Is it better to look for a rented flat in Torremolinos or Málaga?

Hello Costa del sol 1000,

Welcome to Expat.com 

Please note that for more visibility, I created a new thread with your post on the Spain forum.

I hope someone will be able to assist you soon.

Meanwhile, I suggest that you have a quick look at the Living in Spain guide ➡️ Accommodation in Spain. 

Cheers,

Cheryl
Expat.com team.

Yoo-hoo @Costa del sol 1000!

Well... my quick take is that you'll be lucky to get a 2 bedroom for 550 euros/month in the Malaga area. Take a look at Idealista.com to see how slim the pickings are! Not impossible, but challenging enough you might have to consider a longer commute, a smaller/scummier apartment, or a bigger budget.

If your salary is such that 550 is your maximum rent, you might have to rethink this gig!

Personally, I don't like a long commute for any job... but especially teaching ones. You might have more guaranteed hours than me, but I found that I always had waiting time and non-consecutive lessons... so if I wasn't near home I would have to hang out for hours near the school. Being closer certainly gives a bit more flexibility if the work is slightly irregular.

If you like in-person stuff, great. But with Covid, my schools were closed, and I switched to remote lessons. The nominal pay rate is usually significantly more than my schools were paying... and I don't have wastage from prep, waiting, and travel that makes the effective rate even lower. Plus, generally, the aggravation factor went down by about 80%. But that's just me, you might love hanging out with the little tykes. :-)

Malaga's a very nice place though. So hopefully it all works out well. Good luck!

How much would it cost per month to rent a one bedroom apt balcony area for at least a chair in the Playa De las Americas area or Arona area?

Welcome @alkeshodedra to the expat.com forum!

Playa de las Americas (Tenerife) is tourist-central! Maybe a grand and up for LT rentals? Idealista will show you what kind of stuff is available, based on your budget/requirements.

Thanks so much for the info and nice to meet you.
How about 600 euros a month for 2 bedrooms? That wouldbe max budget: is that more realistic than 550 in Málaga? I have seen some nice flats online for that price on inmobilaria sites in Málaga.

I am currently autonomo and paying huge SS taxes and income tax, hence why i want t quit online teaching and go to a full time job in an academy in Málaga that starts in September.

Know what u mean about commute from Torremolinos to Malaga but it may have a better deal money flat wise, despite the commute.

I've swung the other way, I've concluded this chill-at-home-with-my-webcam lark is quite relaxing. So no more IRL for me. :-) But I get the attraction of a proper full-time gig in a decent school. It can be quite soothing to have a nice regular routine, know all your students, no need to look for clients, and a steady salary coming in every month.

I'm not an expert on Malaga. But I think it's clear that you're towards the bottom end of the budget you need for 2 beds. I'd guess bumping it up to 600 makes all the difference. And if you've seen stuff you like at local agents, that sounds promising. It will probably depend on what's available when you get there. How nice, how big, how furnished, how long a lease, how far away will affect it too, so depends on your exact requirements, and how long a commute you're comfortable with.

Dont get me wrong, it is much easier teaching classes online and lesss stressful than in an academy, but the taxes as an autonomo are so high here in Spain that no matter how many hours you do, you still tread water and earn less than say a full time job in an academy.

Yes, 600 euros a month compared to 550 a month makes a big difference to the renting of a flat in Málaga, it does seem on the estate agent websites that you can get modern and well furnished 2 bedroom flats at 600 euros a month. I am after a nice clean apartment and it does seem when you type in 600 euros, it is very possible to get a nice accomodation.

I am shocked that estate agents charge commission equivalent to 1 month rent!! Is this normal in malaga? Here in Extremadura it is half a month commision.

how much do you pay rent monthly?

I thought one month as commission was standard, but maybe some will take only half a month. Some of the listings on idealista are direct from the owners, I think, so that could save the commission. But, yes, renting can be rather painful up-front with commission, first month rent, deposit.

I'm lucky that I own my own place, so no rent for me. I have rented in the past... and, like you, I found it quite challenging to get a nice place for a manageable chunk of our massive teaching salaries. :-)

ye know what u mean, the pay in EFL teaching has never been well rewarded. I have been teaching English for many years in Spain and know the score .
Here in Extremadura, i pay 400 a month rent, 3 bedrooms and really modern; to get that at 400 is impossible in Malaga.
So why am i moving to Malaga with my partner? Extremadura is really struggling, no academy vacancies hardly,  whereas I have had various Malaga academies write to me and offer me full time work for September. It seems a much better situation in Malaga for work.

Even though I have a degree in French and Spanish and a uk qualified teacher, i refuse to do the oposiciones (despite a much better pay as a funcionario). I dont like the system and to be honest, I dont want to teach in schools.

I just hope Malaga is good to me and my partner, i do like that it has a brit community; though i am totally fluent in Spanish, i do miss hearing English voices. Extremadura is too provincial.

TEFL is one of those jobs that sounds quite glamorous as you travel the world and bring "the queen's" to exotic places. :-) But it's not a job where you can make a ton of money. On the contrary, unfortunately, in most places it looks like a bit of a break-even proposition these days.

As well as my TEFL times, I was also a ski instructor for a few years. Also lovely places (Andorran Pyrenees & Chilean Andes)... plenty of fresh air and exercise... but barely enough to pay the rent.

I've sometimes idly browsed the TEFL ads... and it looks like the well-paid jobs are in the middle-east. And there are a TON of jobs in China... which don't look like high pay, but seem to include an apartment. I'm too old to relocate now, but I'm sure that's where a lot of newbies are heading.

Or, there are always proper teaching jobs back in the UK! :-)

Spain is a lovely place to live, you can have a very relaxed lifestyle here. So it definitely has its compensations.

We're in Elche (next to Alicante city), which is a fairly traditional Spanish town. It's lovely, and we really like it here... but not much demand for EFL. Malaga's bigger, lot more expats in that area, so it should have a lot more opportunities for you.

I'm lucky that my PGCE was in secondary mathematics... and I have a master's in computer science... so my "extra" subjects are a bit more specialist than my TEFL. But, even so, I don't think I'll be buying a big house on the beach in Marbella any time soon. :-)

Know what u mean, to break even each month is an achievement as an EFL teacher. As I mentioned, I stick it out as an EFL teacher as I dont like the system of the oposiciones, plus I am in my mid forties now and no longer in that mindset of studying again.

Yes, Spain has the bonus of good weather and relaxed lifestyle and so though money is poor, lifestyle is good.

I thought about moving to Salamanca or Cadiz or Sevilla as rent is cheaper than Malaga , but maybe Malaga is better in that there are more job possibilities?