Cost of living, etc in Ensenada area

American products in the Soriana for example are more expensive than they are in the states.I was laughing when I saw a block of velvita for 10 Us dollars only last week.in my opinion Mexico only works out cheaper if you live like a mexican.There is no way you want to live in a place that costs 150.300 Us dollars a month where I live (and its not a very desirable part of Mx)will get you an ok place by Mx standards.Sure you could survive on $1500 I have Mx friends who make 100 US a week.If your looking for quiet you might want to consider living outside of town.Just as an example i went to Chilis yesterday,1 starter and two dinners cost $50 US with sodas to drink.

Hello,
Not sure if you have ever lived anywhere for a period of time? The grass isn't greener. As far as a lower cost of living, I will not sugar coat it. You get what you pay for. We pay a little more in the U.S for the professional law enforcement and reliable 911.
I have driven to Chiapas to and from Colorado. Citizens of Mexico think I was crazy as most avoid driving from end of the country to the other for they fear their safety. It is a naive idea to think Mexico one will have a better quality of life unless you are running away from something or one that doesn't appreciate the United States? If so who ever doesn't appreciate quality roads for which your taxes pay for. I've driven throughout Mexico and your taxes have nothing to show for except paying for the life style of the politicians. Mexico is a government rich and people poor.
The ones who say the life is great, are most likely the ones who don't want to do their own house chores or watch their on children and have a nanny. The Mexican government doesn't enforce citizens to have a basic education as in the native indians, if so the ones with money would have to pay a Backhoe operator more then $50. a week. So one should scratch their head when some thinks they have the idea to speak on a Mexican citizens pay while in the United States.
While living I and worked in Mexico as a non citizen I couldn't vote. Yet, while in the United States a certain political group thinks everyone has the right to vote. So hypocritical that ones demand rights while in the United States that an American would be laughed at if expected such while in Mexico.
More important then the question of Cost of living, think of what do you value your life?  16% sales tax across the country. Products are 2-3 times the cost. No one trust another. Protections(bars) on your windows, reckless drivers.
A a post on Facebook states that Mexican citizens are good at protesting yet take no action. Yes, protest.. A waste of your fellow neighbors. To block traffic of your neighbors yet your anger is supposed to be directed at the greedy politician.  And yes, Mexico is a racist country. The government and CNN based in Mexico doesn't show all that goes on. And the 8th largest military against its own people.
As far drugs, I've heard Mexican citizens say they want to blame the United States? If one doesn't want to take responsibility for their own action its show no creditability to blame another for ones own actions.
Before anyone gets offended, take a deep breathe and realize I'm only speaking the truth.

you can live as cheap or exp. as you want you need to go and stay for awhile before you decide you can live like me 150.rent nice place not tajmahl or marriot but water about 4.00 dollars propane about 22.00 dollars elec. is exp. about 30.00 dollars per month.. in summer no a/c in winter propane heat in ensenada you get next to ocean and breeze almost everyday so cool to me but iam used to hot in chiapas 100 110 in veracruz 90 percent hummity 90 air temp about 105 some years .. iam cheap skate no ac 30 year old truck 50 years old camper i get along fine on less than 500. per month ..also in ensenad people come buy sell veges.cheap 10 15 peso per kilo == 2.2 pounds ok pm me if you want and we can talk ...right now iam in iowa to renew my drivers lic.and plates bee back to house in juarez chih. in oct.ensenada in nov.

I have lived in the Ensenada area for the past 5 months in several places.  You are not going to find much under $300/month plus utilities/water/etc. unless you are in a really bad neighborhood.  I would be very careful about even looking at anything less than $250 esp. if you are in the city limits of Ensenada.  And $25 won't get you anything very decent.  Ensenada is just like the rest of Baja Norte in that it is a major drug route into the U.S. so there is crime here just as in other parts of Baja; due to increase of recent crime some of the cruise lines are threatening to, again, not stop in Enseanda just as they did in the past when there was a spike in crime here.
The problem with many expats here in Baja is they come to Mexico thinking they can live like an American/Canadian & find it can be just as expensive esp. if you buy mostly American products, go to Walmart & Costco (more expensive than Mexican stores).  The safer area will be those with more expats but that also means you need to expect to pay more $$ for rent as well but you won't have to deal so much with continual noise, stray dogs running around everywhere & safety in general esp. if you have a car & forget about it being quiet.
Sometimes I wonder WHERE people get the idea they can live in Mexico & pay rent for under $300 in a decent place.  Ive never found that yet unless you are in a craphole & it definitely will not be QUIET.  So if you are not good at adjusting to a very different culture along with changing your spending habits you might not stay very long in Mexico.

