# Living Cost In Queretaro



## toakagrawal

Hi,

I am an Indian moving to Queretaro, Mexico for the professional work purpose.
I am not much aware, how thing are in Mexico.
I appreciate, If someone can put some light on the following:

1. What is the cost of living for a family man with wife and a kid?

2. Did people understand English there, is it ok if the person do not know Spanish?

3. What is the status of Indians there?

4. How is the city for the foreigners?

Thanks,
Agrawal


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## Guest

toakagrawal said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am an Indian moving to Queretaro, Mexico for the professional work purpose.
> I am not much aware, how thing are in Mexico.
> I appreciate, If someone can put some light on the following:
> 
> 1. What is the cost of living for a family man with wife and a kid?
> *Depends on your life style, and where you are coming from...people here manage to live on anything from 3000 pesos a month, to more than 100 thousand a month. A US middle-class lifestyle for a family of three in Querétaro will probably run 18k to 30k pesos a month - that would include renting a 2 or 3 bedroom home, one car, bilingual school for the kid, etc.*
> 
> 2. Did people understand English there, is it ok if the person do not know Spanish?
> *There are many in Querétaro who speak English in varying degrees. Most companies doing international business have English speaking employees, many other people have spent time working in the US and have some English skills, and there are many English schools. Lots of kids study English in school too.
> 
> Life is much simpler and cheaper if you can speak Spanish, even if just the basics. The alternative is to make friends in the beginning who will help translate for you until you learn Spanish for yourself, an English speaking taxi driver, etc.*
> 
> 3. What is the status of Indians there?
> *I personally have never seen an Indian national in my time in Mexico. There are other foreigners though.*
> 
> 4. How is the city for the foreigners?
> *Sorry, no idea - I live in Querétaro state, but away from the city. Whenever I visit the city of Querétaro, I get in and out as fast as possible and don't interact with any foreigners there. Just not my type of lifestyle, and I am allergic to traffic.  One can find most things common to a US existence, not sure on availability of things such as Indian foods, etc. *
> 
> Thanks,
> Agrawal


See my responses above in red.


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## TundraGreen

toakagrawal said:


> ...
> 3. What is the status of Indians there?
> 
> 4. How is the city for the foreigners? ...


I spent several months living in Qro (and lots more time in Guadalajara). I can't remember seeing too many East Indians there except for several that I knew. I am not aware that there is any discrimination against them, if that is what you are asking.

Many foreigners apparently live in wealthy suburbs north of Qro, like Juraquilla. Most of the ones I knew lived in Centro. Centro is a great place to live. Living out of town in Juriquilla would mean that you have to get in a car every time you want to do anything or need to buy anything. Not my cup of tea, but everyone gets to choose their own lifestyle. In Centro, you can walk to Mercado de La Cruz for food, and to the plazas for entertainment and people watching and restaurants, and save the car for trips (or forgo a car entirely).


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## circle110

I haven't seen any Indian people while I've been in Queretaro and I have seen only a few Indian travelers passing through Guanajuato where I live. However, In Mexico City there are several small Indian communities. I sense no prejudice from the Mexicans in how the Indians are treated nor do they ever speak badly of them. I think you will be accepted just fine. I bet they will be curious about you, but in a good way.

It is interesting that in Mexico people from the country of India (always referred to as "La India") are called "Hindú" -- with the accent on the last syllable, never "Indio", which is the Spanish word for Indian. They save the word "Indio" to refer to Native Americans and some of the native peoples of Mexico. All people from the Indian subcontinent are called "Hindú", whether they practice the Hindu faith or not. 

They mean no offense by it, it is just the term they use. I struck me as odd at first but I got used to it and now use the word myself -- when I used to say "Indio", people always got confused.

I think you'll be treated well and you'll enjoy Queretaro and Mexico in general.


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## toakagrawal

Thank you very much for you responses.

GringoCArlos:
I thank you for your time and effort you have taken to response my question.

Actually I am a bit concerned about the cost of living. The range you have given is fair enough. But I am asking if A person wanted to stay in a medium standard place and having a simple life then what will be house rent and other expenses.

Thanks,
Agrawal


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## TundraGreen

toakagrawal said:


> ... Actually I am a bit concerned about the cost of living. The range you have given is fair enough. But I am asking if A person wanted to stay in a medium standard place and having a simple life then what will be house rent and other expenses. ...


What is a medium standard place? Are you one person? It is possible to live comfortably on less than $10,000 mxn/month. I know of a dozen people in Queretaro who are doing that right now. You can rent a room in a shared house for $1500/month and a small apartment for maybe twice that. Beyond that, it depends heavily on your lifestyle. Do you eat out or cook your own meals? How much time do you spend in bars? Do you want to have a car with its attendant expenses for gas and insurance?


