Is 1,500,000 CP enough to live decent life in Medellin?

Papasotee says on May 2, 2009, 16:34:

Thanks for reply.

I'm from Europe but I thought that with 1.5 million CP/month in Medellin, I could live a decent enough lifestyle :(

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 2, 2009, 16:55:

For 1.5 mil cp you could live in Utopia Texas.....=)

"So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com

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Bill Turley (Moderator) says on May 2, 2009, 17:00:

It really depends on what you mean by decent standard of living. There are other factors such as climate that should decide for you. Living in the country like I do is much cheaper but there is NO night life, discos etc. You can rent a 2 BR apartment for 200,000COP, for instance. Meals out 12,000COP for more than you can eat, etc

Mr. Bill Somondoco

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Papasotee says on May 2, 2009, 17:11:

Thanks for replies. By decent lifestyle I mean a bedroom (preferably ensuite) in a shared apartment in a relatively safe area. Enough money to eat out a few times/month and go out for a few drinks at the weekend, and enough for public transport. Overall, I will be living a fairly simple life. I will mainly be cooking myself.

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Lisa Zee says on May 2, 2009, 17:36:

" You can rent a 2 BR apartment for 200,000COP"????? where in Medellin?
200.000 COP

=

$0.0873881 USD
Colombia Pesos United States Dollars
1 COP = 0.000436940 USD 1 USD = 2,288.64 COP
200.000 COP

=

The truth will set you free.

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Lisa Zee says on May 2, 2009, 17:41:

Yes I know, He live in paradise, that is for sure, but the OP is asking for Medellin, that is why I got confused.

Bill, you should show us photos of where you live, the town and vicinity, please.

The truth will set you free.

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mranderson says on May 2, 2009, 17:44:

It´s not enough...you´ll get bored after a year with that tight budget.

It would be enough if you first buy an apartment to live in and buy a small moto. Motos are cheaper than public transportation, especially taxis.

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mranderson says on May 2, 2009, 17:46:

Snappy, for example?

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durito2 says on May 2, 2009, 18:32:

"If you have the gut to stay in strata 3 and 4 in Buenos Aires or Boston, you can pperhaps find a shared apartment for 350.000 with one or 2 other roomates... PLUS utilities..."

There are tons of safe estrato 3 and 4 neighborhoods in Medellin. Buenos Aires and Boston are not among them.


As for the OP. I could get by on that just fine, but I wouldn't want to. If you want to travel any, especially internationally, it will be impossible.

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mranderson says on May 2, 2009, 19:17:

Buenos aires and boston aren´t safe?? I thought they were. I have a couple of aquaintances in those areas.

You can rent an entire house all to yourself for 350.000 pesos a month (unfurnished) in an estrato 2 or 3 nieghborhood. Most gringos will probably tell you it´s too dangerous but better to go off the advice of locals.

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durito2 says on May 2, 2009, 19:23:

I worded that wrong perhaps. They are certainly safe enough. My point was there's tons of estrato 3 and 4 neighborhoods that are safe.

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Robert Jorge says on May 2, 2009, 19:27:

I could live comfortably in Villao for 1.5 per month. I did actually 3 years ago. But I only require beer money and rent/utilities money for a nice estrato 2 house.

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mranderson says on May 2, 2009, 19:30:

Durito, I totally agree. I´m happy in estratos 2-4. I wouldn´t want to go lower or higher. Some lower estratos have very nice housing.

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durito2 says on May 2, 2009, 19:33:

no drinks for me anymore. that's why i'm home at 9:34 on sat night :)

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RAAAY says on May 2, 2009, 19:53:

1.5 mil per month......?? NO way...............I've had bar tabs bigger than that in Mango's........no food, no door price, and still didn't get ........you know...afterwards.

.

It's useless to argue with ignorance...

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RAAAY says on May 2, 2009, 20:00:

Pbs............the funny part of that particular bar tab story is..........I wasn't joking.

.

It's useless to argue with ignorance...

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ddluzdelsol says on May 2, 2009, 20:29:

sorry, gringa here with a gringa question... please define strata.. i've heard strata and barrio used ... and the differnce is?
is this term used just in medellin or all over colombia?

(one way to learn is to ask, ya?)

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billyb says on May 2, 2009, 20:34:

Barrios are neighborhoods, which are then classified, officially, by strato, from 1-6, 6 being the highest, for utility billing and property tax purposes. And they are also used, informally, to classify those living there socio/economically.

"All I want to know is where I'm going to die, so I never go there" Unkown (at least to me) wise man.

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Robert Jorge says on May 2, 2009, 21:39:

Note to self: Don't go to Medellin.

Seriously, I lived in an estrato 4 apartment for 450.000 a month, (furnished) Utilities including Internet when it finally got hooked up, were another 200.000. My expenses outside of that were nada. Just beer money and entrance fees to the zoo and pools outside of town. Eating at "normal" tiendas was cheaper than I could buy the food at supermarcados. 2.5 mil for a giant bowl of mondongo or menudencias. 11 mil for a whole rotiss chicken with potates and sweet platanos. With a little time and effort, I could find an awesome estrato 2 house for 250-300.00 there.

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Papasotee says on May 3, 2009, 05:21:

From reading some of the responses, it seems that I will need more than I had budgeted for :(

I may be able to live on 2,000,000 CP/month but that's really my maximum allowance.

What estrato is Prado Centro in?

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durito2 says on May 3, 2009, 05:46:

estrato's don't necessarily compare across different cities, or even within the same city. i'm right outside medellin in an estrato 2/3 neighborhood that would be at least 4 if it was in the city.

there are also plenty of wonderful colombians that live in estrato 5 and 6. my experience is that you will get along best in the long run with people from your same socio-economic background. for foreigners, that generally means living an upper class life in colombia.

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Bill Turley (Moderator) says on May 3, 2009, 06:42:

Hi Liza
As my signature says I live in Somondoco,Boyaca. If you do a search for meetup in Somondoco, here on pbh you will find some pictures. I don't rent an apartment, I built a nice sized house on 1.5 hectares, all on my SSA pension. I will try to post a photo of my yard. There are pictures of some orchids that I posted last year on pbh also

Mr. Bill Somondoco

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CaptainHowdy00 says on May 3, 2009, 08:16:

Miguel Clavo said "For 1.5 mil cp you could live in Utopia Texas.....=)"


They don't accept cp in Utopia, Texas...

