Sign in to access your subscriptions and subscriber-only content. Mel. My complete travel guide to Akumal, where you can swim with the wild sea turtles and eat lunch in a treehouse! Shannon, I prefer having my own car with me. You can live like a Mexican on this amount (the average Mexican family makes about $500-$1,000 a month and supports a couple of kids) by. So glad youve found it helpful and I wish you all the luck making the transition next winterMexico is a beautiful (warm) place to spend part of the year. Rent a house in Guanajuato is at least USD1,000 a month. Or is it included in your rent? thanks for sharing!! She is a retired journalist and CNBC contributor. If thats booked though, other nice private accommodation in the $60 tp $80 per night range include: Verde Luna, Casa Terraza, and Jardn San Pancho B&B. Plus, Mexicos infrastructure is fantastic. Fuel and department store goods are expensive due to high taxes. Keep reading for anextreme budgetguide to living and traveling in Mexico on just 500 US dollars a month. Janet Blaser, 65, lives in a 2-bedroom apartment in Mazatln, Mexico that's walking distance to the beach. may be $2-3,000 per month depending on how busy your lifestyle may be; however, you can live cheap everywhere in Mexico given a moderate distance from the tourist centers. The super-store grocery shops in Mexico like Chedraui and Walmart carry a lot of imported goods and costs can add up fast! Other places in town rent out as vacation rentals or rooms for anywhere from USD $200 per month on the very low-end (likely no wi-fi) to $500+for 1 and 2 bedrooms. That means they'll have enough to cover rent or a mortgage, but also have enough left over for dining out, entertainment, and some travel. One of the perks of living in a one-street town is that you dont need a whole lot of transportation! I liked the calm bay/surf in La Manzanilla but would like to explore other towns.Sayulita sounds promising. Oaxaca: I lived here for six months and found it is one of the most affordable expat cities in Mexico. content: ""; Have traveled abroad. The short of it all is that Mexico proved more expensive at daily living than Thailand, but still at least half the rent I paid living in Los Angeles in my pre-travel days. I'm 60 and want to retire on between $800 and $1,200 a month, ideally near the ocean in Mexico where should I go? Its a better quality of life, and less stress. Best places to live in Mexico. To get these gigs you will definitely need to be in town and getting to know the people, places, and other expats. And $50 for fitness? Thanks gor the info! Haircuts $20.00 For a general budget, you might want to factor in $50USD/35 per month. Ive honestly discussed the question of safety and danger in travel. Huatulco 16. As was downsizing and simplifying her life. Glasses $30.00 I actually live in Spain now, but the Pacific coast of Mexico will always hold a special place in my heart. this is a very detailed information and is very helpful. That stuff is free on the internet, friend. UPDATE: We found an apartment and we move in TOMORROW!!! ZGAS $30.00 We are over on some items and under on others. The great thing about Chapala was it never got really hot or cold. A single person estimated monthly costs are US$511 (9,943MXN) without rent. But why Mexico and not other popular places in Central America like Costa Rica or Panama? You mentioned you stay in Barcelona, how did you manage to live there longer than 90 days? I, unlike you, I am a retired, Im 57 and I still live in Italy. Robin smiled broadly explaining everything we have fits in our car, including our lovely kitty Lily. When they want to set out to explore another part of Mexico its as easy as packing the car and off they go. Bowen says his monthly budget of $2,500 is covered by his Social Security check of $1,800 plus investment income. I hope that you love it. Thats the sort of place where you could perhaps find work. Now life is relaxed. I have many illnesses and I do not have the driving license. San Pancho does not have that gradual shallow part and has strong waves and undercurrentsyou would want to be a strong swimmer in SP if you planned to be in the water regularly. Expats moving to the safer places in Central America (note that you dont see a lot of people advocating for a move to Honduras or El Salvador, where its pretty downright dangerous) are taking advantage of something called geoarbitrageearning in a high value currency and spending in an economy with a lower value currency. Taxis are going to run you a fair bit more. That was to experience the majestic Monarch butterfly migration. I've also lived in Oaxaca too, and it's even more affordable (I spent well under $600 per month). Hi Mauricio. (When renting a hotel with AC, its usually a tad less than double the nightly rate without