Thoughts on last night's situation in the Middle East?

[Sunny]

There has to be more to the equation than cost of living.

Absolutely.

 

[Sunny]

Correct. When we moved to Mexico City a few years ago it was very reasonable but now with the exchange rate and inflation it is quite pricey. We are looking forward to moving to a more reasonable cost of living but at this rate maybe Buenos Aires won't be too cheap either!

It really depends on your situation (and what and where you rent or if you buy property here). Even now, with prices much higher than last year, CABA is a lot cheaper than CDMX and a much nicer place to live. Last year, we were spending USD 600-700 per month in groceries for two adults (shopping at Costco, City Market, and Chedraui). Here, we spend half of that shopping at Coto, granjas (small shops that sell eggs and meats) and Dos Escudos, whose wonderful pastries we can't resist. Of course we could spend less than that if we lived in a less expensive neighborhood (Almagro, for example, which is safe and quaint) or outside of the metropolitan area.

One thing to keep in mind: the inflation continues to go down and retailers, particularly supermarkets, are cutting prices left and right. Coto has different discounts all week, from 15% to 50+%. If this government succeeds (🤞), price hikes should not be the norm.

Today I paid my internet bill: 17.430 pesos (300 Megs, fiber optic).
Cellphone: 2 lines, 9.810 pesos/month, in May it will be 11,000 pesos
Gas: 743 pesos (yes, not even a buck)
Water: just below 8,000 pesos
Electricity: 28,000 pesos (reflects A/C usage and a huge hike - February's bill was 9,931 pesos)

I would have to check how much we paid for those services in CDMX last year, but I am sure that it was a lot more.

Do you pay for the utilities?

 

[FuturoBA]

It really depends on your situation (and what and where you rent or if you buy property here). Even now, with prices much higher than last year, CABA is a lot cheaper than CDMX and a much nicer place to live. Last year, we were spending USD 600-700 per month in groceries for two adults (shopping at Costco, City Market, and Chedraui). Here, we spend half of that shopping at Coto, granjas (small shops that sell eggs and meats) and Dos Escudos, whose wonderful pastries we can't resist. Of course we could spend less than that if we lived in a less expensive neighborhood (Almagro, for example, which is safe and quaint) or outside of the metropolitan area.

One thing to keep in mind: the inflation continues to go down and retailers, particularly supermarkets, are cutting prices left and right. Coto has different discounts all week, from 15% to 50+%. If this government succeeds (🤞), price hikes should not be the norm.

Today I paid my internet bill: 17.430 pesos (300 Megs, fiber optic).
Cellphone: 2 lines, 9.810 pesos/month, in May it will be 11,000 pesos
Gas: 743 pesos (yes, not even a buck)
Water: just below 8,000 pesos
Electricity: 28,000 pesos (reflects A/C usage and a huge hike - February's bill was 9,931 pesos)

I would have to check how much we paid for those services in CDMX last year, but I am sure that it was a lot more.

Do you pay for the utilities?

Wow! About $75 for utilities and ~$300 for grocery for 2?? Great job @Sunny

 

[Sunny]

Wow! About $75 for utilities and ~$300 for grocery for 2?? Great job @Sunny

It helps that I get good discounts at Coto, that I like to cook, and that I do my own shopping. One thing that doesn't help expats' budgets is having their maids do the shopping. A maid won't go the extra couple of blocks to find the best produce or meat at the best prices—after all, it's not her money she's spending.

I have at least six verdulerías within a 5-minute walk, an "autoservicio" and a nice Coto. Three of those verdulerías have excellent (and pricey) produce, but you are not allowed to touch the merch—the verdulero picks and weighs it while you wait outside. The shops with better prices don't always have good produce or variety. The "autoservicios" let you pick your own, but you'd better get there before 10:00 AM if you want the freshest produce, same about Coto (or any other supermarket) when it comes to produce.

