Longterm Accomodations

[Johnnieboy]

I'd like to spend two or three months in Mexico and I don't want to stay in hotels or rent expensive condominiums. Are there alternatives and how do I find out about them? I'm thinking of Playa del Carmen and Oaxaca. Any suggestions would be appreciated. John, San Francisco CA

[kjtom]

I find your question a touch confusing ... what alternative did you envision? ... if we eliminate hotels & condos as options, it leaves us with hostels (PDC has a couple), villas (as expensive as condos) and palapa joints (there are a few in PDC on beachfront land and hence a lot more expensive than the tab one envisions for renting a little grass shack in Mexico) ... in PDC, I think your best bet for amenities at an affordable price is a standard hotel room, but there are a few places which rent apartments w/kitchens... I recall a couple on 1st Ave. between Fifth Ave. and the beach but have no phone number, name or particular address for you ... sorry ... as far as Oaxaca, I have no info except to guess that there may be BB forums on the city and I put dollars to donuts that you can rent a place cheaper than PDC

[Micajah]

Hi John,

In Playa here are your costs

1 - Cheap hotels - $30 USD a night

2 - Hostels and shared accomodations - $10 - $20 a night

3 - Apartments in the Tourist part of town for LOCALS long term rentals of 6 months min - $500 or so for a 1 bedroom. ,$800 for a 2 bedroom per month. Anything shorters then 6mo is considered a vacation rental to most people.

4 - Apartments and Rooms a little ways away from the tourist part, which means BACK from the beach. $100 - $300 USD / mo

If you look in the spanish papers and around town there are lots of places to rent, but it is not your Mexican Dream of renting a little shack on the beach type thing. That dream does not exist, I have been all over the world and the Beach usually means $$$$.. Unless you want to go somwhere with no running water or electricity etc. I am renting a place 2 blocks from the beach, in the middle of town with everything for $750 which I spare with a roomate so $375.00 USD which is CHEAP for me anyways.

I know nothing of Oxaca, but the other place to consider is Porto Escandido (spelling not sure) it is a smaller surf town, cheaper then here, way less people.

Good Luck