yes you are right but some people live like a local ..my first house in ensenada i remember in 1951 was dirt floor i was 4 then now that same house still has dirt floor ...my sister still lives in house part time oh ya iam american citizen .and lived all over mex. and bogota col. honduras ..also you have to see some houses ..everybody has a different idea of good i lived in a tent for 2 months on beach in dominican republic untill police told me to move off beach was fun living cheap is my only joy .see if ican live cheaper in future ..i have fun every place i go.yall have fun live like you want to ..

Thanks for the responses so far.

Let me be a little more clear. How much would it cost for a decent 1 bedroom or more house in Ensenada in a gated community full of ex-pats where it is relatively quiet (no non-stop barking dogs or 24/7 music. How much for a fully furnished unit?

I am putting this out there to get a good idea of a reasonable upper range but affordable rent. I don't need a gated community but noise is definitely my primary concern next to cost, so I prefer a house over an apartment.  How much if anything do you save on food, groceries etc. vs the US? Again Rosarito or small towns between ensenada and the border are of interest as well.

What are the best stores to shop in to save money in Ensenada.

I don't trust the cops anywhere for my protection so that is not an issue. Noise, clean affordable place with internet, accessible for a disabled person (no stairs) are my main issues.

Thanks

Before even considering a move to anywhere in Mexico you need to check various real estate websites (and most will be in Spanish).  You can get an idea of what American-style housing will cost by looking at Tijuana Craigslist.  It will be very difficult for you to find something simply by looking on the internet.  That's not the way it works in most of Mexico unless you are in D.F. or Guadalajara.  Most people come to Mexico and stay in a motel/hotel for a week or so and drive around to find something as many places are unadvertised.
The bottom line with saving $$ is if you live like you are in the U.S. & shop in American stores you won't save much $$$. 
Ive never had a problem with the police anywhere Ive lived here in Baja.  If you follow traffic laws and don't run stop signs, etc. you should have no problems.  I suggest you do extensive research and get on all the Baja expat forums (Google to find them) and you can get an idea of what things will be like in Baja.

check with bakersbajarealty  ..jerry baker is a us and mex. person .check his web site or call his san diego number maybe 650 1000 in a expat no dog community so cost is going to be living about 2500 3000 per month you need ac very litte heat gas is more in ensenada if you drive a car than some places in san diego..

yeah like marryellen1952 said fly down and check it out is only way you will know

When I lived in Estero Beach (where Baker realty is located) I heard mixed reviews about him from expats; some people said he was O.K. others said he only showed you the more expensive places.  So the advice is to spend a week in the city you plan to relocate to and look at several places rather than limiting to one agent and you will have better chances of finding a suitable place.

Most apartments/houses under 5000 pesos will not have A/C so that is another consideration.  And running A/C here in Mexico will be another added cost.  Most houses/apts here in Baja were not designed for the heat that Baja now has due to climate change.  The apartments in the subdivision where I live are all cinder block (which means they retain the heat/cold so now in July it can be very warm inside.  My neighbor installed A/C (at her cost) in her 2 bedroom apartment and she runs the A/C every day and her CFE bill runs around $200USD a month!

Forgot to mention...the whole state of Baja is NOT very handicap-friendly. In general Mexico is NOT handicap-friendly so don't expect ramps, etc. to be in most cities.  That is just not a priority in Mexico at this time.  Also eating out frequently will consume a large part of your budget.

