Cost of living in Mexico - 2017

Hola!
Budgets for living in Mexico are an interesting topic to me since we moved here in Nov. 2015. I analyzed the cost of living for my husband and myself plus our small dog when we moved to Sayulita, Nayarit, MX. I came up with a fairly detailed budget and wrote about it in a blog post. Our total monthly budget at that time was $2400 per month for the two of us, including travel and living for two months in the U.S. each year. I now think our budget is about $2600 per month, but that is mostly due to the higher cost of driving our motorhome to and from the U.S. each summer. You can view the details at: retirementbeforetheageof59.blogspot.mx/2016/08/inexpensive-to-live-in-sayulita-mexico.html .  I love to hear comments about this subject!
Cheers!
Terry

So, what do I spend ?

My rent is basically the same as it was in the U, S, except that was a condo and this is a house with a pool.

My food budget here is about 5000 pesos a month or 251.20 U.S. that is about a 4th of what I spent in the U.S.I'm a fruit and veggie fan with eggs and fish a few times a week.

I rarely buy new clothes , but they are also cheaper with some of the top brands represented. $150.00 U.S. for two pairs of shorts good but not top. $80 Levis.

It costs 500 pesos to fill my gas tank, or $ 25.00 U.S. That has been in a state of flux, so it could go up. service on my car ( oil and check) 1000 pesos or $50. Car wash 50- 60 pesos  2-5 dollars  100 pesos to add a wax.

Electric is 2000 aprox, U.S.,  every two months or $ 100 -200., water is paid by the owner.

I would likely pay cash for medical care so I can only base that on a Dr. visit someone I know, who was an American here on a visa. He paid $ 500 (25 $) pesos for a specialists visit.

Phone 200 pesos a month, or 10$

Cable I pay yearly 4000 pesos or $200 U.S. I don't go to movies so I pay $90 US for Netflix

Lunch out 150-300 pesos nice restaurant not fast food. $7-15
espresso coffee?  Latte about 2-3$ less than the U.S.
Over all I spend a lot less here.

Travellight... what town/city  do you live in?    So your cable t.v. is  $200/mo?   ..or a year?

I thought I caught all of the errors, My phone currency converter kept switching to a different country every time I put it down. When I noticed I went back and fixed all of the numbers I thought.
I pay cable yearly and it would more or less cost about $700 a year U,S.  depending on the value of the peso at the time. It favored me this time.

Some random numbers:

When we moved to Cancun last year we rented a house with a small pool for 8000 pesos per month, or about $400 US at the current exchange rate. 

A bus ride from almost any point in the city to another, including the Zona Hotelera, is 10.50 pesos.

A cab ride from almost any point in the city to another is 30 pesos, 50 if you catch one at the mall, outside a supermarket, etc., 80 if you get one from a tourist mecca like Mercado 28.

Hi to all, like I said on the french version of this suject: Cost of leaving varies from one to another person depending on were they live, their taste for living with the locals or in an expat community. Prices listed are in pesos.

For my wife and I, we are permanent residents in La Peñita de Jaltemba, <40km from Sayulita, rent is 9000$ 2 bedroom apartment including Cable, internet, electricity, gas, A/C, washer/dryer no cost, 2 BBQ,  also have 2 terrases, swimming pooo, ocean view and very well maintained.

For food, less then 1500$/monthly (including shrimp, fish fillet such as Pargo/lenguado).
For beer 257$/24, wine from Argentina or Chili 107$/bottle
Restaurants from 60$ to 160$ pesos  (high price for a shrimp "al coco" or octopus plate), this on the beach.
Speciality, like one kg of Grana podano cheese from Italy 370$
Transport local 10$, long distance 1,5 to 2 pesos/km.
Doctors generalist 20$ to 350$pesos.

Overall, the cost of living is cheaper in Mexico, the following web site could help for numerous countries and cities (ie: Puerto Vallarta) and you can compare two cities within Mexico.
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/i … obile=true

As far as utilities, the cost is the one by either liter, KW, KG based on consumption so the best is to refer to the various mexican autorities like CFE, PEMEX, Global gas, etc.

Hope that this is helpfull.

Buen dia, GyC.

The questions Priscilla has asked can result in the contents of a book, but I will do my best and obviously will not include all there is to consider.

Priscilla wrote:

> How much does it cost to rent an apartment/house in Mexico?

