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We are moving to the Rosarito area from the Lake Chapala area in October of this year. We of course know what household labor costs are here ........ but have no idea how it compares to the costs there. We've heard that the cost is more in Rosarito for a maid and gardener ......... but we don't know how MUCH more. Any info will be appreciated!

Originally Posted by LivingNBaja

We are moving to the Rosarito area from the Lake Chapala area in October of this year. We of course know what household labor costs are here ........ but have no idea how it compares to the costs there. We've heard that the cost is more in Rosarito for a maid and gardener ......... but we don't know how MUCH more. Any info will be appreciated!

Boy, there's loaded question. It can take years to find someone capable you can trust in your home. We went through three before finding our current worker- who has been with us for four years now. We pay a lot but get a lot- including peace of mind. Good luck.

btw: Never, ever hire the people who walk up to your door speaking English and are asking for work. Too many deportees in Rosarito want to be chummy. There are people looking for you as much as you are looking for them and it's not always for a good reason. jmho

Thanks for the advice -- we would never hire anybody who doesn't have good references. We have good help here. Our maid is great and our gardeners are also wonderful. We are almost more sorry to leave them than some of our friends! -- just kidding! ... We are hoping that we can find a place where we don't have as much maintenance as we do here. The condo idea -- with garden maintenance included -- is sounding better and better to us! However, we will still have to have someone come in to clean.

Originally Posted by LivingNBaja

Thanks for the advice -- we would never hire anybody who doesn't have good references. We have good help here. Our maid is great and our gardeners are also wonderful. We are almost more sorry to leave them than some of our friends! -- just kidding! ... We are hoping that we can find a place where we don't have as much maintenance as we do here. The condo idea -- with garden maintenance included -- is sounding better and better to us! However, we will still have to have someone come in to clean.

The Club Marena suggestion was an excellent one for you. A good first landing spot. Why worry about having to find workers right away?

Originally Posted by Woooosh

The Club Marena suggestion was an excellent one for you. A good first landing spot. Why worry about having to find workers right away?

I understand that if we go to the Club Marena, we would not have to have gardeners because the landscaping, etc., should be taken care of ........ but don't we still have to hire somebody to clean the apt/condo? I don't know that much about condo living, but I would think maid service is not included .......... am I wrong?

The management of Club Marina or other developments should be able to provide you with information on housekeeping services or you could wait until you arrive and get references from current residents.

I have a gardner fours hour each week and a house cleaner four hours every other week. That gets the jobs done.
I also have a man working for me doing construction type things four hours each day M-F.
I pay each what amounts to 100 pesos per hour and I may be paying more than some others, but not much. These people are paying 3.50 dlls for a gallon of gas too.

What do you pay in Chapala?

Originally Posted by DENNIS

I have a gardner fours hour each week and a house cleaner four hours every other week. That gets the jobs done.
I also have a man working for me doing construction type things four hours each day M-F.
I pay each what amounts to 100 pesos per hour and I may be paying more than some others, but not much. These people are paying 3.50 dlls for a gallon of gas too.

What do you pay in Chapala?

We pay our maid 45 pesos per hour and the gardener 750 pesos per wk. The maid comes 3 days per wk for 3 - 4 hours and the gardener comes 3 days per wk. He just keeps the yard looking good, however long it takes --- which varies from 3 hrs to about 5 hrs each day he comes ......... and he has a helper that he pays out of the 750 pesos per week. We are under the impression that he pays the helper 25 pesos per hour, but we have never asked him. They are both hard workers and do a great job. We buy the fertilizer and other supplies that he needs. He just gives us a list. The "going rate" here for maids is 40 - 50 p, so we are right in the middle. We also pay for her two daughters to take computer lessons and English lessons once each week. That is an additional 150 pesos well spent.

We had heard from others that wages are higher in Rosarito, but that is understandable and we are certainly agreeable. We just didn't know exactly what "higher" meant. Now we have a better idea ... at least a ballpark figure. Thanks for the info!

Originally Posted by LivingNBaja

We pay our maid 45 pesos per hour and the gardener 750 pesos per wk. The maid comes 3 days per wk for 3 - 4 hours and the gardener comes 3 days per wk. He just keeps the yard looking good, however long it takes --- which varies from 3 hrs to about 5 hrs each day he comes ......... and he has a helper that he pays out of the 750 pesos per week. We are under the impression that he pays the helper 25 pesos per hour, but we have never asked him. They are both hard workers and do a great job.

YIPES.........I think I hear a union organizer lurking in the bushes.