Some people have the luck of the Irish. I have the luck of George Costanza!

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 3, 2009, 08:36:

CH00...i think you missed the boat on that one.....=)...ps. it was an inside joke, so you wouldnt be expected to know the significance....=)

"So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com

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kenblanquito says on May 3, 2009, 09:04:

If my wife and I remove the majority of luxuries from our lifestyle, we need a minimum of 2 million Pesos per month to survive comfortably. And we do not pay rent as we live in our own house.
If you needed to pay rent, I would say a minimum for a young person to live above the survival level would be 2 million. And avoid expensive places while you are at it.

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Lisa Zee says on May 3, 2009, 11:11:

"CH00...i think you missed the boat on that one.....=)...ps. it was an inside joke, so you wouldnt be expected to know the significance....=)"
LOL Miguel,jajajajaja

The truth will set you free.

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Papasotee says on May 3, 2009, 14:12:

Thanks Tone Loc,

I won't be using prostitutes or cocaine at all, and will only be using taxis occasionally, so I guess I can save money on those expenses ;)

But seriously, 1.200.000 daily food (30x 40.000) is a lot more expensive than I'd anticipated. Do you ever cook for yourself?

Suerte.

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kenblanquito says on May 3, 2009, 16:04:

Those costs suggest that the person NEVER cooks. And either eats at upmarket restaurants or eats at least 2 large meals per day.

If you cook for yourself and buy fruit/veg/meat at a market, you will spend less than half of that and eat healthily and very well.

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makopp5 says on May 3, 2009, 17:08:

1.200.000 is for a muchacha de servicio (20.000 pesos a day) and 20.000 pesos for food. And if she is good, than you have the full fun package, for just 1.200.000 and food included.

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span_colombia says on May 3, 2009, 18:11:

public transportation will drive you crazy if you regularly use it at rush hour. live close to where you gotta be, avoid traveling too much on a daily basis, get a bike, try to walk, have lots of money and buy a car ;)

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durito2 says on May 3, 2009, 18:12:

the car will drive you even more nuts during rush hour

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Catfish35 says on May 3, 2009, 18:42:

Dn't even try that stunt..you will need mo money!

Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."

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CakeDesigner-wannabe says on May 3, 2009, 18:46:

need prostitutes???? I am handsome enough to get FREE jajajajaja

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dtbrooklyn says on May 3, 2009, 18:52:

wow. wow. wow.

To the original poster: i really hope you a) you are trolling or b) you have the common sense to figure out that a large majority of these guys are completely full of horse crap.

1) I lived in BsA last year, and there is no comparison. Medellín is MUCH less expensive to live in.

2) I earn between 1.5 and 2 million a month here. I live in an estrata 5 neighborhood (a nice part of Belén), with 24 hr security guard, pool, and all the other good stuff you mentioned. I also share my apt. with two others. For a room with a private bath, wireless internet, cable, etc.. i pay under 450mil including servicios. It ain't paradise, but it's nice. More or less I am living the simple life you described. I bought a bike and ride it work everyday, take the metro and busses a few times a week and taxis if i'm out late. I eat out for lunch every day (4,800) and for dinner on weekends, otherwise cook for myself. I go out for beers, to the movies, to clubs on the weekend. I can EASILY get by on 1.5 million a month. Traveling outside the city brings it up maybe a bit higher, but not much.

3) International travel is a no go on that kind of salary, unless you want to take 4 busses over 24 hours to get to Quito. Planes are too damn expensive.

if you have real questions, PM me and i'll tell you more.

porque no te callas?

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makopp5 says on May 3, 2009, 19:00:

elSapo

fuck your muchacha de servicio. ;-))

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pedro says on May 3, 2009, 20:04:

makopp5 (☼Travelguide writer) says on May 3, 2009, 19:00 (today): flag

elSapo

fuck your muchacha de servicio. ;-))
---

Or if you're costeno, buy a donkey.

"this may seem a strange post but it is not...when in colombia men need to be aware that colombia women may try to be seductive and entice a travelling gringo to have sex with them..to be forewarned is to be forearmed..." -- pow wow

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RAAAY says on May 3, 2009, 22:05:

I wonder if elSapo is here tonight.........??

It's useless to argue with ignorance...

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Papasotee says on May 4, 2009, 04:50:

"I can EASILY get by on 1.5 million a month."

Dtbrooklyn, thanks for your post!

I figure that a lot of the expats on this forum enjoying living the high life.

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webmanco says on May 4, 2009, 06:10:

Tonec Loc
AND IN BOGOTA IT IS HORRIBLE TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION... Look at transmilenio at rush hour. Forget it....

I expect Transmilenio to be crowded at rush hour, I had seen and ride in some Transmillens not to crowded, I though I was lucky to get a seat.

Cooking yourself is not as cheap as suggested.

As for transportation in any city the best is to buy a bike better with a ciclovia as Bogota´s or to buy a motorcicle.

No hay extremo cierto o verdadero, porque los extremos opacan, enruedan, (lavan cerebros) verdades. Yotas

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La_Huella says on May 4, 2009, 09:01:

Tone Loc there are people living the exact same lifestyle in MDE on 1.5 million as you are for 4 million. Gringos are just real stupid with their money. It's almost like they are on a mission to waste it as much as possible. Waste is at the very CORE of gringo culture. Here in Colombia people go very far with very little. It just takes a little brains, which could be a real problem for people here on PBH.

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mranderson says on May 4, 2009, 10:44:

I don´t have any problem living on 1.5 million here in medellin and I can even support my wife on that. But your lifestyle is going to change. After a couple years I have gotten bored of living the poor life and having to stretch every peso. I want to go out more often!

I would budget 3 million a month for the first few months until you learn the ropes down here and can find a cheap place to live. Unless you already have a very cheap place lined up.

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durito2 says on May 4, 2009, 10:51:

When I first though of moving to South America I thought I'd need one thousand USD per month to live. When I moved here two years ago I thought it would be more like two thousand, two years here and I think it will be more like three thousand. Obviously I could get by on a lot less (this is poor but happy after all) but I just don't want too. If you want to live alone, eat out (nice places not set lunch) regularly, and travel back home a couple times a year your costs are going to add up.