Re noise.   I lived in a typical middle class neighbor hood.  I thought of having a b and b  as many of my friends came to visit and they had friends who wanted to visit..  HOWEVER, noise is a major factor.  Nearly every house hold has a dog. House parties are frequent.  Some one is always having a birthday or an anniversary or whatever,  It is legal to have live music until 3 am.  FIrecrackers make every party.  I got used to the noise but gave up on the B and B idea.  Friends and friends of friends still visit but for free.

yes maryellen 1952 yes you are correct.. about baker he is some what ???? but his sister s apts that she runs is where i stayed an good enough for me ..no fancy but better tnan when i was in dominican republi and better tan nicaragua.but house in juarez is block also hot summer cols freezing winter.but baja was just right

Just to reiterate what others have said regarding Noise and handicap access.There is no advantage what so ever living in a house as oposed to an apt when it comes to noise.The folks down the street from me turn on the boom box each friday at 6pm and it stays on until Sunday afternoon or until such time as they feel they need to recover.As for ease of movement,i spent my first week here constantly tripping up and falling flat on my face just walking on the sidewalks.you have to constantly watch where you are stepping.If stairs are a problem for you my advice would be to take heed of what the previous posters have said.if i was disabled in any manner knowing what I know now,i would not even visit México.

Mexico is a place where you always need to have several pairs of good ear plugs.  I would never be anywhere without them.

Earplugs for sure,I wear them everywhere

**** language sites (and thanks for the link to Bakers Baja, Bob. He did have some interesting places listed). The wild variation in prices on Spanish sites makes it difficult to get a sense for what things cost on average, and some ads are clearly targeted at gringos. Crappy, unfurnished one bedrooms are sometimes way more than nice, furnished 3 bedrooms. It seems that there is a cut-off of about $700 a month after which there is a dramatic improvement in the quality of units. This is about the only thing I can tell really. These are comparable to rentals I have seen in the Southwest for the same price so no real bargain.

I have seen many ads that say "dogs allowed" but only one that said "no kids or animals of any kind." Is it legal to discriminate against families with kids in Mexico?

Is this realistic for Ensenada in your opinion?

****

Thanks again everyone for the responses.

I lived in Ensenada for a good part of my life and continue visiting during summer. My bias opinion is that Ensenada is a beautiful little city. Everyone knows everyone and most of the people you meet are nice. You must be street smart and also recognize a scam or dangerous situation because not everyone has good intentions.
Apart from that, Ensenada is beautiful. It's a lot cheaper than living in the us. If you're living off American money and good pay then you'll prosper, but if you're being paid in pesos then you might struggle to pay. Transportation is cheap, though seriously watch out for scammers. If a taxi driver thinks you're not a local he might try to make you pay more.
Also, the police are corrupt everywhere you go. It's not much different in Mexico.
Ensenada is a city where people are friends with each other and know everything about one another. You'll most likely end up knowing the whole town, and vice versa whether you want to or not.
Honestly, quite honestly, living in Mexico is so much cheaper than living in the us. Mexicans are loud and friendly and they talk to everyone and parties are a thing. There's so much to celebrate so yeah your neighbors might be loud and there's definitely going to be a lot of stray dogs and loud pets. But that's Mexico. Also, you might find a good neighborhood the farther away from "downtown".
And shopping can differ to being cheaper or the same. It depends where you shop. If you're going to sears to buy stuff yeah everything will cost pretty similar or even slightly less. It just honestly depends on how you want to live. If you want high quality life, expect to pay more

Hi,
Have you checked out the Lake Chapala area? A good friend of mine lives there and loves it. It has a large ex-pat community and she is a 65 year old single woman and has never felt unsafe there. Not sure why you chose Ensenada, but I would not suggest you move anywhere without doing multiple visits or, at least, one prolonged visit for a month or more.
Good luck!

Hi,junghoseok,My name's Frank,I live in Orizaba, Veracruz now,but wanna move to Ensenada ir Rosarito Because it's cooler and less humid there.I speak Spanish very fluently and my wife's Argentine.We can live like natives in general,but wanna live fairly close to the beach in a small 2bdrm-1 ba apt and eat in neighborhood cafés de las señoras ir at the Fonda's del mercado if we can.Do you know a decent area where we can get a furnished apt or house ( maybe in a fraccionamiento) for around 500 USD/mo.? What's the hottest temperature there? Can you refer me to any owners? Also,how much is a comida corrida there in a clean cafe where normal Mexicans go? I'm planning to leave for Ensenada in about 10 days,so I really appreciate your info.!!

