Zihuatanejo, Mexico

Mexico is a great option if you’re looking to live better for less money. Even though Zihuatanejo is a touristy resort town, the cost of living is lower than your current budget in the States. A couple could live well in Zihuatanejo on US$1,600 a month.

Let’s look at some specifics: groceries, rentals, and transportation.

Grocery shopping will be more or less expensive depending on the products you buy.

Trade in a few imported goods for local ones, and you’ll bring down costs considerably.

For example, instead of buying kiwis and other imported fruits, get local ones such as mangoes, bananas, and pineapples. By making these switches, your monthly grocery expenses can be as low as US$150.

Getting around in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, is a breeze. Public transportation is affordable and readily available. A one-way bus ticket costs 50 cents. Taxi fares start at US$2, and if you need the taxi driver to wait for you for an hour, the fare goes up to US$16.

There are times when you’ll probably be more comfortable driving and being in control of your time. If you don’t own a car, you can rent one for US$33 per day.

Depending on what you’re looking for, your rental budget could be as high as US$1,090 or as low as US$270 per month.

A family moving with children to Zihuatanejo will likely want a place with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and that’s close to the center of town. Such an apartment will go for about US$1,100.

Settling outside of the city center, you’ll pay closer to US$654 for a three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment.

A one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in the city center will cost about US$468. Outside of the city, a similar apartment will cost around US$273.

The Xihuacán Ruins are 30 minutes from Zihuatanejo. Firstly, this archaeological site will transport you 3,000 years back in time. The Xihuacán Ruins is a multicultural site, with artifacts left behind by the Aztecs, Zapotecans, Toltecs, Olmecs, and other indigenous groups.