An ex-pat has revealed how her “miserable” life did a complete 180 after she moved to Spain and started paying £1.50 a beer.
Tori Clinton, who has spent the last two years living abroad, says the culture change has had a hugely positive impact on her life.
The 30-year-old even admitted Spaniards’ relationship with alcohol has completely shifted her mindset.
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Tori, originally from Dublin, who now lives in Malaga, visits her local every day to soak up the sun with a “cheeky caña”.
The small beer only costs £1.50 in Tori’s favourite spots, while a pint costs just £2.17.
In comparison, the average price of a pint in her hometown is now a whopping £6.42.
The 30-year-old freelancer believes having the odd tipple instead of binge drinking, and embracing a culture where work isn’t the be-all and end-all, has allowed her to “become the best version” of herself.
“I was miserable back home. I look back and wonder how I survived so long in my past life,” Tori told What’s The Jam.
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“It is so normal to do things on evenings after work, not just go home like back home and watch EastEnders.
“Going to my local is my favourite time of the day – it’s time for me to catch up on some life admin and work, but also check in with myself and journal my thoughts.
“I mean, who doesn’t want to be sat out in the evening sun with a cheeky caña, thinking ‘how is this my life?’
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“In Spain, there is no binge drinking, and you never see people super drunk or messy.
“They sip their alcohol and pace themselves.
“Being Irish, our favourite thing to say is ‘should we get another?’ when in fact there is no need for that other drink.
“This is something you would never hear people here say, and it has taken time to shift to this mindset.
“Everything feels so much cheaper as the prices are so different in comparison to Ireland and England.
“When I go back there to visit family, it can be quite a shock – even when getting a coffee.”
Tori quit her job and travelled to Malaga, a place she often visited as a child with her family, in 2023.
And after falling in love with her new life, she decided to settle down in the Spanish coastal city.
She added: “Work and career are a lower priority here – it’s all about living and enjoying, rather than chasing work pressures.
“There are, however, some cultural aspects that have been hard to grasp and still grind my gears.
“As everything is slower paced here, so too is paperwork and getting things done without over complicating everything, but look – we can’t have it all.
“It can also be like being on a rollercoaster with your emotions as you’re trying to build a life and a home in a country where you’re not fluent in their language.”