I live in San Miguel de Allende (SMA) and I have found that the rental prices (at least from expats that live here) are quite high:  $1200 US / month and above when in other locales such as Tequisquiapan, the rental costs are lower (e.g., $400 to $700 US / mth) and for an equal or even better place. The $400 / mth would get you a 2 bedroom furnished house but not in a gate community. The $700 / mth would get you a 2 or 3 bedroom furnished house in a gated community. In SMA, you would get a 2 bedroom furnished small apartment for $1200/mth. I find SMA to be what I call "Gringoized".

I cite these 2 places because I have some experience with each.

Having said that, there are better prices to be had in SMA, but usually it is by word of mouth. I just happened to get lucky to be able to rent an apartment from a Mexicana friend for $420/mth CDN. And that is a beautiful big furnished house that is void of people most of the time. I rent a one bedroom apartment for that price but I have the option of using any of the other upstairs bedrooms for any guests that I might have come and stay. And my cat has access to a large secure garden area.

Priscilla wrote:

> How much do you pay for your public transport tickets (bus, subway, train, tram)?

Bus tickets are very inexpensive. A 45 minute bus ride is anywhere from $50 - $70 pesos depending on the bus line you take. The depends usually has to do with quality of bus. But even with the lower cost, the quality is quite acceptable to me. We recently took a bus from SMA to Guanajuato. The trip cost $170 pesos on the best quality bus (ETN). On the way back we took a slightly less quality bus (Primera Plus) for $70 pesos. We managed to get a significant discount because we were traveling in a group with some older people. Normally the cost on Primera Plus would have been $140 pesos. This is for a one hour and 30 minute trip.

A taxi in Guanajuato from the center of town to the bus depot costs $50 pesos. Typically for the same distance in SMA that trip would cost $100 pesos much of the time.

Taxi drivers do not use meters so it is important to negotiate your trip before you leave; otherwise, they may take advantage of you. After spending a few weeks or months in a place you become quite accustom to the appropriate fares for a particular trip.

I have taken a 50 minute taxi ride that cost anywhere from $300 to $400 pesos. One taxi driver wanted $500 pesos for this trip, I negotiated him down to $400. But, he was hesitant to take it. Another taxi driver was happy to take $300. This trip was from SMA to the north end of Queretaro.

There is also UBER taxis available that can be less expensive (in some cases half the fare of a normal taxi). But UBER taxi fares vary depend on the time of day and how busy it is. So, in some cases the cost is the same as a normal taxi. For convenience, you either collect phone numbers of various taxi drivers as you encounter them or install the UBER app on your cellphone. One nice thing about the UBER app is you can set it up to pay for the trip by credit card or cash.

Priscilla wrote:

> Staple food: what do people eat and how much do they pay for basic food like bread, rice or pasta?

One thing that is quite different in Mexico as opposed to Ecuador is that people in Mexico eat much less rice. In Ecuador, rice is a staple.

Here, in Mexico, the typical meal will include tacos or enchiladas and refritos frejoles (refried beans) or maybe a soup. Enchiladas come with either a green or red spicy salsa. For some it is quite spicy for others not so. Another popular dish is enmoladas which is basically enchiladas with a spicy chocolate sauce overtop. Very tasty!! This sauce is called "mole" and can be slightly sweet. The combination of sweet and spicy is what makes it interesting. There is also a very popular soup called "pasole" which is very good as well (lots of vegetables and sometimes meat). And of course, chicken, pork and beef are plentiful. The beef is way better here than in Ecuador.

The cost of a 500g package of pasta is $10.70 pesos. A 15g loaf of  Oroweat 12 grain bread is $40.50 pesos. These prices are at La Comer (which is the closest grocery store to me). A 150g bag of pistachios is $86.20 pesos. A very good quality of frijoles is La Sierra at $9.70 pesos for a 430g bag. Very inexpensive and very good. A 500g bag of La Parroquia coffee is $101.50 pesos. This is a coffee I have found to be to my liking. There are many other things I have prices for but the list would be huge.

In general, nuts are very expensive. But wines, beer and many hard liquors  are very affordable.

Priscilla wrote:

>What is your monthly grocery budget?

My monthly grocery budget for one person is about $250 CDN. But then I buy whatever I want (including beer and wine). I usually do not shop at the local mercados where you can get even better prices (at least on vegetables and fruit). I tend not to go to the mercados as I find the fruits and vegetables can be in a poor quality state sometimes: Usually not so in the grocery stores.