Thanks for the insight. I won't get into the million questions that are in my mind about your gardeners cost of living etc, but I'll wonder about it.
Thanks again.

They (gardeners) set the price. We didn't. We paid them exactly what they asked for when they first started working for us 3 years ago and we have given them a raise each year since then. They are happy. In fact, they are here right now working. They are extremely pleasant and friendly and they keep our yard absolutely beautiful. We pay them a yearly bonus and we pay them and tell them not to come to work when there is a holiday. The cost of living is less here, obviously.

Originally Posted by LivingNBaja

They (gardeners) set the price. We didn't. We paid them exactly what they asked for when they first started working for us 3 years ago and we have given them a raise each year since then. They are happy. In fact, they are here right now working. They are extremely pleasant and friendly and they keep our yard absolutely beautiful. We pay them a yearly bonus and we pay them and tell them not to come to work when there is a holiday. The cost of living is less here, obviously.

I understand. My comments weren't directed toward your treatment of your help.
It's the same way here. Construction workers with heavy equipment, tractors and backhoes, charge so little they can't maintain their equipment. They charge that low price because the competition does the same. They seem satisfied living hand to mouth.
I just don't get it.

Dennis, I hope I didn't sound defensive. I didn't mean to if it came across that way --- and after reading what I wrote, I think it did. Sorry. I thought I was being "factual" but it came out as being curt.

They do seem to be happy. That's one thing that fascinates us about the culture. They love their families and think nothing of having 12 or 14 people living in a 2 br 1 ba house.

We were chatting with Vicente (gardener) last week about our move to Baja. He speaks pretty good English --- which he learned from working in California. We asked him how he liked it there, and why he returned to Chapala. He said he went there twice, just to make some extra money to help build his house in San Juan Cosala. He said that he didn't like "the people" and that it cost way too much to live there. Plus, his family (mother and sisters) wanted him to come back here and he preferred to be here....... so, he is here. I have no idea what "people" he didn't like. He is a quiet guy as a rule and I've never heard him complain about anything. We are going to miss him and Jose, his helper.

Joan

Originally Posted by LivingNBaja

Dennis, I hope I didn't sound defensive. I didn't mean to if it came across that way --- and after reading what I wrote, I think it did. Sorry. I thought I was being "factual" but it came out as being curt.

Nah....it was all good. Thanks.

Originally Posted by LivingNBaja

We pay our maid 45 pesos per hour and the gardener 750 pesos per wk. The maid comes 3 days per wk for 3 - 4 hours and the gardener comes 3 days per wk. He just keeps the yard looking good, however long it takes --- which varies from 3 hrs to about 5 hrs each day he comes ......... and he has a helper that he pays out of the 750 pesos per week. We are under the impression that he pays the helper 25 pesos per hour, but we have never asked him. They are both hard workers and do a great job. We buy the fertilizer and other supplies that he needs. He just gives us a list. The "going rate" here for maids is 40 - 50 p, so we are right in the middle. We also pay for her two daughters to take computer lessons and English lessons once each week. That is an additional 150 pesos well spent.

We had heard from others that wages are higher in Rosarito, but that is understandable and we are certainly agreeable. We just didn't know exactly what "higher" meant. Now we have a better idea ... at least a ballpark figure. Thanks for the info!

It appears house keepers in Chapala are doing very well compared to here where the average for a real maid is about $750.00 pesos for 6 - 8 hours days,

They do a bit of shopping, cooking and serving and clean the house, laundry and eat 2 meals a day. They get paid 2 weeks off and paid all federal holidays and I months pay at Christmas for their bonus.

The going rate for a 2 or 3 hours 2X or 3X a week cleaning lady is about $25.00 pesos per hour and paid federal holiday if it falls on that day and 4 weeks pay Christmas bonus if they work limited hours per week.

Gardeners here get about $25,00 pesos per hour if good, less if not regardless of the hours needed, paid federal holidays again if it falls on their day and 4 weeks pay averaged out for their Christmas bonus and a torta if it is lunch time, refrescos etc.

Store clerks are the lowest paid here and get about $600.00 pesos for the first 40 hours but work at least a 1/2 day Saturday for extra, but in line with about $15.00 pesos per hour, paid federal holidays and 4 weeks Christmas bonus, 2 weeks paid vacation, all legal here.

They also get their IMSS paid by the employer which is a percentage of their monthly wage.

Maids that are full time do also, part time gardeners and part time cleaning ladies don´t.

This is in Central Mexico and Mexicali has similar wages and benefits. Possibly a bit more per hour for full time maids and definitely more for store clerks, maybe $900.00 pesos per 40 hour week.