Retire Early Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

What you can buy for Ten Dollars

in Chapala, Mexico - and get change back

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

Currency Exchange

200 Pesos, or about $10USD

Ten dollars might not seem like much these days. With inflation running rampant, those ten dollars don’t have the purchasing power they used to… or do they?

Living in Chapala, Mexico, not only do we have fantastic weather, an international airport nearby, and gentle, friendly neighbors, we can buy a lot of stuff for ten US Dollars. And much of the time we get change back!

Take a look.

Basics

Basics are just that. Things we need every day or items that make our daily life easier. How do these prices compare to where you are now living?

2 months of electricity in a 1-bedroom apartment

8 – 20-liter bottles of drinking water

4 hours of house cleaning

30 days of cell plan on your phone

Get your car washed by hand twice

1 haircut for a woman plus tip

3 haircuts for a man

8 kilos of laundry, washed, dried, and folded

Groceries

Here in Chapala, we buy foodstuffs at the central market and from local vendors. Yes, there are larger grocery stores if you are looking for one-stop-shopping, but on a daily basis we pretty much walk within a 4-block radius to get most of what we need.

Drinks and Beverages

There are many quick-stop-shops like OXXO and local bottle stores which sell beer, wine, tequila, snacks, chocolate bars and a selection of everyday items.

1-liter bottle of Orendain Blanco Tequila

1 bottle of Reservado Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile

5 cappuccinos or lattes

4 liters of Gatorade

5 bottles of Corona beer, 1.2 Liter or 2 six packs of Corona beer

9 liters of Coca Cola

6 Heinekens at a cantina

Full meals

So many restaurants to choose from! Local Mexican style, Italian, seafood, steaks, sandwiches, large salads and more. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served.

2 omelets of bacon, cheese and avocado in a restaurant Large pepperoni and cheese pizza delivered to your home 2 milanesas de pollo with rice, beans, salad and agua frescas 1 pulled-pork sandwich on a croissant, corn on the cobb, cole slaw and roasted potatoes and 1 hot turkey sandwich with potato salad 2 Orders of Eggs Benedicts 4 Raspberry, strawberry, blueberry or banana smoothies 4 glasses of Chardonnay or Cabernet 2 Pasta Alfredos 20 Buffalo wings 1 chicken Roquefort with a glass of Chardonnay 2 pulled pork sandwiches with fries at Adelita’s (Also see menu here at the side Many dishes (Salmon, shrimp, trout, arrachera) at Casa Mocajete are under 200 Pesos and the Margaritas or wine with your meal is free! 14 street tacos with all the trimmings 5 lonches, a very popular Mexican sandwich Currency Exchange

Adelita's Happy Hour Menu

Medical and health products

Visits to a doctor or a specialist cost about $30USD, and medications in general are quite affordable out of pocket. Certain drug stores offer 10% discounts on Mondays for anything you might purchase.

160 tablets of 500mg Paracetamol 6 trips to a general clinic for doctor’s advice +50 Pesos more and you can get your teeth cleaned 2 bottles of 90 caps, Complete Vitamin B Complex See our Cost of Popular Medicines in Chapala

Transportation

We don’t own a car and generally take the bus or hire a driver to get out of town.

Cab ride to Chapala-Ajijic and back

20 round trip bus rides Chapala to Ajijic

20 round trip bus rides Chapala to Vista del Lago Golf Course Restaurants

½ cab ride to Airport - Chapala to Guadalajara

10 hours of off-street parking

4 bus tickets to Guadalajara

Fun activities

1 Lunch with live music

Hours and hours of tennis court rental at Cristiania Park or play hours and hours of pickleball

4 tickets to the movie theater

13 Flowers in a bouquet for a friend or for yourself

FREE - FREE - FREE

Take a hike! Join the Ajijic Hiking Group and take advantage of the views from the hills around the lake.

Power walk the trails at Cristiania park or take a stroll

Walk the malecon Lakeside and watch the sunset from one of the many benches there

Go out for a night of Free International Jazz by the lake

People-watching at the Plaza is free and entertaining. Sometimes on Sundays there are free concerts and dancing. If you are lucky there will be free food and free tequila shots!

Walk through Chapala's Monday market or Ajijic's Tuesday market

Volunteer at any of the dozens and dozens of organizations to help re-home animals, or volunteer at schools for blind or deaf children, or volunteer at one of the local orphanages

Go for a ride on the ciclopista (bike path) along the Carreterra Chapala-Ajijic

No matter how you slice it, $10USD goes a long way here at Lakeside.

For more stories and photos of Chapala CLICK HERE

For more stories and photos about Mexico CLICK HERE  

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

HOME   Book Store

Retire Early Lifestyle Blog      About Billy & Akaisha Kaderli      Press     Contact     20 Questions     Preferred Links    

Retirement     Country Info     Retiree Interviews      Commentary     REL Videos