Walking its streets, you can feel the history and see the cultural influence of the many civilizations—from Phoenicians to the Romans to the Moors—that impacted it over time.

Its Old Town is densely populated, with one of Europe’s oldest neighborhoods and ruins hemmed in by old city walls. Individual landmarks syncretize various architectural styles.

Narrow streets spill out into lively plazas where you can sit in the shade of a towering cathedral and watch the world go by…

Cádiz Province (one of the two provinces that the Costa de la Luz covers; the other is Huelva) offers everything from well-appointed beachfront towns to ancient hilltop villages that can be seen for miles because of their brilliant, white-washed buildings.

You may not need a car in Cádiz as the town center is compact. Centuries ago, when the town was built, it was designed to be navigated on foot and that continues to be the best way to get around.

There are major upsides to walking everywhere: it’s good for your health, it’s the best way to discover, it’s easy on your bank account, it’s positive for the environment…

A downside is that walkways can be slippery and perhaps impossible to navigate if you are mobility-impaired. This is true across the Old World and especially in town centers where the pavement has been trodden on for hundreds of years.

Just outside Cádiz Old Town is the railway station. From there, you can connect as far as Santander and Gijón, in the extreme north of Spain, or Madrid. A one-way ticket from Cádiz to Madrid (Puerta de Atocha Station) will run you about 47 euros. From Cádiz to Sevilla (Santa Justa Station) is about 13 euros.

Expat Ivan Ricoy, who lives in Cádiz and runs a business there, says: “For a long time, Cádiz was looked down upon by the other regions of Spain, and its people were almost seen as backwards because they don’t seem to have the same ambition that drives other parts of the Western World…

“Nowadays, the national perception of Cádiz is changing. It’s becoming more popular with people from other parts of Spain for the very thing it was previously looked down on for: its laid-back outlook on life.

“It has almost a post-modern appeal… people are now seeking out the slow, family-oriented pace of life that Cádiz is known for. I think this could make it very appealing to foreign retirees as well.”

People here absolutely work to live, not live to work. The culture is relaxed and fairly liberal.

One of the biggest reasons to choose Spain as your overseas retirement destination is that it’s so affordable.

Many Americans and Canadians have this perception of Western Europe as being financially out of reach, a destination only accessible in daydreams…

The truth is that many Western European countries—especially Spain and especially the Costa de la Luz—are more affordable than the States or Canada. That’s a lower cost of living for a higher quality of life, too.

Living in Cádiz, your big-ticket expenses are likely to be rent, health care, and taxes.

For rent, expect to pay about 600 euros a month at the higher-end of the spectrum, for a well-appointed two-bedroom apartment by the beach in Cádiz.

Compare that to US$2,159—the average rent for an apartment in Sarasota, Florida, and you’ll see where the savings come in.

For other day-to-day costs, you’ll be surprised at how affordable things are… You’ll often hear that “wine is cheaper than water” in southern Spain, and it’s completely true. You can get a decent bottle of wine for about a euro.

A dinner for two, including drinks, appetizers, mains, and dessert, could come to about 30 euros. A fancy coffee will be less than 3 euros; a beer—served in small glasses called cañas in Spain—will be about 1.20 euros.

For instance, transportation costs will depend on whether you have a car. It’s possible to get by without one thanks to the train, for which the basic fare is negligible.

Let’s take a closer look at the cost of living in Cádiz.