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Robert Jorge says on May 4, 2009, 12:12:

Yes,I admit it isn't Medelllin, but in Villao:
estrato 4 furnished apartment, barrio Canterana 450.000
all utilities including Internet 160.000(ish)
transportation 250.000 (per month MAX)

That's 860.000 cop per month or about $400 usd. 640.000 cop is a lot of money left over for food and drink - at least for me. But I cooked at home or ate sopa de mondongo or menudencias for 2.5mil a bowl. The most expensive meals I ate were 2lb chunks of carne for 9mil, or 12mil rotiss chickens.

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bickerss says on May 4, 2009, 12:14:

600,000 to 800,000 rent (shared in nice part of town - can be less) including utilities from what is seen advertised on PBH.

150,000 per week for grocery food = 600,000 (may be low on that??)

100,000 Thur / Fri / Sat - 1,200,000 (can be a lot less, depends what you like to do)

Gym monthly = 160,000

Tennis monthly= 80,000

Tennis coaching = 15,000 x 45 minutes x 8 = 120,000

Movies for 2 pers 3 times a week = 42,000 x 4 = 168,000

Taxis / metro = 50,000 a week = 200,000

Dinner out 2 times a week for 2 = 100,000 x 4 = 400,000

Dance classes = 120,000 7 hrs

Adding up to 3,848,000 per month!!!! Poblado living!!! = 1,673 USD / month

Note this is shared accom in great place which can be reduced if you like ie Belem etc and cancel out some of the activities!! Very comfortable living!!

Investment Strategy - buying when others are crying!! Offloading when others are gloating!!!

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Robert Jorge says on May 4, 2009, 12:15:

I forgot, I got a bandeja paisa once on the edge of 7 de agosto in Villao for about 10mil. It was enough food for 3 meals.

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durito2 says on May 4, 2009, 12:24:

Health Insurance 200,000 a month.
2 trips to USA per year ($2,000) 400,000 a month
Clothes
Books
etc, etc

It adds up.

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Tinto (Moderator) says on May 4, 2009, 12:36:

Two other important thing to keep in mind:

1. Is your income that's currently equivalent to 1.5 million pesos per month generated in pesos? If not, you could easily see 10% to 30% currency swings in a year.

2. Is your income adjusted for inflation? Colombian consumer price inflation has recently been in the 5-6% range and that's the best (lowest) in several decades.

As expected, the numbers you're getting for food and entertainment are all over the map. I could probably eat for $2 or $3 a day in the US, but I'd have to do all my own cooking, drink nothing but water and live like a hermit. I'd survive but it wouldn't be much fun. Likewise, you can certainly live on 1.5 million pesos per month in Medellin but drinking, entertainment, gifts, travel outside of Colombia -- most of the fun stuff is going to be pretty restricted.

I wanted access to health care, housing and education, but, no, I get potholes, trash and silicone tits instead. -Desi.

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bickerss says on May 4, 2009, 12:45:

Entertainment can be added up in a round-about way depending on what you drink and what sort of clubs / bars one likes.

Lleras cheap bar = 2,500 a beer, 7,000 for a cocktail.

Lleras more expensive bar = 5,000 for a beer or 8,000 for a schooner.

Envigado / Laureles bars = 2,500 to 2,500 beers.

Low key disco in Lleras = 10,000 entrance including at times 1 or 2 beers (ie Blue, San Pues, Vox)

Expensive disco entrance to 15,000 k and 8,000 beers (ie Folio).

Expensive disco la palmas = 10,000 or 15,000 entrance and 10,000 beers.

Cheap disco Las Palmas = at times 30,000 and all you can drink.

Envigado / 33 / 70 bar disco scene is cheaper and good fun.

Sabaneta disco bar scene is great and generallycheaper although u need a longer taxi ride (15,000 to 20,000 k)

Places like mangos charge 15,000 entrance on a standard night with 11,000 beres or up to 50,000 entrance on a special night.

Bogota

Good bars in Zona rosa charge 5,500 / 6,000 for a can or 9,000 for a schooner (ie BBC / Irish Pub).

2 blocks away you can find beers for 2,500 in a fun bar.

Discos cost 10,000 to 15,000 entrance and drinks around 8,000 a bottle. (ie salto, Kukamakara)

Always cheaper places around that are also a lot of fun ie Sand 4,000 a beer, 5 k entrance

Investment Strategy - buying when others are crying!! Offloading when others are gloating!!!

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Robert Jorge says on May 4, 2009, 12:46:

I forgot about health insurance. I didn't have any when I was there. Good point.

Tone, besides no museums or that kind of stuff, there isn't really anything that Villao lacks. But I am simple, and am content just playing tejo, getting drunk, making love, laying around the house sleeping, hiking, people watching, etc.

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span_colombia says on May 4, 2009, 13:34:

tone loc, do you live in medellin?

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njc (Dev team) says on May 4, 2009, 13:39:

I think the solution is easy: just add up the costs of the activities that plan on doing. There's plenty of information here on what individual things will cost.

It's pretty clear that different peoples' conception of what a "comfortable life" can be is quite different, so you need to work through the details of what that actually means to you.

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Robert Jorge says on May 4, 2009, 15:02:

Tone, I am not In Villao right now. But when I have been there, I saw very few gringos. Last time, I saw one. He was an oldish guy sitting in the hotel lobby. He was from Boston and the Neil Armstrong English school was putting him up in the hotel. He was a principle or director at the school.

Once, when I was there for 4 or 5 months, I saw a total of maybe 10 gringos. 5 were at club Kuarzo. They were obviously military dudes with their llaneritas. My last night there then, I saw another 4 or 5 in a club in 7 de agosto. My future ex wife's cousin pointed them out and said "Americanos"!! I told her nope, those are Euros. They didn't believe me but I could tell ... clothes, mannerisms etc. Anyway - they ended up being Swedes if I remember correctly.

I am sure I was the only gringo in Grenada (Meta), Puerto Lopez, San Martin, etc.

