Never Retire: What Housing Really Costs in Spain

Why our rent in Valencia costs more than LA — and why it’s still worth it

Never Retire is field notes from midlife abroad.

I write from Spain, but this isn’t a travel blog. It’s a lens on how daily costs, routines, and choices add up to a second act that works—financially, emotionally, and practically.

Every post brings the numbers, the stories, and the takeaways you can use to build a life that doesn’t coast and doesn’t quit.

Here’s what housing looks like for us in Valencia right now:

• Rent (2BR apartment in Russafa): €1,500/month

• Electricity (Iberdrola, variable rate): €64.50/month (average over 3 months)

• Water: €33.00/month

• Internet + mobile: €62/month

Total monthly housing/utilities: €1,659.50

Making a Los Angeles comparison is a bit apples and oranges, particularly on rent.

First, we were under rent control in LA and paid $1,500 a month, which, when you factor in currency exchange rates actually makes our rent more expensive in Valencia. In USD, our Valencia rent is roughly $1,750 a month.

That said—while we had a great apartment in Los Angeles (spacious, in central LA, close to Larchmont Village and Hollywood), what we have in Valencia simply doesn’t exist in LA. And if you hack an equivalent, it would cost—at minimum—$3,500 a month.

In the LA apartment, utilities were included. However, we paid about $32 for internet (don’t ask me how I got that deal!) and $150 a month for our phone plans. So, housing/utilities cost us $1,682 in Los Angeles, which equals about €1,436.

Incredibly—we pay €223.50 (or $262) more for housing/utilities in Valencia than we did in LA.