Image Credit: Mario Rodriguez (Text Overlay: Backpacking Brunette)
Finding an apartment in Querétaro turned out to be a lot harder than I’d anticipated.
In the weeks leading up to our departure, I actually told Taylor I was looking forward to apartment hunting! Can you believe that?! I figured that after the nightmare that was the Madrid rental market looking for an apartment in Querétaro would be a breeze.
I was wrong.
Finding an Apartment in Querétaro
During our search, we utilized a variety of sources (some successful, some not):
- The internet. In Madrid, Idealista displays the majority of apartments for rent. However, of the websites most commonly used in Mexico (Segundamano, Vivanuncios, Trovit, Lamudi), none come close to Idealista’s user-friendliness. It was difficult to tell where in the city many properties were located as many owners neglected to include even general location markers.
- Pounding the pavement. When the internet came up short, we decided to hit the streets. In Madrid, you could hardly walk a block without seeing a Se Alquila (For Rent) sign. I booked an Airbnb in the heart of the city center for just this purpose. Certainly we’d see something while we were out walking! Nope. Taylor and I canvased the neighborhood for hours without so much as seeing a single Se Renta sign (in Mexico, they use a different verb).
- Newspapers. Trying to stay positive, I suggested we pick up a newspaper and check out the classifieds. That’s how people used to do it, right? For 10 pesos, we bought a copy of the Diaro de Querétaro. Sitting on a park bench in Alameda Hidalgo (Querétaro’s main city park), we started circling ads to call. Unlike the websites, the majority of properties listed were located in the center. We saw the first property we called, and although it ended up not being the one, our spirits were lifted.
My wishlist
During our final months in Madrid, Taylor and I loved imagining our future home in Querétaro. After two years in a 45m2 apartment, we’d learned to live modestly. Our wishlist was far from extravagant:
- Located in the city center. Since we don’t have a car, we needed to be located within walking distance of…well, pretty much everything.
- Separate work spaces. Since Taylor and I both work from home, we needed space for our offices. Because we teach English online, sharing a single work space was out of the question.
- Outdoor space. In Madrid, I suffered from major balcony envy. In our new home, I wanted an outdoor area where we could sit and enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the day.
- Furnished. I wanted to be able to unpack my bags and get right down to enjoying la vida méxicana. Our furnished apartment in Madrid made life so easy!
- An oven. I said many sad goodbyes in Madrid but bidding farewell to our two-burner stove top was not one of them. I should be able to make cookies when I feel like it!
Compromises
The very first place we saw was unfurnished, and if I’m being perfectly honest, it was terrifying. The thought of furnishing an entire apartment (especially without reliable transportation) overwhelmed me. I told Taylor I only wanted to consider furnishing a place as a last resort.
>> Curious about expat life in Querétaro, Mexico? THIS POST has everything you need to know about living in Querétaro! <<
Several showings later, we saw a furnished apartment. It was horrible. The mattress was lumpy and dirty. The dishes were mismatched and cracked. The tv was a hulking relic that took up half the living room.
The Querétaro rental market has few furnished apartments to offer, and the ones that it does have (within our budget) are hardly places I would ever seriously consider living. When the owner suggested we simply flip the mattress over, I decided I was ready to take the leap and furnish a place.
Our New Home
After an unsuccessful showing, Taylor and I were walking back to our Airbnb and decided to stop for a drink. When the server brought our cervezas, I told him we’d had a long and difficult day of apartment hunting. He sympathized with us because it had taken him a year to find his apartment in the city center.
A year?! And I thought booking a second week in an Airbnb would be extreme!
The server, Eduardo, said he knew a place we might be interested in. The apartment next door to his friend was for rent. He said we seemed like good people and would ask his friend for more details.
Eduardo put us in contact with his friend, Paulina. Paulina, in turn, put us in contact with the owner of the apartment. Without ever even having met us, Paulina told the owner that we were her friends. We saw the place Oct. 21.
It was and still is perfect. We’ve been living in our new home for a week. Minus coming furnished, it met all the criteria on my wishlist. Pictures to come!
Have you ever house hunted abroad? What challenges did you encounter? Let me know in the comments below!
