Belgian retiree Claude’s move to Costa Blanca, Spain, Digi Mart USA News (Costa Blanca, Spain): Claude Charlier, a 57-year-old Belgian, first imagined spending his retirement in southern France, where he could continue speaking French. A stay in Alicante during the Christmas holidays changed those plans.
Seduced by the climate and the way of life, Claude has chosen the Costa Blanca and bought an apartment there to prepare for the years ahead. “Staying in Belgium is out of the question,” he said.
He already spends time regularly in Spain, in a property he keeps for personal use.
Southern France had seemed practical to him mainly because of the language, and he could picture settling there without learning Spanish. During the Christmas trip, however, he was struck by the mild weather.
“It was 25 degrees Celsius,” he recalled. The ability to enjoy such weather in midwinter weighed heavily in his decision.
The climate added to other attractions, including property prices he found on site. The stay gave his project a new direction: he now wants to spend his retirement in Spain.
Claude recalled a period when properties seemed particularly affordable. “For 100,000 euros, you could find exceptional properties,” he said.
It was in this context that he made his purchase.
He chose an apartment of about 70 square meters in a golf complex on the Costa Blanca. The property has two bedrooms and two large terraces, and it is fully furnished, allowing him to move in without major preparatory work.
“It was furnished, even with towels and household linen,” he said. The purchase price was 86,000 euros, excluding taxes, and gives him his own base for regular stays.
As reported by Marie France, Claude does not intend to rent the apartment out. He prefers to keep it available for his own use rather than earn rental income from it.
Already the owner of his Spanish home, Claude believes he can comfortably enjoy his retirement on a budget he sets at 1,000 euros per month per person. “With 1,000 euros a month per person, you live like a king in Spain,” he said.
He acknowledged that water and electricity can be expensive. The difference he appreciates most is in food and going out.
He cited restaurant meals in particular: “A complete meal costs 14 euros, with starter, main course and dessert.” He also looks forward to eating tapas on a terrace in the evening. These pleasures matter to his idea of retirement in Spain.
Friendliness is also part of the appeal. Claude appreciates the welcome he has received and his exchanges with local residents.
“Spanish people are very welcoming,” he said.
To make these connections easier, he has started learning Spanish. His original preference for southern France, where his native language would be spoken, has given way to a desire to integrate into his future surroundings.
The apartment already represents much more than a holiday home. “It has become my second home, or even my first, since Belgium is only a temporary solution for now,” he explained.
