Looking for an apartment in Cali from Nov-Jan

[elcolombiano]

I will be in Cali from November 18 through January 9 and need an
apartment. If you have any suggestions please email me at

abrahamk121@nospam.com

Thanks

[Pete E]

... in response to Looking for an apartment in Cali from No..., posted by elcolombiano on Sep 13, 2005

Search El Pais Sunday rental adds.You will find El Pais under a google search.
One example,furnished apartments adjacent to Chipi Chapi,660-8139,315-592-8030 cell.ONE TIME I was told 1,400,000 pesos a month 1 bedroom,1,800,000 pesos 2 br 2ba,furnished with utilities included.I'm not sure the minimum time to get that rate,2 months might get it,but the season you are talking about is precious.A 3 bedroom there rents $80 a day on a week minmum I think.To get the real Cali long term rents its usually a one year lease.My place 4 br 5 ba,2500 sq ft,2,100,000 a month and furnished which is unusual in the long term rentals.But I pay over 1,200,000 utilities including internet cable.And Co signors who own Colombian property usually required,so forget the long term rates.
Otherwise you are in to Hotel rates.Travelors suites was $1000 a month if you pay a month in advance 2 years ago.Plus you pay 12% tax and big $$$ for laundry and phone calls and no internet connection.

Pete

[Kiltboy1]

... in response to Re: Looking for an apartment in Cali fro..., posted by Pete E on Sep 13, 2005

[This message has been edited by Kiltboy1]

725.00 a month to eat out ?
WOW

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Re: Looking for an apartment in Cali..., posted by Kiltboy1 on Sep 14, 2005

I cut back on that.But it was 4-5 nights a week,average cost about 80,000 pesos ,dinner for 2 with wine.
Right now my stomach is screwed up,we are cooking in or ordering domicillio.
My grocery bill for May was 2,600,000 including wine,beer,rum.I include the cost of wine I take to dinner in the dinner cost.Minus the alchohol it was 1,800,000.My girls like the vino,its a treat here,more expensive than the states.Anything cheap,as in ALL Colombian wine is awfull.Its Chilean or European,about 15,000 a bottle min.The cost  includes feeding my guests breakfast and usually lunch also.

Pete

[elcolombiano]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Looking for an apartment in ..., posted by Pete E on Sep 14, 2005

2,600,000 pesos a month is almost $40 a day in groceries. Thats more than
what I spend in the states. A typical family in Cali spends 400,000 pesos a
month in groceries. The wine is not that expensive. What do you eat?

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Looking for an apartment..., posted by elcolombiano on Sep 15, 2005

