Average monthly/ annual cost of living at Lakeside

[joanne]

I know people's lifestyles( and priorities) vary greatly, but I'd like to get an average of people's monthly/ annual living costs if I can.

How much do you estimate you spend on average per month on rent, food, insurance, entertainment, automotive, medications, utilities, etc?

How do your current living costs at Lakeside compare to the living costs where you used to live NOB?

Thank you.

[daisy2013]

Up North, it would cost us around 4,500 or more dollars per month to live like we do here. 2 of us spend around 1500 monthly. And eat out a lot. Traveling is extra in both cases. We have solar, so that is 3 or 4 dollars monthly and water is 2.50 monthly.

[El Saltos]

You'll never get enough responses to compute an average. Also, the average in $US has changed a lot over the last year, but it hasn't changed for $CDN or $MXP. Be sure you know the currency of the responses. Our budget is $3,000 USD / month. At the current exchange rate we don't spend it all.

[geeser]

We have friends who keep up with each cent spent and find $3000 oer month for a couple with a meal or two out each week. Includes a trip back to Canada each year.

[Floradude]

It also depends greatly on if you own your house or pay rent monthly.

[cbviajero]

It also depends greatly on if you own your house or pay rent monthly.

Yes it does,we own our house and the three of us and get by comfortably on 1500 usd a month.

[Al Berca]

From under 1,000 USD to unlimited. Many, many, many variables.

[Shelley Ronnfeldt]

I'm a renter and can weigh in a little on the cost of rent. We have lived in 4 different houses. We are year rounders. The first place, in the heart of Ajijic, was $750. Second place was in Riberas for $700. Third place in Chapala for $600. Current house in Chapala about $525 considering the strength of the dollar (the rent for this one is paid in pesos). I hear of snowbirds who only rent short term paying as much as $1200 USD a month.

[Xena]

My latest rental is 4000 pesos a month. At current exchange rate that is about 240 USD. The house is in Chapala, large two-story, solar hot water, views, low maintenance gardens, working fireplace, one bedroom casita included. After seven years here I know my way around and have the connections to find deals like this.

[ComputerGuy]

Oh, boy, and make sure you can get a place in Pesos, not U.S. Dollars.

[Al Berca]

Peso rent is difficult to find in most places and usually means a Mexican landlord. Rent in dollars is really not a bad idea.

[jguerin]

I am renting in Pesos and the owner is a very nice Mexican. All should be in Pesos being in Mexico. I am very happy with my situation.

[gringal]

Some of us who have lived here more than ten years live in the peso world and don't even maintain a U.S. checking account any longer. Investment account, yes.

Cost of living is much lower here than where we came from in the San Francisco Bay area, but you'd have to be a dot.com millionaire to live well there in today's world.

Our living costs include a lot of lunches out, so we aren't depriving ourselves in any way.

As others have discovered, one of the biggest budget busters is travel back to the U.S. Our solution is to persuade our offspring to visit us here in Mexico. Otherwise, we have no need to return to the U.S. for anything short of a family funeral (once). We have arranged our shopping needs to be delivered to our door, right here. Our one trip back two years ago was somewhat disheartening; the changes there are not positive, IMO. But, as always, YMMV.

[johanson]

I forgot what YMMV meant. So I went to Google. Here is what I got at

http://www.acronymfinder.com/YMMV.html .

YMMV Your Mileage May Vary

YMMV Yam Mild Mosaic Virus (virology)

YMMV Your Method May Vary

YMMV Your Market May Vary (advertisements)

YMMV You Make Me Vomit

Of course you meant one of the top definitions I couldn't believe that last one though

[gringal]

I forgot what YMMV meant. So I went to Google. Here is what I got at

http://www.acronymfinder.com/YMMV.html .

YMMV Your Mileage May Vary

YMMV Yam Mild Mosaic Virus (virology)

YMMV Your Method May Vary

YMMV Your Market May Vary (advertisements)

YMMV You Make Me Vomit

Of course you meant one of the top definitions I couldn't believe that last one though

INTENT; number one.

[rogerm]

WCPAD

[gogirl]

Just my two cents but I don't know how anyone can live here on 1500. dollars a month. Maybe my idea of living is different than others. For instance I enjoy eating.

[ryanv]

With the right lifestyle living on 1500 doesn't seem unreachable to me. My wife and I were in Ajijic for 28 days earlier this year and spent a little less. We were saving up for the next month in Puerto Vallarta so we took things easy, but went with the LCS to the Guadalajara zoo, went to a murder mystery at La Mision, saw a movie at the theater, purchased 2 monthly gym memberships, went out to eat or got take out at least 11 times, and generally enjoyed ourselves.

Here's what we spent:

Rent (all inclusive): 739

Restaurants: 214.60

Groceries: 210.05

Travel: 67.09

Drinks: 28.64

Tourism: 39.39

Entertainment: 61.21

Misc: 53.05

Total: 1413.03

[Al Berca]

I am looking at a two bedroom furnished apt in Chapala today for a friend for 300 USD per month. He lives here, has a car, and does it all for under 1000 USD.