it). near the Zona Romantica or maybe the South Shore. Lots of restaurants, shops, a language school, etc. Campeche is a city that boasts a population of over 300,000 people and is considered one of the safest cities in the country. For all the similarities in what type of communities you can find, after 1.5 years in Thailand, I understood that the culture gap would be nearly impossible to bridge in Thailand. You could own a home here for less than $100,000 or an apartment for around $20,000. The monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in an average area of Mexico City will cost about USD$400-$500. The region north of PV is a great place to find a small beach town if thats what youre after. Years later, I am still on this journeysometimes with my niece in towtraveling slowly, and sharing stories and advice from life on the road. I know that if you are bringing your own horses to Mexico then you will face a barrage of paperwork and vaccines before they can enter it would likely cost a bit of money and be a headache, but would be fully doable. :). This ride costs $1 each way on the bus or a quick (and easy) hitchhike ride. With apartments going for 2-3x what they were before the pandemic. The quietness of where we specifically own our apartment works well for renters who work remotely as they are not disturbed by busiling city sounds. I will see if I can dig out some photos and provide that information with a side-by-side comparison. The high quality and amazing affordability of healthcare in Mexico mean that their health expenses are a fraction of what they would have been had they stayed in the U.S. Robin shared the chiropractor here is fantastic and hes only $30. Actually, all of the healthcare is so cheap that she summed it up like this I can get acupuncture, specialized laser treatment for inflammation, physical therapy, and a long rehabilitating massage, all for $200.. Average Cost of Living Across Mexico: $600 - $2,000 My baseline (and total) costs to live in Mexico came in under $745 every month. We have internet, telephone etc. But suffice to say its not going to be like Chapala. all the best. From mountains and lakes to jungles and islands, Mexico has an abundance of wonderful places to live so affordably. Tulum 10. For my full review policy click here. Video: Living All Over Mexico With Rent Under $500 a Month Upstate New Yorker Robin Chacon and her husband, Marty, love exploring Mexico. This special guide covers real estate, retirement and more in Mexico and is yours free when you sign up for our postcards below. Why would you need Vet services every month? Also know that any safety information you find online can change rapidly, so always source your information from local expats or those who spent considerable time there recently, and really understand the undertones of living in that area. And the motivations for some of the expats for being in Thailand arent hugely compatible with my own lifestyle. Dear Shannon: I remember reading about your travels. do not forget to add these. The trouble (you could say) is that Mexico is a big place. One could take busses, but I prefer a taxi. You could start out living in an expat hub like San Miguel de Allende, where there is a massive community of retirees and expats, you could even take language lessons (they have a lot of options), and then use that to get familiarized and attuned to Mexico, then look at some of the smaller towns. Best. A Little Adrift is proudly ad-free; all opinions and suggestions are my own. :). I am quite spoiled where I live now with fiber and regular speeds in the 300-500GB range and I know I wont get speeds like that in Mexico but wanting some reasonable idea of what it is like there. But all the baseline costs areall included in my totals, and really unlike the Thailand post, this total includes toiletries and any expenses inside Mexico that cropped upI never withdrew more than USD $750 from the ATM each month. I will be glad to offer you accomodation! The weather. There is a big difference between living in some of these developing regions as an expat and living with a cushy US social security check coming in. Car Ins. I do not know your life style, but I love walking in P.V. San Pancho is a tiny town so youll be good with whatever you find in town. For example, I was living in Tulum and spending $900 per month on a studio apartment, and I had a friend who was 45-minutes inland in Valladolid only spending $150 per month on a 1-bedroom apartment! Mexico is 2/3rd the size of Western Euro. I was there for vacation the past couple weekscheck out Yucatan Beach Friends on Facebook.. Note that when you move to Mexico, you will still have costs in the place you left, I.e. Thank you for that. I think you pay too much for rent, because you are very close to the beach. Puerto Escondido 9. I havent paid to listen to music since I last purchased a CD in 1992. There's something for everyone's needs and budget. This is a list of 130 countries where you can live for under 500 United States dollars per month. I have lived and worked from around the world for more than 15 years. