Gone are the days when one could live in Mexico for $500 bucks but compared with the United States and Canada the cost of living at Lake Chapala is quite low. Any luxury items such as restaurants, construction or repair of automobiles in general, is a bargain. You have to really try to find a meal that’s more than $15 bucks. Property taxes are minimal at about .015% of fair market value.

photo credit: Jaec

An annual physical by a good U.S. educated physician is about $50 dollars plus tests. Maids and gardeners work for around 2 dollars an hour or slightly more depending on their length of service with you.

While some items are more expensive than one can be used to like gasoline, electricity, and imported luxury items from the US. Other items are much cheaper like fresh produce, property taxes, and services, and others are almost identical.

Overall the cost of living is much cheaper, and the pace of life is so much easier as well. With the climate being the way it is heating is almost a thing of the past, and cooling costs are minimal as well.