Retiring and Living in Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Mexico
Retiring to Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Mexico
There are many reasons to retire in Ajijic, Lake Chapala and certainly one of the most attractive reasons is the lower cost of living.
We will explore some of those lowers costs today.
The cost of a very nice rental is between $800.00 – $1,500.00 US depending on the degree of luxury you are looking for. The price range to buy a house here is from $250.000.00 – $500,000.00 US again depending on your taste. This will buy you a very nice home with two or three bedrooms, 3 baths, and various other very attractive amenities.
Many people buy homes here in Ajijic, Lake Chapala and then rent them until they are ready to retire. Your real estate broker can manage your property for you and help you find renters. Prices are very good at the moment and will only go up as the economy improves.
Food is cheaper too and the selection of year round fresh fruits and vegetables locally grown is a wonderful option.
At the supermarkets you have the choice of buying local brands which are extremely reasonable or the imported brands which, of course, are more expensive. Our family of 5 eat like kings and we spend easily half of what we did on groceries in Toronto.
The pork here is wonderful and very inexpensive and so is the local beef. However, all cuts are available as well.
Long distance telephone charges can be expensive with Telmex but most people have overcome that with the use of Skype or Vonage which are computer long distance programs and are very reasonable. With Skype you can also transfer funds all over the world online.
Cable charges are about $30.00 US a month with Telecable and other tv choices such as Shaw, Direct etc. are available through several satellite system outlets such as Michael Merriman at 766-1117. Being from Canada we subscribe to Shaw and pay under $100.00 CDN per month for a very complete array of channels.
Electric is also a variable charge payable every 2 months and the number of fridges, computers, color televisions and pool pumps you have will determine the cost.
Water is very inexpensive in the village of Ajijic but can be a little more for potable water in the specific districts such as Chula Vista, Villa Nova etc. Again, if you have a pool you will spend more on water.
Realty taxes are the best surprise ever. When we left Toronto, Canada 15 years ago the taxes on our downtown home were going up to $4,000.00 CDN per year. Here in Ajijic, Lake Chapala our taxes for our 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom home with a pool are approx. $150.00 US per year.
Gas for our home is approx. $75.00 US every 5 or 6 weeks. Bearing in mind we have 5 very clean people in our house using a great deal of hot water for bathing and laundry.
Gas for you car is another matter. In Canada is cost about $50.00 CDN to fill a mid-sized car and here is costs me $18.00 US to fill a small car. You can go online and google a complete comparison chart of US and Canadian to Mexican gas prices. Some sites will tell you that US, Canadian and Mexican gas prices are comparable at times.
Buying or leasing a car can be a little more costly. The best thing to do would be to contact reputable dealers and shop around for your best deal. We use S & S Auto as they sell new and used cars and have access to all the dealers in Guadalajara. Karen or Spencer can be reached at 765-4800 and are located on the carretera beside Puritan Poultry in Reberas del Pilar.
All in all you will find that your dollar, euro or pound goes a lot further in Ajijic, Lake Chapala for a very good quality of living.