Creating a realistic and workable lifestyle plan

Mexperience offers comprehensive local knowledge to guide you through every stage of your relocation to Mexico, and continues to help after you make the move and settle-in to Mexico.  We also connect you to helpful contacts who can facilitate your plans.

This article outlines key factors to consider as you think about a move to Mexico—whether you’re moving alone, with your partner, or with your family.

The factors summarized in this article are an integral part of our continually-updated and free guide to Living & Lifestyles in Mexico.

Our guides, articles, and monthly newsletter are written by people who know Mexico intimately, are continually revised and updated—and are free to access.

Foundation work for your Mexico lifestyle planning

Some people move to Mexico on a whim (with varying results); however, when you look under the hood of the stories about people who have made a beneficial move to Mexico, they tend to be underpinned by the presence of a lifestyle plan.

When you’re considering a move to Mexico it makes sense to take a step back and:

• consider your approach to a lifestyle in Mexico;
• define your intentions and know what’s motivating you to move here;
• be mindful about where in Mexico to live, taking care to match your true needs with the locations you consider;
• consider the requirements for legal residency;
• plan to deal with essential matters related to settling-in and adapting to a new culture and lifestyle in Mexico: by yourself, or with your partner or family.

Free Guide: Guide to Living & Lifestyles in Mexico

Retirement planning in Mexico

If you plan to move to Mexico to retire (or to eventually retire here), you ought to consider matters related specifically to retirement planning and retirement lifestyles in Mexico.

Although retired people don’t carry the challenges and stresses of a working life —holding down a job, raising children, and keeping wolves from the door— retirement does bring other challenges.

Becoming informed by using practical guidance to help you make constructive plans, identifying and mitigating the risks associated with retirement abroad, and learning about key elements which often underpin a fruitful and abundant retirement lifestyle in Mexico can help you to make better choices.

Free Guide: Our Guide to Living & Lifestyles in Mexico contains sections specifically about planning and realizing a retirement in Mexico.

Discovering places to live in Mexico

The place where you decide to live is a personal choice; it’s also subjective, and important.

Where you choose to live in Mexico can make or break your lifestyle plans and aspirations, so taking time to pause and consider your needs in relation to a place is sensible and preferable to making an impulsive decision based on assumptions which are often conceived in haste and based on limited knowledge and experience of a location and its attributes.

Matching your needs with your location is one of the cornerstone choices you will make as you plan a move to Mexico, and Mexperience offers insights and local knowledge to help you make considered choices.

Free Guide: Our Guide to Living & Lifestyles in Mexico contains insights to help you consider your choices about location and accommodations when you relocate to Mexico.

Practical essentials for everyday living in Mexico

When you have committed to the move and find yourself in Mexico, you will face an entire raft of practical matters which are relevant to everyday living here, regardless of your life stage and other circumstances.

These include things like finding a property to rent or buy, adapting to local climates, keeping healthy and well, engaging with the language, keeping in touch, getting around using transport options, caring for your pets, as well as wide assortment of everyday practical matters like tipping and bargaining, and the water supply—to name a few.

Free Guide: Our extensive Guide to Real Estate in Mexico includes insights about buying, renting, selling, and managing your residential home in Mexico.

Taking this pathway to adaptation is necessary and, although at times it may be challenging and confusing to you, it will form an essential part of your overall experience and provide a foundation from which you will learn to cultivate a fruitful lifestyle here.

Free Guide: Our Guide to Living & Lifestyles in Mexico includes sections about settling-in to Mexico, adapting to your new environment and lifestyle, and finding balance and purpose.

When you’re settled, there are always day-to-day matters to contend with, that will form part of your new lifestyles and life experiences.   Mexperience offers ample insights to help you navigate these stages of change and transformation in your lifestyle.

Home Life: Regularly updated articles in our Mexico Home Life section offer tips and insights about day-to-day living here.

Home Stewardship: Articles and guides in our Home Stewardship section help you manage your house, home, and dwelling spaces in Mexico.