First,the 2,600,000 supermarket  bill included beer wine and liquor.
The grocery part was 1,800,000.And in May there were 3 guys staying here,plus girlfriends and also my Colombian partner and his assistant who often eat here.We were having maybe 6 people for breakfast and lunch.I try to make up for it in what I charge but I probably don't charge enough.The guys who actually pay $40 a night short term I am covered.The long termers I probably give too good a deal considering my costs.Last month there were 3 of us here.One guy buying his own food,special diet or I would not go for spliting it out.I still pay close to the 1,800,000.With my maid and apartment and utilities I am paying about $2400.I get paid back $900.So I pay $1500.I would be much better off renting from a generous guy like myself than running the place.
About the wine.One kind I buy is OK for 9000 pesos.Everything else is at least 15,000.about $7.Thats almost $2 a glass.If my girlfriend is sitting here drinking it and  a friends girlfriend is over I will offer it to her too.Just polite.Even if the guy himself never ever buys a bottle of wine.Sometimes me and my girlfriend will have a glass,then take a bottle to dinner,pay to have it opened,still cheaper and better than buying it at the restaurant,then drink the rest of the first bottle latter.Thats 2 bottles a day,30,000 pesos,$13,big chunk of the $40.One time we share a cab to dinner,my friend goes on to Chipi Chapi,lenos and Carbon.We go to a good local restaurant.I pay 30,000 pesos for them to OPEN  my wine.He pays 30,000 for the whole dinner for 2.I am cutting back.I don't do that 5 times a week any more.Not even once right now with my stomach a problem.
Only rent and some restaurants are cheap here.Everything else is more,usually alot more than in the states.I guarantee you I paid a hell of alot less at Costco in the US than in a Colombian supermarket.Particularly the sundry cosmetic stuff.I mean klennex,300 box at costco same price as a 100 box here.Chap stick,I kid you not,$3!$.79 at walgrens.The wine.I could buy good California wine $4 a bottle at Costco,the chilean,$7 up,not as good.Even the chicken.$2 a pound frozen chicken breasts at costco,more heasr.The meat a little cheaper.The orange juice here.$3 for.1.5 litter.Frozen juice at Costco,better,$.75.The fresh fruit here cheap.But not that cheap.2 kilos oranges for a dollar.Maybe compares with the frozen costs.My renters can drink $3 a day in orange juice and soda.I need to charge more,my fault.But I need to be carefull not to make them pay for other people I choose to give stuff frree to.Did you ever go to the restaurant,divide up the bill,notice how some people just don't get the bottom line,you pay for drinks,tax and trip also.One incredibly cheap German guy.Has 2 desserts at AnTorcha.Drinks my wine which I bought and paid them to open,then thinks his share is just the cost of his food.There are givers and takers.Most people,like 80% will be the taker unless you are constantly straitening them out.I sometimes just pay,say screw it.You come over here I give you a drink.Thats fine,I intertain my guests,I expect to.I 'm not talkingt just my main parties but every day.Its me,the way I am.Generous to a fault,and its my choice,but thats where it goes.Part of my lifestyle,part of how I want to live.I appreciate people who are the same.About one guy in 5 will compensate back somehow.
People here live cheap with cheap rent and eating cheap food.Beans,rice a little cheap meat or eggs.The other day I spent 530,000 at the grocery store.I am thinking thats more than some families make in a month,I spent it on one shopping cart.Little other things.My girlsfriend is  good.If she  wants to grab some shampo or cosmetics while we are shopping I don't object.I never get allowed to iron a shirt,she  will tackle me to take it away.
Part of it is the territory.When its at your place you tend to pay.I used to have a party once a month in San Jose.My ex says WHY is it always at our place?Because we had the best house at the time most centrally located.And I don't want to be driving after drinking.One DUI would cost a whole hell of alot more.People there were good,chipped in.One guy really strong,paid for the pay per view boxing matches,always brought beer,would buy food.He was very relieved when his wife started driving so he didn't have to worry about that DUI himself getting home.
What does kind of piss me off is when guys don't get the whole picturte onn the room rent.$40 a day,total cost,food,laundry,phones,computers,is a good deal.One guy recently.I can get a room at x hotel,75,000 pesos.$32 A NIGHT.Right.Plus 12% tax,$7 a day laundry,pay for phone calls,no free US phone calls,no free computers.When I was paying $45 a night at a hotel before I moved in here my bill would average $63 a day.And no computers or long distance phones.$40 is a deal.A little bitty breakast,not 2c meals and wide open juice and soda.And even people who buy some booze usually dri8nk more when you count their guests also.Its worth it.I usually pay alot more for my share of the same place.And I bit off the one year lease paid in advance and PAID  $3000 for of stuff for the place not including furniture.
Bottom line.Look at the bill.General thinking will usually miss alot.Living good costs,as Throw tells us.He is a guy not afraid to pay his way who is not kidding himself about the real cost.Kind of like me I think.

Pete

[Hoda]

... in response to The real costs,givers,takers,bottom line, posted by Pete E on Sep 15, 2005

You've seen it over & over & over again.....Many Gringos are too cheap, to be believed! I was amazed at guys bitching over 5 to 10k peso taxi fare....when the ladies were coming to visit them! You don't offer a good deal Pete, you offer a deal that's "too" good...

Weed out the cheapskates Bro, you're being nickel & dimed to death!

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Looking for an apartment in Cali fro..., posted by Pete E on Sep 13, 2005

These costs are now up about 5% due to decline in the dollar since I wrote this about Feb 2005.

