# Living in Guadalajara



## toakagrawal

Hi,

I am moving to Guadalajara, Mexico for the professional work for around one year.
I am not aware about the Guadalajara, If someone can help me in understanding the place that will help me a lot.

1. What is the rent of a house near "Av Mariano Otero # 1249" area in Guadalajara?

2. What is the income tax we need to pay in Guadalajara for a salaried person?

3. Did people understand English there (Especially doctors)?

4. How much in average it will cost for a small family in Guadalajara?

5. What is the status of the Indians there?

6. How is the place safety wise, especially for expats?

Thanks in advance for the all the effort you take to answer my questions.

Regards,
Amit


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## Detailman

Toakagrawal,

I don't understand. On August 31st you posted:

"I am an Indian moving to Queretaro, Mexico for the professional work purpose.
I am not much aware, how thing are in Mexico."

Two days later (today) you post basically the same thing except now it is "Guadalajara."

Has your employer changed his mind in the last 48 hours or have you changed your mind within the last 48 hours as to where you are now moving?


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## toakagrawal

Yes, dear you are right my company is now sending me to "Guadalajara" instead of "Queretaro".


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## Guest

Now looks like market research for a call center troll to me. Better learn Spanish and do your own research, dude. Google is your friend, not me.


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## toakagrawal

No, Dear I am not doing research for a call center. I am a software professional. My company has office in both the places. Initially they were planning to send me "Queretaro" but now due to some client issue they are sending me to "Guadalajara". 

If you do not want to help me, it is all your wish.

Thanks you very much.

Regards,
Aagrawal


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## ronb172

Just to clarify the grammer, drop the "dear". It doesn't work in this context. Just FYI


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## DNP

If I were in your shoes I would want to know what to expect too.

I assume that the company you will work for hasn't been helpful.

There are just so many variables involved, like what are you hoping for, and how much can you afford, that it's difficult for many of the people in this forum, myself included, to come up with the answers you seek.

With that in mind, have you contacted any of the employees that work there now under similar circumstances, who have gone through this before who may be able and willing to share their experiences with you that you could contact by e-mail?

Guadalajara is a huge, cosmopolitan city, meaning there's a lot available, depending, again, on what you are hoping for and what you are willing and able to spend.




toakagrawal said:


> No, Dear I am not doing research for a call center. I am a software professional. My company has office in both the places. Initially they were planning to send me "Queretaro" but now due to some client issue they are sending me to "Guadalajara".
> 
> If you do not want to help me, it is all your wish.
> 
> Thanks you very much.
> 
> Regards,
> Aagrawal


WashDC/SMA


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## toakagrawal

Hi DNP, 

Thank you for understanding my situation. There are 2-3 people are there in Mexico from our company. I am trying to get their information, will contact them asap.

I understand it depends on a number of variables to answer the questions I am asking. What I expect is, if person will give me some information based on his experience that will be of great help.

Thanks for your valuable time.

Regards,
Amit


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## Salto_jorge

How large is this company ?
Do they have established customers in Mexico ?
Will you use English or Spanish at work ?

Next, since Guadalajara is the second largest city in Mexico, what Colonia will you be in, the office in ? Housing costs vary greatly by Colonias. Do you need a yard or is concrete fine ? Do you need an apartment, condo, townhouse or house ? Gated coto or not ? Do you expect to drive or take the bus ? Taxie service on a regular basis is costly.

Will you be eating street food (tacos stands) on a daily basis or shopping in grocery stores or membeship stores for food. Plus will you be cooking and eating every meal at home ?

Electricity is expensive in Mexico.
If you do not need or use airconditioning you can save some money.

Are you comparing prices to some unknown city in the US or India ?

The more information that you can provide the better.





This old web site could help.
Precios en Mxico / Coste de la vida en Mxico


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## Salto_jorge

Then again how about a single room in a house or a bed in a shared room.

Check craigslist or vivastreet

Also found this link

Cost of Living in Mexico. Prices in Mexico.


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## Davidc

toakagrawal said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am moving to Guadalajara, Mexico for the professional work for around one year.
> I am not aware about the Guadalajara, If someone can help me in understanding the place that will help me a lot.
> 
> 1. What is the rent of a house near "Av Mariano Otero # 1249" area in Guadalajara?
> 
> 2. What is the income tax we need to pay in Guadalajara for a salaried person?
> 
> 3. Did people understand English there (Especially doctors)?
> 
> 4. How much in average it will cost for a small family in Guadalajara?
> 
> 5. What is the status of the Indians there?
> 
> 6. How is the place safety wise, especially for expats?
> 
> Thanks in advance for the all the effort you take to answer my questions.
> 
> Regards,
> Amit


Rent depending on the house and location of course but probably around $2,000 to $3,000 dollars per month, again depending on the type and quality of house.
Yes, English is understood by professionals, doctors, etc. but check out Mexican Social Security, IMSS, for medical needs.
Your cost of living could be as little as 1/5th that of USA, depending again on where you are coming from.
Indians, make up a large part of the city but are so mixed into the culture that they don´t stand out except for those in need of money for the sale of trinkets. 
Safety! Guada. is very safe except for the traffic which has a tendency to be crazy at best. What you hear about slayings is more confined to other states and usually within the drug business that rarely overflows into public life. Expats 
don´t have trouble within the community as long as they are courteous, friendly and willing to adjust to a foreign environment. If you are a member of twitter, sign in and go to ¨who to follow¨ then type in guadalajarachat which will give you access to questions and answers locally. 
Also, it can lead you to guadalajarachatter.blogspot.com for more information.
Good luck!