Connect to additional resources to help you plan and realize your relocation to Mexico

Knowledge, resources, and helpful contacts will play a defining role in your lifestyle planning and move to Mexico.  Mexperience helps you on your journey to discovering opportunities, making informed choices, and turning your lifestyle plans into reality.

• Our Mexico Lifestyle Planning section contains articles and guides to help you plan a new lifestyle, or consider how to reform an existing lifestyle here
• Discover Places to Live in Mexico helps you find and compare key locations across Mexico—from the most popular, to new emerging areas as well as places off the beaten track
• The Mexico Home Life section provides practical insights that help you to cultivate your lifestyle in Mexico every day
• Register for our free monthly newsletter about Mexico

Free Guide: Our Guide to Living & Lifestyles in Mexico is comprehensive and continually-updated.  It contains detailed knowledge and insights to help you consider your choices and form a plan based on your intentions and individual circumstances.

Obtaining assistance

Our associates provide helpful assistance services which provide key support for your Mexico lifestyle plans.  These include:

• Immigration assistance when you need help with your with your residency permits.
• Insurance services – mitigate the effects of unforeseen events with coverages for your vehicle, home, health and travel.
• Professional services – when you need counsel or advice about property, commercial or legal matters in Mexico.
• Spanish language study – obtain help when you want to learn or improve your Spanish.
• Leisure time – with Mexico on your doorstep, our travel associates can help you see more of it with carefully crafted custom tours that help you to make the most of your leisure time.

This article describes what a trip protection plan is, and how you can use this type of insurance to cover your trips to Mexico.

What is a trip protection plan?

When you’re visiting Mexico on a short-term basis —for no more than 90 consecutive days— a trip protection plan (sometimes referred to as trip cancellation insurance) will mitigate the costs of unexpected travel and medical expenses in the event of delays, interruptions, cancellations, as well as medical emergencies and evacuation.

Our associate offers trip insurance plans which protect the investment you’ve made in your trip to Mexico and alleviate the costs of unexpected emergency medical situations.

What a trip protection plan covers

• Comprehensive trip protection plans with a choice of three tiers of coverage for short-term stays in Mexico that won’t exceed more than 90 consecutive days.
• Delays, interruptions or cancellation of your travel plans.  Compensation if your flight gets delayed or your bags are delayed or become lost or stolen; and reimbursement of you non-refundable trip costs if you need to cancel your visit to Mexico due to unexpected situations including illness, job loss or transfer, as well as certain weather, disaster and other unforeseen events.
• Unexpected emergency medical expense coverage in Mexico for physician’s fees, lab/x-rays, prescriptions, anesthetics, clinic/hospital costs up to US$100,000; cover for emergency dental expenses is also included up to US$5,000 depending on the plan tier you choose.
• Medically-warranted emergency evacuation to the nearest suitable medical facility and covering up to US$500,000 (depending on plan tier) of medical evacuation costs. Includes transporting a visitor from abroad to join you, and repatriation of minors.
• A 24/7 travel assistance service is included in all plan tiers offering non-insurance travel assistance services, for example if you need help with replacing a lost passport, prescription refills, legal referrals, and emergency cash advances among others.
• Highest tier of the plan also offers coverages for Non-medical emergency evacuation, car rental damage, sports rental equipment coverage, lost golf days & lost ski days, and replacement of frequent-traveler points.
• Premiums and plan options are based on several factors including trip duration and cost, and travelers’ ages. This plan is available for your next visit provided your stay does not exceed 90 days.
• Terms are clearly provided by our associate, TME Travel Insurance, when you get a no-obligation quote.

Is a trip protection plan right for me?

This type of plan is ideal for people who make short trips to Mexico—that don’t exceed 90 days.

If your visits to Mexico are longer than 90 days and will not exceed 180 consecutive days (six months), consider opting for Travel medical insurance instead.

If you stay in Mexico for over 180 consecutive days a Medical Evacuation Insurance plan might suit your needs in situations where a critical medical issue warrants a medical evacuation.