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## Guest

Do you know which area you will be working in Querétaro? Queretaro is a city of about 600,000 and there is traffic in different parts of the day. I am not sure of what your expectations are, but there are lots of houses for rent. The city is growing about 10% per year. Will your wife be home all the time, how old is your child, do you need to be near schools, shopping, other English speakers, etc. ?

Here are rental examples I pulled in a quick search:

80 m2, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, new $5000 per month
70 m2, 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, $3300
100 m2 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, $4500
105 m2, 2 bedrooms, $2500
100 m2, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, $3500
100 m2, Juriquilla, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, $6500
240 m2, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, $10,500 per month

There are nice areas with gated entrances and not so nice areas with more noise, traffic, people hangng around, etc. Rental prices vary depending on the age of the house, area, etc. In Querétaro, the distance between work and home can be 5 minutes, or it could be 45-60 minutes. Once you know where you will be working, it is always better to see the area in person before you rent anything. One sign of a better area which I use is the amount of spray paint on walls in the area. None is the best indicator. 

Landlords can be really good or really bad. I rented my house directly from the owner on a handshake, 2 months upfront, I fix anything minor myself instead of nagging the owner, my rent has increased $200 pesos a month once in 5 years and I have never had any problems. On the other hand, I have heard horror stories from others.

Others will know better about rental contracts and deposits, but you will probably pay 3 months rent upfront and sign some type of contract for a house. Many houses come with the utilities already in place, so you wouldn't need to worry about chasing around or paying deposits to get electricity, telephone or water. Probably so for cable TV and internet service. 

You may need to buy an empty gas cylinder at a hardware store for about $900 and then call the gas company to come and trade the empty one for a full one. A 60kg cylinder will cost about $325 and last for 6 to 10 weeks for 3 people. 5 gallons of bottled water delivered will cost $25. Houses may come equipped with a stove but not a refrigerator or other appliances. Good places to buy appliances are Sam's Club, Aurrera, Coppel or Elektra, and there are usually guys with a truck they use who will deliver into your home for another $200 pesos.

You probably won't need A/C. Electricity can run from $15 to $40 per month. Water probably less than $25 per month. Telephone from $25 a month. Internet and cable TV $40-$60 a month. Cellphones - no idea as I don't have one. Taxis cost 30 or 40 pesos per ride, buses much less, and there is good transportation in place depending on where you choose to live - fewer taxis and buses in well-to-do areas. Buses to cities 2 or 3 hours away cost about $250 one way. Private schools can cost from $500 a month to as much as $5000 a month.

Groceries can run from $1500 to $8000 per month depending on your food tastes and habits. There are many giant supermarkets and lots of small fruit/ vegetable vendors spread through the city. If your wife is not working, how much does she like to shop and how much does she spend? Lots of unknowns, but hope this helps.


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## RVGRINGO

Mexican Immigration will require that you prove a monthly income, or equivalent savings/investments, of about $1300 USD in order to qualify for a residence visa. Otherwise, you are limited to 180 days on a tourist permit. You will be working, but that will give you an idea of what would be required for a non-working person. Half of that amount would be required for dependents and some consideration is given to homeowners, as well.
So, if you will be able to meet that amount, as a guide, you will be able to manage. We own our home and have two cars and three dogs. So, without rent, we still spend about $20,000 USD per year to live. We do have a gardener twice a week and a maid once a week. As prices increase, and our pension does not, it becomes a bit more difficult each year.


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## Guest

RVGRINGO said:


> Mexican Immigration will require that you prove a monthly income, or equivalent savings/investments, of about $1300 USD in order to qualify for a residence visa. Otherwise, you are limited to 180 days on a tourist permit. You will be working, but that will give you an idea of what would be required for a non-working person. Half of that amount would be required for dependents and some consideration is given to homeowners, as well.
> So, if you will be able to meet that amount, as a guide, you will be able to manage. We own our home and have two cars and three dogs. So, without rent, we still spend about $20,000 USD per year to live. We do have a gardener twice a week and a maid once a week. As prices increase, and our pension does not, it becomes a bit more difficult each year.


Plus additional qualifying income for his two dependents, right? I also rely on USD, and price increases have not affected me as much as the drop in the exchange rates over the past 3 or 4 years. Same effect as inflation.


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## toakagrawal

Thank you very much for your valuable inputs.

Can you please tell me what is the amount of tax an employed person has to pay on his salary? 

Thanks,
Amit


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## Guest

toakagrawal said:


> Thank you very much for your valuable inputs.
> 
> Can you please tell me what is the amount of tax an employed person has to pay on his salary?
> 
> Thanks,
> Amit


Taxes in MX are something for *an accountant* (or your employer's payroll accountants) to figure out and do - they are very complicated, and lots of rules, and SAT ( SAT is the tax people in MX) is very nit-picky when it comes to squeezing the stones. 

