moving to mexico -- cost of living

Yesterday in "i just adore the colors", I mentioned that the standard expatriate answers to the question "What do you like about Mexico?" runs the gamut from "the people" to "the weather" to "the food." None of those things drew me here.

Now, I do like the Mexican people -- about in the same proportion I like any particular group of people. And, for me, the weather is a bit too warm and the food is -- well, not to put a fine point on it -- boring.

They are not the reasons I moved here. But I did move here for one reason that is discussed tangentially by expatriates -- as if the subject were somehow just a bit tawdry. It is less expensive to live here than it would be to live in Salem.

Let me give you an example. My friends the Millers spent a week with me last month. I love having visitors. Not only do I get to spend time with people I really enjoy, I get to show off the area to them. Not to mention (though, I guess I am about to), I get to share my very beautiful house with them.

Somewhere along the line in my long life, I picked up a habit. It sounds like one of those habits passed on by mothers, but I am not certain about that. When guests arrive, the house should be filled with flowers -- especially in their bedroom.

Living in Mexico makes that a snap. Not only are almost every type of bloom available in our local shops, it does not require taking out a signature line loan, as it is in The States, to buy floral arrangements.

I bought three for the Millers's visit. That is one of them on the courtyard table.

Having just purchased flowers for Mother's Day, I have a good idea what floral arrangements in The States cost. And it was far more up north than what I paid here.

The cost in Melaque? $450 (Mx) -- that is about $24 (US). Not for one arrangement, but for all three. I ended up paying about $8 (US) for each arrangement.

At that price I could fill the house with flowers every week for less than a dinner for two at a good restaurant.  (By the way, dining out here is also a bargain.)

Frequent readers will be reminding me that I have consistently said I moved to Mexico not to fall into a comfort zone; I wanted to live somewhere that when I woke up each morning, I would know how I was going to make it through the day.

But not knowing how I am going to make it through the day, while knowing that it is not going to cost me very much, is not a bad formula.