Get help to plan your approach when you apply for residency in Mexico, and practical tele-assistance as you make your own way through procedures related to applying for legal residency in Mexico.

First-time residency applications in Mexico

Our associates can help you when you are planning to apply for residency in Mexico for the first time. (They can also help if you had residency before, allowed it to lapse, and want to re-apply for residency now.)

Mexperience offers detailed information about applying for residency, including the principal routes to residency and their qualification criteria.

How the Tele-Assistance facilitation service works

The tele-assistance facilitation service offered by our associates saves you time and helps avoid common mistakes made by applicants seeking residency in Mexico. You can use tele-assistance regardless of what location you plan to move to (or are currently situated) in Mexico.

The service facilitates your application at every stage of the process:

• An initial consultation by phone/videocall/email/chat to understand your situation and plan a workable approach for your residency application.
• Confirmation of the required procedures for a first-time residency application.
• Review of your supporting documentation for accuracy and completeness.
• Customized checklist of documents you’ll need to carry and present at each stage of the process.
• Assistance to identify a suitable Mexican consulate abroad, including help to book an appointment, and support to prepare for your residency interview at a Mexican consulate.
• After the consulate places a visa stamp in your passport, our associates continue their support when you arrive in Mexico to exchange your visa for a residency card.
• Our associate will co-ordinate your intended arrival date in Mexico and book an appointment for you at the immigration office in Mexico using the INM’s online appointment system.
• They’ll correctly complete the application forms and letters (in Spanish) that you’ll need when you arrive at the immigration office in Mexico to exchange your visa for a residency card.
• Our associate will provide detailed instructions/guidance about where to go and what to do at the Mexican consulate abroad and/or at immigration office in Mexico on your appointment date.

Get support through every stage of the application

The table below describes the support offered at each stage of the application process.

First Time Application Tele-Assistance Fees

Our associate’s first time application tele-assistance support package offers facilitation that is transparent and affordable, with fixed-fee pricing and no hidden charges.  All consulting and assistance fees exclude the government fees applicants must pay to apply for residency in Mexico.

Accompanied Option: The First Time Application service plan is also available as an Accompanied Assistance option at selected cities in Mexico.  Accompaniment is not available at Mexican consulates abroad.  See this page for details and fees.

Make a service request for Residency Assistance

To hire our associate to assist you with the facilitation of your first time residency application, please complete the request form below.

What happens next?

• After you complete the form, Mexperience will send you an email that confirms your request and introduces you to the associate who will assist you.
• The immigration assistance associate will respond to you directly and request payment for their service. When you’ve paid, they’ll schedule-in your initial consultation and the service will begin.

Why have the ‘economic solvency’ criteria for residency increased so much?

Mexico’s minimum wage has more than trebled since 2016—and along with it, so too did the monthly income or savings/investment balances required to qualify for residency.

UMA was introduced to create a buffer for prices and other official calculations that were tied to minimum wage before it was purposely ramped-up. UMA has also increased each year since 2016 but at a much slower pace in line with official inflation.

Mexican Consulates abroad were directed to adopt UMA for their residency qualification criteria in July 2025 —nearly a decade after UMAs were introduced— and at higher multiples than the original law stipulated, effectively rebasing the ‘economic solvency’ requirements for residency to 2025 levels.

Income —vs— savings for qualification

Mexican consulates abroad are using UMAs for their calculations.

Temporary residency

Using your monthly income: The monthly income required to qualify for Temporary Residency in Mexico when you apply at a Mexican Consulate is around US$4,400 per month in 2026.

Using your savings/investments: If your monthly income is too low to qualify, you may instead qualify for Temporary Residency in Mexico if you have savings/investments—that can include a combination of cash, 401k (or equivalent), trust funds, and some other investment funds. You need around US$74,000 in savings/investments in 2026.

Using savings/investments remains a viable route to qualify for many people who have been saving throughout their lives, or who have that amount or more in cash deposited at a bank account(s)—for example, from a recent house sale.

