Ex-Pat and Snow-bird; Costs to Consider

[Michele]

Ex-Pat and Snow-bird; Costs to Consider

The first thing to consider when thinking about moving to Playa del Carmen or making plans to winter in the Riviera Maya is what type of lifestyle you would like to enjoy. Are you considering living in a hippy community in the jungle off the grid, a gala beach house with pool and garden, a modest condo in town, or a typical small family house in a Mexican neighborhood? There is a lifestyle for every budget in Playa del Carmen, but only you know what your budget is. To help you determine how you could live in the Riviera Maya, here are some questions for you to ask yourself.

READ MORE HERE

[lovetheroo]

That's a really great article, Michelle! You guys took a complicated answer to a question and outlined it really well. I have a feeling I will refer many friends to this article to answer their questions - or at least get them started on figuring out their own answers!

[NorthernMN]

Did the author of that article do her exchange correctly? She said 18220 pesos was (roughly) equal to $2100.00US. I don't want to do the exact math right now, but wouldn't it be more like $1400.00US?

[mexisv]

Originally Posted by northernmn

did the author of that article do her exchange correctly? She said 18220 pesos was (roughly) equal to $2100.00us. I don't want to do the exact math right now, but wouldn't it be more like $1400.00us?

$1308. Us

[NorthernMN]

And that's quite a difference. Needing $1300.00 vs $2100.00 for your basic living expenses sounds pretty good.

[roni]

Originally Posted by mexisv

$1308. Us

Originally Posted by NorthernMN

And that's quite a difference. Needing $1300.00 vs $2100.00 for your basic living expenses sounds pretty good.

We will be moving to Merida within a year, mas o menos.

As a couple who plans to live there long-term, goddess willing and the creek don't rise, we will be prepared for some pretty wide swings in the exchange rate. In our travels there since 2003, the exchange rate as swung from a little over 9 to a little over 14 pesos per dollar.

I think it is prudent to include a range of exchange rates in one's financial planning if one is a planning kind of person. If not, just go for it

[mexisv]

Originally Posted by roni

We will be moving to Merida within a year, mas o menos.

As a couple who plans to live there long-term, goddess willing and the creek don't rise, we will be prepared for some pretty wide swings in the exchange rate. In our travels there since 2003, the exchange rate as swung from a little over 9 to a little over 14 pesos per dollar.

I think it is prudent to include a range of exchange rates in one's financial planning if one is a planning kind of person. If not, just go for it

In our first couple trips we never paid any attention to the exchange rate! I think we thought more of "the vacation for one week, all inclusive people". Not that there is anything wrong with that but now we go for a month to 2 months, I check it all the time! It does have some wide swings though! Two years in Feb it was 14.2, this year in Feb it was 12.0.

[Bluespicker]

Originally Posted by mexisv

$1308. Us

I caught that too. Pretty good article not entirely spot on but not bad.

[Michele]

Thank you all for reading this article and for all of your comments! You are correct! The conversion would be more like $1500 USD. $2100 USD monthly would include services such as maid and gardener as well. -Lisa

[Babaloo]

Originally Posted by Michele

Thank you all for reading this article and for all of your comments! You are correct! The conversion would be more like $1500 USD. $2100 USD monthly would include services such as maid and gardener as well. -Lisa

A maid and gardener would be $800 USD?? Yikes!!!
And a maid and gardener would not be a normal expense for the average expat.
And the conversion (at this time) would not be $1500 - it would be closer to $1300.

Not trying to nitpick, but.....