I just been reading some other forums and I am shocked. People mention a wage of 18,000E before tax, as being good. But that is what I earn here in Poland. And I am not earning a huge wage or even what a SW engineer earns. But my cost of living is much lower here then it would in BCN, for example, to rent a flat here I would pay 400E for a large flat. And food and other essentials are cheaper.

I worked out (a guesstimate :0 ), that to live on a similar level, with my wife not working in BCN (she earns an ok, a little below average in Poland) and paying for my mortgage in Poland I would have to earn around 37,000E per year before tax, is this realistic? It seems like a lot, when reading the forum. But with less I would be worried, with school and other costs for a start.

Hi Equerdo

I have to agree With BCN Rentals… ?900 is the Bare minimum of a flat to rent and its more like 42Sqm

I have a few mates that are renting “BedRoom” for around ?450 a month… It is expensive And yeap Utility bills are sky high and people are struggling to break even :(

Again like BCN says… Give some details and maybe we can help….

The other issue is you have a Mortgage in Poland as I read right? 2 times Payments is going to be a struggle

Regards Anthony

Thanks for the information and help. You are not being negative, I need realistic figures. I know how it is when one moves from one country to another, as a child I moved to Sydney, and 20 years later moved back to Poland. So on-site info is important.

——

My boss has not mentioned a figure, more likely they will wait for my expectations. I have asked for a range, just to have a better clue what is on the table. But this may not be provided.

I earn about 16,000 E a year after paying tax (which is a comfortable wage in Gdansk) and my wife also earns 3/4-wage of about 5,000E after tax.

So, I sum it up like this. If we earn 21.000E after tax in Poland (and I pay much less here for my flat and food) I would expect about 32-33,000 to equal the standard of living that I have in Poland. Am I correct? Can we live comfortably on 32,000E (Netto) for a family of 3 somewhere in central in Barcelona. My kid is going to school this year. And we have a car and other nomal home objects, so no need to spend money on this.

The plus is that my boss seems to want me there, so I am better position to negotiate.

So what do you think about figure?

Thanks,

Julian

Yes, I have a mortage, and that is a problem. If I cannot rent it out (not a lot of rental places in Gdansk, so its possible) I will need to increase the pay to about 37.000E, this seems like a lot. But maybe in IT it is a realistic figure. In Poland people in IT earn a lot more then average.

It looks like my company is located in: Esplugues De Llobregat near Barcelona. Doesn’t seem to far from center, any ideas about a good location for rental being close to center and not take 2 hours to get to work?

Thanks for your help,

Julian

Well 37k is very comfortable But! Yes there is a ?BUT?...

It all depends were in Barcelona you want to live… Prices for rent have come down in April in some places as much as 20% - 25%

If you can drive you can always look “Outside” of Barcelona were you can live a lot comfortably…

For instance I live In Salou Its 1hr 10 mins to get to my offices in Barcelona.

Remember I am sure your boss knows this too..  Some People in Catalonia have had to take a Pay Cut in there salary to keep working. To Save jobs.

So ?37k is very good?

Regards Mac

MAC31 - 14 April 2009 12:13 AM

Well 37k is very comfortable But! Yes there is a ?BUT?...

It all depends were in Barcelona you want to live… Prices for rent have come down in April in some places as much as 20% - 25%

If you can drive you can always look “Outside” of Barcelona were you can live a lot comfortably…

For instance I live In Salou Its 1hr 10 mins to get to my offices in Barcelona.

Remember I am sure your boss knows this too..  Some People in Catalonia have had to take a Pay Cut in there salary to keep working. To Save jobs.

So ?37k is very good?

Regards Mac

Well, as they say, if you don’t ask…..the good thing thing I do not NEED to move, and my boss knows this. On the other hand Barcelona is not Gdansk, and I would like a change, Barcelona sounds great:) .  I dont need to live in the complete center but both my wife and myself like living close to where we can go out on the weekend, both during the day and night. So somewhere like Gracia would be prefarable or somewhere close to water. But as you say, i understand the costs are higher. What is the tax on a salary of around 37K… Please remember that my wife will probably not work for a while (until she learns the language), so all of us will be living off one wage. Thus my wage needs to be higher. You say 37K is very good, what is comfortable (less?) for a family of 3, without excess.

Well with the tax I leave that to someone else to answer because i am not sure…
Living near Barcelona Central your going to pay a Very High Price…

good Luck…

MAC31 - 14 April 2009 12:32 AM

Well with the tax I leave that to someone else to answer because i am not sure…
Living near Barcelona Central your going to pay a Very High Price…

good Luck…

Thanks for your help, I might know more this week. It might all end in nothing.

If anybody can also share their view on my wage-negotiations-level 😊 , that would be helpful.