I know alot of people in Querétaro but none that could help me find an apt. They are all co workers that only come to America on work visas. But I want a place in Querétaro to go to so I can spend time there whenever I wanna get away. Could you help me locate a small studio possibly? I’m Nicole nmbegley1176@gmail.com
Hi Nicole, thanks for taking the time to read and comment. I suggest starting your apartment hunt by renting an Airbnb. That’s what I did, and it allowed me to get to know the area. So much of the housing market here seems to be who know, so it’s best to get out and talk to people. I hope that helps! Feel free to shoot me an email with any other questions. You can find my email address on my contact page. Cheers!
Hey Alex. So you’ve been in Queretaro for over a year? Can you please share your likes/dislikes? Also, how much is a 1 br apartment in a decent area?
Hi Paul, thank you for reading the blog and taking the time to leave a comment. Soon, I will be sharing a post with my likes and dislikes about Qro, so check back for that! Prices vary greatly depending on where you are in the city, but my neighbor (we live in the historic city center) pays 5,000 pesos per month for her one-bedroom place. I hope this information helps! Best, Alex
Alex Wittman recently posted…How To Learn A Language Online With italki
Is it feasible to “rent” at a hotel for 3-6 months or must one rent an apartment? We do not want to furnish a place.
I recommend trying to go off platform with an Airbnb host. There are some tips in this video: https://youtu.be/-pH0sJXOkF0
Hi!
I like your blog about Queretaro! I’m currently living in Bali and thinking about making the leap there. I also teach online, so internet is extremely important.
Is it possible to use your phone as a hotspot when the internet is out? This might sound silly, but in Bali sometimes your phone won’t even work if there’s an outage!
How often does your internet go out? If there’s rain, does it stop working?
Did you have to purchase your own internet? Is fiber optic available and what’s the average speed?
Can you purchase a portable modem in case of an outage?
Did you put down a hefty deposit? I also lived in Madrid where some people wanted two months!
Let me know if you have any questions about Vietnam or Indonesia! I’m happy to help!
This move will take place in October or November.
Un beso,
Rebecca
Hi Rebecca, Thanks for taking the time to read and leave a comment! I’m glad you like the blog. In the year and a half I’ve lived here, the internet has gone out three times. One of those times was a totally freak thing with a downed pole. I can’t use my phone as a hotspot because I don’t have enough data to support video conferencing. Fiber optic is possible, and that’s what I have. But, heads up, it took a month to get it installed. Worth the wait though because it’s super fast. The download speed is something like 100 Mbps. Rain is generally not an issue here since it only rains during the summer and usually at night. I haven’t looked into a portable modem myself, but I know some teachers in Mexico use them, so it’s definitely a possibility. As far as the apartment, I put down one month’s rent as a security deposit. Pretty standard, I think. But, most landlords ask for a Mexican national to sign as your “guaranteer.” That might be something you need to work around. If you can’t find someone to sign, I’m sure you could just offer to add an additional month’s rent to the security deposit. Pesos fix everything! Hope you found this information helpful. Feel free to reach out with any other questions! I’m happy to help. Cheers, Alex
Alex Wittman recently posted…6 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Becoming An Expat
I am traveling to Queretaro for a long term stay and my travel is gonna be sometime next month, would like to know how much should I need to spend for renting an 1 bhk apartment in Queretaro. I am not getting much of leads when I am searching in the internet. Any leads would help? Thanks!
