as finances allow. As the Canary Islands are autonomous but under Spanish law, Spanish residency and property rules apply. I'm frugal and we try to save money where we can. Pleasant southern hospitality. Low cost of living. Few natural disasters compared to the rest of the state. Moved here from Chicago. Low-quality education. Affordable Housing and Low Cost of Living. Trying to buy things online is more restricted with many places not delivering to the Canary Islands, or if they do, at inflated p&p costs. Its also the most highly favoured by Brits, among other tourists. Spanish residency requirements state you need 25,560 a year (2,130 a month) for a residency visa. Thats a big question. Answer (1 of 6): I've only been living here since October, so not exactly a veteran, but I can give you some first impressions. What is the best way to find work and accommodation before you move to Tenerife ? Hi Vimi, we dont have children so Im afraid I cant speak to the merits or downfalls of the education system in the Canaries but I suspect youre right when you say they wont have the same opportunities as theyve got there in the UK. The Cons of Driving in Tenerife. Perhaps on your next visit you can seek out an abogado (lawyer) locally someone who specialises in employment law and can give you accurate advice. Supermarket shelves are brimming with loose fruit and vegetables, a tide of varying sizes, colours and shapes that ebbs and flows with different varieties according to the season. Living in Tenerife - Pros and Cons. You can buy a single ticket for each journey (a tram ticket costs 1.35 ) or get a Virtual Wallet card which you can top up with sums between 5 and 100. was at the Tenerife vs Las Palmas football fixture and involved a cuddly toy being set alight. Due to this, youll often be treated as a tourist, even though you live here. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The resort towns are in the south, but farther north youll find almost tropical forests and lush rolling hills. It lies just to the east of Tenerife and has a population of roughly 21,000. After gaining his BA and MA in English Literature, Jacob decided to take his writing full time. Ive lived all over the world and can honestly say its the best place Ive ever lived. You don't need to live somewhere for 1 year to get a feel for it. Coming from the UK, you never really get used to knowing you are going to have at least six months of summer heat and probably more like eight. But heres a roundup of the best Canary Islands to live on: Tenerife is the largest and most populous island in the Canaries. Find more information on Spanish driving regulations and the car registration process in our guide, Sorting Out A Car And Driving In Spain. The yin and yang of this state of affairs is that there are lots of opportunities to fill gaps in the market, to provide a better service than already exists or to launch new concepts. [Find out more], People in over 30 countries have discovered the best of Tenerife by car with Real Tenerife Island Drives, scenic driving routes through the best of Tenerife's countryside. You can contact Jacob on LinkedIn: Jacob Powell, Is there chance to find job as an holistic therapist and yoga teacher preferably working with seniors Im EU citizen and be happy to relocate on Canary island, Hi Kristina, its totally possible and easy for you being an EU citizen. I currently live in Canada and I own a successful Lebanese fast food restaurants. The Canary Islands arent considered a dangerous destination. @Copyright 2019 Lost Flip Flops| All Rights Reserved. Hi Lisa, We know people who have lived on Tenerife since they were in primary level education and who are completely bilingual but they still are not integrated into Canario society. I am not sure where or how to start planning. The pros and cons of living in Marbella. There are plenty of planes and ferries, making day trips a breeze. If you want access to public healthcare, youll need to be a Spanish resident, but the private facilities are also very high quality. When it comes to trying to run a business or being self-employed, Tenerife would try the patience of a Saint. Are the Canary Islands a good place to live? Expat communities especially help if you . The cost of living on the Canary Islands is surprisingly low for a tourist destination. One of the main downsides to living in Spain is the language barrier. Those who pay taxes in the Canaries have the perception that they are making an honest payment, in exchange for a decent lifestyle; After all, if you did, there would be far better places to choose than the Canaries. The first time I visited San Cristobal de la Laguna, which is only 7 km from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, I experienced the big temperature change in short distance. The USA is the powerhouse of designers. It's the hot wind from Sahara which brings . Simplistically put, Canarian Spanish is more like South American Spanish than Castilian. For a year before moving we took Spanish lessons once a week at the Cervantes Institute in Manchester; a great place as it was also a centre for Spanish residents in the city. Of course we dont have major plays or concerts like big cities that often (as Im sure smaller uk towns dont have either) but theres a very lively and large cultural life if you want to enjoy it, other thing is you expect this offer in english, which is not the case. