In your original post you had about $900 US to live on including needing to pay rent out of it, so I am not sure where $30 US per day comes in, as 900/30= 30.00 US a day....
First and foremost, the rent is the tough part. Furnished apartment, off the beach area, with cable or water included (usually you need to pay your own lights/gas) will probably run abiut $400 +$30-$50 for other ulitilies- so say $450 a month. That actually leaves you $15 US a day.
Now say you get lucky and find something livable in the $350 a month range - that leaves you a little over 18.00 US a day. (Believe me I have looked at over 30 apartments over the course of two years, and something liveable, decent location and furnished is VERY hard to find in this price range!)
Considering most "furnished" places have rustic cookware, or just odds and ends, you will have to buy kitchen supplies if you want to cook at home and save money. Spices, oil, pan, pots, etc. will eat some cash right away.
You may have to supply your own linens- so more money.
The pillows are old and musty-or no pillows- more money.
Laundry- 10 pesos or more per kilo- you most likely will not have a laundry on site. I spend about $30 a month on laundry, more in the humid rainy season as you can't use towels more than once or so, bedding needs changing, pillows need to be washed, you change clothes at least twice a day.
Most food is about the same price as a midwestern city. Chicken breast $48-50 pesos per kilo. Hamburger, about the same price. Things that are less expensive are fruits and vegetables in season grown locally. Grapes are not, and are expensive, about 50 pesos per kilo. So in the end, assume all groceries will run about the same. (food prices are less here than say NY, San Fran)
If you are comfortable leading a "cut back" lifestyle- maybe eat out only a couple times a week, maybe go out to the bar once in a while, you can do it. But, it is not cheap to live here by any sense. It is amazing how money just flows out of your hands...taxis, bus, treats, movies, etc all cost. The movies here though are less expensive, about $3.50 US.
I don't want to say you cannot do it, but most people come here thinking it is inexpensive, and it is not. It is also more expensive when you don't speak Spanish- just simply because you cannot wander the streets asking people if they know of a rental (the ones advertised are always more expensive than the ones you find by asking Mexicans for rentals in neighborhoods you like) and also knowing the language helps you find the deals that they find... plumbers, fish markets, doctors, etc.
You should also account for doctors visits. You will probably get sick. Everyone does- tropical climates are hot beds for flu, virus, bacteria, etc. Have some stash...have money to get back home if you need to! Have money for emergencies, dental work, accidents.
Flying out of Vallarta is more expensive than flying in.
One other thing to point out, this is a tourist town, and it is easy to be in tourist mode. In tourist mode you spend more. When out of tourist mode, you are frustrated you can't do all the fun stuff tourists do. What once seemed like a cheap town when you were on vacation becomes an expensive place to live.
I moved down here knowing all of this. I also came here 13 times before moving here. I had a wealth of knowledge and also came here with the belief that I would come down here to be a part of the culture, to learn it, embrace it, rather than want to change it. It is not easy but a million times worth it if this is really for you.Statistics:Posted by Guest — Tue Apr 20, 2004 10:10 pm
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