I would like to take a moment to break down my costs here in Jujuy. I’ll also add some of my would-be costs if I weren’t living with a family for free. I hope the rest of you find this interesting and maybe a little inspiring. With the current financial crisis in the US who wouldn’t want to live somewhere where the dollar was strong? (P.S. it is roughly 3 pesos to the dollar right now)
HOUSING (if I paid for it):
To live in the center of town would be about $450/$500 a month for a 1 bedroom apartment in a nice apartment complex (almost super luxury but a step above would probably cost about $600/month).
To rent a room in a house about a 5 minute walk from the center of town would be about $200/month. If you have been reading this blog religiously you would remember that apartment I described a while back. The one with the mountain view and the retro decor? Yeah that one, only $200/month.
FOOD:
Currently I get my lunch and dinner and snacks that I eat in the house for free. The only time I buy food is when I am at the cafe working or when I randomly go out for dinner with my friends. In the cafe, depending on how much time I’m there (2-6 hours), I usually spend up to 20 pesos or 7 dollars. When I go out to dinner I usually spend about 5-10 pesos or about 2-3 dollars. Since I am kind of a fatty and I like my midday snacks, I’ll usually buy some galletitas or crackers to munch on while I chill with my friends and drink mate. This runs me less than a dollar. Sooo in total I spend about $160 a month, if I’m buying 5 days a week at a steady pace.
I can’t estimate how much it would cost me to eat if I were living on my own but once I start living on my own I will write a new post with new, interesting financial figures.
DRINKING:
The most important purchase. I try to go out every Friday and Saturday night. On a typical night I will spend about 20-30 pesos on alcohol. That’s right, it only takes $10 to get me drunk. I’m a cheap date. They sell beer by the liter here and the liters usually cost 10 pesos each. Because they are so big, people share and buy other types of drinks like wine and coke or champagne (surprisingly popular). In the wee hours of the morning you will find me waiting patiently in line at the nearest super pancho stand. My super foot-long hot dog only sets me back about a dollar and that is with all of the fixins.
TRANSPORTATION:
When I go into the center of town during the day I always take the bus (or here it is called el collectivo). Each way it costs 1.25 pesos or about .42 cents. My round trip is less than a dollar, my monthly fare is $25 dollars.
When I am leaving the club at 6 am I usually grab a taxi which is about 7-10 pesos to my house. I have been fortunate enough to have friends that have cars so I haven’t had so many taxi rides breakin’ my bank at 3 dollars a pop.
SHOPPING:
This will need to be a separate post as I have not done nearly enough shopping since I’ve arrived. BOLLOCKS!
ACTIVITIES:
Classes with Alabi cost $14 dollars a week, totaling 2 hours. I get a free class with her on Monday mornings because it is run by the University. She also frequently invites me to lunch on Saturdays and it is delicious and free.
Gym Membership costs $17 dollars a month and I can go twice a week.
Yoga costs $30 a month and I can go twice a week.
My cell phone is pre-paid so I pay about $20 a month more or less for that.
Things that are cheap that I will some day purchase here:
Motorcycle: $500
Laser Hair Removal (silky smooth legs, baby!) - $60/session…roughly $300 total. In the states this would cost thousands.
Red wine. I would drink that every night if it was in the house. Since I don’t buy the groceries I don’t drink red wine that often.
So in closing, if I’m totally being a glutton each month I would spend about $400 total, for everything. One month for me in the US would cost about $1,000 - $1,500 (glutton status is the $1,500). Hooray for cheap livin’!