Living Well on $1,500 a Month in Lake Chapala

Living Well in Lake Chapala
John and Mary found a laid-back life, warm community, and luxuries they couldn’t afford back home.|©iStock/abalcazar

“We could never afford things like this back home,” says retired electrical engineer John Valdez (74). “Here we have a man that cleans our house for 600 pesos [$33] for a morning's work,” John says. “He started out four years ago at half that price, and we keep giving him raises, he’s so good. We also have a gardener.”

And these luxuries aren’t breaking the bank. John explains that he and his wife, Mary, live comfortably on around $1,500 a month for the two of them. They save the rest of their pensions for travel and trips back to the US. 

The couple looked at three places to live in Mexico: Guerétaro, Michoacán, and Chapala. 

Mary had run the numbers, put together a big spreadsheet, and they’d realized that the cost of living in any of these would be a third of what it was back in Phoenix, Arizona. And that’s after the big expenses of buying their 3,000-square-foot home and a car. 

But they didn’t jump in. They were smart. Planning on spending three months in each location to see how it felt. 

Arriving in Chapala, Jalisco, which is famous for tequila, music, mariachi, and beautiful women, they knew they’d found their new home. They both fell in love with the community, culture, and mix of art, theatre, and music.

John and Mary love their season tickets to the local world-class 48-piece orchestra. With an internationally renowned English conductor, concerts in historic buildings with phenomenal acoustics are theirs to enjoy for 250 pesos ($14). 

Recently, John loved hearing one of his favorite pieces—Beethoven’s Danzón No.2—played beautifully by a local boy from Ajijic, a nearby Pueblo Magico (magic town) who is studying at Juilliard in New York and came home to perform the piece.

Finding Friends, Community, and a Healthy Life

John and Mary made their home in the town of Chapala, on the shores of the lake with the same name.
John and Mary made their home in the town of Chapala, on the shores of the lake with the same name.|©iStock/Edsel Querini

John says the most important thing about living in Mexico is to meet the people, embrace the culture, and make Mexican friends. It enriches your life. 

Plus, it’s easy. 

When they first arrived, John and Mary stopped off at a café for breakfast. A huge table was reserved for “the Golden Boys,” which turned out to be a group of retired Mexican men who met weekly. As they were leaving, John stopped by to joke, saying, “Is that for me?” about the one free seat. They laughed and invited him back the following week, and he’s been joining them for years now. 

There’s a big expat community in Chapala, but John and Mary like to immerse themselves in the local culture and community as well. Sharing that he’s had wonderful “Dinners, Christmases and Dia de Los Muertos celebrations with them and their families.” It makes you feel at home. And with family in the area, John knows what he’s talking about.

But if you don’t have that John says “follow the people.” 

When you do you find the best, most flavorful and freshest food. And you can eat out for pennies on the dollar. Like a huge breakfast of juice, chilaquiles, sweet bread and coffee for $5. Or the best tacos of your life for 25 pesos ($1.40). 

Eating like this, with fresh healthy ingredients is why John’s lost over 50 pounds since moving to Mexico. He’s no longer in need of the six medications he arrived with five years ago. In fact, the first thing the doctors said when John went for a checkup in Mexico was, “We have to get you off all of these medications.”

Mary is also seeing health benefits, and doesn’t get migraines anymore like she used to in the US. 

Visiting the acupuncturist who cured Mary’s migraines, John asked if he could cure diabetes. The answer was “yes” and two weeks later John ended up in hospital after taking his insulin… because he no longer needed it. 

Even the two-night stay, with four nurses and regular doctor visits, was only $500. So now they don’t bother with medical insurance as the cost of excellent healthcare is so low. 

But John says the best thing about Chapala is the community. “It’s a mix of ancient ancestry mixed with modern-day luxury. Here you see indigenous, middle-class Mexicans, and upper-class Mexicans all enjoying walking along the malecón [esplanade] with family. It’s really nice.” 

It’s why the Lake Chapala region is so popular with expats. It has perfect weather, a great local community, and there’s so much to do. 

When you’re not out and about enjoying nature, you might head to a winery, or enjoy watching the game with friends at a sports bar with its own microbrewery. Then there’s the galleries… theaters… concerts… Lake Chapala really has it all.

To wrap up, I asked John for his No. 1 tip about living in Mexico. He says, “I would highly recommend that you make Mexican friends and don’t just hang out with other expats. It’s worth it!”

John knows what he’s talking about. After all, he’s one of “the Golden Boys” now.

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