I buy from autoservicios and supermercados, take my time choosing the best produce and pay less. Maids tend to shop at the closest places, and the quality of your food is decided by the seller... Most locals do their own grocery shopping.

 

[Larry]

It really depends on your situation (and what and where you rent or if you buy property here). Even now, with prices much higher than last year, CABA is a lot cheaper than CDMX and a much nicer place to live. Last year, we were spending USD 600-700 per month in groceries for two adults (shopping at Costco, City Market, and Chedraui). Here, we spend half of that shopping at Coto, granjas (small shops that sell eggs and meats) and Dos Escudos, whose wonderful pastries we can't resist. Of course we could spend less than that if we lived in a less expensive neighborhood (Almagro, for example, which is safe and quaint) or outside of the metropolitan area.

One thing to keep in mind: the inflation continues to go down and retailers, particularly supermarkets, are cutting prices left and right. Coto has different discounts all week, from 15% to 50+%. If this government succeeds (🤞), price hikes should not be the norm.

Today I paid my internet bill: 17.430 pesos (300 Megs, fiber optic).
Cellphone: 2 lines, 9.810 pesos/month, in May it will be 11,000 pesos
Gas: 743 pesos (yes, not even a buck)
Water: just below 8,000 pesos
Electricity: 28,000 pesos (reflects A/C usage and a huge hike - February's bill was 9,931 pesos)

I would have to check how much we paid for those services in CDMX last year, but I am sure that it was a lot more.

Do you pay for the utilities?

Utility prices will triple soon. Maybe for you with USD it isn't much but for Argentines to pay 3-4 X utility bills will break them. I agree utility prices were too low but raising too much too soon will break the country.

 

[Anchor Baby]

It really depends on your situation (and what and where you rent or if you buy property here). Even now, with prices much higher than last year, CABA is a lot cheaper than CDMX and a much nicer place to live. Last year, we were spending USD 600-700 per month in groceries for two adults (shopping at Costco, City Market, and Chedraui). Here, we spend half of that shopping at Coto, granjas (small shops that sell eggs and meats) and Dos Escudos, whose wonderful pastries we can't resist. Of course we could spend less than that if we lived in a less expensive neighborhood (Almagro, for example, which is safe and quaint) or outside of the metropolitan area.

One thing to keep in mind: the inflation continues to go down and retailers, particularly supermarkets, are cutting prices left and right. Coto has different discounts all week, from 15% to 50+%. If this government succeeds (🤞), price hikes should not be the norm.

Today I paid my internet bill: 17.430 pesos (300 Megs, fiber optic).
Cellphone: 2 lines, 9.810 pesos/month, in May it will be 11,000 pesos
Gas: 743 pesos (yes, not even a buck)
Water: just below 8,000 pesos
Electricity: 28,000 pesos (reflects A/C usage and a huge hike - February's bill was 9,931 pesos)

I would have to check how much we paid for those services in CDMX last year, but I am sure that it was a lot more.

Do you pay for the utilities?

I am looking at comparable properties only on Airbnb in Mexico City and Buenos Aires and they look fairly comparable. I am only looking at the nicest areas. i.e. Comparing top rentals on Airbnb in Polanco or Condessa and Recolta and Palermo. Just to get a fair comparison.

All my friends that have been to Buenos Aires being based there for a while or Argentines that I talk to that are from there tell me there is much better selection of items at the supermarket here in CDMX vs. BA. They tell me there is nothing like Costco, City Market or other places with bulk or higher quality items. They are telling me the exact opposite of you @Sunny about grocery items and selection and quality. They tell me it is very bad in BA compared to CDMX.

I shop at Costco quite a bit as we have a child and another on the way. Is there any thing comparable to Costco or Sams Club in BA??

Here in Mexico City here are my expenses for the same thing you listed.

