Brief
British retirees eye cheaper European havens as property prices dip
Property expert Jonny Christie highlights Spain, Portugal and Bulgaria as cost‑effective retirement options for UK pensioners.
By Felo News Desk · Published
British pensioners are being encouraged to consider cheaper European locations for retirement, according to Daily Mail. Property specialist Jonny Christie of The Property Buying Company points to Spain, Portugal and Bulgaria as offering lower living costs and affordable housing.
What happened
Christie notes that in Spain’s Murcia region, homes can be purchased for around £130,000, which is less than half the UK average house price of roughly £271,000. He adds that the cost of living in Spain is 26.4% lower than in the United Kingdom, based on Numbeo data. In Portugal, the town of Lousã in the Coimbra District has average house prices of €190,000 (about £160,000), while the overall cost of living is 30.4% cheaper than the UK. Christie also mentions a couple who bought a house in Bulgaria for just £8,000, underscoring the country’s low price point.
What the reports add
The article highlights regional differences within each country. Christie cautions that buying in major tourist hubs such as Lisbon, Palma or the Costa del Sol would be far more expensive than choosing smaller towns or inland areas. He also warns that rising costs in Portugal’s capital and parts of the Algarve mean retirees should be “slightly more selective than they might have been ten years ago.”
What was said
Christie told Daily Mail, “Spain is one of the strongest all‑round options for British retirees… it has an established British expat community, good infrastructure and healthcare.” He added, “Portugal is another obvious choice… but people should be slightly more selective than they might have been ten years ago.” Regarding Bulgaria, he said, “There can be enormous differences within the same country,” and highlighted the extreme affordability of a house bought for £8,000.
How it came about
The push for cheaper retirement options follows broader concerns about pension planning in the UK, as highlighted in recent Felo News coverage of state‑pension forecasts and reforms. With many Britons seeking ways to stretch their pension income, the appeal of lower‑cost European locales is growing.
Key facts
- Murcia, Spain offers homes around £130,000, less than half the UK average price (dailymail.co.uk)
- Portugal’s cost of living is 30.4% cheaper than the UK, according to Christie (dailymail.co.uk)
- A couple bought a house in Bulgaria for £8,000 (dailymail.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] dailymail.co.uk — originally reported as “Where British pensioners can retire for LESS!”