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Londoner says on May 4, 2009, 17:18:

Struggling to live on 5 million a month at the moment in Pereira.That,s me my wife and child in a high rise in estrato 6.No drinks,no smokes and a low profile car,not including international travel.Thank God for London income!

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durito2 says on May 4, 2009, 17:32:

Adding a wife and kid and i'd say double my previous estimates. So, I think I'd need 13,000,000 a month, at least.

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pedro says on May 4, 2009, 17:39:

Might as well round that up to 15 million. That gives you room for a mistress or two. :o)

"this may seem a strange post but it is not...when in colombia men need to be aware that colombia women may try to be seductive and entice a travelling gringo to have sex with them..to be forewarned is to be forearmed..." -- pow wow

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span_colombia says on May 4, 2009, 18:23:

lol

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 4, 2009, 18:25:

i cant believe there are so many broke ass motherfockers on this website.....bad life decisions or what? WTF????

"So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com

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La_Huella says on May 4, 2009, 18:36:

1.5 million is quite a ways above average income in Medellin.

Saying you need 3 million to live decently in Medellin is like saying you need $120k a year to live decently in NYC. According to that definition the majority of the population of BOTH of those cities lives in absolute misery!!!

I think you need 2 million to live well here in Bogota, 1.5 million to live more basically, 1 million to scrape by. If you can't get by on 3 million here you are an idiot who is overpaying.

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RAAAY says on May 4, 2009, 18:39:

PoorandUnhappy........


.

It's useless to argue with ignorance...

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RAAAY says on May 4, 2009, 22:24:

How much is your rent and utilities..?

.

It's useless to argue with ignorance...

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Robert Jorge says on May 5, 2009, 00:09:

I have to totally agree with La Huella.

The kind of money a lot of you guys are talking about to survive is more than I pay for my house here in Destin, Florida. $1700 a month mortgage and all the normal expenses associated with it like water, electric, phone, Internet, etc. Want a nice place less than .5 mile from the best beach in the world? I'll rent it for $1800 a month. I'll be in los llanos faster than crap goes through a goose. It's a nice place too. 2000 square feet, marble, granite, tile, 10 foot ceilings, treyed ceilings upstairs, recessed lighting, premium appliances, jacuzii, all the extras. The sand at the beach is literally like fine sugar. Google Miramar Beach or Destin or South Walton if you don't believe me.

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lpdiver says on May 5, 2009, 02:05:

RJ I gotta agree with ya about the beaches in the panhandle. I gotta get my wife over there. Problem is we are always hauling ass to Sarasota. Man talk about ugly beaches.

ts

Remember what the monkey says, "Fuck money it's free"

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RAAAY says on May 5, 2009, 06:55:

sounds nice RJ,,,,,,,,,,, and pretty good advertisment.

It's useless to argue with ignorance...

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La_Huella says on May 5, 2009, 10:18:

I find it pretty stupid the way people who have never attempted even to live here come on here and talk like they know what they were talking about.

My estimates of how much money it takes to live here actually went DOWN and a whole lot at that, the moment I started living here for real, and learning where to get the best deals like the locals did.

OTOH if you want to overspend by twice or three times for everything down here, be my guest. It's good for the local economy. Hell, do me a big favor and overspend on the prepagos, because then they will be able to take me to nicer places for dinner.

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dtbrooklyn says on May 5, 2009, 15:55:

Amen Huella!

For anyone who isn't even down here to tell me that I can't live the way I like on 1.5 million is a joke. As far as getting accustomed to living like a local, damn... that took me a couple of hours - eat out at lunch when it's cheap as hell, cook your own dinners during the week, take public transportation when it's running and save the taxis for late nights, and that's that.

Bickers is right on with his going out estimates. If i go out during the week, i like cheap places with beers under 3mil, on the weekends sure you can splurge, but at most places you won't pay more than 5 or 6 mil a beer (or better yet, go with friends and share a bottle or ron or guaro).

Housing is the biggest expense, like anywhere. I got a pretty good deal on my place, but you can easily find stuff for under 600mil which is safe, secure, and nice. El Poblado is not Medellín. look at other still safe, nice barrios (laureles, belen, conquistadores, el estadio, even Envigado and Sabaneta).

I don't save and skrimp at all on the weekends. I suppose the difference is, my idea of a nice restaraunt is Crispino's, or Royal Thai or the like where you can eat a meal for two plus drinks for under 80mil. And I don't need to drop money on prepagos or Mangos or the like. I find when I am with my colombian friends, they are the ones skrimping and saving (understandably so) while I gladly drop more than my share into the pot.

It's all a matter of perspective though. The same people who can't live on 1.5 million here, couldn't live on less than a 100 grand in NYC. i lived in a nice place in Brooklyn for 7 years making not even half of that. and i had a GREAT time. Of course, not having the expenses that come along with a family makes a HUGE difference. But my impression of most of the guys posting here is that they're not talking about supporting a family down here. (more like avoiding alimony or child support on some kids back in the states).

To the original poster: come down and enjoy the fantastic weather, beautiful girls, and potent guaro. Whatever your price range is, you'll find a way to make it work.

porque no te callas?

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poco says on May 5, 2009, 16:08:

Hey,, I'm not reading all these posts,,

but

That's about $650 U.S. dollars a month. Give me a break,, I thought $1,000 per month,, living like a king,, was a sign of brain death,, but,, this,, I could NOT live a decent life in the MOUNTAINS,, unless of course watching the paint peal or importing a bug zapper could be "living decent".. a person couldn't afford a POS Renault Master.

I'd pick the "Unclean Hand" because you'll be wiping your ass with it,, toilet paper will be a luxury.

Colombian Chickens are crowing about the new President of the U.S. who will assure that From each according to their ability to each according to their need.

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La_Huella says on May 5, 2009, 18:09:

Some of my expenses
Internet 49k a month (mobile internet, 1.4g)
Water 70 or 75k every 2 months
Electricity 18-24k a month
Gas 10-12k a month (hot water showers)
Cell phone 10k every 3 weeks or so.
Condo fees 128k a month (damn salario minimo went up and so did the condo fees)
EPS 62.125 a month

This is in Estrato 4.

I also put $25 in my Skype account every 3-4 months.

I will make a disclaimer, even some of my Colombian friends are amazed by this. But half of Bogota lives on that or less.

