Cost of Electricity

Close but no cigar

KW used 479 ....... bill to pay was $487

I'm in Zone 1B and you know Zones make the rates change

sparksmex wrote:

Close but no cigar

KW used 479 ....... bill to pay was $487

I'm in Zone 1B and you know Zones make the rates change

USD?  Nowhere near that much abnd useag was over 1000.

Why would I answer in USD ??

I've lived here 11 years

Back in Zacatecas, I never paid more than 250MXN per 2 month bill and that was for a total under 280 KWH.  I think it was tarifa 1.

I'm in Coatepec, Ver. and I'm trying to get an estimate for what I might consume which will probably be around 400 to 500 KWH per billing.  I was surprised it was that low if it's 487 MXN.  I might be able to afford a small AC unit 4 hours a day.  That's why I thought it might be USD.

It's hard to tell from the map but it looks like this area of Veracruz is also 1B.

Thanks for the reply.
I'm curious to see if I get any other reports.

I have 5-6 fans running 24/7 ..... at least this time of year

I lived in a 3 bedroom 1 and 1/2 bath 2 story house for years in Playas,  CFE was the provider of electricity.  As long as I kept my usage under 600 kwh  or perhaps 600 + (but not 700).  I paid $55 US every two months in Playas.  I had a washer but a gas dryer and water heater.  My refrigerator brought down from  Newport Beach was a 22 ft side by side. I cooked with electricity.  I had a complete office set up, printer, copier, monitor, fax. copier,  TAD.   These were older than the ones I use today and used much more
electricity.  I had 2 tvs and a VHS I also had outdoor lights even though the house was totally secure and completely gated, I had out door  lights on all night.  I  used  energy efficient bulbs.

I had a small heater to use in the bath and a space heater in the living room.  I also had a box fan for  when it was hot.  I used these sparingly but I was never uncomfortable. I lived in this house three years and never went over the limit.  I did monitor it very carefully to make sure I did not go over. Fortuantely for me the previous tenant had been under the 600 kwh minimum consistently.

The first three years I was in Playas I had all kinds of electrical bill problems as new customers  are billed based on the prior tenants last 12 months usage.  I did not know to check that before I signed the lease.  The previous tenants (I found out some time later into this scenario) had a business preparing fish for fish taco street vendors. Every day between 3 and 6 am, they operated several commercial stoves and they had two  large commercial refrigerators along with other commercial kitchen appliances.  I paid $400 a month rent on that 3 bedroom house and my electric bill was $400.  After 4 months, I broke the lease with out penalty with the help of a Mexican lawyer who only charged me $200 for his help.   Before I left however, I had paid a professional electrician to go through the house and check the wiring, replaced the breaker box and paid for the electric company to replace the meter. 

Another property owner tried to tag on to my bill who lived in the condo next door to the one he was renting me.

I suggest that checking on   PRIOR utility bills before signing a lease is a very important aspect of renting in Mexico.

Especially  CHECK the last 12 months electrical service to that house or apartment. That is what you will pay for the first year you live there.  The service always remains in the name of the owner of the property.

I am returning to Playas before the end of the year after a hiatus in Arizona due to a
family issue.  I have been checking  with my friends and former neighbors there regarding  utility charges.  The electric company's  600 or maybe 600+ KWH for a set payment is still in effect although now
due to recent rate increases, is slightly more.   Here in AZ my electric bill on a 1000 sq foot home is $130 a month but while I don't have a washer, I have a dishwasher and I do have central heat and a/c.  No off shore breeze in the late afternoon to cool things down.

I went to the head office of CFE 3 x in Tijuana about my situation with the fish taco rental but no one told me about the first year of usage  being  based on the previous tenant.  I paid a translator to go with me because I don't speak  Spanish and finding someone fluent in English  at CFE was really iffy.  Hopes this helps someone.

sparksmex wrote:

I have 5-6 fans running 24/7 ..... at least this time of year

I have only one fan running for about 4-10 hours a day, an old plasma TV and I nuke or broil a lot of food in an electric convection oven.  If I come in under 1000, I'll be fine, if not my lease i up in October.

I live in Xalapa with a tariff of 1. I would think that our tariffs would be the same. I haven't went over 400kwh in years. The last time was a really cold January and February when I paid around 1,000 mxn.

Your tariff is on your CFE bill and you can check the rates at CFE rates

I'm on a new deal.  the landlord just put in separate meters for the house and two apartments she rents, all on the same property.  I'm watching the meter and it looks like I'll be using around twice the electricity and it did in Zacatecas or close to 500KWH every 2 months.  The difference, I guess, is that I use my electric broiler oven a lot more than I used to in Zacatecas and run a fan up to 4 hours on a sunny day.  I'll be going away for the weekend with everything turned off but the refrigerator.  That'll give me an idea what the base usage is.  My max bill in Zacatecas was 250MXN for 2 months.

Funny now but not at the time

Landlord had 3 apartments and his house running on one meter.  When he upgraded to 5 meters we each had our own.  Guess who got the old original.

I gave him less than 1/4 of "my bill" and moved out

Yeah, I talked to someone here who had a similar problem. It's one of the reasons I don't want to be in an apartment. The person I talked to said the bill was steady then suddenly it doubled. It turned out the bill was for air con. in all of the units or at least most of them.  He had to take time to talk to all of his neighbors, and the owner to figure it out.

travellight wrote:

Yeah, I talked to someone here who had a similar problem. It's one of the reasons I don't want to be in an apartment. The person I talked to said the bill was steady then suddenly it doubled. It turned out the bill was for air con. in all of the units or at least most of them.  He had to take time to talk to all of his neighbors, and the owner to figure it out.

It's a fair point.  you need to get the details straight up front.  If you don't have your own meter, your rent should include electricity.