Number says Ensenada COL's much cheaper than Playa del Carmen while Expatistan says they're about the same.What gives?

frankg69 wrote:

Number says Ensenada COL's much cheaper than Playa del Carmen while Expatistan says they're about the same.What gives?

Hi, here is the Numbeo site with cost of living for Ensenada, Mexico. You can also compare to cities where you live now except that Orizaba is not created. Last updates for Ensenada are September 2017.

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/i … obile=true

One thing sure, in Mexico, you are able to find 2bdr, 1bth for less than 10000$ pesos a month  (year round rental). We pay 9000$ pesos fully furnished with AC, internet, cable, pool, 2 patios and quiet area. We also had cheaper offers but it's a matter of individual taste.

Adios, GyC.

Hi,thanks for that info! Are bills included in the 9,000 pesos rent? Thanks!

frankg69 wrote:

Hi,thanks for that info! Are bills included in the 9,000 pesos rent? Thanks!

Hi,
Yes, it includes all costs related to the rental. I don't have liability insurance for the moment...looking into that not sure if needeď.

For the other cost, my wife and I spend about 18000$ pesos on food, beer, wine and restaurants  (4 times a week, ocean view).

Please note that if you are looking at becoming resident try to get the permanent status  (less cost and no yearly return to INM) 4528$ PESOS/person/once also IMSS  (health care but must be healthy) 70 years = 7650$ pesos per year. INAPAM card free gives discount  (60 and over) such as 50% on bus ticket long distance and some local  (ie: Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Tepic, etc.).

My wife and I don't need a vehicule all services within 1/1,5km distance, also delivery services for beer, wine, refrescos, etc...). Taxi fare is 30$ pesos within town limits, we use it when lots of stuff from grocery store but we tend to buy what we need every day or two.

Adios y buena suerte para su proyecto, GyC.

Mil gracias,Ud.me ayudó un montón,y me quitó el miedo a radicarme a Ensenada!!

HiMary Ellen,Do you still live in Ensenada,or could you recommend a good middle-class colonia or 2 with verdulerias and comedores? We're very fluent in Spanish and wanna live among the natives in an apartment with security or house in a good fraccionamiento.Our income's under $2,000 USD/no and we need to save money too.I'll be there within 14 days,and can afford a small 2 bdrm-1 ba at about 7000-8000 usd/mo with bills paid.Any advice would be very welcome,thanks so much!! Frank

No,7000-8000 pesos/mo

Hi Frank.Just a heads up.Ensenada dies not have a beach. It has a deep water port so you need to travel about 20 minutes out if town for a decent beach.Itger than that Ensenadas a great choice.

Thanks so much! Are there cheap buses to the beach? Do you know the name of that beach,and is it safe??

Hi,have you been to Rosarito and the Rosarito beach? Is Rosarito a good choice?

frankg69 wrote:

Thanks so much! Are there cheap buses to the beach? Do you know the name of that beach,and is it safe??

To the south of Ensenada there is Estero beach. This beach is in more of a bay and not the ocean.You dont have big waves coming in. It is a popular place that also offers camping'. it's on the main highway going to La Bufadora so there are many buses that go that way.
To the north there is Sal Si Puedes. This is on the ocean,beautiful view from above,heart wrenching decent. Not sure if there are buses that go there.It's off of the toll road going to Rosarito. Not has busy as Estero beach a little more private also has camping. Further north there are other beaches that you can investigate also. All the beaches  I mentionedare safe.

Thanks so very much,I'm going to Ensenada to get a place to live on Monday!

frankg69 wrote:

Thanks so very much,I'm going to Ensenada to get a place to live on Monday!

Good luck Frank. I am sure will will enjoy Ensenada very much.

I'm sure too, and I hope to make someplace in that area my permanent home.Your username's really funny!!