CJ Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 If you have ever thought about moving to Greece for the simple and cheap lifestyle you may want to think again after the recent tax and cost of living increases. Since I moved here about 4 years ago I have seen prices escalate at an incredible rate and these latest increases brought about by the governments newly introduced austerity program will push them up even more. These are just a sample of what we pay today (all prices are in Euros): Petrol - 1.30 per litre and set to rise to 1.50 within 2 months Bread - 1.00 for a small loaf Milk - 1.30 per litre bottle Beer - 2.50 per 500ml bottle Sales tax - Just about to rise to 21% Those are examples of what we pay on this island. I am sure that in Athens things are probably dearer. In saying that, I still would not want to swap my lifestyle for my old British one and can never see me going back but I thought it would be good to point out that "cheap and simple" is not necessarily the case any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lbm Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 I must say just being in Kefalonia for a week last October was surprisingly pricey. Not so much the the holiday costs as in flights & accomodation, but the day to day things like shampoo, toothpaste, deoderant, baby wipes, nappies etc...eating out. I think we paid around £15 for a genuinely crap sandwich, chips & lemonade x 2 which was a bit much - although this was situted in the fashionable Lithostroto (street) - apparently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 As a holiday maker you would find it more expensive due to the exchange rate too. What I mean is that should the exchange rate go to 1.50 Euro to the £ then all of a sudden the costs would not seem so bad whereas for us living here they would be exactly the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lbm Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Ah, good point:) Even so, we were fleeced for nappies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Isn't this because Greece is pretty close to being in the same boat Iceland was, or still is ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 Isn't this because Greece is pretty close to being in the same boat Iceland was, or still is ? The austerity program recently introduced is directly related to the fiscal problems and that would account for the recent increase in sales tax from 19% to 21% and the increases in taxes on petrol, cigarettes and alcohol but the cost of living rises over the past 4 years are not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesy Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Ive noticed this a lot with spain. Used to be a a very cheap place. Both my wifes paretns and my dad have villas out there but now its a bloody expensive place to go. The exchange rate is a f***er. I would love to move to the costa del sol but seeing more stories like cj's. Still not sure its enough to put me off moving tho once kids have grown up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 The other thing to remember is the earnings potential out here is also much lower than the UK. If a Brit wishes to work out here then invariably it will be doing something within the tourist industry e.g. waiter / waitress, bar work, etc. The average wage for that will be 30 Euro per night and that can be for up to 10 hours and for 7 nights a week for the 6 months of the season. That would mean an earning capacity of around 5400 Euro - not a lot when you consider it has to last for 12 months! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellis Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 I've noticed a huge difference with having a place in Cyprus - the mortgage payment has increased by around 35% sinced the Euro strenthened and the Pound nose dived. Plus they just increased interest rates over there too! Joyous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ark Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Wow, and we moan about petrol prices here! Check this out, we actually have cheaper petrol than most of Europe now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogmaw Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Wow, and we moan about petrol prices here! Check this out, we actually have cheaper petrol than most of Europe now. Thank fook I have an LPG car as the runaround. It also seems to make a mockery of the lorry drivers who claim European lorries steal their business by stocking up on 'cheap diesel' in Holland/France before popping over here to do their business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ark Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 I'm not sure if I'm reading that comment right, but according to that PDF, most European countries are ~20p/litre cheaper than us for diesel. Given that lorries fill up with hundreds of litres at a time, there is a significant saving to be had there. Expect a lot of CJ's price rises to come to us after the election Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 ...Expect a lot of CJ's price rises to come to us after the election And, despite the Greek government making all the right noises about reducing the national debt and introducing this austerity program, most Greeks still feel it wont be enough and the EU will have to help. Which means that in the long term the tax payers of the member states will have to foot the bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Which means that in the long term the tax payers of the member states will have to foot the bill. Great! That means I'll have to listen to even more dole dossers moan about how the UK is paying for your beer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 Great! That means I'll have to listen to even more dole dossers moan about how the UK is paying for your beer. I know - crap eh? And even worse is the fact that as I am working at the bar it means I don't have to pay anything out of my own pocket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Expect a lot of CJ's price rises to come to us after the election We're going to get screwed. VAT will hit 19-20% approx here within a few months, I guarantee it And it will never drop again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 I know - crap eh? And even worse is the fact that as I am working at the bar it means I don't have to pay anything out of my own pocket! Life can be so cruel sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 Life can be so cruel sometimes. You need to come over and visit some time. Me and you can get legless together and I will foot the bill! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 You need to come over and visit some time. Me and you can get legless together and I will foot the bill! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooquicktostop Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 This is a real shame that you are thinking this way as it does sound like you enjoy the place My parents brought their villa in Spain (Hondon De La Nieves) 4 years ago at the height of the prices, its a wonderful place but 80% of the development is unsold I play golf in Spain every Feb for 2 weeks with around 16 chaps, every year it gets more expensive except this year where the courses were empty and the villas surrounding them empty also, Spain is in crisis, it will be many years before it recovers More of my family has property in Spain, all has dropped in value significantly over the last 3 years It would take a brave man to buy in Spain now even at the discounted rates as many developments will go bust before all are sold Hope you get through to the summer season CJ and you make hay with the tourists Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 Have no fear my friend, I am here for the foreseeable future. My post was aimed more to highlight the closing price diferences between my old country and my new abode. The wonderful thing about living here is that it still lends itself to a much simpler (and therefore cheaper) lifestyle than that in the UK. That does mean giving up certain things but the benefits still far outweigh the negatives. I suppose it may have been a fairer post had I also put up the following: 1. We don't pay council tax 2. We have our bins collected 6 days a week in the summer 3. I live on the beach 4. Electricity is very cheap - my last bill was 340.00 for 6/7 months and that included winter and I have no gas bills. 5. I live on the beach 6. Gyros pitta's are only 2 euro 7. I am surrounded by scantily clad females all summer 8. I rent my fairly large 2 bedroom apartment for 250.00 per month Oh, and did I mention I live on the beach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooquicktostop Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 See I remember why I go back to Spain 4 times a year even though the Euro is c**p lol Everything in the sun looks better IMO Sanity resumed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewOW Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Blimey, electricity is cheap isn't it?! (I am trying to gloss over the fact that you live on the beach while spying scantily clad young women all day. That's almost idyllic!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 Blimey, electricity is cheap isn't it?! (I am trying to gloss over the fact that you live on the beach while spying scantily clad young women all day. That's almost idyllic!) And not only all day my friend. Working at the bar in the evenings also gives me ample opportunity to view even more of the aforementioned nubile females. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 And not only all day my friend. Working at the bar in the evenings also gives me ample opportunity to view even more of the aforementioned nubile females. I see the sales of rope going up over here soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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