One of the most asked questions on web boards and Facebook Groups is, “What does it cost to live in Lake Chapala?” Obviously the answer can vary greatly. I know couples who live on as little as a $1200 per month including rent and it goes up from there. Suffice to say, depending on your lifestyle, and whether you own or rent, the true cost of living Lakeside can vary.

Most notably, restaurant prices have increased significantly in the past year, and depending on how much you go out, this can be a significant factor in increasing your cost of living.

Adding to the dilemma is the fact that the U.S dollar is decreasing in value relative to the peso, making the cost of living more expensive for U.S and Canadian expats.

Use this cost of living blog as a guide to help you understand what YOUR cost of living might be based upon your lifestyle.

(All costs below are in USD and are based on a couple with 1 car)

Food/Dining/House Supplies Cost: $800/month Dining out is the big variable here.

Breakfasts typically $6-12 ; Lunches $6-12 ; Dinners $10-25 per entree (drinks extra)

Entertainment Cost: $60/month

Examples: Concerts in the Park at LCS ($29) ; Tickets at Lakeside Little Theater ($20-29)

Car Insurance/Gas/Repairs/Air Care/Tax (for 1 car) Cost: $150/month

Example: Car Insurance 2016 Honda CRV $500/year

Annual Car Tax $50

T.V  Content Cost: $50/month

Breakdown: IPTV $25 per month ; Netflix $15 per month ; Apple TV $10

Cell phones(2)/House phone/Internet Cost: $45/month

Examples: Cell phones $11.50/mo. per phone ; Internet $23

(cell phones include unlimited calling to the U.S. and Canada and House phone

includes 100 calls per month to 42 countries with no time limit)

Medical/Dental Visits, Medication & Annual Tests Cost: $70/month

Examples: Annual blood/urine tests $80 each

Doctors visit $45

Colonoscopy $700

Utilities (Gas/Electric/Small Home Repairs/Gardener/Maid (once per week))

Cost: $500/month Examples: Gas - 3 fills per year of a 300 liter propane tank $150 per fill ; $450/year

CFE (electricity) - $50 - $75 every two months (now with solar panels = $0) ; $360/year without panels

Maid $7 per hour ; Gardener $6 per hour

Miscellaneous - Personal Items/clothing/gym/yoga/massages, etc

Cost: $150/month

Missed Items - Anything I might have missed Cost: $50/month

____________

Cost of Living

Total Cost Of Living $1875 ($22,500 per year) without accommodations for a couple with 1 car

Accommodations:

You still need a place to live. Options are either Renting or Owning your own home. This can be an Independent Home or within a Gated Community. Let's look at both.

Renting A Home

Rents vary from $500 to over $2500 dollars. Let's average it out to $1200 for the purposes of this blog

Grand Total Cost Of Living & Renting A Home $3075 USD/month ($36,900 per year) for a couple with 1 car

Owning Your Own Independent Home (outside a gated community)

Of course, if you own a home, cost of living is drastically reduced.

Take the $1875/month and add approximately......

Property Tax - $360/year - Cost: $30 per month

Water - $360/year - Cost: $30 month

Large Home Repairs (roof, painting etc) - $2000/year - Cost: $160/month

Grand Total Cost Of Living & Owning An Independent Home

Cost: $2095 USD/month Cost: ($25,140 per year) for a couple with 1 car

If you purchased within a gated community then you will have HOA fees.

HOA - Avg. $75/month

Grand Total Cost Of Living & Owning A Home in a Gated Community

Cost: $2170 USD/month ($26,040 per year) for a couple with 1 car

A big item that is missing in this Cost Of Living Blog is Medical Insurance. This, too, can vary widely depending on a number of factors such as age, health, deductibles, etc. so I have purposely left it out. You basically have 3 options when it comes to Health Insurance. Mexican Insurance Companies; pay as you go (no insurance); keeping your insurance in the states and purchasing a Skymed Membership to fly back to the states for your coverage. You can read more in our blog Health Care Options

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