I want to live in Ibiza

[Isthisamidlifecrisisthing]

I don’t mean to party all night, but in the North, a chilled sort of life in this beautiful place. I’m 46 with a 6 year old, is this some weird mid life crisis? I already live abroad in a beautiful place, but feel something special when I visit Ibiza
Any idea how easy it would be to live there? Is rent high? What are schools like? Jobs available?
Does anyone live there?

You're probably at that point where you realise, you don't wanna be a bus driver all your life...

In all honesty I think you’d be better asking those questions on one of the many expat forums out there. But 6 yrs old is a good time to move a child, language wise - better now than in another 3/4 years

Difficult since Brexit unless you have a European passport

😂

Ibiza is stupidly expensive re. Rentals. Most of the locals moan about not being able to afford their homes and some live in their cars during high season. I know what you mean its a magical place... have you been to North fuerteventura? Its the only place I've found that compares to that same vibration as ibiza.

It’s in the press a lot currently for plenty of jobs but no affordable housing.
About 85% of the island’s economy is tourism based. What kind of work can you / do you want to do?

I get it completely. I would go for it if I could!

what do you do work wise? Is it feasible with a move to ibiza?

Watch the Zara McDermott documentary and you might change your mind.

I live there in the north. It’s not what you think it is. My view is that it’s a place to come on holiday but not to live. I’m trying to leave, I’ve had enough.

@Touty What do you do? Do you have kids? Why not what you think it is?
Any very local Fb groups you would recommend?

@Zampa What’s it about/why?

Lot of hostility atm to tourists/foreigners understandably as driving rental prices for locals sky high plus demand on scarce water etc

Do you have an EU passport?

There was an article I read recently about locals having to live in their cars and tents, due to the shocking rental increases.
Found it, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68730891

@minipie British passport, but can apply for a European passport due to where we live

Unless you are wealthy it won’t be a chilled out life living here. There is nothing magical about not being able to find somewhere to live. Cost of living is too high. Jobs don’t pay enough to rent an apartment. Unless you can find a job working in a hotel where the employer will provide you with a room.

@Touty What do you do?

😂
Pack your bags, fly away on Venga Airways lol

🤣🤣🤣

Ibiza was great in the 70's/80's.

Did house swaps with people who lived there, had a friend who got me in free to KU, some Motown group playing, was great.

Wouldn't pay me to go there now.

All these overrun tourist towns are fed up with no housing - all AirBnB,s now. Ridiculous prices.

Bars and restaurants will be closing down cos locals who work in them can't afford to live there.

https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/proginfo/2024/17/zara-mcdermott-ibiza-secrets-of-the-party-island

@Isthisamidlifecrisisthing

Won't it be like the Greek Islands when everything shuts once the tourists leave. Whilst the tourists are there it will be buzzing but when the bars and clubs shut and the holiday companies stop flying over and you can't get a direct flight back to the UK it won't be the island paradise it is during tourist season.

I've been to both Ibiza and Zakynthos, I did Ibiza mid tourist season and yes it was buzzing but I know the bars and clubs shut in Ibiza in October and don't open until May. When we went to Zakynthos at the start of October very few places were still open and a lot of the Tavernas were winding down.

A friend of mine’s parents moved there when she was a teenager
she hated it. It was very rainy all winter with very little to do and opportunities for jobs
back then you couldn’t even fly there in winter and journeys were really convoluted and expensive via Barcelona

I wanted to do this but wasn’t brave enough in the end and my husband didn’t want to. I took my kids 2 & 4 for 6 weeks in May to test it. If I was a single mom…hell yeh! Post covid there is a big expat community. Young families. They tend to live around San Carlos and Santa Gertrudis. They say it’s actually nice AFTER the season ends. Even in winter. Most either pay to put kids in the dual language international school, or in the state school where they are expected to pick up Spanish (but many are also English, Dutch etc). I think it would be a great option for the primary years if you want your kid to be international influenced. There is a real wholesome parenting community. Check out Paintpots Childcare Ibiza - this is a lady who is a teacher. You can get a digital nomad visa or a visa if you buy a house for £500k or more. Having said all this, it is super, super expensive. Minimum £2500 a mth rent for a small apartment. It is an extremely special place I agree. And to those who ref Zara McDermott, they haven’t seen the true spirit of the north of the island. It’s magical. Good luck! X