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Ajijic taxis now 100 pesos to Chapala?


bdmowers

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I just took a taxi from Ajijic plaza to Chapala.  The cost was 100 pesos.  Is this the new regular fare?  Or was I gringoed?

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We use pesos and not dollars here and a 100 peso ride is not cheap in Mexico. We can go anywhere in the city in San Cristobal for 35 pesos . There the locals take the taxis as the tourists prefer to walk and stay within the center. There would be a revolution if the cabs charged a 100 pesos.

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14 hours ago, RickS said:

$5 US does not seem to be a lot to pay for a taxi.... anywhere.

It`s senseless to use dollar comparisons.   We`re in Mexico and 100 pesos is a large amount for taxis here.   The Ajijic and Chapala taxi drivers have been inflating their fares outrageously over the last 2 years.   

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11 hours ago, bdmowers said:

It`s senseless to use dollar comparisons.   We`re in Mexico and 100 pesos is a large amount for taxis here.   The Ajijic and Chapala taxi drivers have been inflating their fares outrageously over the last 2 years.   

Yes, I know that is the mantra with many. The price of homes is also way out of kilter at Lakeside but one either pays the price or goes somewhere else. Since my ‘life’ these days is tied to what I earned and have in US $s, I still do the comparison. My bad.

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3 minutes ago, RickS said:

Yes, I know that is the mantra with many. The price of homes is also way out of kilter at Lakeside but one either pays the price or goes somewhere else. Since my ‘life’ these days is tied to what I earned and have in US $s, I still do the comparison. My bad.

Some people persist in considering the lives of the Mexican nationals for whom this area has been home — in many cases for multiple generations. Their lives are tied to what they earn here in pesos. Their lives are also tied to land and family so picking up and going somewhere else is not an option. Sorry if being reminded of how the foreign invasion of this area is affecting the nationals disturbs you. 

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Just in case others, like you, have concluded that I am/was “disturbed” by the Post or its implications.... I am not. Taxi rides at 100 pesos are surely inflationary but then what is not?  bdmowers stated his concern/displeasure with the rate and that is his right/opinion. If he was speaking mainly ‘for’ the local Nationals that part escaped me.  My opinion is that, FOR ME,  $5 is not too much to pay AND by paying I am contributing to the welfare of the local Mexican economy of which I have invaded, although it is surely not a zero-sum game. 

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You are doing yourself and the community a disservice by not adapting. You'll never know the real value of things here if you keep converting in your head. You think 5 bucks is not too much, but you are not "up there", you are here, and it hurts the local economy when you rely on standards from another country to determine value. Heck, I still do some calcs in my head, but I'm Canadian, and I have to subtract (or add) another 25%)... but I earn in pesos, and if I charge someone $300 pesos, I base all my purchases on that. Not on what it's worth somewhere else. That keeps my feet on the ground in more ways than one. And it reminds me that not only is life less costly here, but also that it is not a first-world country, where people have higher wages and the cost of living is set against those wages... sometimes to ridiculous degrees.

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Same in Mexico or Oaxaca or Chiapas and you do not pay 70 pesos for 7 blocks..It is a vicious circle, locals do not use taxis because they are too expensive so taxis have very few rides in town and mostly to foreigners who pay whatever .. so they raise their prices to make up for the lack of customers .  In places like Oaxaca taxis are used a lot by locals so they have lots of rides so they do not have to charge insane prices. 

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On the other hand they know that many of the clients are elderly or do not drive.  What option do they have ....walk or bus.  They can charge whatever.  For those of us who can afford a probably too high fee there is little to complain about.  For those who cannot............

 

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4 hours ago, Tiny said:

Also, you are not only paying for the driver's service, you are paying for the use of his car. If you think the cost is too high, walk.

BUT have you not seen the increase in GAS prices.?????    For the locals that is incredible.....how do they pay it?  It is comparable to the $1.30 and up in Ontario....but we earn much more by a long shot!!!  

Sometimes one has to compare prices here to north..........I do, to understand that I am still blessed to be here and pay the prices, even if high, compared to home. 

Today for example...my Gel nails refill  was 200p all last year...today they were $300!!!!!  That is a big jump...so I will be checking out other places, that equals what I pay in Ontario!  How do the owners justify that??  Is it a gouge?  I don't know, but will check out other places for sure now.

It is always the same...prices go UP everywhere....plus we have that Canadian GST tax........added on to everything.     The increases are worth it to me as a foreigner and for the beauty of the climate and lifestyle here!!   I hope my presence and spending help the locals in exchange for their friendly and mostly welcoming attitude. 

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Well, on the fringes of this discussion, first let's not forget the 16% federal tax on everything. And the other day I got a steak sandwich at Subway: the price jumped from 99p to 112p. That's a 15% increase. Is that justified? I don't think so. Does my angst matter to a worker who would never even consider buying a sandwich that cost that much, when he can get a lonche for 30p? A lonche that, in fact, was only 12p a few short years ago? Does the price of a Subway in Canada matter in this confab?

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7 hours ago, poptarte_22@yahoo.com said:

BUT have you not seen the increase in GAS prices.?????    For the locals that is incredible.....how do they pay it?  It is comparable to the $1.30 and up in Ontario....but we earn much more by a long shot!!!  

Sometimes one has to compare prices here to north..........I do, to understand that I am still blessed to be here and pay the prices, even if high, compared to home. 

Today for example...my Gel nails refill  was 200p all last year...today they were $300!!!!!  That is a big jump...so I will be checking out other places, that equals what I pay in Ontario!  How do the owners justify that??  Is it a gouge?  I don't know, but will check out other places for sure now.

It is always the same...prices go UP everywhere....plus we have that Canadian GST tax........added on to everything.     The increases are worth it to me as a foreigner and for the beauty of the climate and lifestyle here!!   I hope my presence and spending help the locals in exchange for their friendly and mostly welcoming attitude. 

I think it would be good for you to check other places. You may be surprised that many nail places are raising prices. I get acrylic and gel for 270. Then of course there is tip.

 

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It seems the inflation here is worse simply because the the presence of so many gringo tourists who think every thing here is cheap, and it is, if you have USD$$.  This place has been labeled by outsiders as a "retirement HAVEN."  I don't think that is how the locals see it, to put it mildly.  This price gouging has been going on for some time, probably because of the peso exchange rate is still quite advantageous to USians.  Not the locals.  Other parts of MX are not so saturated with gringos, therefor the prices of everything are much more reasonable, especially given the very pleasant and enjoyable aspects of the colonial cities, which I plan on visiting a lot of before I get too old to run around and walk up lots of steep steps!

It's only the 3rd, I haven't yet taken a taxi in the New Year.  I will pay what they ask, knowing that I have much more than they do.  The local people are doing their best to keep their heads above water as rich foreigners pour into town completely distorting the economic structure.  

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The price of gasoline has nothing to do with tourists, the dollar being high has a lot to do with products that are imported--- prices are much worse where there are lots of tourists so we cannot complain too loud here.. try Quintana Roo...taxi prices go up all over the place including places where there are no tourists...gasoline prices have gone up so just to keep up the taxis have to raise their prices. 

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