Why Relocate to Gibraltar / Southern Spain? Easily accessible to the Close to Marbella, Seville, 300 days of sunshine per rest of Europe from Weekend skiing in Sierra Granada, Cadiz, Rhonda, year Gibraltar and Malaga Nevada within 3 hours Tarifa. airports Great for food lovers with Multicultural Lots of festivals and Relaxed and social way of a huge variety of communities in Gibraltar community events all life restaurants, tapas bars and surrounding areas year round and food markets Low cost of living in Spain, with a huge Free Sport in Gibraltar – Excellent English speaking selection of Football, Tennis, Paddle, schools in Gibraltar accommodation and Swimming areas to live Areas to live & Prices of accommodation Gibraltar is the most convenient place to live for Gibraltar workers. Although accommodation is more expensive than Spain, money is saved on the commute and it is ideal for those with children, as the schooling is English speaking, and free for Gibraltar residents. A modern, 1 – 2 bedroomed apartment would cost usually £1000 - £1,500 in the Ocean village area (including shared pool) but there are cheaper options and good family options in other areas such as Southside for a range of budgets. You also don’t need a car if you live in Gibraltar as everything is in walking distance and buses are mostly free. La Linea is the border town to Gibraltar and one of the most popular places to live for Gibraltar workers. Only a short work to the border of Gibraltar, it is not necessary to have a car if you live in La Linea. Linea is a vibrant area, with lots of tapas bars, restaurants and shops. However, there is high unemployment in La Linea, and the crime rate is higher than surrounding areas. Although there are beaches in La Linea, it is not a typical Spanish tourist or holiday destination, and is not set in luxury surroundings. Living in La Linea is ideal for young couples and singles, who work in Gibraltar, and want to make the most of Gibraltar and La Linea social life, but don’t want to pay Gibraltar prices. A typical 2-3 bedroomed apartment in La Linea costs €500 - £800 (sometimes including shared pool). Santa Margarita is around 10 minutes drive to Gibraltar. A very newly built area, and very quiet and safe, it is an ideal location for families and those wanting an easy commute to Gibraltar and good quality standard of living. Santa Margarita has no shops or restaurants, so everything is a short drive or bus ride away. There are a wide selection of houses and apartments, ranging from around €600 for a two bedroomed, newly built apartment, often including a shared pool. Alcaidesa approximately 15 minutes drive from Gibraltar and also a very quiet area with one bar and one restaurant. It retains a traditional Andalucian charm, and is a safe and attractive place to live. There is a wide range of accommodation, very popular for families and professional couples, ideal for Townhouses, ranging from around €800 per month. Sotogrande is about 15-20 minutes drive to the border of Gibraltar and a very sought after area to live in. Popular with the English, Sotogrande is famous for Golf, with Valderama golf course being one of the most famous in the world, and Polo, attracting even the royal family. Prince Andrew regularly holidays in Gibraltar, and it is known as a very prestigious place to live. There is an international school in Soto, so it is popular for English families with children at school age (since they won’t need to already speak Spanish). The port of Sotogrande is a similar setting to Puerto Banus, with luxury yaghts and cars surrounding popular bars and restaurants . Prices for accommodation range are high starting from at least €1000 + but there is a great choice of luxury villas, apartments and townhouses for those wishing to enjoy the Soto lifestyle and the short commute. Duquesa (Manilva). A reasonable commute of 30 minutes, Duquesa is a very popular choice for young couples and families wanting the best of a 3 worlds, low cost accommodation, pretty surroundings and lively social life. Another, very popular choice for relocator’s, it is ideal for couples and families of any age. Although not a typical Spanish package holiday destination, Duquesa is popular for private holiday makers, with many English people owning holiday apartments there. It is very lively in peak summer, and all year round at weekends, with restaurants, bars, karaoke and discos, all in an ideal setting at Duquesa port, surrounded by boats and yaghts and pretty apartments. Duquesa attracts many British ex-pats, with most of the bars, restaurants and shops owned by English residents. A