For whatever it is worth I would like to post our (1 couple, 60 & 48) exact costs of living for the months of Nov. and Dec. Although the "typical" couple probably does not exist, I suspect we come close to the average. We do not try to "scrimp", nor do we go overboard for luxuries. My wife is an excellent cook who uses the best ingredients she can obtain (but nothing pre packaged or processed), and we like to eat out as well, probably 2 or 3 times a week. We go to both "value for money" resturants, and occasionally to some of the nicest in town (Cuenca). The first figure is Nov., the 2nd Dec.
Groceries & dry goods 678 324
Resturants 270 934
Hotel 0 257
Taxies 33 95
Buses 37 36
Telephone 34 44
Gas 2.2 2.2
Electricity 23 23
Water 4 4
Internet 56 56
Eyes & Dental 45 0
Medical 0 70
Entertainment 66 202
Clothes 703 217
Office supplies 50 0
Furniture 60 379
Repairs 132 0
Misc. 71 32
Totals $2262 $2674
The first thing you will probably notice is no cost for rent or mortgage. We own our 122 m2 apt. Also, some costs would not be this high every month. I turned 60 in early Dec. so the resturant costs for Dec. and the food (read wine) costs for Nov. include a banquet for 26 people. My daughter visited in Dec and we traveled a bit, hence the hotel cost. I hadn't purchased many clothes for many years and was recently taking advantage of Cuenca's low tailoring costs to stock up on shirts, pants, and sports coats. So take out something for these "extraordinary" expenses, but add back in a healthy allowance for housing, and it will still be right around $2000. Assuming a couple can live cheeper than 2 singles I'd say it would take at least $1200/person to maintain our level.
I'm the first to conceed we could save a considerable amount if we really had/wanted to, but that is not why we are here. I simply want to show that the $600 or $650 figure often thrown about is totally out of the ball park. If you want to maintain anything close to the life style you are accostomed to in your 1st world home you better plan to spend at least $1000, and quite probably even more.
Carl Eidsness
Groceries & dry goods 678 324
Resturants 270 934
Hotel 0 257
Taxies 33 95
Buses 37 36
Telephone 34 44
Gas 2.2 2.2
Electricity 23 23
Water 4 4
Internet 56 56
Eyes & Dental 45 0
Medical 0 70
Entertainment 66 202
Clothes 703 217
Office supplies 50 0
Furniture 60 379
Repairs 132 0
Misc. 71 32
Totals $2262 $2674
The first thing you will probably notice is no cost for rent or mortgage. We own our 122 m2 apt. Also, some costs would not be this high every month. I turned 60 in early Dec. so the resturant costs for Dec. and the food (read wine) costs for Nov. include a banquet for 26 people. My daughter visited in Dec and we traveled a bit, hence the hotel cost. I hadn't purchased many clothes for many years and was recently taking advantage of Cuenca's low tailoring costs to stock up on shirts, pants, and sports coats. So take out something for these "extraordinary" expenses, but add back in a healthy allowance for housing, and it will still be right around $2000. Assuming a couple can live cheeper than 2 singles I'd say it would take at least $1200/person to maintain our level.
I'm the first to conceed we could save a considerable amount if we really had/wanted to, but that is not why we are here. I simply want to show that the $600 or $650 figure often thrown about is totally out of the ball park. If you want to maintain anything close to the life style you are accostomed to in your 1st world home you better plan to spend at least $1000, and quite probably even more.
Carl Eidsness
