Cost of Living chart: What do you think?

[RVGRINGO]

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[maylane]

Hello, Quinta...was there a difference in the cost of living between Merida and Puebla? Thanks for the info...Joyce

[quinta]

Yes, because you're talking about different climates so it changes your needs. Let me be more specific: Rent wise I can say it's about the same since you can find affordable housing in both places BUT it depends on what you are looking for, what area and what YOU consider livable. We had a large, furnished, 3br/2.5ba, 2 story house in Santiago in Merida for $7000 pesos which was great. We now have a 3br / 3ba unfurnished loft in Puebla for $4500.... I saw houses for about the same price here too but we didn't like them (too small and in gated communities) water here is $150 vs $60 pesos a month, electric a bit higher tariff here but you never need AC here where in Merida we used it when the temperature went up (which was often and always during Sprint to Fall), you also don't need a pool here. Gas the same, gasoline too, government fees comparable. Food might be different for different people if you need to buy American products (I use locally grown produce and meats, but do use European brands through) and shop in US chains (Costco, Sam's, Walmart, Pizza Hut, etc.) which most expats look for- we don't use them at all so there's a savings right there and consider I am a Chef so I am always cooking, baking and it's all a big production yet I can stay on my budget without problem. I should also mention we don't drink which is another savings.
Public transport here is very affordable and there is lots to do, the city is beautiful and offers much in the way of free or affordable entertainment options, it's also a very walkable city (as Merida is too except for the heat and sun that is..) I don't feel unsafe and have seen NO indication of crime and we walk often after dark in the historic center which is great too.
I am saving some money in Puebla on basic living expenses and food, plus Mexico City, Veracruz, Tlaxcala, etc. are all close by as well.....

[Traveler123]

quinta: Are you finding ways to meet people in Puebla? The cost of living sounds quite reasonable, from your post. Would you recommend Puebla to a single retired woman?

[mexliving]

i have a 3 bedroom place for 3,500 pesos per month
cable/internet 725 pesos
electricity every 2 months 263 pesos
2 weeks worth of vegetables 650 pesos down town vegetable market
gas 21 gallon tank 650 pesos red label
dominos pizza large crunchy 109
walmart top of the line steak 193 pesos per kilo
cigaretts 28 pesos per day
1 a week cleaning lady 100 pesos per week
groceries walmart per month 3,500 pesos
propane for water heater 600 pesos for 3 months
vip movie theater 90 pesos per person
dinner for 2 280 pesos
oil change 40 pesos
car wash 60 pesos
radiator flush 50 pesos
all 4 rotors resurfaced 400 pesos
mobil engine oil synthetic 159 pesos per quart
throtle intake cleaning 600 pesos
8 hours auto motel 340 pesos
2 liter bottle of softdrink 17 pesos
cheap cell phone 420 pesos
cell phone recharge card 500 pesos (you get 900 pesos worth)
mexico car insurance 6 months 242.oo dollars


its nice to live down here and not deal with the typical rat race in the usa.....

[quinta]

Traveler123, I have no problem meeting people in any part of the world, in Puebla I haven't found too many expats but since I am fluent in Spanish I'm not limited by language which opens up the circle of possible contacts.
If you need to have English speakers close by and an organized social scene to join I would encourage you to look into Merida Yucatan. There are other places as well like Puerto Vallarta, Lake Chapala, Ajijic, Cuernavaca, San Miguel Allende, Mazatlan, Acapulco and other regions where expats tend to congregate to, but if you don't need foreigners and are open to other experiences then you have more of the country open to you. Be aware that areas with more foreigners tend to be somewhat more expensive. Mexico is safe for single women.

[Traveler123]

Originally Posted by mexliving

i have a 3 bedroom place for 3,500 pesos per month
cable/internet 725 pesos
electricity every 2 months 263 pesos

Hi,
Thanks for sharing your budget. Where in Mexico do you live? Your costs seem reasonable, but the cable/internet seems high ($55/month, based on 725 pesos @ 13:1). Can you tell me a bit more about the high speed internet arrangement you have? What is the speed and does it include TV service for that price?

[Traveler123]

Originally Posted by quinta

Traveler123, I have no problem meeting people in any part of the world, in Puebla I haven't found too many expats but since I am fluent in Spanish I'm not limited by language which opens up the circle of possible contacts.
Mexico is safe for single women.

quinta,
Thanks for your response. My Spanish is basic at this point, but I plan to learn a lot more Spanish before moving to Mexico next year. I'll be visiting various areas of Mexico over the next year as part of my research and will definitely include some of the areas you mentioned. I'm glad to hear that your perspective on safety for a single woman is positive.

[quinta]

$725 pesos a month for cable/internet doesn't seem unusual for Mexico. Comparing several Mexican cities for these services like Merida, Puebla, Zacatecas and Tlaxcala.... if you have service from Telmex (you'd need to purchase the phone line first at a cost of around $1,249 pesos + installation costs) plus their monthly costs are around $800 pesos for the bundle of internet and phone. Cable companies now offer tv/internet/phone bundles which begin around $199 for phone / Internet: 512K=$99; 1Mb=$149; 2Mb=$249 / Basic Cable TV $239; Premium Packages begin $175 and up. You'd pay additional for any phone extensions, additional tv's, digital service, voice mail, TiVo, HDTV, Cable Magazine, etc. While you may do without Internet, the bundles can't do away with phone or cable services. Even with basic services only you'd look at over $500 in charges (phone/512K/basic cable only) plus IVA tax a month and most people upgrade from basic services. I've seen bundle specials at $625 a month in most of these cities too.
Supposedly the new optic cable upgrade announced by CFE yesterday should give more competitive pricing soon but might just give more providers at the same prices as now, we'll have to wait to see if prices really do come down.
Plus you have to consider that depending on where you live you might be limited in which provider you can get service from too and only way to check is by having an actual address and comparing availability. Some people find it cheaper to just go to their neighborhood internet cafe and pay $10-14 an hour for broadband service most days and forgo service contracts with providers.

[roni]

I have subscribed to a pay newsletter for several years that updates cost of living information for the Lake Chapala area every January. They have about 6 households that track their costs and report it. They provide information on the households etc.. It has been interesting and informative, but I do not post the detailed information on non-pay sites. It is all right to note, however, that there is a wide range of costs - from approximately US$ 1,400 a month to over US$3,000 a month.

A lot of it depends on the individuals.