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makopp5 says on May 5, 2009, 19:26:

La Huella,

where in Bogota do you live? I come frecuently to Bogota.

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mranderson says on May 5, 2009, 19:58:

"I would be renting a room in a shared apartment."

Has papasotee every said how much his rent will be? Maybe if we knew the answer to that and what kind of lifestyle he has now and expects to have in medellin.

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Robert Jorge says on May 6, 2009, 00:41:

I paid less than 4mil a month in gas - but I didn't have hot water. Not needed in a place that has a mean temp of 80. My electric was 20 to 30mil a month. I didn't watch paint peel. I was constantly hanging out with ex family, and on days I had nothing going on, I slept, watched the TV, fooled around with the computer (joined PBH), played PS2 games, got drunk, etc. For me, that's Shan-gra-la. A typical night out was playing tejo. Free entry, and a carton of Aguilas at 35mil. (30 beers) Want something to do during the day - go to a pool outside of town for 5 mil entry. 1.5 mil beers. Food if you want it. Hike for free up in the mountains overlooking town. I just don't get why people would want to pay more - or feel it is necessary. Yep, Bogota is way more expensive, and Medellin is probably also more expensive to a lessor degree. But 3 or 4 or 5 million pesos a month - I would be able to live like a ........... nevermind. Very well.

And the offer still stands, if you guys want the best beach in the world, I will rent you a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bed primo house for $1800 / 4 million cop a month - furnished. 57' lcd tv with Bose and blueray, leather furniture, primo furniture, and .5 mile from sugar sand and clear emerald colored water. Rent it - I want to live in Villao!

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Papasotee says on May 6, 2009, 05:23:

MrManderson" Has papasotee ever said how much his rent will be? Maybe if we knew the answer to that and what kind of lifestyle he has now and expects to have in medellin."

I hope that the maximum rent I will pay for a room (with private ensuite) in a shared apartment in a relatively safe area in Medellin will be 500 mil CP/month max. Here in Europe, I have a good life but also relatively simple apart from foreign holidays. I enjoy going out at the weekend- be it restaurants, bars, cinema, nightclub etc.

During the week, I mainly cook for myself and don't really have time for socialising/entertaining because of work.

Another cost which I will have to factor into the equation is Spanish classess.

But seriously, some of the costs quoted above are higher than what I pay for a decent life here in Europe!

It is apparent that a significant number of posters enjoy throwing their money away.

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La_Huella says on May 6, 2009, 10:45:

RJ is right about that, I will say this... coming here is GREAT for decompressing and getting out of the gringo mindset of BUY BUY BUY WASTE WASTE WASTE. You really realize that there are other things in live besides money. And no you´re not bored!!! One thing you can NEVER be here is bored!

I won´t say where I live, but it´s Estrato 4... I will probably be moving sometime in the middle of the year as well, and if I do I will look for Estrato 4 again or maybe even 3 depending... probably rent a room before I buy again in 2010.

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poco says on May 6, 2009, 13:27:

Quote: Some of my expenses
Internet 49k a month (mobile internet, 1.4g)
Water 70 or 75k every 2 months
Electricity 18-24k a month
Gas 10-12k a month (hot water showers)
Cell phone 10k every 3 weeks or so.
Condo fees 128k a month (damn salario minimo went up and so did the condo fees)
EPS 62.125 a month
==============================
I clipped this out,, but this goes for other posts.

No insurance ?
No rent ? Paid cash?
No retirement?
Electricity,, what, 5 watt lights and a little refrig? I'd like to see a scanned bill,, w/ estrato 4 circled.
No clothes?
No food?
No transportation.
No entertainment past sitting in the park?
Never going anywhere?

My point is,, why live a life of poverty in Colombia,, poverty is much nicer in the U.S. and the jobs are better.

Colombian Chickens are crowing about the new President of the U.S. who will assure that From each according to their ability to each according to their need.

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 6, 2009, 15:08:

1.5 mil = decent life?........for me, no fokin way....if i wanted to live like a ghetto monkey, maybe.....

"So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com

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poco says on May 6, 2009, 15:22:

Quote: Poco, i think la huella was just posting "some" of his costs to give an idea to the OP, and I don't consider them unreasonable. I live in Estrato 4 and my electric bill for last month was $14000
==================
I'd like to see a scanned electric bill,, one with price, subsidy, KWH etc.

Can you do that ? Can you scan documents,, I can but then again I'm an old guy who isn't suffering from a case of extreme incompetence coupled with being lazy.

Same for others,, I'll make a copy and take them to Colombia.

I've posted several scanned bills,, compete,, KWH, estrato, subsidy,, last one was estrato one. OH,, what's the estrato FOUR subsidy ??? look at your bill,, you might find out you pay,, pay for the cost of those in lesser estratos LOW bills. Maybe more than electricity cost per KWH in the U.S. ?

PBH,, plain ole BS.

Colombian Chickens are crowing about the new President of the U.S. who will assure that From each according to their ability to each according to their need.

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 6, 2009, 15:27:

i agree with azunoman...dont come...Colombia has enough poor people.....=(

"So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com

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La_Huella says on May 6, 2009, 15:30:

Exactly what Johnny said. Those are SOME of the costs.

Right now I have no rent, I have mortgage and it's my wife's turn to pay for the next several months. If I had to rent a place I'd get a room here for 250k or 300k a month.

I'm NOT posting a goddamn bill in my name, not even with stuff blotted out. Sorry. But my last bill was 18k. In Estrato 4. As a matter of fact, i DO have 5 watt lights, except for in the kitchen where I have one 5 watter and one 13 watter. I hate bright light and so does my wife.

I buy clothes once a year, same as I did in NYC. Stuff like socks and tshirts I get downtown. Shirts are something like 5 for 20k, socks 2k a pair etc. I keep good care of my clothes and keep them for YEARS on end, I don't need to buy very many new ones.

If you want a brand new pair of shoes made to order in Restrepo here it's from 40k to 80k pesos. They can copy ANY shoe on the market and use better soles etc as well. A brand new tailor made suit here is now around 150-200k.

My transportation is my bicycle. Every now and again I'm forced to take a taxi or other means of transportation, mostly because of having to carry too much stuff than the rack on back of my biike can handle. Repairs and maintanence to the bike run around 10 or 15k a month on average.