Also, when you say that you are a "professional", (please don't be offended) that term means different things to different people in different countries. Are you a medical doctor, a dentist, a lawyer, or an engineer, manager, MBA etc? (seems as if EVERYONE today in the US is a "professional" something or other). Will you be self-employed or working for a company ?

Here is a 2011 monthly salary table for Professionals and Businessmen under SAT:

*From................... To..........................Tax.........Tax rate % above lower limit *
0.01.........................496...................-0-........plus...1.92%
496........................4210....................10......plus...6.40 % 
4210......................7399...................247.....plus...10.88 %
7399.......................8601..................594.....plus....16.00 %
8601....................10,298..................786....plus....17.92 %
10,298.................20,770................1090.....plus...21.36 %
20770..................32,786................3327.....plus....23.52 %
32,786.................and up................6141...plus..... 30% on amount above lower limit


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## conklinwh

I've sort of stayed out of this as we live 45min north of Queretaro although we do significant shopping there and really enjoy the wide variety of restaurants.
I spent 1-2 days every other month in Bangalore from 1997-1999 so my thoughts may be a little out of date. However, I see a lot of similarities between Bangalore of '97-'99 and Queretaro today. I usually spent at least my last night in India in Bangalore after traveling to Chennai, Mumbai & Delhi as I found it a lot less stressful. I felt very comfortable walking into town from the Oberoi and wandering in/out of shops, having dinner or meeting people for drinks(miss that Kingfisher). The same is really true of Queretaro centro.
I also think that the prices that I see in Queretaro, although high for Mexico, are very similar to what I remember from Bangalore.
One thing a lot better in Queretaro is the traffic. Although where you work will have some effect on where you live and how much that you will need a car, you can get almost anywhere pretty quickly when compared to Bangalore traffic.
I am a little surprised with some of your questions as would expect that your company would have those answers as well as a set of allowances based on living and moving options.
Are you moving without allowances and company help beyond sponsoring you for a visa? 
Where abouts in Queretaro will you be working? In Bangalore, did you like to live close to downtown or in one of the housing complexes that have sprung up?


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## Monty Floyd

GringoCArlos said:


> Do you know which area you will be working in Querétaro? Queretaro is a city of about 600,000 and there is traffic in different parts of the day. I am not sure of what your expectations are, but there are lots of houses for rent. The city is growing about 10% per year. Will your wife be home all the time, how old is your child, do you need to be near schools, shopping, other English speakers, etc. ?
> 
> Here are rental examples I pulled in a quick search:
> 
> 80 m2, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, new $5000 per month
> 70 m2, 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, $3300
> 100 m2 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, $4500
> 105 m2, 2 bedrooms, $2500
> 100 m2, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, $3500
> 100 m2, Juriquilla, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, $6500
> 240 m2, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, $10,500 per month
> 
> There are nice areas with gated entrances and not so nice areas with more noise, traffic, people hangng around, etc. Rental prices vary depending on the age of the house, area, etc. In Querétaro, the distance between work and home can be 5 minutes, or it could be 45-60 minutes. Once you know where you will be working, it is always better to see the area in person before you rent anything. One sign of a better area which I use is the amount of spray paint on walls in the area. None is the best indicator.
> 
> Landlords can be really good or really bad. I rented my house directly from the owner on a handshake, 2 months upfront, I fix anything minor myself instead of nagging the owner, my rent has increased $200 pesos a month once in 5 years and I have never had any problems. On the other hand, I have heard horror stories from others.
> 
> Others will know better about rental contracts and deposits, but you will probably pay 3 months rent upfront and sign some type of contract for a house. Many houses come with the utilities already in place, so you wouldn't need to worry about chasing around or paying deposits to get electricity, telephone or water. Probably so for cable TV and internet service.
> 
> You may need to buy an empty gas cylinder at a hardware store for about $900 and then call the gas company to come and trade the empty one for a full one. A 60kg cylinder will cost about $325 and last for 6 to 10 weeks for 3 people. 5 gallons of bottled water delivered will cost $25. Houses may come equipped with a stove but not a refrigerator or other appliances. Good places to buy appliances are Sam's Club, Aurrera, Coppel or Elektra, and there are usually guys with a truck they use who will deliver into your home for another $200 pesos.
> 
> You probably won't need A/C. Electricity can run from $15 to $40 per month. Water probably less than $25 per month. Telephone from $25 a month. Internet and cable TV $40-$60 a month. Cellphones - no idea as I don't have one. Taxis cost 30 or 40 pesos per ride, buses much less, and there is good transportation in place depending on where you choose to live - fewer taxis and buses in well-to-do areas. Buses to cities 2 or 3 hours away cost about $250 one way. Private schools can cost from $500 a month to as much as $5000 a month.
> 
> Groceries can run from $1500 to $8000 per month depending on your food tastes and habits. There are many giant supermarkets and lots of small fruit/ vegetable vendors spread through the city. If your wife is not working, how much does she like to shop and how much does she spend? Lots of unknowns, but hope this helps.


