ELECTRIC EXPENSE

[VMITCHELL@comcast.net]

I have done extensive research on the cost of living in the Lake Chapala area. I have been able to find approximent cost of taxes, water, propane, phone, internet etc....but when it comes to electric all anyone says is "electric is expensive in Mexico". Can anyone tell me approximate cost of electric for 2 people, 2 bedroom 2 bath house with washer, dryer and ceiling fans. I realize costs vary, but all I am looking for is a range.

[AngusMactavish]

Yes, I meet your criteria. My last bill for two months was 252 pesos, or $13.26 USD. We have a TV going most of the time and a desktop computer on 24/7.

Yes, the electricity is expensive if you exceed the subsidized level. I have no pool, hot tub, or air conditioners, but some do and either get solar or complain about their bill.

[VMITCHELL@comcast.net]

Thanks Angus, that sounds comparable. And, that is very inexpensive. What is the subsidized level?

[pappysmarket]

Our bill in Puerto Vallarta averages $25 US per month. We never use A/C but do use ceiling fans often. Dishwasher daily, washer/dryer 5x/Wk, toaster oven, 2 computers 24/7, TV on frequently, we have LED bulbs in everything. Learn about the DAC rate and stay out of it!

[AngusMactavish]

I lied, 252 was the second to last bill. It was 213 pesos, $11.21 USD. As far as the cost levels, I do not know as I never have crossed it. Here is that bill and you might be able to.

 

 

[Ferret]

There are variables that you have not included. Will your water be gravity fed or pressurized with a pump. What size and age of refrigerator? Electric garage door opener? Dishwasher?

I am a one person household. Run the washer and dryer drum (heat is propane) three times a week. No dishwasher. Gravity fed water. Electric garage door opener. Fridge which is too big and all alone is costing 450 kwh a year. TV on 2 hours a day. Laptop always on except while sleeping. All LED lights. My last bill for two months (actually 62 days) was $451 pesos and I used 332 kwh.

 

[Syver117]

My electric, 2b/2b, 1 person, TV, all electric but hot water heater is 100 p for 2 months.  With AC at night during hot season 200 p for 2 months.  

Electric really varies, and who knows for what reason.

[Yo1]

3b/3b, washer/dryer, refrig, desktop computer 24/7, microwave, toaster oven sometimes, fans 24/7 during Apr-June, always turn off lights if not in room, etc.  Never over 280 pesos for 2 months.  DAC rates apply if you use more than 250 watts per billing period for more than about 2 months.  Then there is no govt. subsidy which is about 80%.  If you look at the bill above you will see cost of production and aportacion that govt. pays.

[VMITCHELL@comcast.net]

Thanks everyone.........I can now complete my budget, even if I double all of your expenses it comes no where near Florida in the summer expense!

[AlanMexicali]

250 KWHs per month in the climatic zone in  Central Mx. or 500 KWHs per 2 month billing period. Heavily subsidized rate is for 3000 KWHs per 12 month period in your area and 800 KWHs per 2 month billing period [4800 KWHs subsidized in a 12 month period] in Puerto Vallarta´s climatic zone.

[El Saltos]

People I know that have "Gringo" houses; e.g. fridge, Washer/dryer, Sat TV, 2 TVs, water pump, 2 computers/printers, garage or gate opener,  hair dryer,  bar fridge, etc.  pay 1500 Pesos per month or more.  My bill was approching $3500 Pesos/two month when I installed Solar electric.  Today it would be over $4000 Pesos.  That was for 7-800Kwhr/2 months.  I won't give anyone coming here a low figure on CFE bills.  They're TOO rare.

[sputnik]

ours sure is not expensive.  August last year we went down and paid $1800 because we knew we would be in the states caring for my mom for 5 months.....it has been a year and 2 months and our balance is still 0......

[geeser]

3 hours ago, VMITCHELL@comcast.net said:

I have done extensive research on the cost of living in the Lake Chapala area. I have been able to find approximent cost of taxes, water, propane, phone, internet etc....but when it comes to electric all anyone says is "electric is expensive in Mexico". Can anyone tell me approximate cost of electric for 2 people, 2 bedroom 2 bath house with washer, dryer and ceiling fans. I realize costs vary, but all I am looking for is a range.

Just look at your current bill and remember that our cost for the higher use level is 26¢ per kilowatt hour. That exceeds any cost in the USA though it is close to Hawaii's rates.

[daisy2013]

3 hours ago, AngusMactavish said:

I lied, 252 was the second to last bill. It was 213 pesos, $11.21 USD. As far as the cost levels, I do not know as I never have crossed it. Here is that bill and you might be able to.

