I am not a survivalist, just trying to live a normal life in Mexico not because I came here because it is cheap but because I am stuck with a wonderful Mexican woman.
So don´t tell me about your pennyante differences.
Electricity: 1000 pesos every two months, subsidized by Mexico (Until the kids moved 2500)
Phone: 1500 pesos (should be 1000 pesos for full internet and freeby calls most anywhere. (I pay more because I am a hog)
Water: 50 p plus sewage + 14 pesos per each jug of drinking water = 210 pesos
Garbage: 35 pesos
Gas: about 250 pesos per month
Cable: 285 pesos
So my monthly nut before housing is app. 2300 pesos
Add housing - last time renting I paid 2500
Except for housing I can live anywhere for the same cost
My daily food costs are cheaper here, not because food is particularly cheaper, but because there are less goodies available. Let's say 5000 pesos for two. (Yes, I like to eat well)
My entertainment budget is about 1500 pesos per month. Obviously I don´t party much.
My damn cigarettes are now costing me more than my maid's wages.
But if I were a regular drinker and could tolerate aguardiente, I would save a little money.
My car expenses are roughly 2500 pesos per month (including liability only insurance. And that is about 300 miles per week in a huge SUV.
My burn down the house or pay some jerk for a slip and fall claim is NIL.
(literally no insurance available in my part of town)
So let's say I need 14500 pesos - that's a little more than what social security pays usual retirees, and what Mexico thinks you should receive monthly for the old FM3 visa.
Now for the goodies:
I enjoy a maid and a gardener that I could not afford in the US, but now I enjoy making impoverished people feel rich: 5000 pesos per month.
And I like to go places where more food and entertainment is available. 5000 pesos per month.
Now I am on the level that Mexico thinks I should receive monthly for an FM2 visa.
Obviously they want no cheapskates.
My high deductible health insurance now is about 1200 pesos per month.
Add it all up - I can live very very comfortably for about 25000 pesos, except for rent/housing. Frankly I could do that anywhere if I did not have a mortgage or kids.
I realize that there are a lot of people trying to make it on a thousand bucks or less, and yes, it can be done and is being done, if you shave off US wants and enjoy cheap rentals in places you never expected to live in.
But for a normal or let's say average lower middle class ******, except for rent, I really do not see a benefit of moving to Mexico unless you really, really like tortillas and 20 versions of beans.
So let's bring it to a consesus:
How much does one need to
survive in Mexico: ?
live in Mexico: ?
live well in Mexico: ?
I'll skip the live better in Mexico than the US question.
(PLEASE, skip the commercials about other wonderful aspects of Mexico)
So don´t tell me about your pennyante differences.
Electricity: 1000 pesos every two months, subsidized by Mexico (Until the kids moved 2500)
Phone: 1500 pesos (should be 1000 pesos for full internet and freeby calls most anywhere. (I pay more because I am a hog)
Water: 50 p plus sewage + 14 pesos per each jug of drinking water = 210 pesos
Garbage: 35 pesos
Gas: about 250 pesos per month
Cable: 285 pesos
So my monthly nut before housing is app. 2300 pesos
Add housing - last time renting I paid 2500
Except for housing I can live anywhere for the same cost
My daily food costs are cheaper here, not because food is particularly cheaper, but because there are less goodies available. Let's say 5000 pesos for two. (Yes, I like to eat well)
My entertainment budget is about 1500 pesos per month. Obviously I don´t party much.
My damn cigarettes are now costing me more than my maid's wages.
But if I were a regular drinker and could tolerate aguardiente, I would save a little money.
My car expenses are roughly 2500 pesos per month (including liability only insurance. And that is about 300 miles per week in a huge SUV.
My burn down the house or pay some jerk for a slip and fall claim is NIL.
(literally no insurance available in my part of town)
So let's say I need 14500 pesos - that's a little more than what social security pays usual retirees, and what Mexico thinks you should receive monthly for the old FM3 visa.
Now for the goodies:
I enjoy a maid and a gardener that I could not afford in the US, but now I enjoy making impoverished people feel rich: 5000 pesos per month.
And I like to go places where more food and entertainment is available. 5000 pesos per month.
Now I am on the level that Mexico thinks I should receive monthly for an FM2 visa.
Obviously they want no cheapskates.
My high deductible health insurance now is about 1200 pesos per month.
Add it all up - I can live very very comfortably for about 25000 pesos, except for rent/housing. Frankly I could do that anywhere if I did not have a mortgage or kids.
I realize that there are a lot of people trying to make it on a thousand bucks or less, and yes, it can be done and is being done, if you shave off US wants and enjoy cheap rentals in places you never expected to live in.
But for a normal or let's say average lower middle class ******, except for rent, I really do not see a benefit of moving to Mexico unless you really, really like tortillas and 20 versions of beans.
So let's bring it to a consesus:
How much does one need to
survive in Mexico: ?
live in Mexico: ?
live well in Mexico: ?
I'll skip the live better in Mexico than the US question.
(PLEASE, skip the commercials about other wonderful aspects of Mexico)