# How much does life in America costs?



## craftercool (Sep 5, 2015)

Hi there, my wife and I are planning to move to El Paso, Texas soon, it seems right now that it's our best option and we already started the consular procedure.

The thing is that our salaries in Mexico will never give us the opportunity to buy a house and since she's an american citizen we already filed the petition to finally leave here and start a new life there.

Now, we hadn't thought that while salaries are perhaps much better in the U.S., on the other side: monthly expenses might be higher too. So I wanted to ask everybody, how much in average do you pay monthly for everything?

Let's say:
Water
Gas
Electricity
Internet
Rent (apartment for 2 in average)
Other bills that I'm not considering 

I'd be extremely thankful for any help you could provide me about this matter so I can get a sense of the expenses we might have once we live there. 
Thanks in advance.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

There is no such thing as an average. It all depends on your needs and wants.


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## craftercool (Sep 5, 2015)

twostep said:


> There is no such thing as an average. It all depends on your needs and wants.


I just want some amounts to give me an idea of what awaits us, for example just to give you an idea, here in Mexico and right now: *monthly* between her and I we earn about 12,000 pesos (about 700 USD), and out monthly expenses are:
-No rent because we live in a borrowed house.
-Water service 64 pesos (3.7 USD)
-Electricity service 300 pesos (17.6 USD)
-Alarm system 160 pesos (9.4 USD)
-Phone bills 800 pesos (47 USD)
-Gas for 2 cars: about 1,600 pesos (94 USD)
-Food, groceries & stuff: about 1000 pesos (58 USD)

So here we make 700 USD monthly and we expend about 229 USD and I feel that I'm not considering other expenses.

That's why we want to compare, because we might be earning a lot more money in El Paso, but our expenses could be significantly higher too.


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## Hijo_del_mar (Sep 4, 2015)

Craftercool, a 700$ a month budget would be enough to just barely make by in the states.
It would be enough to pay rent, bills and food with out anything left over.
Rent is high in the states but some things are relatively cheap cell phone service from "metro pcs" is 30$ a month with unlimited service per person. 

To address your question directly tho. 'Two step' had the correct answer by saying it depends on how your willing to live. Which no offense intended when I say that generally speaking Latino Americans are accustomed to "making due with less" 

So you could make do with 700$ a month here but like I said that would cover ONLY your rent, water electricity, and food. With very little to no money left after.

Water, gas, electricity, rent, internet, t.v cable, food, cell phones, car insurance, in El Paso would most likely cost all together around 1000$/1500$ per month

Hope this helped! 

Btw I want to move to Mexico lets trade places lol.


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## craftercool (Sep 5, 2015)

Hijo_del_mar said:


> Which no offense intended when I say that generally speaking Latino Americans are accustomed to "making due with less"
> 
> Btw I want to move to Mexico lets trade places lol.





Hijo_del_mar said:


> Craftercool, a 700$ a month budget would be enough to just barely make by in the states.
> Which no offense intended when I say that generally speaking Latino Americans are accustomed to "making due with less"
> 
> Btw I want to move to Mexico lets trade places lol.


It is true, we Mexicans know how to survive even with low paid salaries, I was expecting (from what I've heard from friends) to get a job that pays me about 1,600 USD a month, so if my wife gets another job like that between the two of us we would be earning about 3,200 a month, that's more than good considering your calculations of 1,500 of expenses. 

BTW, why would you want to move to Mexico? Haha, I know it sounds weird coming from me since I live here, but man, depending on the city you choose, we have not the same amount of public spaces or entertainment alternatives as in the U.S., cities like Monterrey, Guadalajara or Mexico City does, but they're 3 in a whole country.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

I would start by developing a more realistic list of expenses. You've forgotten some. As examples, who paid for the cars? What happens when the cars need maintenance, repair, and replacement? What about vehicle registration? Auto insurance? (Mandatory in the U.S.)

Medical expenses? It would be extremely unusual in the U.S. to have employer-provided medical insurance that's both free and that pays for every medical expense.

Are entertainment expenses zero? Nobody ever goes to a restaurant? There are no vacations and no vacation expenses? _Possible_ on all counts, but is that true and consistent with your lifestyle expectations?

How about other insurance, like renters insurance? If you have some savings to protect (or will) then that'd be prudent.

Retirement savings? Any taxes?


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## craftercool (Sep 5, 2015)

BBCWatcher said:


> Retirement savings? Any taxes?


Yes, I have to consider all those other factors, but let's say in a normal month where you pay water, electricity, gas, phone bill, etc. well... I just wanted to have an idea.

The taxes topic worries me, is it true that once you're working for somebody then your employer files your taxes for you?


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

craftercool said:


> The taxes topic worries me, is it true that once you're working for somebody then your employer files your taxes for you?


No.

In the US, if you work, your employer takes "withholdings" for State and Federal income taxes plus a few other things like health insurance and US social security (which is basically the old age pension plan in the US). You must file, however, a tax return at the end of the year to settle up State and Federal income taxes (or, to claim back any over-withholdings). 
Cheers,
Bev


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

craftercool said:


> well... I just wanted to have an idea.


Sure, but I recommend going back and crafting a _more realistic_ view of living expenses to get even "an idea." Nothing I've suggested is fanciful or extraordinary either in Mexico or in the U.S. If you want to get a "ballpark" idea of the cost of living it's important to, well, get in the same ballpark first.


