It Costs What?

It's always a question that everyone wants to know, even we were guilty of asking this question before we moved down here. So, it seems only right that we should give you some idea of the cost of living down here in the sun and the sand of Mazatlan.


Everything is quoted in Canadian dollars.





1 Cdn dollar  =  10 Mexican pesos

(The Mexican Pesos is currently at time of posting 12-1 but the 10 factor is easier for demonstration purposes)

Our Monthly Utilities

    3.35   Water IN

    1.50   Water OUT

  30.00   Hydro (with A/C running)

  20.00   Gas

  35.00   House Insurance

  33.00   Bank Trust for ownership of
             house in Mexico

  32.00   Car Insurance

  30.00   FM3 Visa for residency in
             Mexico

  37.50   Property Taxes (annual $900 
             Cdn. which is actually high for
             here. 

             But if paid on time yearly you
             get a discount, if you pay cash
             you get another discount and if
             you have proper visa you get
             50% off!!)

  59.90   Phone and Internet (no cable)

282.25 a month!!

So that means we are saving about 1,000 bucks EACH month! That alone was worth the move for us. Ohhhh I'm not saying Hub and I don't still argue about finances...cause we do...but now we can do it in the sun and sand all year round!

Below is a list of a few items that might also be of interest to you. Groceries are usually purchased in large grocery stores like Costco and Fortinos and Home Depot for the gardening and fix-it stuff like back home, so the prices are actually higher, but you can shop at local markets and smaller shops to find cheaper prices. And you can find everything on sale at some point in time and other stuff can cost you more, depending on where you shop or eat that particular day. But this list is just taken from our receipts on hand.

As for electrical stuff, especially lighting, tools, and electronics the prices are rather expensive, so it's always a good idea to try and move down with this kind of stuff.

Eating out 

  4.80     Omelet with fried potatoes and
              refried beans

  4.80     Three large pancakes and 
              bacon

  1.40     Coffee with lots of free refills

  1.50     Tea with lots of free refills

  1.60     Large glass of freshly 
              squeezed orange juice

  6.00     3 course meal including,
              soup,fish/meat of day
              vegetables,with rice pudding

              and non-alcoholic drink

19.00     Coconut shrimp (5-8 each the
             size of the palm of your hand),

             with rice, vegetables

  9.20     All you can eat Chinese buffet

(this means you can eat your meal, watch one of their 4 wall mounted tv's, spend another hour enjoying dessert and a non-alcoholic drink, and then go back for another meal. You are never asked to leave so this can go on all day!!!)

Alcohol

19.00     Canadian Club Rye (750ML)

22.20     White Bacardi Rum (1.75L)

  9.15     Negro Gin (1000M)

45.00     Beefeaters Gin (1L and nobody
             knows why this is sooo expensive)

  5.00     6 beers at a bar chilled on ice

  1.50     1 beer at bar

Groceries

  3.29     Pepper Jack cheese (227ml)

10.93     Cheddar block (907g)

   9.46    Feta cheese (500g)

   6.85    Philadelphia Cream cheese 4/pack

   1.12    Milk (in carton)

   1.23    Coke Light (2L)

   5.61    Schweppes Tonic water (12 bottles)

   2.79    Smuckers Strawberry Jam (510g)

   2.35    Rice a Roni Fried Rice

   1.82    Orange Juice (1L) (no frozen containers anywhere)

   3.50    Tums Extra (48 tabs)

   5.59    Tylenol Extra Strength (20 caplets)

Misc.

  29.90   Black Ink for Canon printer

  38.90   Colour Ink for Canon printer

  29.50   Dutch Boy Semi Latex (1 gallon)

  15.63   16” Plastic planter

  29.90   20” Plastic planter

  89.80   Large Blender with Glass pitcher

    7.20   Dirt for planters (10K)

    3.29   Lysol wipes

    3.99   Clorex Disinfectant spray

  46.90   Simple ceramic tea pot

              (outrageous price and only carried in a few stores)

699.90   32" Toshiba flatscreen tv   
  20.00   One hour massage

  17.50   Pedicure

  15.00   Manicure

    6.00   Car wash inside and outside

  20.00   Bug spraying for house

      .65   Bus ride across town

      .95   Bus ride on bus with A/C across town

    6.00   Pulmonia/cab across town

Oh yeah....garbage is picked up THREE times a week!!! Hello!!! Try getting that up north.

So again we are asked 'Why Mexico?'

Simple...it's cost effective if you have a Canadian or American pension and/or savings.

Just a few thoughts from 2 Canadians living and loving it in Mazatlan!

Linda and Hub.