Internet bill with Cable TV - $126USD (500 meg)
Cellphone bill - $25 for 2 lines
Gas: $120 USD
Water - includes with our HOA
Electricity - $315 USD
HOA - $325 USD (3 bedroom apartment in Polanco)

 

[FuturoBA]

It helps that I get good discounts at Coto, that I like to cook, and that I do my own shopping. One thing that doesn't help expats' budgets is having their maids do the shopping. A maid won't go the extra couple of blocks to find the best produce or meat at the best prices—after all, it's not her money she's spending.

I have at least six verdulerías within a 5-minute walk, an "autoservicio" and a nice Coto. Three of those verdulerías have excellent (and pricey) produce, but you are not allowed to touch the merch—the verdulero picks and weighs it while you wait outside. The shops with better prices don't always have good produce or variety. The "autoservicios" let you pick your own, but you'd better get there before 10:00 AM if you want the freshest produce, same about Coto (or any other supermarket) when it comes to produce.

I buy from autoservicios and supermercados, take my time choosing the best produce and pay less. Maids tend to shop at the closest places, and the quality of your food is decided by the seller... Most locals do their own grocery shopping.

Goes to show COL/QOL varies when leaving more like a local vs living like a tourist/expat. Nothing wrong with either one, but there's ways to mitigate costs. It just takes more work which means more time. BA with all of its inefficiencies I wouldn't want to move if I had to work full time. Probably better for someone retired or has more flexibility.

 

[Sunny]

All my friends that have been to Buenos Aires being based there for a while or Argentines that I talk to that are from there tell me there is much better selection of items at the supermarket here in CDMX vs. BA. They tell me there is nothing like Costco, City Market or other places with bulk or higher quality items.

There's nothing compared to Costco. We were Costcoholics in the US and oh, so happy to have a Costco a couple of blocks from our flat in Polanco. We miss that way of shopping so much. City Market is the best supermarket in the Americas, bar none. Both locations are excellent but the one in Virreyes is fantastic (when we moved to Lomas de Chapultepec that was closest to us). However, the small Walmarts are awful, even in the best neighborhoods.

They are telling me the exact opposite of you @Sunny about grocery items and selection and quality. They tell me it is very bad in BA compared to CDMX.

I never said that selection is better here compared to other countries, what I said is that you get much better produce if you shop in the morning and go places where you can pick your own product.

And the produce here tastes WAY better than in the States and Mexico, so does chicken and red meats.

Here in Mexico City here are my expenses for the same thing you listed.

Internet bill with Cable TV - $126USD (500 meg)
Cellphone bill - $25 for 2 lines
Gas: $120 USD
Water - includes with our HOA
Electricity - $315 USD
HOA - $325 USD (3 bedroom apartment in Polanco)

Those prices are higher than what we paid last year and that tells you where you save money here. Restaurants are also cheaper here, even after the price hikes.

 

[Sunny]

Utility prices will triple soon.

Where did you hear that?

Maybe for you with USD it isn't much but for Argentines to pay 3-4 X utility bills will break them.

Well, this is an expat group so, yes, for people whose income and/or savings is in strong currency it doesn't hurt. Argentines are hurting now, but this won't break them. If you are an Argentine, you know very well that the poverty numbers that are being published don't really line up with reality. In this country, where working "en negro" is the norm, people get to claim only what they officially make, and not the "en negro" part. So, no, paying more for utilities will not break Argentines. But Argentina IS broken because of the decades of subsidies.

Electricity, gas, water, and many other things that are needed to keep the world ticking are expensive everywhere now that the party is over and global inflation is a reality. In the States, for decades people have been saying stop printing money, we are ruining our grandchildren's future. The grandchildren are here now, seeing how f'ed up the world we've left them is.

I agree utility prices were too low but raising too much too soon will break the country.

That's what the opposition keeps saying, but it ain't true.

 

[Spend Thrift]

I am looking at comparable properties only on Airbnb in Mexico City and Buenos Aires and they look fairly comparable. I am only looking at the nicest areas. i.e. Comparing top rentals on Airbnb in Polanco or Condessa and Recolta and Palermo. Just to get a fair comparison.