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## Nismo (Aug 31, 2015)

craftercool said:


> Hi there, my wife and I are planning to move to El Paso, Texas soon, it seems right now that it's our best option and we already started the consular procedure.
> 
> The thing is that our salaries in Mexico will never give us the opportunity to buy a house and since she's an american citizen we already filed the petition to finally leave here and start a new life there.
> 
> ...


There is an average as far as cost of living but it really depends on where you live. I have never lived in Texas but I do have friends that live there. They say it's pretty cheap comparing it to other parts of the United States. I would suggest looking at www .zillow .com or www .apartmentguide .com those two sites might be able to help you see how much apartments range from. 

Again, it also depends on where you live. I currently live in Southern California (Los Angeles County) and this is roughly what I pay a month:

Rent- $1335 (one bedroom apartment)
Water & Sewage- $40
Electricity- $30-$50 
Gas- $20
Cable& Internet- $120

Also throw in gas (for your car), groceries, cell phone, entertainment etc. 


I've been thinking about moving to Texas myself (Dallas) because cost of living is so much lower but recently I've been thinking of moving to Mexico since I am a dual citizen. I do wish you and your the best of luck if you decide to move to the United States.


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## craftercool (Sep 5, 2015)

Nismo said:


> but recently I've been thinking of moving to Mexico since I am a dual citizen.


For real? Salaries in Mexico are extremely low in general, only those who reaches a management position in a bank, a factory, a hospital or something like that can afford to change their car every 2 or 3 years.

As a HR Supervisor I earn 88 USD a week, all the employees under me earns about 53 USD a week, rents here are about 117 to 176 USD monthly. 

Gasoline, oh my God... my city is maybe comparable in size to.... Ruidoso, NM or Alpine, TX. We don't have McDonald's here, not even a shopping mall, but gas prices are that high that I'm paying 23 USD a week for a Pontiac G6.
I mean it's up to you but think about it.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

What do you expect to gain by moving to the U.S.? Do you have the qualifications for positions such as the one you are currently in?


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## craftercool (Sep 5, 2015)

twostep said:


> What do you expect to gain by moving to the U.S.? Do you have the qualifications for positions such as the one you are currently in?


I don't expect to be treated as someone unusually incredible, I mean, the best I can offer is my attitude of doing my best. 
Besides to that I graduated as a BA in International Business and I'm certified by Harvard Business Publishing as a Manage Mentor (studied that online).

I don't think I'm mentioning all that when I arrive there, what for? I only want a decent, well paid and nice job in a vast range of alternatives. Let's say: driver, teacher, supervisor, consultant... the possibilities are huge.


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## gretah (Jul 3, 2015)

I suggest you get on the Texas forum at Stats about all US cities - real estate, relocation info, crime, house prices, cost of living, races, home value estimator, recent sales, income, photos, schools, maps, weather, neighborhoods, and more[/url] and post your question there.

People on that site are helpful.


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## craftercool (Sep 5, 2015)

Thanks gretah I'll give it a try


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## mamasue (Oct 7, 2008)

craftercool said:


> I don't think I'm mentioning all that when I arrive there, what for? I only want a decent, well paid and nice job in a vast range of alternatives. Let's say: driver, teacher, supervisor, consultant... the possibilities are huge.



Just wondering....what visa are you planning to use?


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

It's Hispanic, cheap, with hardly any educated people and above average unemployment rate...
El Paso, Texas (TX) profile: population, maps, real estate, averages, homes, statistics, relocation, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, moving, houses, news, sex offenders

What's the attraction of living there?


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## craftercool (Sep 5, 2015)

EVHB said:


> It's Hispanic,


You just said it: It's hispanic; I'm Mexican, and is the nearest option that I have from the point where my relatives lives.


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## craftercool (Sep 5, 2015)

mamasue said:


> Just wondering....what visa are you planning to use?


Not sure of what kind of visa, I already have a B1/B2 but the thing is that we already started the procedure to get me a green card.


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## mamasue (Oct 7, 2008)

craftercool said:


> Not sure of what kind of visa, I already have a B1/B2 but the thing is that we already started the procedure to get me a green card.


Which procedure?


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## StellaJefferson (Sep 8, 2015)

In El Paso cost of Living Indices is as follows: 
Overall index 89
Housing index 84
Taxes index 48
Healthcare index 110
Childcare index 87
Transportation index 105
Other necessities index 91


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## craftercool (Sep 5, 2015)

mamasue said:


> Which procedure?


Direct Consular Filing


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

As you and your wife plan to move to El Paso as you have family there - talk to them. Cost of living fluctuates greatly in Texas; often between suburbs. They can give you first hand accounts of their actual expenses.


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## craftercool (Sep 5, 2015)

twostep said:


> As you and your wife plan to move to El Paso as you have family there - talk to them. Cost of living fluctuates greatly in Texas; often between suburbs. They can give you first hand accounts of their actual expenses.


I'll sure do, I just wanted to have more points of view, but now I have an idea of what awaits us there.


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## Boddis (Dec 28, 2020)

craftercool said:


> Hi there, my wife and I are planning to move to El Paso, Texas soon, it seems right now that it's our best option and we already started the consular procedure.
> 
> The thing is that our salaries in Mexico will never give us the opportunity to buy a house and since she's an american citizen we already filed the petition to finally leave here and start a new life there.
> 
> ...




how did you solve the issue?


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

This thread is 6 years old.....


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