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. In short, there are very few reasons why you would choose renting over buying. There are many pros and cons to living in Australia. Statistics show that crime rates in Amarillo are about 90% higher than the national average. Its not possible to just jump in your car and get away for a weekend like you can while living on the mainland. America, USA, or the United States of America a country that is known to be the cultural, financial, and economic center of the globe.It is one of the most sought out countries in the world. Is it expensive to live in the Canary Islands? The pros of living in Aruba are high quality of health care, stable currency, sunny weather is almost always guaranteed and the low threat of natural disasters. Winters in the area are brisk and rarely cold. Let's take a look at some of the cons of living in Florida. Anyway, thanks again and maybe well meet one day on Tenerife, not that big a place it seems. Whatever you decide to do I really hope you manage to pursue your dream I dont know anyone who regretted doing that. Gran Canaria is the third-largest island but easily has the most varied terrain. Travelling between the islands is easy too. Our guide to Health Insurance In Spain will help you understand how to access the Spanish Public Healthcare system, private health insurance options and the costs. While this isnt the worst thing ever, it does mean everywhere is very busy in the summer and that many businesses operate on seasonal schedules. New trends pass us by People of all kinds and professions from students, nomads, musicians, actors, and businessmen to entrepreneurs, America has it all.. Though many people in the country don't speak English, they're still friendly and helpful to foreigners. A family costs: $3,868 per month. To add to this, there was a period of time last year when I was making around 5-600 euros a month self-employed and honestly we lived like kings. While none of the drawbacks is major, theyre definitely worth considering before making the jump to island life. Your email address will not be published. As previously mentioned, the median cost of a home in Reno is $371,000, which is higher than that of Nevada State at $275,000. There are some lovely churches and other architectural pieces. Unlike wills, trusts require that you give up direct ownership of that property. Of course, the major islands like Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, and Fuerteventura are heavier on expat communities. Many expats opt for international health insurance. Tenerifes traditional side and its tourist side are very different worlds with little in common. Much of their economy is geared towards tourism, so think bars, restaurants, and the odd nightclub. My favourite thing about Ireland is the literary tradition. How did you decide where to live in the Canary Islands? Tennessee is a great place to live, offering residents a wide range of activities and attractions. There must also be football. My place is in Costa adeje down south. Tenerife actually does okay in terms of exhibitions and talks and we do have the Tenerife Auditorium (https://auditoriodetenerife.com/es/) which stages a full programme of concerts ranging from classical to rock. Heavy traffic. As youd expect, the Canary Islands have quite a large expat community. The range of tropical fruits is giddy-inducing at times and we have fresh, exotic varieties at our fingertips for very little money. The Canary Islands are an autonomous region under Spanish rule, and Spain is known to have high-quality healthcare. A single person could enjoy a high standard of living on a $1300 per month budget, roughly equivalent to the price to live in Split or Zagreb, Croatia. Very accessible. ), and have no idea whos in the finals of The Great British Bake-Off or Strictly Come Dancing, I am bothered about missing cultural, music and foodie trends, and we have to rely on research, family and friends to keep us in the cultural loop. If you are contemplating traveling to Aruba or the rest . Would you say this is better on Tenerife or are people and the ayuntamiento also reluctant to speak Spanish there? I loved your article about the Canary Islands. For spectators, I have seen that Puerto de la Cruz has a baseball team in the Spanish League. Also the big plus is that hubby could work from Tenerife and gets to keep his UK job. And for personal recreation, safe bicycling routes? It was my idea that we try moving to Tenerife. It seems to me that families on Tenerife have a greater shared interest in spending quality time together; time on the beach rather then in front of a Playstation, and in the plaza with their friends rather than in the bedroom alone. I doubt I would ever move, but I have been contemplating a 1 month visit next winter, by which time I will be 65. And although the cost of living is relatively low, the cost of housing can be high in some areas. Although I'm clearly biased, I think I managed to keep my list fairly balanced. The others are Biosphere Reserves, which should give you some idea of the quality and beauty of the local scenery. Of course, not all areas in the country have excruciatingly bad traffic. Save the whites for cooler climates. As lots of people go to the Correos to pay their bills, that means posting something can take anything up to 40 minutes waiting to be served. If you want to find out more about expat communities in the Canary Islands before moving, your best bet would be somewhere like Facebook. If you like summertime temperatures which feel like you are taking an afternoon at the beach, then living in Tennessee is going to be a challenge for you. 20. International Health Insurance. 1. At weekends the broadband gets inexplicably even slower. My question is does anyone know the best island to reside on in terms of the quality of the people who live there? But I personally think that moving to Tenerife can be fun only if its short-term. The island is home to long sandy beaches, mountain ranges, an abundance of flowers and amazing Teide volcano. Many people ask questions such as what are the best places to live in Spain for 1 month, 2 months, 3 months or 6 months etc. 2. The Canary Islands are certainly a good place to live if you want all the benefits of living in Europe but with some isolation from the mainland. 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