All my friends that have been to Buenos Aires being based there for a while or Argentines that I talk to that are from there tell me there is much better selection of items at the supermarket here in CDMX vs. BA. They tell me there is nothing like Costco, City Market or other places with bulk or higher quality items. They are telling me the exact opposite of you @Sunny about grocery items and selection and quality. They tell me it is very bad in BA compared to CDMX.

I shop at Costco quite a bit as we have a child and another on the way. Is there any thing comparable to Costco or Sams Club in BA??

Here in Mexico City here are my expenses for the same thing you listed.

Internet bill with Cable TV - $126USD (500 meg)
Cellphone bill - $25 for 2 lines
Gas: $120 USD
Water - includes with our HOA
Electricity - $315 USD
HOA - $325 USD (3 bedroom apartment in Polanco)

My amigo lives in Mexico and it was shocking to here some of the prices he was paying. He said electricity prices are as high or higher than the USA now. I lived alone in the States and I went to Costco all the time. They have good quality items and prices that can't be beat.

I saw this YouTube video of an Argentine couple that went to Mexico and were amazed. I don't care what anyone says. The supermarkets here in BA suck.

 

[Finance Prof]

Where did you hear that?



Well, this is an expat group so, yes, for people whose income and/or savings is in strong currency it doesn't hurt. Argentines are hurting now, but this won't break them. If you are an Argentine, you know very well that the poverty numbers that are being published don't really line up with reality. In this country, where working "en negro" is the norm, people get to claim only what they officially make, and not the "en negro" part. So, no, paying more for utilities will not break Argentines. But Argentina IS broken because of the decades of subsidies.

Electricity, gas, water, and many other things that are needed to keep the world ticking are expensive everywhere now that the party is over and global inflation is a reality. In the States, for decades people have been saying stop printing money, we are ruining our grandchildren's future. The grandchildren are here now, seeing how f'ed up the world we've left them is.



That's what the opposition keeps saying, but it ain't true.

There are several articles in this forum if you search news articles that reference that utilities are going to jump up 300% or more. That is the plan as they are subsidized and too low. The worry is that the same thing will happen like with healthcare premiums that they will overshoot it and it will keep going up. Utility rates are all going to head up sharply.

I disagree with you saying paying 3-4X utility rates won't break locals. Many I know are already struggling. You add on 300%+ utility rates and that is really going to hurt them. Expats not so much. I am actually surprised at how little savings some expats have. I used to go to a few meetups and I met several people that I would have to think would struggle at today's prices in Argentina.

 

[earlyretirement]

I shop at Costco quite a bit as we have a child and another on the way. Is there any thing comparable to Costco or Sams Club in BA??

Here in Mexico City here are my expenses for the same thing you listed.

Internet bill with Cable TV - $126USD (500 meg)
Cellphone bill - $25 for 2 lines
Gas: $120 USD
Water - includes with our HOA
Electricity - $315 USD
HOA - $325 USD (3 bedroom apartment in Polanco)

This sounds correct. I own several properties in Mexico and this more or less jives with what I am paying. The exchange rate with he super peso has really made things more expensive. My electricity bills are much higher than that in Guadalajara. I own a few apartments in Zapopan in Guadalajara and electricity is crazy expensive there if you use the AC. I have an apartment that is on the top floor and all glass windows and it gets really hot without using the AC.

You can see an old bill for 2 months and at today's exchange rate it's about $1,100 USD for 2 months. Or about $550 USD per month. It's a larger 2,500 sq. foot apartment but electricity isn't cheap in Mexico.




I do agree that the grocery stores in Mexico are much better than in Buenos Aires.

 

[Sunny]

I don't care what anyone says. The supermarkets here in BA suck.

They definitely do. We are lucky to have a newly renovated Coto a couple of blocks away. That one and the Hiper Coto on French between Larrea and Pueyrredón are the only good ones. The rest reminds me of Ralph's, in SoCal.