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## Balboa

Davidc said:


> Rent depending on the house and location of course but probably around $2,000 to $3,000 dollars per month, again depending on the type and quality of house.
> Yes, English is understood by professionals, doctors, etc. but check out Mexican Social Security, IMSS, for medical needs.
> Your cost of living could be as little as 1/5th that of USA, depending again on where you are coming from.
> Indians, make up a large part of the city but are so mixed into the culture that they don´t stand out except for those in need of money for the sale of trinkets.
> Safety! Guada. is very safe except for the traffic which has a tendency to be crazy at best. What you hear about slayings is more confined to other states and usually within the drug business that rarely overflows into public life. Expats
> don´t have trouble within the community as long as they are courteous, friendly and willing to adjust to a foreign environment. If you are a member of twitter, sign in and go to ¨who to follow¨ then type in guadalajarachat which will give you access to questions and answers locally.
> Also, it can lead you to guadalajarachatter.blogspot.com for more information.
> Good luck!


Wow! Thats expensive rent


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## Isla Verde

Balboa said:


> Wow! Thats expensive rent


I agree. That's lots more than you'd pay in Mexico City for a fabulous apartment in a really nice part of town.


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## TundraGreen

Davidc said:


> Rent depending on the house and location of course but probably around $2,000 to $3,000 dollars per month, again depending on the type and quality of house.


Where is that? On top of the hill in upper Bugambilias? I have some friends that have a nice 3 bedroom house in Centro for $4200 pesos ($300) per month. I have no doubt that you can spend as much as you want, but it is a mistake to think that you have to spend that much.


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## Davidc

*Rent variable?*



Balboa said:


> Wow! Thats expensive rent


Yes, that is for a family home of high quality in an area like providencia or san javier.
Not the highest rent in that area but close. It depends on what your life style requires. There are areas in Guada that can be rented for $500.00 month, but that depends on how you feel about those locations and type of housing. There is everything available here and I would suggest you not commit yourself to anything long term until you have a chance to check it all out. Many areas are safer than others. I am attaching some local Guada newspapers you can study. They are in Spanish, however, if you have a computer with a translator, it turns it all to English.
If you have any questions as to specific locations that sound good to you and you want some input, let me know. Do you want to be near your work or how much time to devote to driving? Also, what time would you be on the road as traffic jams up at certain hours in certain places. Hope this helps. Not easy I know. It´s foreign but in no time you adjust and life is simple again. Good luck.
El Informador, Mural, Ocho Columnas & Publico (all are on line)


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## Davidc

*Moving to Guadalajara*

Better reconfigure your budget as the peso is about to make things a lot more expensive in the sense that imported products will be going through the roof and rent will be affected as well as food. Right now rent should be fairly decent as there is much available in Guadalajara and you should be able to negotiate it down, but the future holds inflationary increases in everything so don´t wait too long.


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## Isla Verde

Davidc said:


> . . . but the future holds inflationary increases in everything so don´t wait too long.


The future is here. Last night when my pizza was delivered, I was told that the price for a small "paquete" of pizza and a "refresco" had just jumped from $55 to $61.


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## Balboa

I would trade New York City for Guadalajara anytime of the day.


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## TundraGreen

Balboa said:


> I would trade New York City for Guadalajara anytime of the day.


???
I agree that Gdl is no NYC, but it is comparing apples and oranges. I see no criteria on which they are at all comparable: weather, cost of living, availability of culture, friendliness of locals, opportunities for employment, etc. In every case, one of the other is clearly superior and it just depends on what you are looking for.


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## Balboa

TundraGreen said:


> ???
> I agree that Gdl is no NYC, but it is comparing apples and oranges. I see no criteria on which they are at all comparable: weather, cost of living, availability of culture, friendliness of locals, opportunities for employment, etc. In every case, one of the other is clearly superior and it just depends on what you are looking for.


let me rephrase..

I 'would give up NYC' in 'exchange for Guadalajara' anytime of the day...

I do believe the tap water is a tab bit better in NYC tho... hahaha


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## TundraGreen

Balboa said:


> let me rephrase..
> 
> I 'would give up NYC' in 'exchange for Guadalajara' anytime of the day...
> 
> I do believe the tap water is a tab bit better in NYC tho... hahaha


Aha. Now I understand. I was trying to figure out why someone would live in Mexico and post to a Mexico forum about the advantages of NYC.


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## Prabhakart

Hi Amit,

I have more or less same questions as you had.
I am planning to relocate in Guadalajara through an IT company.
Could you please let me know what is the average cost of living for a small vegetarian family. I will be moving with my wife and kid.
I was also bit concerned with safety. however after going through the posts it does not look like an issue.
How is your experience of the place ?


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## Isla Verde

Prabhakart said:


> Hi Amit,
> 
> I have more or less same questions as you had.
> I am planning to relocate in Guadalajara through an IT company.
> Could you please let me know what is the average cost of living for a small vegetarian family. I will be moving with my wife and kid.
> I was also bit concerned with safety. however after going through the posts it does not look like an issue.
> How is your experience of the place ?


This thread is a year and a half old, so there's a good chance that Amit is no longer participating on this Forum. However, no doubt members living in the Guadalajara area will soon chime in with answers to your questions.


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## Longford

Prabhakart said:


> Hi Amit,
> 
> I have more or less same questions as you had.
> I am planning to relocate in Guadalajara through an IT company.
> Could you please let me know what is the average cost of living for a small vegetarian family. I will be moving with my wife and kid.
> I was also bit concerned with safety. however after going through the posts it does not look like an issue.
> How is your experience of the place ?


:welcome: to the Mexico Forum!

Lucky you, the opportunity to move to Mexico _and to have a job_ ... waiting for you!


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