Question
Does anyone know anything about living near the American bases in Spain? Good idea? Bad? Why or why not?
I ask because I am retired Navy and would have access to the military bases and their amenities, such as the exchange, commissary, and recreational facilities. I understand that, to a certain extent, this would fall afoul of the ‘If you want to live in Spain, live in Spain!’ mindset, but I see no fault in taking advantage of additional opportunities.
When we lived in Sardinia, we didn’t use the exchange or commissary very often, but it was nice to have it available.
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
“I’m active duty at Rota and retiring here. As a retired member, you don’t get commissary access, can’t buy gas at the on-base gas station, and can’t shop for certain items in the exchange.
You are, however, authorized a US PO Box as a retiree with a 1lb limit, which is useful for banking and legal documents. There’s also a Navy Federal Credit Union on base.
Tricare Prime is available at the hospital, and the NEX Mini-Mart has a growing selection of American products. If you’re retiring here, I’d recommend living in Jerez—it’s affordable, very Spanish, and only 20-30 minutes from the base.”
“As a retired military member, you can access base facilities like the post office, medical services on a space-available basis, and certain exchange services. However, commissary access is restricted
Many retirees in Rota find the Mini-Mart sufficient for American goods, and ordering from the NEX online for in-store pickup is a useful workaround.”
“Living off base is very much ‘living in Spain.’ If you live in a nearby town like Jerez or Sanlúcar de Barrameda, you won’t feel like you’re in an American bubble, but you’ll still be close enough to use the base’s amenities.”
“You cannot use the base gas station as a retiree, but that might not be a bad thing since the fuel quality isn’t great. The Mini-Mart is continually expanding and now offers many products previously only available in the commissary. There’s also a Subway, Dunkin’ Donuts, and a Starbucks on base.”
“You can access base recreational facilities like the fitness center. For some retirees, having access to American healthcare through Tricare Prime at the base hospital is a significant advantage.”
“If you need to pay a landlord, the NEX payment program allows you to pay rent through the base, offering a secure way to handle transactions, even using a credit card for reward points.”
“The Mini-Mart is the main shopping option for retirees, but you can also buy clearance items at the exchange and pick up online orders at customer service.”
“Retirees can use Space-A flights, which can be a huge advantage for travel back to the US.”
“One benefit of living near the base is access to an American mailing address, which can be useful for legal and financial matters.”
“While retirees don’t get full commissary or exchange access, the ability to use the post office, medical facilities, and even order items online for in-store pickup makes living near an American base in Spain quite convenient.”
Conclusion
According to members of the American expat community, living near an American base in Spain, particularly Naval Station Rota, offers advantages and limitations for retired military personnel.
While full commissary and exchange access are restricted, retirees can still use the Mini-Mart, post office, medical services on a space-available basis, and other base facilities.
Many retirees choose to live in nearby cities like Jerez or Sanlúcar de Barrameda, where they can enjoy authentic Spanish life while still being close enough to use base amenities. The ability to pay rent through the NEX, access Tricare Prime, and use Space-A flights are additional perks.
While some believe living near a base might limit cultural immersion, others see it as a practical way to combine Spanish life with convenient military benefits.