Priscilla wrote:

> How much does it cost to see a physician/doctor/specialist in Mexico ?

Only one experience with this so far and it cost $400 pesos for a consultation and minor examination. A complete blood, stool and urine workup cost $1592.25 pesos.

Priscilla wrote:

> How much do you pay for electricity/gas/water etc.?

Electricity has been about $55 pesos (for 2 months), gas is about $200 pesos per month, water is about $269 pesos (for 2 months).

Priscilla wrote:

> How much do you pay for your Internet/phone subscription?

Internet through Megacable is $329 / mth for 10Mbps and unlimited bandwidth usage over the month. Very good service so far.

Cellphone is through AT&T and is $192 pesos / mth which includes unlimited cost-free calling to anywhere in Canada, the US and Mexico as well as 1 gig of data per month. There are no roaming fees when using this service in the US (both data and calls). Have not used it in Canada yet so don't know if the same is true. The service works great and is 4G.

Priscilla wrote:

> How much do you pay for your lunch pack on weekdays?

Well, I don't work, but when I eat out it can cost anywhere from as low as $30 pesos to as high as $180 pesos depending on what I feel like. The $30 pesos is for 2 good sized pork filled quesadillas with all the fixings (makes for a very nice and filling lunch). But typically, the cost is closer to $80 pesos. This would include 3 or 4 enchiladas and a drink (either a beer or a juice). I sometimes have what is called Tampeqeña (which is a sauteed strip of thinly cut beef, rice, frijoles and guacamole) and a beer for $180 pesos. Very tasty!!

Priscilla wrote:

> How much do you pay for an espresso coffee?

This can vary depending on where you have it. The least costly but very good was in a restaurant called "Monet" for $30 pesos. Another place I usually have it is at La Comer for $40 pesos. This is for a large cappuccino.

I can say for a family of 3 in Tijuana here are my Costs.
Note, I cross 6 days a week into the US but will show my costs regardless. Cost will be a mix of Dollars and Pesos

Rent: $600 Dollars a month 4 bedroom house. Big rooms. 2 1/2 bath. 2 min from Border in safe neighborhood.

Cable, home phone, internet bundle: 880 pesos

Propane: 400 pesos for about 30 days

Electricity: $75 dollars a month approx. I have a fridge that keeps running 😑

Water: 152 pesos roughly 8 bucks a month

Drinking water: 3 dollars a month

Gasoline price is $3 a gallon equivalent but I fill up in San Diego.

Trash pick up is free but we tip a couple bucks every now and they are happy

Parking for shopping: 5 pesos is most common

Daycare is approx 600 pesos a week $30 dollars

Taco about 20 pesos or 1 dollar
Hamburger fries and a drink: 60 pesos approx
Pizza: 80-120 pesos
Hotdog (Bacon Wrapped) 20 pesos approx
Sushi: 100 pesos lunch special but it's not usually with it.
16 oz. Ribeye steak dinner: 300 pesos of 15.00 dollars
Torta: 45 pesos
Shrimp Cocktail: 6-12 dollars
Birria (Mexican potroast soup) beef: 100 pesos feeds 3
Thrifty IceCream (mmm Pistachio) 1 dollar
Coke, juice, water: 20 pesos 1 dollar

That's all I can think of for now.

Thanks Mike, for the great detailed breakdown of basic everyday costs in SMA. I fell in love with it this past January...and I'm headed there again this summer for several weeks to look for a long term rental. Any other tips you can give would be greatly appreciated!!   -- Barb

My cost of living has dropped by about 1/3 since 2008, most of it in the last two years.

> How much does it cost to rent an apartment/house in Mexico? 
I rent a spacious 1 bedroom, nicely furnished apartment in an upscale though somewhat isolated area..
From 15% of US to 15 times as much as the US.  Depends on what you are coming from and what you expect.

I am paying about $225/mo which includes gas, water, cable and Internet.  a 20 gal. jug of bottled water delivered and installed is about $1.50.

> How much do you pay for your public transport tickets (bus, subway, train, tram)?
Bus (local) about 40 cents, taxi within town center 80 cents, to next city (6 mi.) $6.00

> Staple food: what do people eat and how much do they pay for basic food like bread, rice or pasta?
20% to 50% of US prices in general for all food.  Bread, rice and pasta, dirt cheap.