I often have been asked about the cost of living in Cali.I have lived in Cali 16 months and thought I would give my imput.
How much do you need to get by?Depends on how well you want to get by.
One of my girlfriends is a registered nurse.She makes 600,000 pesos a month,about $256.She gets by and also helps her mother.She rents a room in a house,walks or takes a bus to work.She easts simply but well,mama cooks for her alot.She has OK clothes,wears jeans and blouses mostly.
Would you want to live on that?I don't think so.You would probably want a better house even if renting a room.And most of us are here to meet women,so we want to have money to do things with them.I don't ever ride buses,I could if I needed to.
Let me give you kind of the other end of the scale,gringo gone wild,me.It just looked at my monthly expenses and tried to estimate them.I get $3500 a month net from my pension and managed to spend that plus dip in to my savings in the last year.
I will put the prices in dollars.- I wrote this about Feb 2005 0 - They are up 15% just from the dollar dropping in the last 10 months.
I have a 4 br 5 ba 2500 sq ft apartment in Juanambu,a strata 6 barrio in Cali.You can see pictures at http://photos.yahoo.com/preiguren - Not working right now -
Rent,with administration,just went up $877
Computer cable hookup $198
This is for unlimited use.You can get it for $42,but
if your usage is high it can go to over $400.It would have been
$600 for October but we got off the hook
Energy plus water,sewage on bill one bill $211
Jacuzzi runs this up,maybe $120 otherwise
Groceries,ect,including $700
wine,beer,liquor
Restaurants,intertainment $725
Taxis $362
Mostly for the girls
Gas $20
Phones $146
TV hookup $55
Maid $128

Total $3422

I get back about $1200 a month average from income from renting rooms,so net expense $2200.I do better some months on the rentals.Offsets the expense of aluxury apartment.But not shown here things like travel.My bank account dipped when I went to the US for a month plus traveled 3 times around Colombia.Plus I spend maybe $600 a month on my hormone replacement drugs.
Also I am working on business ideas,have some money invested
in that.
So,what would be a middle ground? I am guessing maybe $1200 a month,
2,800,000 pesos.Good life,not extravagent.And if a guy were settled down and not dating maybe less.

Pete
peiguren@aol.com

[fathertime]

... in response to My estimated living expenses, posted by Pete E on Sep 13, 2005

Thanks for your breakdown of expenses! If you don't mind me asking How often and long is the maid at your home?  Is she there full time and what does she do?  I pay 100 a pop for the cleaning crew to scrub my little 3 bedroom bungalow.  
Thanks again
Fathertime

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: My estimated living expenses, posted by fathertime on Sep 14, 2005

I pay her 22,600,about $10  a day which includes her transportation.Plus I pay her monthly medical,58,000.
I have a legal agreement with her that this is the total compernsation.Otherwise you can have to pay 4 weeks a year bonuses and vacation.Most maids work for around 15,000 plus transport,about 17,600 but if you don't have the legal agreement it can bite you big time,they can take you to a workers compensation type hearing.
I have her 4 days a week right now.It varies 3-5 days depending on how busy we are here.
Lots of maids live in,many apartments have a maids quarters,which I do,but I don't want live in.Its good for families though,they have a built in baby switter.I think you can pay them alot less if they live in.

Pete

[Nevergivingup]

... in response to My estimated living expenses, posted by Pete E on Sep 13, 2005

Hey Pete,
You are very well informed about the agencies in Colombia.
Please tell me what you know about Aspiring Latin Models;
owned by Ed Beckwith. Do you know anyone who has used his
services within the past year?
Thanks for your help!!

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: My estimated living expenses, posted by Nevergivingup on Sep 13, 2005

I haven't heard anything about them in a long time.I never heard from anybody who actually used them.They may still exist,I don't know,I haven't looked for the sight in years.
Ed Beckwith started Latin Connections,one of the original if not the original agency in Cali.It used to be alot less competitive here and he was able to charge something like $1000 just to join.He claims he never sold lifetime memberships but my friend has the card,it says lifetime untill married.There was a time,pretty much in the 90's he he was quite successfull,maybe the only gringo to ever make any significant money in a Cali agency.And he was a pioneer,we have to give him that.
I don't think it was accidental that latin connections went out of business after other large agencies Like Latin Love in 1999 started offering pay only for the room all services free policies.Ed will deny they had any effect on him.Ed will deny anything he doesn't like to admit.He has some classic rants in the archives.
Ed closed Latin Connections around 2000-2001???.He opened Aspiring Latin Models,a model type site where for a minor fee of $5000 you might meet the models.I think that dropped to $2500 or so and where it went from there I don't know.I don't know anybody who wanted to pay anything remotely close to that,but some might have.If there is any life to it yet I don't know.
Can't blame him for trying to get the $5000,or the $2500,or whatever it is now.Bet he longs for the good old days.

Pete

[Nevergivingup]

... in response to Re: My estimated living expenses, posted by Nevergivingup on Sep 13, 2005

Hey Pete,
You are very well informed about the agencies in Colombia.
Please tell me what you know about Aspiring Latin Models;
owned by Ed Beckwith. Do you know anyone who has used his
services within the past year?
Thanks for your help!!