Permanent residency

If you intend to apply for Permanent residency right away, to qualify in 2026 you need to demonstrate around US$7,400 of monthly income or a total balance of around US$300,000 in savings/investment account(s).  Consulates only issue Permanent residency visas to people who are “retired.”

Qualifying income and savings

See our guide to financial criteria for residency in Mexico and read these FAQs for more information and rules about qualifying for residency in Mexico using your monthly income or savings/investments—including what types of income/savings qualify.

Alternatives to economic solvency

If you want to live or retire in Mexico but don’t have sufficient monthly income or savings/investments to qualify for residency under the ‘economic solvency’ rules, there are some other routes you may consider.

Marriage to a Mexican national, or foreign resident

If you are married (or are getting married) to a Mexican national, or to an existing foreign resident in Mexico, you could arrive in Mexico as a visitor and exchange your visitor permit for a residency card.  Mexican immigration law also recognizes same-sex marriages.  Learn more about residency through marriage in Mexico.

Common-law partner of a Mexican national, or foreign resident

Mexican immigration law recognizes a common-law partnership, “Concubinos,” with a Mexican national, including same sex common-law partnerships. You must inquire at a local immigration office about the criteria they ask for to prove your common-law partnership in lieu of a marriage certificate.  As with married couples, you can exchange your visitor permit in Mexico for a residency card using this route. Learn more about residency through common-law partnership in Mexico.

Defined family roots

Other than spouses/partners, defined family connections can also enable you to qualify for residency in Mexico.  This article describes them.

Your baby born in Mexico

If your child is born in Mexico, both parents become immediately eligible for legal residency in Mexico.  You don’t need to go to a consulate abroad for a visa—you can apply directly at an immigration office in Mexico.

Humanitarian grounds

Applications for residency on Humanitarian grounds are specialized and dealt with on a per-case basis. Visit your local immigration office to ask for details.

Learn more about residency in Mexico

Mexperience publishes information and resources to help you learn about how to apply for and obtain legal residency in Mexico:

• Learn about the principal routes to obtaining legal residency
• Read about the financial criteria to qualify for residency in Mexico
• Learn about Family Unit routes to apply for residency in Mexico
• See our detailed summary about how to apply for residency in Mexico
• Find out the latest residency-related fees charged by Mexico’s government
• See our Mexico Immigration Guide that covers all of the essential information about visas and residency permits for Mexico.

In addition to the notarization, official documents that are not originally presented in Spanish (e.g. those issued by Spain) must also be accompanied by a copy of the document(s) officially translated into Spanish.

Documents that most commonly need to be translated into Spanish include birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates; academic and professional diplomas; and certificates of company incorporation.

Only certified translations into Spanish are accepted

Translation of official documents into Spanish (and their accompanying notarization/apostille certificates) must be undertaken by an authorized translator in Mexico certified by the Mexican judiciary to translate official documents.

Certified translators use a special stamp that is applied to translated documents, and their name/details are checked against a central register when the documents are filed.

How to get your documents translated into Spanish

Our associate can help and will be pleased to assist when you need to get your official documentation translated into Spanish by a certified translator.

They are certified to translate documents from English to Spanish, and German to Spanish.

Simple and streamlined process

Our associate offers a streamlined process to create a certified translation of  document(s) for you:

• The original documents as well as their notarized/apostilled certificates (where relevant) will need to be officially translated into Spanish.
• Our associate will ask you to send them a digital copy of the original document(s) you want to get translated.
• They will undertake the translation work using the digital images.
• Then they’ll print-out the translation on physical paper for you, and stamp/sign the papers using their certified credentials.
• These certified papers will be shipped to an address you specify—or you can arrange pick-up.

