Very mild indeed, not unlike an English spring with temperatures rarely dropping below 8 degrees C, however it can be cooler in exposed, mountain areas, and there is generally a bit more rainfall during the winter and spring periods.

      About 2/3 of the cost, remember also that your heating bills will be very low.  Some particularly reasonable items include: petrol, restaurant prices, drinks, certain utilities, car tax, household repair and maintenance costs, local food and vegetables.

      Spain has a reciprocal Health Service with the NHS in England.  The general standard of health care is probably superior to that in the UK (we're importing lots of nurses from Spain).  There are doctors in most villages, and, particularly on the coast, a lot of private English-speaking doctors, whose fees are generally considerably less than in private hospitals in the UK.  

      There are a few International Schools along the coast, but most people by far elect to send their children to local schools, which generally have a reasonable number of English and other foreign pupils.  The standard of education is generally on a par with the schools in the UK, although they follow a more rigid state curriculum.  The terms are arranged differently and there is a three month summer break, due to the heat, from late June to late September.  There are no school uniforms worn in state schools.

      Everybody from the UK manages to get by without Spanish on a certain level, because English is widely spoken by those people who need it for their work.  However, in more rural communities, with fewer tourists, there is less English spoken.  The locals, although not intrusive, are generally very welcoming, and it is our personal advice that newcomers make an effort to learn at least the basics to help them to be more readily integrated into the local community.

      Remember this is Andalucia, and although the people are mostly impressively industrious, they are more relaxed with their time-tabling.  Don't expect people to always turn up when they say they will - but do expect them to turn up when you don't expect them!  The morning finishes at 2 pm, and nothing much happens until 5 pm, when things re-open until fairly late.  Even small villages are usually a hive of activity in some form, and the locals really let their hair down with local wine ferias, and other annual fiestas that can go on late into the night (or next morning!).  The general pace of life is not so frantic, but everything that needs to be done, is done!

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