>What is your monthly grocery budget?
Varies greatly from around $50 to $200 depending on how much I eat out or get delivery.
Total food expense from $150 to $300.

> How much does it cost to see a physician/doctor/specialist in Mexico ?
GP $10, Internist, cardiologist or ophthalmologist  $50 - 100.  That can vary by $100% depending.

> What is your children's schooling monthly budget?
No kids. 

> How much does it cost to fill up your car's fuel tank?
I don't need a car.  The last price increase on January 1 brought it to $3.00 a gallon at the rate of exchange at the time.

> How much do you pay for electricity/gas/water etc.?
Electricity - $30 every 2 months.  It could go as high as say $75 if I were to install AC.
Gas - included in rent.
I also spend about $20 a year to fill the tanks on two space heaters.

> How much do you pay for your Internet/phone subscription?
Internet included in rent.  I only have a cell phone.  Calls and texts to/from and between Mexico, US and Canada are unlimited.  For I bought my phone a tear ago for $300.  For about $12/month prepay, I get the unlimited talk and text plus 10GB of data while I'm in Mexico.

> How much do you pay for your lunch pack on weekdays?
I don't

> How much do you pay for an espresso coffee?
I don't drink that.  About $1.50, I think.  Regular coffee is about a buck

> How much do you pay for a cinema ticket?
I haven't been to one in over a year..

> How much does a gym membership cost in Mexico? 
I don't.



It must be noted that price ranges are wide depending on where you live and what and where you consider acceptable.  Generalizations can be very misleading.  I live in a small city 6 mi. from a state capital of 500,000 people.  I could easily spend 50 to 100 percent more there.  In Mexico City I could spend 3 times what I'm spending here.

How much does it cost to rent an apartment/house in Mexico?

I live in Rinconada, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca. Rinconada is one of the nicer areas to live. Expensive houses, a lot of gringos, Canadians and local professional Mexican people.
I pay $8,000.00p for a third-floor apartment with everything included. And it is very safe, though I am very careful and I keep my fingers crossed.

How much do you pay for your public transport tickets (bus, subway, train, tram)?

Public transportation is very inexpensive. I own a scooter and only pay for gasoline, which costs around $100.00p probably twice a month.

Staple food: what do people eat and how much do they pay for basic food like bread, rice or pasta?

Shopping at Super Che once per week I spend around $300.00 but I am not really into food and cooking, just foods that are easy to prepare. Super Che has fantastic whole grain bread that they bake in the store. Living in a tropical environment the appetite seems to diminish. Then there is a cafe below where I live and I spend $55.00 for an omelet with lots of vegetables, spinach, mushrooms, and ranchero cheese.

How much does it cost to see a physician/doctor/specialist in Mexico ? 

An office visit to see Dr. Omar, who speaks English, is $300.00. I had surgery done for a deviated septum and everything included, hospital room and medication plus the surgery cost $25,000.00, around $1,200.00 US that I thought was a little expensive.

How much do you pay for an espresso coffee?

Espresso coffee costs $15.00p. Puerto Escondido used to be the port from which all of the coffee beans were shipped to the US. Oaxaca is the state in Mexico known for the quality of its coffee beans. It is very good coffee.

Here is a list of rental websites that may be of interest. They can be used to look up rentals all across Mexico.

http://www.locanto.com.mx/http://casas.mitula.mx/http://www.inmuebles24.comhttps://www.segundamano.mxhttp://www.lamudi.com.mxhttp://www.rentasyventas.com/index.phphttp://www.icasas.mx

Mexicogic,
You pay $9000 per month for your 2 bdrm apt and $1500 per month for food?

50% cheaper

mmorton wrote:

Mexicogic,
You pay $9000 per month for your 2 bdrm apt and $1500 per month for food?

HI, just to be more specific, yes correct for rental, the food aspect excludes alcool and it is per person so a couple would spend 3000$pesos per month (this would be a maximum) alcool is quoted by case/bottle (also like another member "tochtitlan" quotes he spends around 300$ pesos a week on food).

Buen dia, GyC.

mmorton wrote:

Mexicogic,
You pay $9000 per month for your 2 bdrm apt and $1500 per month for food?

Just to clarify, I would guess these values are in Mexican pesos. Although $1500 pesos is quite low per month. That is about $90 CDN. I could not live on that. Mine is closer to $5000 pesos per month for one person.

MikeGB wrote:

mmorton wrote:

Mexicogic,
You pay $9000 per month for your 2 bdrm apt and $1500 per month for food?

