# Puerto Vallarta- a million questions!



## sillyrabbit (Nov 16, 2016)

Hi,

I want to apologize in advance for what I foresee will be a great deal of posts from me!

I'm seriously considering temporarily relocating to MX for the next 4 years but maintaining my U.S./CA residency. For a number of reasons I want my jumping off point to be on the Pacific side in a sizeable town with many flights back to CA, and many of the conveniences/things available that I'm used to. PV seems to fit the bill. I am planning a trip out there in January to check it out. I have been to MX and spent a summer at UNAM in the DF many years ago. I have always wanted to go back to live.

Questions:

1) Is reliable, high speed residential internet available? If so, monthly cost?

2) Best websites/places to look for rentals of 6mos+? Most of the ones I've found are in English and give (high) prices in USD or CDN. I can read Spanish and figure I'll find something cheaper on sites geared towards Mexicans. But not sure where to look.

3) How difficult is it to find a pet-friendly rental? So far I have not found many. (I have a medium size dog and a cat which will be coming with me. I may want to get a second dog once there).

4) Neighborhoods in PV that are quiet, safe, walkable to the business areas, with small single family homes in the $600-800 range (even possible?!) I am looking for quiet!

5) Realistic monthly cost to live in PV? I.e. rent for a small home, utilities (incl. internet and electricity with expectation of moderate AC usage.).

6) Safety for single woman?

7) How dog-friendly is PV? (are they allowed on beach/around town?)

8) Can you use google voice in MX??

Again, sorry for all the questions! I am getting very excited at the idea of a big change but want to be realistic about what I'm getting into.

Thank you!


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

I can address a few of your questions:



sillyrabbit said:


> Hi,
> 
> I want to apologize in advance for what I foresee will be a great deal of posts from me!
> 
> ...


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## Orfin (Sep 26, 2016)

PV is a good choice for options of every kind. 
All the big stores and other things that make the place meet tourists standards. I have been impressed with how even smaller cities have some of the big stores and some of the other things. 
Don't forget to check out the outlying areas around PV especially to the north as far up as Sayulita and maybe as far up as San Blas if you care to go that far. I drove so i am getting to see the whole pacific coast as far down as i care to go. Yucatan possibly.
I will be staying in or around PV soon. Been laid over in Mazatlan after 5 consecutive days of all day driving from USA.

I just got a cell phone with hot spot tethering and it came with telcel airtime included free for 20 days. All the calls and internet use i want for 20 days. I use the phone for wifi to my computer via the phone's tethering and hotspot feature. It lets the phone's network data internet connection be shared by other devices and even sends out a wifi adress name and lets you set a password for other devices to log into.
I have been using Wifi at the various hotels $22.5- $29.5 a night has been the range and i did not select the cheapest in town. At todays exchange rate, $30 is enough to get a decent place for the night even though $20 can also do the job..

Any way using hotel wifi and then i got the mexico smart phones and tried the Tethering hotspot and my computer tablet internet was actually faster than the hotel regular wifi. Except after work hours then the signal slowed. Also some web pages were slow and one even got stuck loading and i gave up. Cost varies as you can pay as you go 100 peso or get an internet package at some level. My internet use is flexible and i can manage without unlimited wifi. I haven't experienced any internet worse than what i have experienced in USA. Yet...
My mexican bought Samsung made for Telcel(mexican network) has google voice option among a lot of apps made for latin america via Claro. 

I do the phone route because i am cruising all over and need connection on the road or in any random small town i may end up. Even brought my own portable airconditioner in case i end up without where i would want it. Advatages of driving. Bring what you want.

Airbnb rentals is a good place to look and just set the filter to your price range and zoom the map feature into the specific location and "do search in that area".. 
Craigslist offerings are very extensive for PV compared to other places along the coast. But craigslist offerings can be high end and some low end. I would search craigslist and make contact for more details, but get to PV and settle up to a week in a hotel to search out a decent place. You can make up the difference of hotel cost in finding something cheaper rather than jump in day one not knowing you paid too much or the place is too bad.
Also the options on craigslist and Airbnb vary between entire homes, shared homes, studio apartments, even long term hotel setups. Some are even hostels where random people all sleep in bunks in several rooms. PV can be more expensive especially online. $500-$600 is doable online and i think even less if you take time on the ground. People paying well over $1000 a month still run into problems and i have heard more stories about crooked landlords among people paying $2000 than i have from people paying $600 and less. The simple mexican people are the best. 

I have seen ****** tourists in my hotel holding their little yapper dogs and even saw two small dogs in the immigration line with a ****** couple. We all got our immigration papers sorted and that was it. No cages or anything like what would be required in USA at hotels or government facilites. Dont expect to just get a free pass with a dog anywhere though. I doubt restaurants will be as easy as that and any place really depends on their experience with dogs there and the house rules per venue. 

