A common question about living in Lake Chapala is how much it costs to live here. I can tell you from personal experience that it is about 60% less (between a third and a half) of the cost of living in the Vancouver, Canada area. To give you an idea, here is a few of the recent expenditures that I have paid. I am using the current exchange rate. (14.25 CDN & 19 USD)

Car insurance (year) = 5906 Pesos - $414.45 CDN - $310.84 USD

Maid (6 hours) = 500 pesos - $35 CDN - $26 USD

Restaurant meal for 2 (inc, 1 glass wine, 1 lemonade, 1 desert & tip) = 450 pesos – $31.50 CDN - $23.68 USD

Take out Chinese for 2 = 99 pesos - $6.95 CDN - $5.26 USD

Cost of gas per litre = 20 Pesos/litre - $1.40/litre CDN - Sorry, calculate your own USD/gallon

Rent (2 Bedroom,2 Bath home) = 16000 Pesos - $1122 CDN - $842 USD

Take out chicken dinner (1 chicken, 3 sides, large pop) = 145 Pesos - $10.17 CDN - $7.63 USD

Plumber (on a Sunday!) 320 Pesos - $22.45 CDN - $16.84 USD

Cell phone minutes (unlimited calling to U.S. and Canada and data, valid for 21 days) = 200 Pesos - $14.04 Cdn - $10.52 USD

Tacos (4) = 40 Pesos - $2.80 Cdn - $2.10 USD

Restaurant Breakfast for 2 egg dishes and 2 juices = 220 Pesos - $15.44 CDN - $11.58 USD

Car Tax (1 time/year) = 584 Pesos - $40.98 CDN - $30.73 USD

2 large bags of assorted vegetables and fruit from the farmers market for 2 people for 1 week roughly 220 pesos - $15.44 CDN - $11.58 USD

2 slices pizza 34 pesos - $2.38 CDN - $1.79 USD

Fish & Chips at the local pub 80 pesos - $5.61 - $4.21 USD

Micro brewed craft beer at local pub (pint) 55 pesos - $3.86 CDN - $2.89 USD

From the Supermarket (Walmart)

Mayonnaise 54.50 Pesos - $3.82 CDN - $2.87 USD

Whole fresh chicken 29.00Pesos/kg - $2.03/kg CDN - $1.52/kg USD

1 litre milk 15.90 Pesos - $1.11 CDN - $0.81 USD

Box of Cheerios (480 gr) 42.90 Pesos - $3.01 CDN - $2.25 USD

1 litre yogurt Danone 25.50 Pesos - $1.57 CDN - $1.18 USD

1kg fusilli pasta 25.00 Pesos - $1.75 CDN - $1.31 USD

White eggs (18 pack) 36.50 pesos - $2.56 CDN - $1.92 USD

Tostadas 200 gr 17.50 Pesos - $1.22 CDN - $0.92 USD

So, is the cost of living cheap here? Compared to the U.S. or Canada, the answer is a resounding "Yes".

Here is a website which compares cost of living with different cities:

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/

Ajijic is one of the cities so you can easily compare to where you live.

If you have any questions on what things cost here, just drop me a question through my 'Contact' page' and I will be happy to help.

Read my Cost of Living Blog and see what it cost me to live in Lake Chapala in 2020

#Lifestyle