Entertainment is when I go out and gig. These days I'm working too hard to go out apart from paying gigs. If I get a free day or if I want to go out when a gig is done and don't have to go in the studio and record anything etc. I go to Restrepo or 1 de Mayo or Galerias, or I go to a neighborhood bar near me for karaoke. Beers are 1700 there, but I get a free beer every time I sing a song and I don't drink much so I usually don't spend anything. But beyond me and my own particularities, there are plenty of places where you can go out and spend 40 or 50k for two people all night, or even half that, and still have a great time.

Retirement is me investing the money that's left over and continuing to do so over the next several years. Insurance, I said I have EPS, I dunno what other insurance you think is necessary but I think it's a fucking waste of money, life insurance and all that shit.

The one thing I do spend money on a lot is food, but even then it's pretty reasonable. Maybe 400 to 500k a month, eating like a KING, not even thinking about the right side of the menu.

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 6, 2009, 15:33:

mooching off other PBHers?? jajajja...

"So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com

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poco says on May 6, 2009, 15:35:

Quote: I'm NOT posting a goddamn bill in my name, not even with stuff blotted out.
==================
So,, no bill,, somehow that is exactly what I expected.

Colombian Chickens are crowing about the new President of the U.S. who will assure that From each according to their ability to each according to their need.

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La_Huella says on May 6, 2009, 15:38:

Maybe Johnny2008 is more trusting than me.

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durito2 says on May 6, 2009, 15:44:

the idea that anyone that spends more money than peanuts is being ripped off is funny.

taking the bus out to the coast from bogota may be ok for you, but at this point in my life i'm done with that. i fly. it costs more money. so what, it's worth it to me.

you could after all be spending less in estrato 1, but i don't see anyone doing that.

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poco says on May 6, 2009, 15:50:

Quote: I long in pork...
========================
Personally, being long, pork, pop, and cracks all remind me of why Colombia exists.

Hummm it's been,, what? a day or two since I've seen ears this big. Goes to show, pigs could fly but they are not motivated.

Colombian Chickens are crowing about the new President of the U.S. who will assure that From each according to their ability to each according to their need.

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La_Huella says on May 6, 2009, 15:56:

Yeah, of course, for you it's "peanuts"... look at the way you think. That's the SICK gringo mentality that I left when I moved here. You're only worth something if you are bleeding money like a stuck pig (to continue the analogy).

Trust me, I'm not taking another bus ride that long again. The next time, they can pay a plane ticket both ways instead of just one way or I don't go.

YOU don't see anybody doing that but in fact I DO know people who have moved to Estrato 1 just to save money. THAT is the difference. This is COLOMBIA. People here DO do that. You find that out when you are actually living here and not getting your info from a totally skewed source like PBH. I personally am considering moving to Estrato 3 or even 2 ATM.

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durito2 says on May 6, 2009, 16:05:

I live here. In estrato 3.

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poco says on May 6, 2009, 16:05:

Quote: you could after all be spending less in estrato 1, but i don't see anyone doing that.
======================
Well,, here I am,, not one,,I live in a two,, but I visit and walk through an estrado one all the time.

The girl I'm with owns a rental in a one. Nice folks live there,, there is a really scummy estrato one,, but,, losers need to live,, somewhere besides below a bridge.

sorry but on things like this,, and it hurts me to say it,, I agree with La Huella,, way to many folks are dragging some imagined version of the U.S. they wish they could live and believe it possible to make it so,,, in Colombia.

Personally, I looked at the situation 6 years ago and thought,, what the heck,, folks are happy,, so why try to change things.

Colombian Chickens are crowing about the new President of the U.S. who will assure that From each according to their ability to each according to their need.

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durito2 says on May 6, 2009, 16:14:

my electric was 19,608 last month 30,706 the month before. no idea why so different

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poco says on May 6, 2009, 16:30:

Quote: .we lost pretty much all out assets along with most other middle class Americans
=========================
How did that happen?

I don't know anyone,, well there was one person who worked for Enron,, who has lost,, everything,, or even almost or pretty much.

Stock market dip? Sold at the bottom? Gee,, I can't imagine what would cause a big loss,, especially if you are retiring.

OH,, Bernie Madoff ?

Actually,, my guess is that many folks watched their 401K's go down but gosh,, I'd guess no more than 50% if ALL was in equities, if you were in fixed income bonds, T-Bills etc. the so called middle class have MORE MONEY, I have more money and don't consider myself anything special,, although I didn't have much money in equities.

I have CD's that pay 4.5 percent,, no way that's less,,

Colombian Chickens are crowing about the new President of the U.S. who will assure that From each according to their ability to each according to their need.

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Robert Jorge says on May 6, 2009, 16:57:

I don't have a working scanner; otherwise I would be glad to scan my old facturas Poco. But if you can take me at my word, my expenses were close to equal Rubi's. And I had 60 watt bulbs. Jaja

My future ex wife's mom lives in an estrato 2 in Ciudad Porfia which is a cool, normal barrio just outside of Villao. Her bills as of 4 months ago were 35% less than mine were 2 years ago. Her rent is 250.000 cop a month. 2nd floor, huge 1000 sq foot with balcony home. Huge is relative-I know.

Clavo, you got pretty spoiled in San Jose ! Nothing wrong with living well and having nice things. But I personally feel relieved when I am Colombia. Way less burden or weight on my shoulders trying to maintain a certain lifestyle. If you have to sacrifice your life to maintain whatever, is it worth it? Not dissing you Clavo. I think - wierd as it is - that me and La Huella are very similar when it comes to this subject. Social stuff, not so much. LOL

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La_Huella says on May 6, 2009, 17:11:

I left the computer on 24 hours a day one month and the bill almost doubled, it came for 36k and change that month. Since then I turn it on only for short periods when i really need it and it went back even below previous level.

Every day I pass here I'm more and more made aware of the difference between how little people waste here and how MUCH they do in the US, especially in NY where I lived.