Just to clarify, I would guess these values are in Mexican pesos. Although $1500 pesos is quite low per month. That is about $90 CDN. I could not live on that. Mine is closer to $5000 pesos per month for one person.

Exact the values are in pesos and like I said previously, those amounts are correct in regards to FOOD only.

Since I keep a tab on all my expenses and to be more accurate I calculated all the items for the grocery baskets (including cleaning produce, personal care products, beer, wine, etc...) also the values for restaurants/bars since this a personal aspect to each individual

So my results are the following based on expenses for the last 4 months:
All our grocery excluding beer and wine, we average about 2050$ pesos/person/month
All our beer and wine expenses average 1100$ pesos/person/month
All our restaurant/bar expenses average 3500$ pesos/person/month (beer is 20$, shrimp meal 150$)

I have quoted some values for basic food we buy from local suppliers (no WM, Cosco, Sams):
1kg of tomatoes 7$ pesos, a pack of 6 romaine lettuce hearts 30$ pesos, 1kg (90) of shirmps medium no heads 200$ pesos, 1kg of good fish filet (Pargo blanco, lenguago) 170$, 1kg of chicken breast boneless  70$ pesos, 1kg of coffee (local grower) 120$, liter of milk 16$, small bollelos (bread) 4$, 1kg eggs 25$, 1kg pinapple 8$, 1kg papaya 5$, 1kg of cheddard cheese 112$.

Adios, GyC

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I was thrown by the $1500.
We will be in PV and then Chapala in a couple weeks, house/dog sitting. Somos emocionado!
Thinking it just might be the place.
Have enjoyed the forums.
Hasta pronto

Mexicogic--How much you pay for fish filet from Pargo/lenguado or red snapper  ???  --Do you buy direct from fisherman ? How about big shrimp ?

moreto62 wrote:

Mexicogic--How much you pay for fish filet from Pargo/lenguado or red snapper  ???  --Do you buy direct from fisherman ? How about big shrimp ?

Hi, in my area there are many "pescadorias" which have fishermen working for them. So I go to them based on what I want. For small fish like pargo, lenguado, you have to buy the whole fish and they make you filets. My final cost for the above is 90 to 120$pesos per kg. The cost at the start is 60$ pesos for Coconaco  (pargo family), 75$ pesos for lenguado or pargo blanco...the best. I don't buy Red snapp erreur nor big shrimp. Medium size ocean shrimps no head are 210$ pesos per kg.

Also the dorado is more expensive in winter so we don't buy it, but if I buy some I request for the LOMO  (loin) with no blood line.

Adios, GyC.

I was thinking of buying a house that would need to be furnished.  I would like to know the cost of furniture in the Lake Chapala area?  Also what it takes to get a phone line and cable or satellite connection?

Susan McCrary wrote:

I was thinking of buying a house that would need to be furnished.  I would like to know the cost of furniture in the Lake Chapala area?  Also what it takes to get a phone line and cable or satellite connection?

Experience in two other parts of Mexico.
Cable slow and unreliable in installation, service, availability.
     Dish - quick, reliable, stable installation and billing.
Cell - Telcel the most widely available by far.  None of the companies terribly good on service.  Best to get a prepaid account and make monthly refills as you need in amounts that suit.  Since  all companies are required to offer unlimited calls and texts to/from US-Mex-Canada, your only decision is how much data you need unless you do a lot of international calling and data roaming .

Buying cell phones for cash is preferable to buying them on contract unless you have special considerations.  Getting a blocked cellphone unblocked will be free or very cheap.  The cost of a Mexican company's SIM will be $5.00 or less and come with at least that much airtime.

Sorry, I can't offer much advice on furniture.  I do know the big department stores and furniture stores almost 100% have free delivery even from Guadalajara.  Prices should be lower than the US especially if you've sole your furniture in the US and use the proceeds towards new in Mexico because the cost of moving it is likely to be high.  As with most everything else, it is best to do some window or real shopping in Chapala and Guadalajara beforehand.

My experience, in San Miguel de Allende, has been that having cable installed was very fast (I had it installed the day after requesting it). And the service has been excellent since installation (only 4 months so far). For $349 pesos per month you can get unlimited Telephone, TV and Internet from Megacable. I don't use TV or Telephone service and I pay $299 pesos per month for 10 Mbps Internet service with unlimited monthly bandwidth usage. Megacable requires a minimum of 6 months service.

