As a single, 66-year-old retiree living largely off Social Security checks, I have to watch what I spend. But in Mexico, I pay just $420 per month for an apartment half a block from the beach. And aside from the basic necessities, I spend an average of $160 a month on things like eating out, entertainment, and the occasional whimsical purchase.

In a country where the minimum wage is the equivalent of $8 to $12 per day, here's you can buy for $5 or less:

1. The basics
One reason I enjoy living in Mazatlán is how affordable my monthly living expenses are. I pay $5 or less for these basics:

My monthly water bill for my two-bedroom apartment
My monthly electricity bill (when I'm not using air conditioning)
A premium hand car wash
Two hours of gardening
One hour of house-cleaning service
Decent-sized, decorative palm tree for my apartment

2. Groceries

In Mexico, fresh produce, dairy products and meats are accessible on a budget. Buying seasonal helps keep prices even lower. Right now, $5 buys you half a dozen pineapples. In the summer, it gets you 16 pounds of mangos!

When it comes to groceries, with $5, I can regularly buy:

40 eggs

10 pounds of sugar

5 pounds of fresh ginger

5 pounds of turmeric root

Eight heads of lettuce

12 pounds of carrots

10 pounds of tomatoes

3 pounds of avocados

10 fresh oysters

A pound of fresh-caught swordfish or dorado

A whole roasted chicken with potatoes, tortillas and salsa

1 pound of 3-inch wild-caught shrimp

4 quarts of organic milk from a local dairy

A half-pound of locally roasted, organic coffee beans