Thom Posted August 7, 2016 Share Posted August 7, 2016 In early 2018, as you may know, me and her indoors will be moving to Cornwall to live and retire. We have a mortgage free house in Cornwall, and will move into that. We're trying to plan our budget, except we keep being told that "Cornwall is a very expensive place to live!" I lived in Cornwall from 1991 to 2003, and at that time didn't consider it remarkably any more expensive than the rest of the country. I'd lived all over the UK before that. Yes, we realise that Cornwall has a low wage economy, based around tourism. Also that transport costs can be high. But neither of those would greatly affect us. Can anyone offer help and advice on the costs of living in Cornwall presently please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted August 7, 2016 Share Posted August 7, 2016 I imagine like any holiday destination, there are tourist rates and local rates for everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2016 Share Posted August 7, 2016 I think its more if you are living and working there, buying a house and having a mortgage that it would be more of an issue. Salaries are poor generally and house prices are high. Rentals are more scarce as they are often let out in the warmer months for the holiday season. Many jobs are seasonal. There is quite a lot of poverty in certain areas perhaps? Many nice homes are second homes or holiday rentals. If you are mortgage and debt free and are buying a car outright and have a pension to live on I'd imagine you'd be ok. Shopping and fuel may cost more, perhaps the water bills also, council tax and things will vary. Overall though I'd expect it to be ok for you retiring there. Its not that you'll be wanting employment or needing good schools and stuff. My parents live in Devon and its a similar situation once you are away from Exeter and Plymouth. Many tourist related issues and local facilities are stretched. Some areas get better funding and others don't and are really suffering. High drug use and a high percentage of shops closing and/or turning into charity shops. Poor schools in the tourist areas, poor job prospects, older population retiring to the coast and other things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anoh Posted August 7, 2016 Share Posted August 7, 2016 I have spent my life in Cornwall and left for Australia in 2012. Agree with previous comments that as you are mortgage free and presume you are not seeking a job then there should be no problem. Yes wages can be low and the cost of buying a house out of reach for so many people but as that does not apply to you, I don't believe it is more expensive to live there. Good luck. You are very lucky to be going back to such a beautiful area. I miss it and the people so much. Ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom Posted August 8, 2016 Author Share Posted August 8, 2016 Cheers people, that's very heartening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 I think it is only housing that really varies across the country and Cornwall is not as expensive as the SE in that respect. Most people cannot choose to live in Cornwall because of limited work options rather than because of cost. My sister moved to Cornwall thirty years ago, she is a nurse at Treliske and leads a very comfortable life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike@Bonbeach Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 I envy you the choice of Cornish Pasties. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 I envy you the choice of Cornish Pasties.Mike On our drive along the M4 from Heathrow to the West country after we arrive, we call in at the services which has an M&S food outlet and there is also a traditional Cornish pasty van there too, spoilt for choice, Ginsters from M & S (and or a pork pie) or trad from the van..........................whichever, we always enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom Posted August 9, 2016 Author Share Posted August 9, 2016 Looking forward to a daily pasty when I'm back! Warrens, Rowes, Phillips of Hayle, Horse and Jockey in Porthleven, Anne Mullers pasty shop on the Lizard, Aunty Mays in Newlyn, never short of choice!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike@Bonbeach Posted August 9, 2016 Share Posted August 9, 2016 Looking forward to a daily pasty when I'm back! Warrens, Rowes, Phillips of Hayle, Horse and Jockey in Porthleven, Anne Mullers pasty shop on the Lizard, Aunty Mays in Newlyn, never short of choice!!! Sounds amazing. Unfortunately on our visit to the UK in 2 weeks time the nearest we'll get to Cornwall is Plymouth, (coming down from Scotland) so will make do with an Ivor Dewdneys or two. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anoh Posted August 10, 2016 Share Posted August 10, 2016 Lovely pasties in all those places, always doing the rounds when we went out for the weekend. My weekly pleasure!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James in devon Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Hi Thom. The quick answer is no. As others have said, some places (Padstow, St. Ives) can be very expensive to buy property, but general costs are much the same as anywhere. Water costs are high, due to cleaning up the sewage going to sea over the last couple of decades. Although I'm currently just over the Tamar, I spend a lot of time in Cornwall and there is so much going on there compared to before I moved to Oz in 2004, much of it FOC. All you have to do is get National Trust membership and you can park at loads of beauty spots and visit great gardens with no more cost. The big supermarkets are everywhere as are the discount shops, but equally there are now high end shopping and eateries. Also, delivery from Amazon is still the same! It's difficult to overstate the change internet shopping has on remoter places without big cities. The big problem for Cornwall has always been low wages, which you don't have to worry about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James in devon Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Looking forward to a daily pasty when I'm back! Warrens, Rowes, Phillips of Hayle, Horse and Jockey in Porthleven, Anne Mullers pasty shop on the Lizard, Aunty Mays in Newlyn, never short of choice!!! Not sure your health would benefit much from that. I try and limit myself to one every couple of weeks, but it's difficult with a Warrens in walking distance. The joys of being back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom Posted August 18, 2016 Author Share Posted August 18, 2016 Not sure your health would benefit much from that. I try and limit myself to one every couple of weeks, but it's difficult with a Warrens in walking distance. The joys of being back. I exaggerated somewhat. