An American woman moved from the USA to Mexico and spends many times less: you will be surprised what you can buy there for $5

Janet Blaser has been living in Mazatlán, Mexico for 15 years, but she is still surprised by the prices of goods. According to her, as soon as you leave the tourist zone, prices become much lower. She told the publication about her life in Mexico and living expenses CNBC.

Photo: Shutterstock

“As a single 66-year-old retiree living primarily on Social Security checks, I have to watch what I spend. But in Mexico, I only pay $420 a month for an apartment half a block from the beach. In addition to essentials, I spend an average of $160 per month on eating out, entertainment, and the occasional fancy purchase,” Blaser said.

In a country where the minimum wage ranges from $8 to $12 a day, as it turns out, $5 can buy a lot of things.

1. Basic expenses

“One of the reasons I love living in Mazatlán is how affordable my monthly living expenses are. I pay $5 or less for basic things,” the American explained.

This list includes:

• monthly water bill;
• monthly electricity bill (when she does not use air conditioning);
• manual car wash premium;
• two hours of gardening services;
• one hour house cleaning;
• decorative palm tree for the apartment.

2. Grocery

In Mexico, fresh as well as dairy and meat are very affordable. And if you also make seasonal purchases, you can save even more.

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As for products, for $5 you can regularly buy:

• 40 eggs;
• 10 pounds (4,5 kg) sugar;
• 5 pounds (2,2 kg) fresh ginger
• 5 pounds (2,2 kg) turmeric root;
• 8 heads of lettuce;
• 12 pounds (5,4 kg) carrots;
• 10 pounds (4,5 kg) tomatoes;
• 3 pounds (1,3 kg) avocado;
• 10 fresh oysters;
• 1 pound (0,45 kg) freshly caught swordfish or dorado
• whole fried chicken with potatoes;
• tortillas and salsa;
• 1 lb (0,45 kg) 3-inch wild-caught shrimp;
• 4 liters of organic milk from a local dairy farm;
• half a pound (0,2 kg) locally roasted organic coffee beans.

3. Drinks

“They say beer in Mazatlán is cheaper than water, and sometimes this is true. In small beach cafes, drinks are cheaper than in expensive restaurants, but compared to the United States, alcohol prices are low everywhere,” says the American.

Here's what you can get for $5:

• 10 cans of Pacifico or Tecate beer;
• two 3-liter bottles of cola;
• 15 liters of purified water;
• 2 liters of freshly squeezed orange juice;
• a cocktail of branded alcohol;
• four large bottles of Topo Chico mineral water;
• two cappuccinos or latte;
• 21 ounces (0,6 L) draft beer;
• three fresh coconuts.

4. Complete nutrition

There are many inexpensive cafes and taco stands here, where the cost of food is around $5.

In some more "formal" restaurants, some dishes may also fit into this budget.

What you can buy for $5 or less:

• 3 to 10 street tacos;
• 3 tacos from the restaurant;
• Huevos Rancheros with coffee and juice;
• BLT sandwich;
• burger with french fries;
• 8 boneless chicken wings and draft beer;
• 12 chicken wings;
• seafood soup or tortilla;
• average pizza at Dominos;
• almost a pound (0,45 kg) of grilled pork ribs;
• four large croissants.

5. Entertainment

In Mazatlán, you can attend a concert for only $5. But in addition to this, with such a budget are available:

• bike rental for a little over an hour;
• salsa class;
• yoga classes;
• zumba class;
• place in the cinema;
• a dozen red roses;
• three round-trip boat trips to Stone Island, a beachfront just south of Mazatlán itself.

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6. Health products

Medicines, doctor visits and prescriptions are much cheaper in Mexico. You can actually get for $5:

• two consultations with a licensed physician;
• 236 ml of pepto-bismol;
• 30 tablets of ibuprofen 600 mg;
• 30 tablets of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin, 550 mg each;
• four Oral-B toothbrushes;
• three tubes of Crest toothpaste (in the post-Soviet market Blend-a-med) or Colgate;
• a basic visit to the vet or an injection of antibiotics.

7. Transport

While gas is expensive ($5 gets you a little over a gallon), public transportation in Mexico is incredibly affordable. Here's what you can get for $3,7:

• 16 subway trips;
• ride on Uber, Lyft or Didi;
• 9 trips on the "green bus" Mazatlán, which runs along the coast;

“These prices make my life in Mexico almost carefree. With everyday expenses so low, I have so many more options available to me that make me happy. I can live the life I love and love the life I live,” Janet sums up.

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