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This is the story of a Florida girl (that's me!) Even working part-time is enough to pay for the healthcare and extras they need. I had Thai friends, and some of them good friends, but theres a insular nature to the community that is under the surface that I found insurmountable in many ways. Amazing! On the flip side, you can easily find a luxury penthouse condo facing the beach with upscale touches and finishes for $3,000 USD/Month. You can talk directly with landlords looking to rent out their apartment or spare room, or with people looking to find roommates for their already established apartment. Best of luck! I'm sure there are luxurious beachfront home rentals for thousands. If you arent at retirement age, actual residency is a tad more complicated. Respectfully, Paul. Groceries $600.00 You'll be spending about $1,000 per person, per month to live there. While there arecertainly dangerous places in Mexico, the country is huge. Is this possible in the area you stayed at or should I be looking more towards Sayulita? Condo ins Bldg $0.83 In San Pancho, one issue in the wetter and stormier summer months that crops up has been power issues so if you depend on internet for work, you would want to talk to locals about connectivityI am not sure if its gotten any better in the past few years, but I know that there were sporadic summer power outages back in 2013 to 2014. Smiling Robin says its easy to enjoy a better of quality of life with more treats like eating out regularly. A capital city with beautiful scenery and lovely suburbs make Jackson one of the best places to call home - and the rents here are just the cherry on top. (translation with Bing Translator). My wife and I are planning on becoming snow birds next winter. Can A Poor American Live In Mexico On 500 Dollars A Month Social Security?? Sayulita might be a much better fitit will have its own happenings, and its still a chill town but its 20 minutes closer to Puerto Vallarta where you could surely go if you craved a bit more activity occasionally! 4000.00 Canadian Dollars Would give you a decent life in Canada. Read More Top 10 Things to Do in OaxacaContinue. But the Mexican lifestyle can be a great experience. In fact, try this on for size: The Mexican government raised the 2023 minimum wage to 207 pesos (about $10.82) per day. We use a mix of paid campgrounds and free areas. Tulum is one option. Do you have any idea where I can go or refer me to interesting blog or websites ? Hmmm, maybe Mexico isnt going to be for me, after all. As a single person, I have always been able to live very comfortably under $500 USD a month in Mexico. I recognize this as a gift to many, done with humility and grace. overflow: unset; And this budget is on the high-end for one person; if I had looked around for an apartment or shared a house with friends my costs would have lowered to $600 (and my friend Earl says thats about the cost of living in Playa del Carmen on the east coast beaches as well). I always useHostelWorld.comto find budget stays in Mexico . These are very charming cities which are rich in culture, with lots of things to do and see. In fact, according to Data Mexico the average Yucatan State salary in 2021 is just $5,150 pesos per month which is only about $260 USD. Hi Shannon, Whats your rent? usually during summers theyd cost twice that during tourist season. Sure, many things might be way cheaper in Mexico, but whats the point if you are frequently robbed, live in fear of being killed/kidnaped/raped. When it comes to Mexico, Im definitely on board with Costa Rica being more expensivebut you *can* drink the water which is nice. First off, Mexico is a big country. That way they have time to really explore different areas of Mexico. Your first solo trip is a biggie, and I understand your hesitation to dive in when there are so many sites and so much information. Keep reading for a complete guide on how to call a United States 1-800 toll-free phone number from Mexico for free! As a U.S. citizen, I receive a six month visa on arrival automatically, and this can be reset simply by crossing a border and coming back indefinitely. Very affordable. I have visited there a few times, and I love it, despite some of the negative parts of the city, and state of Guerrero. Its easy to enjoy a better quality of life with more treats like eating regularly. And more in Mexico, you might want to set out to explore another part Mexico. 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