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benj1980 Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Sounds amazing. Unfortunately on our visit to the UK in 2 weeks time the nearest we'll get to Cornwall is Plymouth, (coming down from Scotland) so will make do with an Ivor Dewdneys or two.Mike Ivor isn't in the same league as the quality pasties mentioned above and don't get me started on Ginsters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom Posted August 31, 2016 Author Share Posted August 31, 2016 They aren't bad, but you cannot beat the real thing! ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted September 11, 2019 Share Posted September 11, 2019 Did you return Thom?(Sorry havent logged into the forum for probably 3 yrs.My daughter,and her family live in Cornwall and love it.We visit probably 3 times a year,and living costs are probably the same anywhere in the UK tbh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toots Posted September 11, 2019 Share Posted September 11, 2019 15 minutes ago, Jacaranda said: Did you return Thom?(Sorry havent logged into the forum for probably 3 yrs.My daughter,and her family live in Cornwall and love it.We visit probably 3 times a year,and living costs are probably the same anywhere in the UK tbh. Wow! Good to see you back here Jacaranda. How have you been? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted September 11, 2019 Share Posted September 11, 2019 Yes really good thanks Toots.I had'nt been on any forum's to speak of for a long time,was discussing it at work yesterday which reminded me of this one! lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toots Posted September 11, 2019 Share Posted September 11, 2019 5 minutes ago, Jacaranda said: Yes really good thanks Toots.I had'nt been on any forum's to speak of for a long time,was discussing it at work yesterday which reminded me of this one! lol Are you in Australia or the UK? I know at one point you were coming here but if as you say you visit your daughter a few times a year I'm guessing you are in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted September 11, 2019 Share Posted September 11, 2019 No changed my mind and remained in the UK.Started a nursing career,and after practising yoga for 30 yrs,just began a teacher training course. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BacktoDemocracy Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 On 7/8/2016 at 05:29, Thom said: In early 2018, as you may know, me and her indoors will be moving to Cornwall to live and retire. We have a mortgage free house in Cornwall, and will move into that. We're trying to plan our budget, except we keep being told that "Cornwall is a very expensive place to live!" I lived in Cornwall from 1991 to 2003, and at that time didn't consider it remarkably any more expensive than the rest of the country. I'd lived all over the UK before that. Yes, we realise that Cornwall has a low wage economy, based around tourism. Also that transport costs can be high. But neither of those would greatly affect us. Can anyone offer help and advice on the costs of living in Cornwall presently please? The only thought I have is medical care, distances to hospitals, distance to GP's, numbers of hospitals and GP's and the availibility of specialist care, at 65 I felt I could take the world on, now 8 years later I'm very glad it's only 3 miles to the GP, a local hospital even closer , a full service hospital only 15 miles down a motorway just 5 minutes away and specialists just another 12 miles beyond. Just something to bear in mind 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BacktoDemocracy Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 I know everyone will shout, so let me say I don’t know the extreme SW, but you might need to think what the consequences are of being an outsider and what they are of the economy being all about tourism and low wages, what looks great in summer sun can be a whole lot different in December in the pouring rain with half the places shut up, including holiday houses. It is your choice of course and you may be aware of all that but just on the off chance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 1 hour ago, BacktoDemocracy said: I know everyone will shout, so let me say I don’t know the extreme SW, but you might need to think what the consequences are of being an outsider and what they are of the economy being all about tourism and low wages, what looks great in summer sun can be a whole lot different in December in the pouring rain with half the places shut up, including holiday houses. It is your choice of course and you may be aware of all that but just on the off chance To be fair it was pissing down with rain when I was there this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toots Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 4 hours ago, BacktoDemocracy said: The only thought I have is medical care, distances to hospitals, distance to GP's, numbers of hospitals and GP's and the availibility of specialist care, at 65 I felt I could take the world on, now 8 years later I'm very glad it's only 3 miles to the GP, a local hospital even closer , a full service hospital only 15 miles down a motorway just 5 minutes away and specialists just another 12 miles beyond. Just something to bear in mind Yes definitely something to bear in mind when you are getting older. My parents lived 30 miles from a full service hospital. Dad died in the ambulance on the way after suffering from heart problems for many years. It's one of the reasons we chose to live where we do. My first choice was to be a lot more remote but common sense prevailed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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