He also enjoys eating.

[CeeZee]

From Al Berca " Peso rent is difficult to find in most places and usually means a Mexican landlord. Rent in dollars is really not a bad idea." ( as a side note, I could use some advice on how to cut/ paste the previous posts)

Actually rent in dollars can be a very bad idea and extremely unfair to locals and non Americans. This is Mexico and transactions in every walk of life should be based in the local currency. The Canadian dollar and Mexican peso ( and many others ) are being hammered by the non reality but complex currency world which has inflated the US Dollar. Which of course means all these non Americans pay a substantial increase in travel costs in the USA. Accepted as a fact of life and one can make that a part of their decision making to visit the US or not. However here we are in Mexico where we non Americans are faced with this spill over of a US dollar base in house rentals , house purchases and even in a lot of the local Bed y Breakfast establishments. there is absolutely no excuse for this other than greed. You could have argued years ago some marketing point of consumer convenience but modern technology has tools that make converting form a peso base price, easy.

The fact of how this relates to the topic is obvious, a lot of people's annual costs are negatively affected by this inappropriate use of a foreign currency. Currently an average rent of $1200 us becomes $ 1600 Canadian. An $80.00 B & B night becomes $105.00. Cdn. For the house seller, you have to know by listing in US fund as the Base price, your potential Canadian market just dried up. It's time this practise ended.

[CeeZee]

Also we are actively planning a move to Ajijic and want to buy . Spent 5 days last week looking. A 35% increase to us on house prices is a real issue.

[Mainecoons]

From Al Berca " Peso rent is difficult to find in most places and usually means a Mexican landlord. Rent in dollars is really not a bad idea." ( as a side note, I could use some advice on how to cut/ paste the previous posts)

Actually rent in dollars can be a very bad idea and extremely unfair to locals and non Americans. This is Mexico and transactions in every walk of life should be based in the local currency. The Canadian dollar and Mexican peso ( and many others ) are being hammered by the non reality but complex currency world which has inflated the US Dollar. Which of course means all these non Americans pay a substantial increase in travel costs in the USA. Accepted as a fact of life and one can make that a part of their decision making to visit the US or not. However here we are in Mexico where we non Americans are faced with this spill over of a US dollar base in house rentals , house purchases and even in a lot of the local Bed y Breakfast establishments. there is absolutely no excuse for this other than greed. You could have argued years ago some marketing point of consumer convenience but modern technology has tools that make converting form a peso base price, easy.

The fact of how this relates to the topic is obvious, a lot of people's annual costs are negatively affected by this inappropriate use of a foreign currency. Currently an average rent of $1200 us becomes $ 1600 Canadian. An $80.00 B & B night becomes $105.00. Cdn. For the house seller, you have to know by listing in US fund as the Base price, your potential Canadian market just dried up. It's time this practise ended.

Unfortunately the purchase price of a lot of rentals was based on US dollars as well. So they base the rent off of that. As you note, the current value of the US dollar is inflated which means on a peso basis anyone transacting in US dollars is paying inflated prices. There hasn't been any actual inflation in Mexico corresponding to the devaluation of the Peso against the dollar.

Your best bet is renting in cash from a Mexican landlord, understanding that they will do very little if any maintenance so you should make sure the house doesn't need expensive repairs before you move in.

[HarryB]

Prices here are following the dollar. A restaurant owner friend of mine told me his veal cost doubled . When he complained he was told it was because of the dollar.

[dave0415]

From Al Berca " Peso rent is difficult to find in most places and usually means a Mexican landlord. Rent in dollars is really not a bad idea." ( as a side note, I could use some advice on how to cut/ paste the previous posts)

Actually rent in dollars can be a very bad idea and extremely unfair to locals and non Americans. This is Mexico and transactions in every walk of life should be based in the local currency. The Canadian dollar and Mexican peso ( and many others ) are being hammered by the non reality but complex currency world which has inflated the US Dollar. Which of course means all these non Americans pay a substantial increase in travel costs in the USA. Accepted as a fact of life and one can make that a part of their decision making to visit the US or not. However here we are in Mexico where we non Americans are faced with this spill over of a US dollar base in house rentals , house purchases and even in a lot of the local Bed y Breakfast establishments. there is absolutely no excuse for this other than greed. You could have argued years ago some marketing point of consumer convenience but modern technology has tools that make converting form a peso base price, easy.

The fact of how this relates to the topic is obvious, a lot of people's annual costs are negatively affected by this inappropriate use of a foreign currency. Currently an average rent of $1200 us becomes $ 1600 Canadian. An $80.00 B & B night becomes $105.00. Cdn. For the house seller, you have to know by listing in US fund as the Base price, your potential Canadian market just dried up. It's time this practise ended.

I could not agree more.

[pappysmarket]

Last I checked, nobody is forced to part with their money, whatever currency they happen to like. If you don't like the price, don't buy (or rent), pretty simple, eh?