I get my cell service from AT&T Mexico (which is not AT&T US). It costs me $12 CDN per month for unlimited calling to Canada/US and anywhere in Mexico. No contract required. There are no roaming fees when using your cell in the US (might be the same in Canada - have not tried it yet). Data and voice work perfectly in the US using my Mexican phone number. The only thing I have had to do is change the prefixes for SMS and for phone numbers (than the way I use them when I am in Mexico). You also get 1 gig of data per month keeping in mind that Whatsapp does not use any of that 1 gig of data even though it is strictly a Internet-only app. The cell service has been excellent.

It is quite possible these same offerings are available in the Lake Chapala area.

I would love more info on Sayulita and Bucerias.   I would be renting a studio or small
1-br that is safe, clean and inviting and has a community feel to it.   Is it possible for me to live on $2K/mo. including traveler's health insurance (about $50/mo. I think).     I would stay between 4-6 months per year.

rubytue60:   Yes, you can live on 2K/mo. I am currently living comfortably on $1500/mth CDN.

rubytue60 wrote:

I would love more info on Sayulita and Bucerias.   I would be renting a studio or small
1-br that is safe, clean and inviting and has a community feel to it.   Is it possible for me to live on $2K/mo. including traveler's health insurance (about $50/mo. I think).     I would stay between 4-6 months per year.

Hi, I would think it is possible but you would need to go and research for an affordable apartment. Personnaly, I think it's pricier in Sayulita than Bucerias.
In Bucerias, there is more stores for commun items and banks with ATM while Sayulita is more the beach for all-inclusive resorts and a relax beach bum town.
Finally, from Bucerias it's easier to reach PV or Guayabitos or Guadalajara.

My wife and I live on less than 30000$ pesos per month including a 2 bedroom apartment but in La Peñita de Jaltemba which is about 80km from Puerto Vallarta.

Buena suerte, GyC.

We are willing to offer glimpses of our life in a rural area of Tamaulipas, situated against the highest cordilleras of the Sierra Madre Oriental.  We have a small bed and brunch, hand built of adobe, situated on the spring fed, cypress lined Rio Corona.

Our family has been active in business, tourism, agricultural in Mexico and the frontier of Texas since the 1880s.   We are somewhat literate in English and Spanish, and can edit almost any manuscript.   Our family is incapacitated with numerous undergraduate and graduate degrees, and I suffer from an unwarranted sense of self-importance.

Otherwise I am normal and easy to feed.

Thanks Mike GB, all of your posts are very helpful to me. I'm coming (again) to Mexico in May for two months. I'm spending 5 weeks of it in SMA to see if I loved it as much as I did during my week visit in January. I'm hoping to find something to rent (2 bedrooms) for under $1200 US that's within a 20 -30 minute walk to the Centro. In a safe neighborhood, of course.   Under $1000 US even better if possible. Am I dreaming or are there places in this range available given that I'm willing to live outside the Centron(as long as I can walk in 30 minutes or less)?  Thanks again, Mike. -- Barb

promobabe:  Yes, you should be able to find something to rent for $1000/ mo. There are some places available for less than that. But it takes some effort of walking and talking to people to find them.

What I would suggest is for you to stay in a hotel or use AirBNB (or other website) to find a temporary place and then you can take your time to look around to find something.

I don't how you feel about staying with someone that you don't know, but I have extra bedrooms in the place that I rent that you could stay in for a while. They are firm beds. I live about 30 minutes walk from the center of the city. After a 15 minute gradual uphill walk you can take a bus. And there are trains that pass within about 500 meters of the house even in the middle of the night. You may not like that idea too much. Also you would have to like cats as I have one.

Hi Mike:
I have an Airbnb already booked for the Guadalupe area for five weeks June -July. But...I'll be back and forth to SMA this year and next as I explore various places in Mexico. So knowing there's a cost-affordable option to possibly rent a room from you is very helpful! Thank you for the offer...much appreciated. Can you PM a way for me to contact you when I'm in SMA this summer? It'd be great to grab a cup of coffee and get the real expat scoop. .  I found it so easy to meet other expats when I was in SMA last January. It's one of the big reasons why I'm gravitating toward it. Anyway thanks again & let's stay in touch! -- Barb

Costs depend on the city and depend on the person.    Same as in the US....

