Archive for February, 2007
Panama: Cost of Living
Here is a rough cost (in US$) of typical things in Panama (2007)…
Bottle of local beer in the supermarket = $0.50Bottle of local beer at a medium-scale restaurant = $1.251l Bottle of water = $0.25-$0.301 cup of ‘fancy’ coffee (e.g. latte style) = $2
McDonald’s Combo meal = $32 course meal (incl. 1 drink) at average [...]
Here is a rough cost (in US$) of typical things in Panama (2007)…
Bottle of local beer in the supermarket = $0.50
Bottle of local beer at a medium-scale restaurant = $1.25
1l Bottle of water = $0.25-$0.30
1 cup of ‘fancy’ coffee (e.g. latte style) = $2
McDonald’s Combo meal = $3
2 course meal (incl. 1 drink) at average restaurant for 2 = $15-20
2 course meal (incl. 1 drink) at TGI Friday’s for 2 = $30
Upscale restaurant 2 course meal for 2 (no wine but soft drinks) = $35-50
Average shopping basket for 2 people with food to last 2-3 days (Riba Smith supermarket) = $20-$30 (depending upon how much local versus imported brand goods you buy)
Average taxi ride (within downtown area) for 2 people = $1-$1.25
Cinema ticket for 1 = $4
Day trip out of town somewhere = between $10-$50 per person (depending upon how far you go & what sort or guide you go with or whether you hire a cab and go on your own)
Buenos Aires: Accommodation
There’s a whole host of companies to rent a furnished, short term, executive apartment from in Buenos Aires.
These are the ones we looked at…
There’s a whole host of companies to rent a furnished, short term, executive apartment from in Buenos Aires.
These are the ones we looked at…
Taxis in Panama
So how do you negotiate this tricky challenge…getting a taxi in Panama?
The difficulty with getting a taxi in Panama is that there are no meters, no official cabs (like black cabs in London or yellow cabs in NYC) and generally no rules whatsoever!
In all honesty, it’s not that bad. A couple of locals we met [...]
So how do you negotiate this tricky challenge…getting a taxi in Panama?
The difficulty with getting a taxi in Panama is that there are no meters, no official cabs (like black cabs in London or yellow cabs in NYC) and generally no rules whatsoever!
In all honesty, it’s not that bad. A couple of locals we met didn’t even like getting cabs but if you stick to the following approach, you’ll be fine…
LIP Accommodation Review Criteria
As we are from the UK and having lived in a London apartment by the River Thames & an apartment in Nottingham (outside of the capital), we will be using these 2 experiences as a comparison base.
We will use the following criteria to review each apartment that we stay in:
1) Landlords & Letting Company
The service [...]
As we are from the UK and having lived in a London apartment by the River Thames & an apartment in Nottingham (outside of the capital), we will be using these 2 experiences as a comparison base.
We will use the following criteria to review each apartment that we stay in:
1) Landlords & Letting Company
The service provided by the landlord or letting agency, such as speed of response, ability to deal with problems, information provided.
2) Location & Amenities
Based on what we, as foreigners, working ‘tourists’ would find useful. Such as nearby restaurants, coffee shops, banks, supermarkets.
3) Apartment Fixtures, Fittings & Services
The quality of fixtures, furniture, kitchen fittings & additional services (such as broadband internet, cellphones, fax machines) provided with the apartment.
4) Added Extras
Any additional features & added extras provided with the apartment which just make for a more pleasant & enjoyable stay.
4) Value for money
In comparison to a 2 bed-room, approx. 700 sq foot apartment in the UK, in London (approx. £1,200 / $2,350 per month although this was now 3 years ago) and outside of London in Nottingham (approx. £700 / $1,350 per month). Note: These are the prices we paid for unfurnished apartments. You can rent for less, but these are high quality, executive-level apartments with top of the range fixtures, fittings & materials.
5) Photos
We will endeavour to include photos, pictures & if possible, short video tours of each apartment.
