How Safe Is It to Live at Lake Chapala Ajijic, Mexico ?

Hi Ken,

I’d check the sources of your information. Sometimes people fall out of love with our area and leave. Not often of course but it happens. Then, they have to blame something. Then there are those of us who have lived here for many many years happily and plan to spend the rest of our lives here. The vast majority of us. I have at least three friends here who have lived here for over 30 years for example.

I’ve just been here full time for 7 years. Now more specific answers to your questions.

I’ve written from time to time on the Lake condition and water systems: Let me refer you to a few of the prior articles:

First Water Issues: The first link below is the most recent.

http://www.chapalaclub.com/2009/01/whats-the-condition-of-lake-chapala-in-january-2009/

http://www.chapalaclub.com/2008/10/water-distribution-systems-at-lake-chapala-ajijic/

http://www.chapalaclub.com/2008/08/whats-the-future-look-like-for-lake-chapala/

http://www.chapalaclub.com/2008/12/whats-the-pollution-score-for-lake-chapala/

Water systems: Some ar brand new and some are old and need of repair. Most of the systems outside of the three major towns where most of the North Americans live are adequate (ajijic, San Antonio Tla., and Chapala). These are government owned and operated.

However there are many semi private systems too. These are owned by the different developments. Some systems are brand new and some are many years old. Some of these have been recently refurbished. AN important thing to check before a home purchase.

So the quality varies as does the pressure depending upon the development. There’s not an area wide water system. We get our water from deep wells. Most of the water is good and some neighborhoods you can drink the water out of the tap. Most of us have our own purification system or dink bottled water (5 gals for about 1.50 US).

There are as many reasons for selling a home as there are home sellers. I know of no one who is selling or sold because they were unhappy with the water system or water pressure or any related factors.

About 20 years, when I lived in Dallas I shared with a friend that I wanted to go look at Lake Chapala. He replied something to this effect, “Sid, you don’t want to go down there. The lake is drying up and people are moving out of the area.”

I made the trip down about 4 years after that conversation. At that time the lake was the lowest I’ve seen it and you could walk out past the end of the pier well past the lighthouse on dry land in downtown Chapala. I still liked the area and decided I would someday live here. Today the pier is surrounded by water.

Have I seen it higher. Yes, but I’ve also seen it a lot lower too. The lake is really just a large catch basin. A natural lake to catch the run pff from the mountains that surround it. There’s only one river flowing into it of any consequence, the Lerma.

Cost of Living

The cost of living here has gone down for me over the years and not up here. My pension goes up a little each year and the peso exange rate has been as low as 8.5 peos per dollar to 14 pesos . Currently it’s 12.87 pesos for a dollar.

The other day you could get 12.87 pesos for a dollar. You can get a shoeshine for 15 pesos. My maid earns just over $3.00 an hour and the gardener about earns under $3.00. so to me the prices fluxuate but are always very inexpensive by North American standards.

I always get sticker shock when I go to Texas and Texas is not the most expensive state to live in with no State Income Tax etc.

You may have been reading local forums. If you didn’t know, there are some people on these forums who delight in spreading these rumors. Why would they do this? They simply do not want any more gringos coming to the area. Why? They think that the more there are of us the higher the cost of living will be for them.

Fortunately they are few in number. If this is your source I need say no more except you may want to ask them if things are so bad why are they still here.

Ken, the best advise I have is to come see for yourself. Let me give you a gratis 4 or 5 hour tour of the area, Let me introduce you to people who just got here, to people who have been here 4 or 5 years and to some of those who have been here 30 years or more.

I hope this helps. If you’d like to chat by telephone send me an e mail with your telephone number, your time zone, and the best time to call you in the evening and we can chat at length about life here at Lake Chapala.

All for now, Siempre tu amigo, Sid

Hi Dick, Thanks for your comment. Glad you’re open to another look at our area.

My Mexican mother in law is afraid for my wife and I to go the USA. Why? She watches her TV and the Mexican News shows kids killing teachers. kids killing each other, Soldiers going crazy and killing other soldiers, etc, etc, etc.

In the USA our news programs show all the violence that happens along some of the border areas or in Mexico City where high profile executives are kidnapped etc.

I’ve never been to Idaho, but hear it’s a beautiful state and while I don’t know the crime stats there I bet they’re quite low. Comparing Lake Chapala Ajijic crime with that in some of the border areas or Mexico city is like comparing a small town in Idaho with crime in Washington D.C.

It may surprise you to learn that murders per-capita in Washington D.C. a few years ago were over three times that of even Mexico City which is one of the largest cities in the world with somewhere around 28,000,000 people,

Dick, excuse my rant, it’s not directed at you at all. I just bristle a little at the media in both countries. “If it bleeds it leads.”

Here’s my suggestion. Plan a trip here in the off season in the spring or fall when the B and B prices will be lower. Give us a week.

Look around the different areas. Take my get acquainted gratis area wide tour.

If you like what you see. Consider renting a home for a while or until you decide the area is or is not for you. But, as soon as you feel the area is right for you I recommend that you consider buying a home because you’ll immediate save what ever you were paying in rent and we may still have some extra good deals here over a few years ago.

We’re in a trough now, but who knows how long it will last.

Even if the slump continues for several more years in the USA the number of people (can you say Baby Boomers) coming here for an overall much lower cost of living where even a small pension goes a long way will be coming … trough or no trough.

I see new tracts of raw land being cleared every few days, I see many brand new developments going up.

The area compared to 7 years ago is exploding with growth.

There’s a new Wal-Mart, A large new Shopping center across from it, a new mutiscreen movie, and a high rise condo tower next to that.

Don’t let the growth scare you off, there will still be many small towns and villages around the Lake full of charm for many years to come.

We have a nice balance of great infrastructure and the small town Mexico. The best of both worlds.

All for now, Siempre tu amigo, Sid

Hi Bobby, You read correctly oin the internet about crime in our area.

The ladies even feel safe to walk alone after dark in our area.

Almost all the crime that we do have is non conformational.

It is important to have good locks, watchful neighbors and if you plan on being away for a while to have someone (a maid, gardener, or neighbor) to look after your house.

Gated communities do add add to home safety, but even then best to have someone checking on you house for extended trips away from home.

Hope this helps. Thanks for your question. Siempre tu amigo, Sid

Hi Randy,

Glad you’re planning on a “check us Out” trip to Lake Chapala. There’s not a bus from the Airport terminal to our area. To use a bus you’d have to walk a long ways out to the airport highway. Not a pleasant walk burdened with luggage.

The Only Taxi’s at the airport are special Airport Taxi’s. Others are not allowed to make pick up. The drivers rarely speak English and most do not know our towns and villages at Lake Chapala about a half hour drive from the airport.

When arriving at a strange airport in a foreign country it’s a good idea to use a private driver service. These services have bilingual drivers who will meet you with a sign with your name on it and a smile. They help with money changing if needed, translations as needed, baggage handling, and they pay for their parking time in the Airport garage. Send me an e mail when you have a flight date and time arranged and I can advise on a trusted private driver. Note: Private drivers only pick up when you arrive at the International Gate where all the International flights arrive. Domestic arrivals from withn Mexico are subject to land at various other gates and the driver would not know where to wait for you.

Hope this helps, Tu amigo, Sid