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 6, 2009, 18:18:

Sorry, my poor days were left behind in East LA until i got the fock out of there......Learned my lesson real well, too....use my brain and not my back......works wonders......people live the way they can afford......with some exceptions, of course.....if people live on 1.5 million per month or less, it is because that is all they can afford..they are forced to live within their means.......human nature being what it is......who chooses poverty?

"So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com

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gamm2 says on May 6, 2009, 18:59:

do you really save a lot on electricity by unplugging all the appliances? I used to think that was a little anal, but now I want to try it out and see how much i really do save.

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mranderson says on May 6, 2009, 19:26:

I´ve never unplugged appliances but all my electrical equipment (tv, stereo, computer) is on a power strip which I keep off when not in use. Althought I really dont have to....my electric is included in my rent. But I try to be aware of my usage.

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La_Huella says on May 6, 2009, 19:55:

A power strip works just like unplugging items in terms of the phantom load. And yes it can make a BIG difference on your electric bill, like 30-40%.

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goin_south says on May 6, 2009, 22:42:

"""SOME of my expenses.....
.........I will make a disclaimer, even SOME of my Colombian friends are amazed by this"""

SOME... SOME... SOME.. ......
This is getting to be a staple commentary in SOME... OR, many of your posts.... Rubito...

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Robert Jorge says on May 7, 2009, 00:57:

Miguel, I'll admit I am very frugal - but I refuse to accept being called cheap. Just remember, Carta is the MOST expensive city in Colombia, and up there at the top for the entire continent. Maybe it takes 4 million a month to survive in Carta. I don't know. But in Villao, a guy like me can live pretty damn well on 1.5 million a month. I have done it, and I intend on doing it again within the next few years. And when I get there, you are coming over and buying the beer, since I will be living destitute. lol

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 7, 2009, 05:28:

I live exactly how i want to...i do exactly whatever i feel like doing......because i have the means and desire to do so...to me that kind of freedom is living "decently" which is not what i was doing in East LA.....if you have no money or limited funds, your options to do things and enjoy life are severely limited.....more money=more options.....limited money=limited options.....no money=no options....poverty and/or little plata sucks....just ask the locals here.......

RJ and Johnny....i am not missing the point at all...who the hell wants to move to colombia and "just survive"?? in my book, "surviving" does not equate with "decent life" nor "happiness"......Surviving means you are one step away from economic meltdown, depending on factors which affect the economy where you live and have no control over.....

i never made retirement plans based on simply "surviving"....at retirement age, there is next to no second chance at it....just ask those airline industry employees who had their pensions reduced by the courts.......bet their life really sucks about now.....

"So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 7, 2009, 05:30:

RJ...i almost forgot....not a problem with the beers, bro...i will even treat you to some real beer, Corona...la cerveza mas fina....jajajajja...and maybe an empenada or two..=)

"So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 7, 2009, 06:06:

One other thought for those with foreign based income and are making life decision for living in Colombia, heres a scary thought:

you make your life decisions at 1.5 mil a month, and if it is based on the USD for example, what the Fok are you going to do then the peso drops from say, 2600/2300/2200 pesos to the dollar and drops to 1650/1700 like it did last year???? do the math...how much is your income now? still at 1.5 mil to cover all your "survival level" expenses??? no fokin way! I can hear you now "Thats not fair! pout pout pout!" Your survival mode just suffered a meltdown, and now you are going to learn how to live like a lot of locals.......good luck...you will need it...at least they have experience living like that...i would rather be poor in the US than here in Colombia.....as for me, i grew up eating at the homes of my friends and neighbors......enought of that shit!....East LA is a nice place to be FROM!...jajajja

"So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com

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poco says on May 7, 2009, 07:20:

Quote: do the math...how much is your income now?
=====================
Do you think PBH is A reality site ? Do you think folks can comprehend numbers?

No

Fantasy Island,, only w/o the Midget.

Think about it,,, over ONE THOUSAND people moved to Guyana,, to live like poor schmucks and then KILL themselves,, think any of those folks were in touch with reality ? How much common sense,, were some naive? How many didn't know the world was round. How many drank the kool aid,, Oh,, you can place a number of that,, all of them that died.

See,, to put things in context,, 1.5 or lately,, the number was 2.0 Million is NO PROBLEM to live in Colombia,, heck,, estrato 5,, easy.

Life in Colombia is big party and with any luck,, FREE if you can find some sucker to foot the bills. At least it's free until you find out it's your turn in the barrel.

Colombian Chickens are crowing about the new President of the U.S. who will assure that From each according to their ability to each according to their need.

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poco says on May 7, 2009, 08:13:

Quote: ok..figrues in...I checked with the esposa.....estrato 5...house...all expenses minus the cook/cleaner, 1.2 million...this does not include food or entertainment....
===================
That's not bad an estrato 4 rental in Cartago,, not exactly a tourist city,, would cost about 1 million.

BTW: Even Colombians don't want to live in LESS THAN A 4 in Cartago. Honest,, I know one Colombian family who MOVED because the 4 area was too expensive,, moved means,, leaving town.

Colombian Chickens are crowing about the new President of the U.S. who will assure that From each according to their ability to each according to their need.

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Robert Jorge says on May 9, 2009, 19:22:

Clavo and others are correct when bringing up the currency exchange fluctuations. I admit that also.

Damn, I was going to post a picture of a typical 250.000 cop a month house in Ciudad Porfia outside of Villao. Everything I have has pics of family dancing joropa(sp) or other stuff. I don't want to post pics of others without permission. It got me in trouble in the past. But trust me, it is a very nice, albeit modest or 'normal' house. I would feel very comfortable living there. 3 bedroom, huge common area with nice kitchen, balcony, patio, 2nd floor(top) with open ceilings, etc. Not too bad for $100 a month. Or $250 a month if the dollar drops to less than half it's current value.

And a big "your right" about having friends and family to help out. I could not have rented my apartment without the help of my mother in law. Cost of me buying a soccer jersey - 35mil. Cost of my ex buying a soccer jersey in the same place 20 minutes later - 20mil. It just ain't a gringo thing either. They treat people from Bogota the same way.

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La_Huella says on May 10, 2009, 23:06:

RJ, congrats on saying "Villao" now!

And please post pictures, especially the soft-core porn stuff. I GUARANTEE I have good shit to trade you!!

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bkMongoose says on May 27, 2009, 14:10:

hey all... first post on pBh... go easy...

