| Article Index |
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| LAKE CHAPALA |
| Housing |
| All Pages |
Lodging in Lake Chapala
Like many other winter destinations, seasonal rental prices have increased in the past decade in response to the increased demand. This year visitors at Lake Chapala will find the remaining two or three-bedroom homes renting for $900 to $1800 Canadian dollars per month, plus utilities.
Because of differences in rental regulations and traditions, newcomers are well advised to rent their first home through a recommended real estate or rental office. Renters and those winter residents who decide to purchase real estate at Lake Chapala should be sure to check the written inventory and then only sign contracts written in English to be certain that they know what will remain in the house when they take possession of it and know the conditions of the rental or purchase agreements.
Availability of Food Items
People come from Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and all over Mexico to the Lake Chapala town of San Antonio Tlayacapan to purchase imported American, Canadian and European food items. The owners of this medium-sized store import two 48-foot trailers of groceries from the United States each month giving Lakeside residents ready access to water biscuits and champagne crackers, imported English jams, canned pumpkin and other delights. While it’s possible to live a full life without shredded wheat, Irish steel cut oatmeal and pure maple syrup, it’s really nice to have these familiar foods from back home, even when the importation fees mean they cost a bit more.
Some Lakeside residents drive 45 minutes into Guadalajara to shop once a month or so at Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Costco stores—and a new Wal-Mart is opening this fall at Lake Chapala. While in the city they stop off for a stroll through one of the city’s malls or for a great lunch. They choose from familiar chains like Outback Steak House, Applebee’s, McDonalds and Burger King or they try one of the many fine Italian, Japanese, Continental or Mexican restaurants in the city.
Living In a Cash Society
It takes a little adjustment to live in a totally cash society. While visitors may be able to use a major credit card at a few local hotels, be sure to ask if there is a discount for cash payment. Don’t bother bringing traveller’s cheques as they are difficult to cash, and you’ll receive a lower rate of exchange when shopping with them.
Most visitors find that they do best by starting with a few hundred U.S. dollars that they can exchange for pesos at a casa de cambio (exchange house), and then by drawing money (in pesos) from their back-home bank accounts with their ATM cards. Automatic teller machines are in each of the banks in Chapala, Ajijic and Jocotepec. Additional ATMs are located in larger grocery stores and pharmacies, the airport and Guadalajara’s big box stores.
Medical Care
The medical school in Guadalajara is one of the best in the world, with many of the graduating doctors taking additional training in their specialty in respected north of the border schools and medical centres.
Residents of Lake Chapala pay their doctor between $15 and $50 Canadian dollars for office calls, and are delighted to discover that they can usually see their doctor without waiting for an appointment—and that most doctors routinely make house calls.
While there are four 24-hour clinics at Lakeside, most major medical needs are met in Guadalajara hospitals with their exceptional testing facilities, surgeons and specialists in all fields. One happy surprise for foreigners is that when a doctor has read the results of blood tests, x-rays, ultra sounds or MRI exams the test results are handed to the patient for safe keeping.
The expertly trained and equipped Red Cross emergency service ambulances are as close as a phone call, and serve the public for a small donation. Always open, the Red Cross clinic in Chapala serves as an emergency room for Lakesiders.
The price of medications varies. Some medicines (especially those that are now available in generic form) are a fraction of the price north of the border. Newer drugs often cost the same or more than back home.
Finding long stay or short stay lodgin in Lake Chapala is not difficult, although it is much easier to do once you are in the area rather than from a long distance.
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