Are those amounts in pesos or dollars? It seems there is a mix.


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## Guest

GringoCArlos said:


> Do you know which area you will be working in Querétaro? Queretaro is a city of about 600,000 and there is traffic in different parts of the day. I am not sure of what your expectations are, but there are lots of houses for rent. The city is growing about 10% per year. Will your wife be home all the time, how old is your child, do you need to be near schools, shopping, other English speakers, etc. ?
> 
> Here are rental examples I pulled in a quick search:
> 
> 80 m2, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, new *5000 pesos *per month
> 70 m2, 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, *3300 pesos* per month
> 100 m2 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, *4500 pesos* per month
> 105 m2, 2 bedrooms, *2500 pesos* per month
> 100 m2, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath,* 3500 pesos* per month
> 100 m2, Juriquilla, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, *6500 pesos* per month
> 240 m2, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, *10,500 pesos* per month
> 
> There are nice areas with gated entrances and not so nice areas with more noise, traffic, people hangng around, etc. Rental prices vary depending on the age of the house, area, etc. In Querétaro, the distance between work and home can be 5 minutes, or it could be 45-60 minutes. Once you know where you will be working, it is always better to see the area in person before you rent anything. One sign of a better area which I use is the amount of spray paint on walls in the area. None is the best indicator.
> 
> Landlords can be really good or really bad. I rented my house directly from the owner on a handshake, 2 months upfront, I fix anything minor myself instead of nagging the owner, my rent has increased 200 pesos a month once in 5 years and I have never had any problems. On the other hand, I have heard horror stories from others.
> 
> Others will know better about rental contracts and deposits, but you will probably pay 3 months rent upfront and sign some type of contract for a house. Many houses come with the utilities already in place, so you wouldn't need to worry about chasing around or paying deposits to get electricity, telephone or water. Probably so for cable TV and internet service.
> 
> You may need to buy an empty gas cylinder at a hardware store for about *900 pesos* and then call the gas company to come and trade the empty one for a full one. A 60kg cylinder will cost about *325 pesos* and last for 6 to 10 weeks for 3 people. 5 gallons of bottled water delivered will cost *25 pesos*. Houses may come equipped with a stove but not a refrigerator or other appliances. Good places to buy appliances are Sam's Club, Aurrera, Coppel or Elektra, and there are usually guys with a truck they use who will deliver into your home for another 200 pesos.
> 
> You probably won't need A/C. Electricity can run from *180 to 500 pesos* per month. Water probably less than *300 pesos* per month. Landline telephone from 300 pesos a month. Internet and cable TV *500 to 700 pesos* a month. Cellphones - no idea as I don't have one. Taxis cost 30 or 40 pesos per ride, buses much less, and there is good transportation in place depending on where you choose to live - fewer taxis and buses in well-to-do areas. Buses to cities 2 or 3 hours away cost about *250 pesos* one way. Private schools can cost from *500 pesos* a month to as much as *5000 pesos *a month.
> 
> Groceries can run from *1500 to 8000 pesos* per month depending on your food tastes and habits. There are many giant supermarkets and lots of small fruit/ vegetable vendors spread through the city. If your wife is not working, how much does she like to shop and how much does she spend? Lots of unknowns, but hope this helps.


My bad - my edits above in red letters.


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## Monty Floyd

Thank you. Old farts like me get confused easily.


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## joaquinx

> A 30kg cylinder will cost about 325 pesos and last for 6 to 10 weeks for 3 people.


30 kg not 60kg.


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## Queretaro

Just to add my 2 cents. I have seen a number of Indian nationals in Querétaro, but it is relatively new. There are two large India based IT companies who have recently opened shop there. We have had a number of their employees study at our Spanish school and taking cooking classes with us. They said that each office had between 50-100 employees, mostly from India. 

From what I have seen there is no bias against Indians or most other ethicities in Querétaro (I am half Asian). Most of the time the worst you will get is curiosity or some innocent stereotyping (I am asked regularly if I know karate). The one small issue you may run into is finding ingredients to make the food you are used to. Querétanos are not very adventurous eaters (only one Indian restaurant in the city, and the owner is British) so you can't find most spices here. No demand.

All that being said, welcome to Querétaro when you arrive. It is a great city.


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