We rented out our house in Bristol for a year while we had some time here in Costa del Sol and we are looking forward to going home to England. We were new to retirement and weren't sure if Spain was right for us, but we wanted to do something different. It was good in parts, not so in others, so here are some of the reasons for our decision.
For Spain (Fuengirola, where we are):-
It rarely rains.
It's a pleasant 15C in the coldest month and an even better 20-25 in spring
There is little traffic outside the towns
The mountain roads are fantastic (but not without potholes etc)
Food is cheap, fresh and high quality
Housing can be cheap (we pay £525 per month for a 4 bedroom flat including rates. A bottle of gas, 14 euros, lasts 6-8 weeks. Electricity is reasonable too)
San Miguel for 1 euro/pint if you know where to go. Gordon's gin 10 euros/litre in supermarket.
Fantastic beaches
Friendly locals, if you learn a bit of their language
Cafe culture is good
Lots of fiestas, so lots of parties
Against Spain
Bureaucracy!!
Obstructiveness from minor officials (jobsworths)
It is often very, very windy (It was the Costa del Viento, the windy coast, until they realised that didn't do much for tourism)
It's very, very hot in the summer,often over 40C in the shade, so mid 50s in the sun. Try carrying the shopping home in that! It's often too hot to ride!!
It's rarely below 30C in the flat without aircon
Nights are 25C, so sleep can be a problem
Air quality is awful. It's very polluted, dusty and causes breathing problems
Lack of Spanish language limits us. Not everyone speaks English, and why should they, but our Spanish is limited
The property market, although improving, is still dodgy. Good for buyers, poor for sellers. Expect your Spanish house to take 5 years, on average, to sell. If you need to move back in a hurry you may not be able to.
There are plenty of other pros and cons, but that's a start.
Are we glad we gave it a try. Oh, yes, without a doubt, but it isn't for us. My recommendation is to not sever ties with UK. Rent your UK home and rent abroad to give it a try. You might love it and want to settle, or you might want to try somewhere else again, or you might find that you prefer UK. Whatever you choose, good luck and remember, it's better to regret the things you did than the things you didn't do