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Hi, Donnie. I’m not sure how long your long term stay will be, but keep in mind that most landlords in Qro (at least the ones I’ve interacted with) won’t lease an apartment for any less than a year. But, if you’re planning on staying at least a year, I recommend renting an Airbnb in the neighborhood you’d like to live in and using whatever Spanish you have to ask anyone and everyone if they know of a place for rent. The rental market (at least in the historic center where I live) moves quickly. Good luck! All the best, Alex
Hi Alex,
I’m an old Mexico hand. We currently live in a place that is becoming a bit to crime infested. We know QRO, but wondering what you thought of area south of river and around Alameda Hidalgo? If not Centro, where would you want to live? Thanks. Duke
Hi Duke, thanks for reading my blog and taking the time to leave a comment. As you know, I’ve only lived in centro. If I didn’t live here though, I would consider Milenio Tres. My aunt lives there, and I’ve spent some time getting to know her neighborhood. It’s close to the city center (a few minutes by car) but has everything you need (shopping, restaurants, etc). It might be worth checking out! All the best, Alex
Hi Alex,
My husband and I just arrived in Queretaro on 11/4 and are looking for a furnished apartment. If you know anyone who may know someone else I would be so grateful for any help you can provide. I have been on the hunt since arriving as we also need to complete the second piece of our temporary residency with INM. It’s been a bit more challenging for us due to the fact that we have 2 small dogs (a yorkie and a morkie) and it seems a bit more difficult to find someone that is ok with pets. P.S. My husband got me into your YouTube channel and has commented on there before – you are doing amazing things there and are a great resource. Thanks!
Lisa Goins recently posted…Osprey Porter 46 Review: Best Travel Backpack for Europe, Mexico & Beyond
Hi, Lisa! How did your apartment hunt end up? I hope you were able to complete your temporary residency process at INM & it didn’t take you as long to get your card back as it did me…almost four months!
Hi Alex, Stumbled on your blog and was delighted. My husband and I are seniors, semi retired and we were in Queretaro in April 2019 and loved it.
We had tried Guadalajara and enjoyed it but too big to really live, then we tried San Miguel and enjoyed it, but a bit too small for living but Queretaro was perfect. We had a great Mexican hotel in el centro – La Casa del Atrio.
We walked everywhere exploring, went to markets, saw the dance festival, book sellers show, museums, went to Arnal and saw the champagne cellars and cheese caves, rode the bus to the pyramid and ate at all sorts of places.
We are hoping to be able to visit again in 2022 for about a month +and maybe explore long term apartment/house rental. Do you know any good airbnb hosts in el centro where we could have a ground level place with a small courtyard? We love being outside. PS how was queretaro during Covid? Thanks, Lynda in KY
Hi, Lynda! Thanks for reading & taking the time leave a comment. How exciting that you & your hubby are planning on spending even more time in Qro! I plan on putting a blog post/guide together with Airbnb recommendations around the city, so check back here when you start planning your 2022 trip. I will keep the accommodation wishes you mentioned in mind when I’m selecting properties. Right now in Queretaro, restrictions are stricter than they’ve ever been, but that’s still not very strict. Businesses close at 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Restaurants are only open for takeaway or delivery on Sunday & there is a dry law in effect on the weekend. The government is trying to quell rising case numbers, and hopefully, the measures they put in place will do that. Thanks again for reading & wishing you well in 2021!
We are planning on a scouting trip in September, IF we are allowed into Mexico and return home to Seattle, WA USA. Plan is to find a great relocation place where we can retire. I gather there are not many english speaking expats in Qro? (I love that moniker).
Keep up the good work.
Cindy and Dutch
Hi, Alex. Your blog is great! I had to laugh; I’m brunette and I also teach English. Great coincidence. I’m moving to Qro in mid-August. I have an AirBnB lined up for the first month. I know I’m up against a lot with an apartment search – as close as possible to the Carretas area and hopefully also an interesting neighborhood; a private apartment (no roommate); furnished and of course, CHEAP. It sounds like furnished is a challenge in Qro, and I know not having a roommate is pushing my search towards the impossible. I know I can ask around, but I am starting to get a bit worried about my prospects. Do you know of any available apartments or have any advice for me?
Also, how is the current COVID situation?
I was just looking at your IG and it reminded me about another question. Sorry. I am packing and I cannot figure out exactly how cold it might get in December, January… My guess is layering clothes is a good idea if it is still 18 degrees during the day and too hot for anything more than a long-sleeve top, but how cold are we talking? 12 degrees during some days and colder at night? Help. My packing has stalled 🙂
Really enjoyed reading your blog! My husband and I were actually considering purchasing an apartment and renting it out on occasion. Do you think there is a big enough market of renters there to be successful with that? Seems like it considering how hard your search was but wondering if there is a large pool of options just hard to locate them?