typical 2 bedroomed apartment would cost only between €400 - €500, but there is great range of larger townhouses and luxury apartments from €600 - €1000. Sabinillas (Manilva) is the next town from Duquesa, and only a few minutes walk along the beach. It is ideal again for those who want the best of all 3 worlds, low cost accommodation, pretty surroundings and a lively social life with many tapas bars and restaurants on the beach, and only a short walk from bustling Duquesa. The difference from Duquesa is that Sabinillas is largely occupied by Spanish residents rather than English, and most of the bars, restaurants and shops are Spanish owned. Typically, the apartments or houses are located near the town and beach area (rather than up in the hills) and often don’t have shared pools. Accommodation ranges from around €350 - €600. Casaras Costa is the next town from Sabinillas, and takes around 35 minutes to drive to Gibraltar. It is a quiet place to live, but still within easy reach to Sabinillas, Duquesa and Estepona, and is anohter very famous golfing desitination. Accommodation here is popular for Gibraltar workers, as the standards are very high and the costs very low. Popular for luxury Townhouses, prices range from only €500 - €700 for large sized, modern and fully furnished Townhouses or 3 bedroomed apartment including a shared pool. Estepona is the next town from Casares, and about 40 minutes drive to Gibraltar. A typically Spanish town but it is also popular for holiday makers. Estepona is bustling with bars, cafes and tapas bars, and is cheap to live. A very large town, there is a huge choice of apartments up in the hills, or in the town centre, ranging from approx. €350 - €500. San Roque is a traditional Spanish town, about 15 minutes drive, high-up in land. As it’s not by the coast, it doesn’t attract relocator’s as much as other close by locations. Having its own bull ring, San Roque retains its Spanish charm and is a safe and attractive place to live, ideal for families. Popular for villas and townhouses, with accommodation ranging from €600. Los Barrios is close to Gibraltar, with a 20 minute drive, but inland again so not as popular for relocator’s. It is a very typical Spanish town, and you must be able to speak Spanish to live here. Popular for villas, prices vary, with accommodation from €500 approx. Algeciras is around 25 mintes drive from Gibraltar and is a bustling port town, known for the shipping industry. Typically Spanish, it is better to speak Spanish if you choose to live here. There are a variety of bars and restaurants and also a low cost of accommodation, ranging from €300. Tarifa, 45 minutes drive to Gibraltar, is the windsurfing capital of Europe and has amazing beaches, comparable to some of the most exotic places in the world. Very popular for the “surf crowd”, it attracts many travellers and young tourists from all over Europe and has many campsites. Surf style beach bars and a lively town, make Tarifa a great lifestyle choice. However, with the relatively long commute, many people like to enjoy weekend camping in Tarifa instead of actually living there. It can also be extremely windy on the beaches and throughout the town, but this is something its residents get used to. Accommodation ranges from around €500. Crossing the Border every day (for those living outside of Gibraltar) Please remember, when considering where to live, you must take into account the extra time it takes to cross the border and get into Gibraltar. Typically, depending on travel method and location of work in Gibraltar, this should add on 15-20 minutes on to your travel time. You must show your passport at the border to cross either way. Then there are various options for travelling into Gibraltar and then into the centre / place of work: Car. This is a popular option for commuters, although the queues can be long in rush hours (both ways). It is advisable to add an extra 40 minutes onto your commute into Gibraltar, for example, if you start work at 9am, make sure you are in the border queue at 8.20am. There are various options for parking in Gibraltar, both free and paid. Parking in La Linea and Walking. Parking is either free or very cheap in La Linea (1-2 euros per day). You can then walk over the border and walk in to work. Allow approx. 15-25 minutes for this. Parking in La Linea and Cycling. With no traffic to worry about, this is a great option for many commuters. It is advisable to add an extra 10 minutes onto your commute time. Moped / Motorcycle. Mopeds are very common in Gibraltar, with the narrow, busy streets and heavy border queues, this is an ideal option.