The cost to buy land in Chapala and Ajijic depends on the location you are buying. In Ajijic Village, there is hardly any land available. If you find a lot, it would cost probably around 3,000 pesos per square meter (about US $165,000 for a quarter of an acre). If you go to San Juan Cosala, which is 8 kilometers away from Ajijic, you would pay 1,500 pesos per square meter (about $82,500 for a quarter of an acre) in an area with a view. If you go to Riberas del Pilar, you would probably pay 1,200 pesos per square meter (about $66,000 for a quarter of an acre). If you don’t mind distance, you will surely find a lot that is within your budget. The closer to Ajijic, the higher the price.
The north, mountain, side of the carretera (main road) would tend to have the views and the south side, being the lakeside, tends to be flatter and tends to not have views unless you are right on the lake. Ajijic village is to the south of the carretera. The main drive is mostly commercial and commercial lots are always higher in price.
If you want a 1,000 square meter lot, you couldn’t find that anymore in the urban areas. Most of them would be what we call rustico, which are places that do not have water connection from the city and there is no electric hookup. You will have to provide that on your own. With hookups, about 5 kilometers outside of Ajijic on the mountain-side, I would say around 1,500 pesos per square meter (about $82,500 for a quarter of an acre) would be an average price.
If you go 10 kilometers away from Ajijic, you would be in the area of San Juan Cosala, the same sized lot would cost about $63,000. If you went east, it wouldn’t be easy to find a 1,000 square meter lot because the lots towards the east are smaller. In Riberas, which is the fastest growing area in the past 5 years, it is affordable and near Ajijic, too. I have lots that are 339 square meters for 32,000 pesos ($1,700). We have a 1,045 square meter (a little more than a quarter of an acre) lot in Riberas with estimated price of around $63,000.
Let’s say you want a lot in the Ajijic Village, where location makes a whole lot of difference. We have a lot located west near the cemetery that is 51 square meters (1,600 square feet). It is a tiny lot but what people do it put a two-story house and use the whole lot. The lots in the Ajijic Village can be much smaller than they would be in a typical suburban type setting in the United States because when you see these lots on the street, all you will see is a wall and a door and you wouldn’t know what’s going on inside. Many of the lots here are not that big because there is no front and back yard. There is just a yard because many times, the house would be at one edge of the lot and the front door would be at the other edge. There is no curb appeal whatsoever. It is just a wall. That is why many people would tend to get by with a smaller lot.
(Home with a pool, San Juan Cosala, Mexico, pictured.)
One of the worst reasons I can come up with for retiring abroad is one of the most obvious these days, I believe: The political turmoil in the U.S., (at least for U.S. potential expats.) My wife and I did not move first to Panama, then to Colombia to escape the political rancor and polarization up north. We moved to escape the chilly winter weather. But people have asked if we left so we didn't have to hear Trump this, Hillary that, Bernie in between. When we arrived in Panama we...
My experience as an American woman in Portugal 30 years ago was not good; at that time I found it a frustratingly "macho" country. However, this has definitely changed, perhaps as Luis da Silva mentions in an earlier post, this is due to most women now working, better education, and greater exposure to global influences. 
In choosing a destination to retire in the near future, I wanted to check out Playa Coronado, Panama. All the information I could find said this would be a great place for Expats. 