HI Kellyberto,
Can I assume that the kinds deals like your rental are not typically found online? We're just beginning to put our plan together and Baja California is our first stop, mainly because of the climate. Every rental online is almost as crazy as here in Orlando. Any tips?
Thanks😊

April 2 / 2018

Hello to you:

I am considering buying a property in the La Penita region. Any feedback RE. a few questions would be super brilliant of you.

First, how is the crime in the area? You hear a lot of negative media RE. Mexico and the drug cartels, etc. Is Nayarit relatively safe? Break-ins or such?

Is the water in the bay there good to swim in? No dangerous rip tides? And what about human waste? I have heard that Sayulita is getting worse (more so when it rains) as the local town waste system cannot keep up with the growing population/tourists and the poor, ageing pump equipment. My concern in that an area like La Penita might go down that road too.

Lastly, I have heard also that La Penita region is starting to grow with more tourism as people are tired of the busy, more hectic and expensive towns like PV and Sayulita. Is this true?

Thanks so much,



- Mark in Vancouver, Canada


-----

MGMOMATIC wrote:

April 2 / 2018

Hello to you:

I am considering buying a property in the La Penita region. Any feedback RE. a few questions would be super brilliant of you.

First, how is the crime in the area? You hear a lot of negative media RE. Mexico and the drug cartels, etc. Is Nayarit relatively safe? Break-ins or such?

Is the water in the bay there good to swim in? No dangerous rip tides? And what about human waste? I have heard that Sayulita is getting worse (more so when it rains) as the local town waste system cannot keep up with the growing population/tourists and the poor, ageing pump equipment. My concern in that an area like La Penita might go down that road too.

Lastly, I have heard also that La Penita region is starting to grow with more tourism as people are tired of the busy, more hectic and expensive towns like PV and Sayulita. Is this true?

Thanks so much,



- Mark in Vancouver, Canada


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Hi Mark, my wife and I are fulltime residents in La Peñita de Jaltemba since August 2017 and winter visitors since 1999 so, yes, it as change namely the more tourist area of Rincon de Guayabitos.

But, we made it our home. We don't own a house we rent a 2 bedroom apartment fully furnished next to the "Puente de la vida" why, you may ask... no maintenance and the price 9000$ pesos/month with pool, a/c, terrasse, ocean view, internet, etc...

To help you make a decision may we suggest you check our local expat site https://explorenayarit.com
With the forum portion.

Adios y buena suerte en su proyecto, GyC.

godivajan wrote:

HI Kellyberto,
Can I assume that the kinds deals like your rental are not typically found online? We're just beginning to put our plan together and Baja California is our first stop, mainly because of the climate. Every rental online is almost as crazy as here in Orlando. Any tips?
Thanks😊

Yes you are right the internet is not the place to look, lots of lean and hungry there, and vacation rentals. The best plan is to get here and look, make contacts here. You should actually see what they are talking about. Visit and start with the questions and looking by talking to the concierge at the hotel. Mexico is a face to face place place. Communication there should be easy most speak English.

travellight wrote:

godivajan wrote:

HI Kellyberto,
Can I assume that the kinds deals like your rental are not typically found online? We're just beginning to put our plan together and Baja California is our first stop, mainly because of the climate. Every rental online is almost as crazy as here in Orlando. Any tips?
Thanks😊

Yes, you are right the internet is not the place to look, lots of lean and hungry there, and vacation rentals. The best plan is to get here and look, make contacts here. You should actually see what they are talking about. Visit and start with the questions and looking by talking to the concierge at the hotel. Mexico is a face to face place. Communication there should be easy most speak English.

I'm not familiar with Baja, my only experience was a week in Ensenada.  I can confirm the rest of travellight's post.  You really do have to go out and look.  The people at the hotel might even know a cab driver that'll give you a decent hourly rate and contacts who know the best neighborhoods to look in.

It might be wise to get a copy of a standard rental contract and have it translate it for you.  The hotel can direct you to a stationery store that carries them, in Spanish of course.  That way you'll know who is responsible for what.

In two cities that are not expat Meccas, I had contracts in two rentals and they didn't really make a difference.  In two other rentals in cities that are not expat Meccas, I came out like a champ.  No increase in rent at one for 5 years and no rent increase in the other but only increase for increases in electricity, gas, cable and internet over 3 years so far.  Once you have some experience in an area, you might consider informal agreements.  Until then, you are probably better off with the standard contract.