I've been reading lots of posts here and have an off-the-cuff comment or two... I'm fairly well travelled, and have spend time abroad in the "third-world", but never been to Colombia... I cant comment on the specific cop's necessary for this and that, but i do have a general idea about budgeting on the shoe-string side of things...

It seems to me alot of ppl are missing the point of the question... If ur wealthy, then good for u, as someone pointed out above, who wouldnt want to be wealthy...

But the question is whether one can live a decent life on 1.5 million cop monthly...

Obviously this is subjective, but it isnt as subjective as some make it out to be...

Lets start with the basics...

Accomodation (rent, fees, etc)
Food
Transportation
Entertainment
Insurance
Information Tech (cell phone, internet, and possibly TV)
Miscellaneous (broad catch all, includes everything from socks to condoms)

THOSE are the basics... I'm sorry, but as much as a membership at the gym is important to you, and obviously nothing wrong with it, it isnt required for a decent lifestyle... hookers and cocaine?? lol... if that's ur thing, then knock urself out, and more power to u, but again is not required for a decent life (unless u are unable to find a woman otherwise)...

The fact that some CAN live in estrata 1 doesn't make it decent in this context, nor does the fact that the lobby in ur estrata 6 apartment building has marble walls make that even remotely NECESSARY for decent living... From the bulk of posts it is clear that estrata 3,4 is the rough level of DECENT accomidation...

Based on my own travels, I can safely project that (perhaps after a month or two at a higher level of expense learning ins and outs) I could live decently on 2 million cop...

I can say this because it has been clearly shown that 2 million is enough to secure the entire list above...

Does this mean I wouldn't prefer to live on 3 million, or 5 million, or 10?? of course not! but lets all try to be honest about the word decent, and what it really means... I guess this is truly subjective, but here's my take on the ranking of some common descriptors...

poverty
subsistence
decent
comfortable
luxurious

For my own life I know that if had a clean, safe apartment to come home to, food in the fridge and the freedom to eat out if I feel to, a smart and sexy woman (must have full ass ;-) by my side, some friends to hang/party with, a place nearby with a pool table, and the sense of security that comes from having health insurance -- PLUS a job to pay for these things and a few dollars left over... i'd say that's the making of a decent life...

things can clearly be better or worse than this, but THAT is decent... at least in my book, ymmv...

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Cali2005 says on Nov 6, 2009, 10:02:

if you dont give money to hookers and interesadas and you find a good girl then you are ahead of the average joe gringo in medellin. some just cant make the switch from vacation mode to living here as a normal person.

i can spend just as much as i did in the states, and its easy too. you have to avoid parque lleras, dont get me wrong i head up there about 1 time a week but man it gets expensive going out in medellin too.

depends on your rent, when i have a roomate im cutting my costs down, but i have a 3 bedroom apartment 1,300 sqr feet that runs me 1,600,000 per month plus utilities, internet, phone (300,000)in poblado. so thats 2 million and i havent touched food and other living expenses. i had a place for 900,000 with 3 bedrooms but it turned out there was a mold problem and it was making me extremely sick. couldnt see the mold, it was just in roof, walls etc.

you can get older apartments cheaper in laureles or belen, but depends on what you really are looking for. studio and 1 bedrooms are much cheaper.

suerte,

james

Medellin Apartments and Tours http://www.ParadiseRealtyMedellin.com

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La_Huella says on Nov 6, 2009, 11:32:

My very real monthly budget:

Rent 320k, living room, bdrm, nice bthrom, small kitchen
ALL utilities 25k (electric, gas, water, Est. 3)
Internet 60k (mobile from Tigo, prepago)
EPS 62125
Transportation MAYBE 20k... I live walking distance to the places I work most of the time, and take my bicycle almost everywhere else, including to some gigs.
Laundry and cleaning 100k
Misc 50k
Food 400k jajajajaj my biggest expense...

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La_Huella says on Nov 6, 2009, 11:33:

Just to add, if I weren't so damn busy I'd be cooking my own meals all the time instead of eating out all the time and food would be less than half of what it is..

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misterfinger says on Nov 24, 2009, 16:21:

So its like 900 a month right???

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fecherklyn says on Nov 24, 2009, 17:31:

Here are some details from our latest utilities bill (EPM Medellin).

They are of course specific to our household but they clarify the "standing charge (Cargo Fijo)" and the marginal charges for consumption.

Acueducto:
Cargo Fijo: 7,069 $ per month
Consumption: 1000 $ per m3
Cumul assuming ½ m3 per day = 22,000 $ per month
Plus contribution to lower strata if living in strata 5 or 6 (Contribution is 80% of basic charges if you live in strata 6)

Saneamiento
Cargo Fijo: 3,231.69 $ per month
Consumption: 1,503.83 $ per month
Cumul assuming water consumption of ½ m3 per day = 26,000 $ per month.
Plus contribution to lower strata if living in strata 5 or 6 (Contribution is60% of basic charges if you live in strata 6)

Electricity:
Cargo Fijo: Nil
Consumption: 264.50 $ per kwh
Cumul assuming 200 kwh per month = 53,000 $ per month
Plus contribution to lower strata if living in strata 5 or 6 (Contribution is20% of basic charges if you live in strata 6)
N.B. This is our average but we are a family with many appliances that are not strictly essential

Gas
Cargo Fijo : 2,514.29 $ per month
Consumption : 566.64 $ per m3
Cumul assuming 50 m3 per month = 30,000 per month (same qualification as for electricity)
Plus contribution to lower strata if living in strata 5 or 6 (Contribution is20% of basic charges if you live in strata 6)

Package Local phone (600 mins) Internet Cable T.V
Cumul inc. IVA = 105,000 per month (I accept you may find better deals than this)


On everything else I agree (for once) with M_C in that Medellin can be cheap but if you decide to live here I consider it an option ONLY if I can live better than elsewhere.

I would also emphasise the currency risk for those who intend to exist here on a foreign currency income. When I arrived in Medellin the British pound was 4,700 peso and the euro 3,500. There has since been an enormous devaluation of my income currencies which have thereafter only progressed at European rates of inflation which have been vastly inferior to the increase in costs in Colombia. BEWARE

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