If you do not have a car, $1200 a month is comfortable if you plan to spend $600 on rent. You will be able to have your utilities with wifi, very decent food budget if you are not always eating out at the more pricey places, and will be able to pay for some transport costs. I budgeted that much and it ends up covering my gas costs and even oil change. I found my food budget to be excess once i went grocery shopping. One day's food budget covered me for two days of home cooking. Eating out 3 times a day uses my full daily food budget and its between $5 and $7 to eat out in a decent place. Just once a day eating out is enough to save me from my terrible cooking anyhow  .

My rent budget and hotel budget is also excessive so far. I was expecting $40 and have averaged $25 for very decent hotel/motels. And i drive ,which lets me stay outside of the city for fresher quieter air and things are cheaper out there. So my $500 rent budget is also down to around $350 or less for a place with a fenced drivway to park and furnished with basic survival needs. Of course i brought a lot of my own stuff from bedding to kitchen ware and my own Air conditioner despite there most often being ariconditioner at the $500 budget rate. Even at $350, there is an old window box airconditioner. Better than nothing. 
The exchange rate from the US$ is the big budget advantage right now. I hope it lasts. 
I saved enough of my budget so far that i was able to buy a nice phone and still haven't touched my misc. budget for things such as a phone. Even had a guy detail my car for me at the mall parking lot. He restored my old stained headlights and my old car looks newer than it did when i bought it a few years ago. $30 was high but it was so overdue and i had searched for someone in USA to help me restore the headlight clarity and never found someone but saw an out of town offering for $50 to just do the headlights.
$30 in mexico got the headlights and the entire car done and he came to find me in the parking lot after seeing my bug splattered car roll in.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

If you plan to travel across the border with pets, Mexico limits you to two pets per person.
It is illegal to take your pets into restaurants. Most hotels do not allow them; but some few do.
Leashes are required.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

RVGRINGO said:


> If you plan to travel across the border with pets, Mexico limits you to two pets per person.
> It is illegal to take your pets into restaurants. Most hotels do not allow them; but some few do.
> Leashes are required.


RV, ADUANA changed it to 3 mascotas [pets] per person a few years ago.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Thanks. I had not heard of the change.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

Does the OP realize she will have to apply for the Temp.Residence Visa at the Mexican Counsel in her home country unless she is coming to check things out on an FMM which is good for a 180 day stay.
OP how are you going to support yourself?


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

I don't know about PV, but beaches in Cancun have signs up with various rules, including no dogs allowed. 

With respect to finding a quiet place to live, I'm afraid you're going to have to reset your expectations. Mexico just has a whole different attitude about acceptable levels of noise. Seems like the only rule is anybody can make as much noise as they want wherever and whenever they want.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

We entered in 2001 with 6 pets or 3 per person.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

eastwind said:


> With respect to finding a quiet place to live, I'm afraid you're going to have to reset your expectations. Mexico just has a whole different attitude about acceptable levels of noise. Seems like the only rule is anybody can make as much noise as they want wherever and whenever they want.


Not in my neighborhood, or my building!


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

TundraGreen said:


> I can address a few of your questions:
> 1) Is reliable, high speed residential internet available? If so, monthly cost?
> Yes. Exact costs depend on company and package, but I get around 15 Mbps for around $400 mxn.
> 
> ...


I can't add much to TGs excellent responses, but the topic piqued my interest because I frequently visit in-laws in PV and just spent a few days there, coming back yesterday. Cost: at the high-end the sky's the limit. PV is quite popular with fat-portfolio retirees and a favorite hang-out for young trust-fund babies, mostly on the beach between the centro and the airport. There's still something for everyone, including some clean, safe and comfortable hotels on the edge of the downtown area. 400 pesos for a single, but most don't allow pets, speaking of which, there don't seem to be many in that area. As far as renting for more long term, landlords will be more indifferent if the place is old and minimally furnished. Hike around the hillsides just south and east of the old quarter, and you'll find some modest places with steep climbs and a great view. The Centro is pretty safe, and I've never sensed any physical danger nor had any trouble leaving a vehicle on the street overnight. As far as personal safety for a lone female, use the standard precautions, but I suspect your greatest bother might be unwanted attention from NOB tourists feeling energetic and amorous after a few margaritas.
I'd never want to live in PV, but it's alright to visit. It's getting too big, hectic, traffic-plagued and there are just too many expats and tourists, especially the obnoxious ostentatious ones. For a little quiet and relaxation, I'd suggest looking up in Nayarit.


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