Barcelona Central old area , where places have been done up it will cost 1200 -1500 , this price havnt drop yet as most are rented
as holiday lets aswell , not easy two fine good place in Barcelona there old and run down . jurdy

BCN Rentals - 14 April 2009 12:28 PM

Great replies so far, sorry for not getting back sooner. 3000 Euros a month is a pretty handsome wage over here, and there are very few people who earn as much, so if you do get offered that amount of money, then jump at it (assuming you won’t need to do a 90 hour week!!). Again, living outside of BCN itself will save you some money, often a considerable amount, and you might even prefer that. Take for example nearby Casteldefels, which is a 20 minute train ride from Barcelona, and has 2 great beaches. I rented an paartment there when I first arrived here (9 years ago) with a space to park my car, a communal swimming pool and RIGHT in front of the sea (like cross the street, and you’re on the beach) - although my apartment didn’t have the views, it was at the back (but i didn’t care). I paid 600 Euros p/m. Nowadays in central BCN, it’s very difficult to find any rental for lower than 1100 Euros, with no parking, often no lift, and although you are closer to everything, 20 minutes is not far to travel to say go out at night, and I think your wife and girl might enjoy living outside Barcelona more - especially if your wife isn’t going to work.

Anyway, let us know what the boss says, and hope we’ve been helpful!

Yes, that sort of a location would be good as well…(understatement 😊 ) Thanks for the location. Its not that I need to live in the center, I just hate to be totaly cut of from life outside of work. For example, if it would take +1 hour to get to the city, in real terms, that sort of distance at night, means you will stay home.  I agreee that 20 minutes is not far. Thanks again.

BCN Rentals - 14 April 2009 12:28 PM

Great replies so far, sorry for not getting back sooner. 3000 Euros a month is a pretty handsome wage over here, and there are very few people who earn as much, so if you do get offered that amount of money, then jump at it (assuming you won’t need to do a 90 hour week!!). Again, living outside of BCN itself will save you some money, often a considerable amount, and you might even prefer that. Take for example nearby Casteldefels, which is a 20 minute train ride from Barcelona, and has 2 great beaches. I rented an paartment there when I first arrived here (9 years ago) with a space to park my car, a communal swimming pool and RIGHT in front of the sea (like cross the street, and you’re on the beach) - although my apartment didn’t have the views, it was at the back (but i didn’t care). I paid 600 Euros p/m. Nowadays in central BCN, it’s very difficult to find any rental for lower than 1100 Euros, with no parking, often no lift, and although you are closer to everything, 20 minutes is not far to travel to say go out at night, and I think your wife and girl might enjoy living outside Barcelona more - especially if your wife isn’t going to work.

Anyway, let us know what the boss says, and hope we’ve been helpful!

no parking ... walk very where , no lift, get fit , lol Ja ja ja

biggest problem for most is there no net ..... now adays you need the inter net
jurdy

no internet….gulp…..that would not work….😊.

when discussing 3000E a month do we mean 3000 before tax or after, I am not sure what tax bracket that falls into.

25-30% tax on that sum is also something that needs to be considered.

BCN Rentals - 14 April 2009 05:05 PM

jejeje Jurdy. I was just picking up on what Equerdo had mentioned as the kind of things he’d be looking for. I have a car but hardly use it, and prefer to walk everywhere, too!!

ya but you tube parking in BCN you have fun look at the vids ,rember mate was down , and here rent a car , i end up doing the driving for him ..... he was so put out about driving there Ha ha ha .... the close calls we had , will that what he tought ...

Driving in spain is mad !

Anyway, let us know what the boss says, and hope we’ve been helpful!

Well, I had a quick talk with my boss and i got a range of 40K to 60K a year.  But this I would assume is before tax.

So I don’t realy know how much that would be after tax. The tax ranges are:

Income- Spain?s national tax rate - Provincial tax rate - Total tax rate
?0 - ?17,707     ——  15.66%  —————  8.34%—————————- 24%
?17,707 - ?33,007—  18.27%  —————-  9.73%  ————————- 28%
?33,007 - ?53,407 ——  24.14%——————  12.86% —————————37%
?53,407 and above———27.13%————-    15.87%—————————-43%

So if we go for 50,000E as mid-range, would I have to pay 37%???? Or upon reaching some inclome level, final months of the year? Anybody know what would be my final monthly wage with this sort of pay, nothing exact an estimate would be nice. I will have to check this with Spanish HR, but for the sake of discussion…

I think this should be at least 3,000E a month after tax?

Thanks

If You read the Tax Part in The Finance Section http://www.spainexpat.com/spain/information/taxes_for_expatriates_in_spain/

You Will See that you might get the 25% Tax Ruling…

So You may bring more in A month.

Mac

oh, my god, I am struggling to decide if I should move to BCN.

My salary would be 29000Euro before tax, I would like to rent a small apartment with one bedroom.
Small is fine. Just need to be convenient for basic shopping.
Also, it need to be safe. I don’t know any Spanish and have no idea how hard it would be to live BCN

Can anyone give me some suggestions?

Thanks a lot!

Equerdo - 10 April 2009 07:59 PM

I just been reading some other forums and I am shocked. People mention a wage of 18,000E before tax, as being good. But that is what I earn here in Poland. And I am not earning a huge wage or even what a SW engineer earns. But my cost of living is much lower here then it would in BCN, for example, to rent a flat here I would pay 400E for a large flat. And food and other essentials are cheaper.

I worked out (a guesstimate :0 ), that to live on a similar level, with my wife not working in BCN (she earns an ok, a little below average in Poland) and paying for my mortgage in Poland I would have to earn around 37,000E per year before tax, is this realistic? It seems like a lot, when reading the forum. But with less I would be worried, with school and other costs for a start.