 

 

This bill is 6 years old

[daisy2013]

And it does matter where you live

[AngusMactavish]

 

15 minutes ago, daisy2013 said:

This bill is 6 years old

Dang, it is what is shown on CFE as current and I snipped it. I went back and it was 252 pesos like I remembered, but they fooled me. And as my avatar info says, "Location:Chapala".

EDIT: Like a fool I snipped an example. Here is the actual:

[bezerk]

truly it varies by house, area, what you use, who might or might not be tapped into your line, quite common here..the list goes on.....

2 bedroom, 2 bath home, nothing running ..hahah..500 plus pesos every 2  months, now how can that be, but it is for a house I am taking care of..

[daisy2013]

It also depends on where you live

[camillenparadise]

And if you live in the jungle with a private line, you will truly dread the arrival of the bill...oh wait, they don't deliver one out here! I have to go in person to inquire if they don't happen to feel like delivering it via email. Government agencies are always difficult to deal with, but the ones here take the cake!

[mudgirl]

CFE also has a slightly lower summer rate, as long as you aren't in the no-subsidy DAC rate. I guess that is to give average Mexicans a bit of a break in the hot months when they need to keep fans running?

 

[jrm30655]

I do auditing of apartment rates in the US over the net.  Most apartments (2 br) charge $45-65 a month for water, sewer, trash.  Electrical will average $100-200 a month depending on climate and type of stove.  I hear these prices and just cringe.  My average electrical bill per YEAR is around $200US.

Electricity may be "expensive" in MX, but you use a lot less because of the climate

[Bisbee Gal]

14 hours ago, mudgirl said:

CFE also has a slightly lower summer rate, as long as you aren't in the no-subsidy DAC rate. I guess that is to give average Mexicans a bit of a break in the hot months when they need to keep fans running?

 

That is true in beach areas.  Not here. 

[court0503]

Also in the category  of “how can that be” my CFE bill runs 75p/month!  Only 1person so useage is low (ie washer but no dryer etc) .I've been told , but don’t know for a fact, that rates vary by location as well . 

[ned small]

$321 pesos for 2 months in Chapala and I run the usual things including a fan at the bed every night to keep the mosquitoes off.

[kimanjome]

2018/2019 Update:

This is for those researching the area.  We (2 of us) live in a large 3,000 sq ft "gringo" house which we bought in 2016. At the time the owner/seller was paying  every 2 months  4000 pesos for just herself. She was in DAC.  For us, coming from Florida, where our monthly electric bill averaged  $220 USD a month for a modest 2000 sq ft ranch home,  even the DAC bill was reasonable!

The first thing we did was change out all the incandescent light bulbs to LED.  We disconnected all the sensor spotlights in the backyard, they were triggered on/off continually throughout the night by waving tree branches and palm fronds.  

We added a small pool with a variable-speed pump.  We installed a 20,000 BTU inverted mini split for the enormous master bedroom.  We have 2 computers on almost always, a printer on, electric garage door opener, full-size fridge, convection oven for cooking, microwave, coffee maker, toaster, 2 big TVs, a 1/3 acre garden that needs watering 2x a week during the dry season, and lots and lots of "vampire" devices like an always-on intercom system.   We use floor/table/ceiling fans when it is hot and we are not sleeping with a/c on. As you can see, we are not frugal. We do, however, turn off lights when not in a room. 

We installed 8 solar panels after living in the house for 3 months.  Our CFE bill has never been higher than the billing fee of $46 pesos, meaning, we have never used any electricity from CFE.  That is with the pool pump going 2 hours daily and the a/c running every night from May to October!

Now, I have to add that during this recent cold season and having guests, we did purchase and have been using electric  space heaters, each using 750 watts per hour.  We made sure we bought space heaters with thermostats so they would shut off at 69 or 70.  The space heaters will cycle on and off in our den for about 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours at night (during coldest days).  That is 4500 watts a day, per heat, or 4.5 kwH per day.  Let's call that 5 kwH a day, which translates to 150 kwH a month, or 300 every 2 months.  This puts us barely into the 2nd lowest level.  Maybe our electric bill will jump up from $2.50 a month to $25- a month.  Do we really care?    

Let us assume I was thrown into DAC rates because of all these space heaters my guests were using.  At 25 cents a kwH for 300 kwH hours, that is....$62.50 a month.  For maybe, what, 2 months?  Compare that to our Florida bills, and I am jumping with glee.  I know the DAC rates continue on for several billing cycles, but when the heaters go off, my bill reverts back to practically nothing.

The other option is to get a portable indoor propane heater, which does not affect CFE rates.   

Hope this helps. Let me put a big plug in for solar power.