Relocation

Initial reaction is that I would be surprised if there is much difference in living costs - housing may be cheaper but that is a once-only buy.

You don’t say what you do for a living, but certainly the Mar Menor is either agriculture or tourism, and unemployment is high.

Cost of living is less expensive than the Javea, the Murcia region has always been less expensive going back to the days when it was kept a poor region by a certain dictator, however since the motorways were introduced and Murcia was opened up, so to say, the housing and commercial expansion has made the region very affordable and attractive to many Spaniards and European immigrants.

Depending on your language skills there is employment available in many sectors, you could always contact one of the employment agency's in Murcia city, there is a Manpower office in Calle. Abenarabi, 5, bajo C, 30007 Murcia, when I lived around the corner from there they always had plenty of work, there is also another one about 2 mins walk away on the corner of Abenarabi and Juan De Borbon sorry cant remember the name.

However before actually making the move I would look around at the different areas available and not be to isolated.

Hope this helps