Document delivery options

When the translation is completed, it will be printed, certified, and shipped—or you can arrange pick-up.  These are the delivery options:

• Our associate will arrange for the the physical documents to be sent to you by courier, at your expense. (Courier fees vary by destination and our associate will advise you about these.); or
• You can arrange for a courier of your choice to pick them up; or
• You may pick them up yourself (or arrange Uber or Didi to fetch them) from the associate’s offices in Mexico City or Cuernavaca.

Typical delivery time scales

The table below describes the typical time scales required for translation work.

1 Page = 200 words.
Time scales exclude shipping/courier times.
If you have many documents to translate, our associate will quote an estimated time scale.

Fees for Certified Translations (2026)

Fees are based on a page count, and one page is = 200 words, minimum fee is 1 page.
Part-pages are rounded up to the nearest half-page, e.g., 1.2 pages=1.5, 1.6 pages=2.
Fees exclude shipping/courier costs to send you the certified translation copies.

Urgent translations: If your need is genuinely urgent, the associate can prioritize your translation for a 50% increase to the fees quoted above, and subject to the associate’s availability.

Make a service request

Complete the request form below and our associate will contact you directly to organize a certified translation of your documents into Spanish.

What happens next?

• After you complete the form, our certified translation associate will contact you to discuss your requirements, quote you for the work, and arrange payment for the translation.
• When you’ve paid, they’ll begin the translation procedure and send you the physical documents wherever you are based in Mexico (or abroad).
• Mexperience will send you an email to confirm these details.

Speaking Spanish gives you access to the local culture and enables you to engage with people in ways that are simply not possible through third party translation and will enhance every experience you encounter in Mexico.

Conversation is the key to language fluency

It’s the everyday interactions with other people that give us the most value and most pleasure from being able to communicate in another language.  Developing your ability to converse in Spanish requires a regular exercise of your vocabulary, and confidence.

The online course offered by our associate is helpful when

• you visit Mexico frequently and want to converse in Spanish for leisure, lifestyle, or for work;
• you’re already living in Mexico and want to improve your Spanish language conversation skills;
• you plan to move to Mexico and you’d like to arrive prepared to converse more confidently.

You can choose from pricing plans depending on how many lessons you want per week.

Each course is tailored based on your current skill level and language learning goals, and your free assessment also includes a lesson test-run over a video call.

True beginner

When you want to get started speaking Spanish for the first time, a coach will help you to build a solid foundation and get you conversing in Spanish.  You will be speaking Spanish from day one of the course.  This is ideal for those who have never studied Spanish before or those who studied it many years ago but don’t remember much, or anything, from those studies.

False beginner

When you’re someone who’s had previous experiences with trying to learn Spanish but still can’t string a sentence together, this course can help you to retrieve the information you’ve stored over the years, unlock what you already know, and develop new vocabulary and skills while building confidence speaking Spanish in everyday situations.   It’s ideal when you understand more Spanish than you can speak or lack confidence when you need to express yourself in Spanish.

Intermediate learner

When you have a good basic grasp of Spanish, but you sense that you’ve reached a plateau you can’t overcome or need to develop confidence to speak Spanish with strangers or in public, this course can help you to make material advances in your current Spanish language capabilities.  Most language students get stuck in a loop and need some help at some point, and a coach will assess your current level with a view to structuring a course to help you reach your goals.  This is ideal when you’ve tried other courses that don’t seem to work, or sense that your vocabulary and sentence structure need to be sharper or more refined.

Intermediate-advanced learner

When you’re seeking to improve your Spanish language capabilities for specific purposes, for example, as part of a career development plan or due to some other specialized interest, your intermediate-advanced skills can benefit by having the course structured to your more advanced needs or professional goals.   For example, you might need to learn Spanish in the context of medical, scientific, business, educational, or technical disciplines.  This course is ideal for those who have a decent command of the Spanish language, but who want to sharpen their abilities and gain others’ trust when speaking in Spanish, especially in formal or business situations.

Someone who wants to learn Spanish for living in Mexico

If you’re living in Mexico, or plan to make a move here in the future, this online course can also help you to improve your Spanish language skills to face everyday lifestyle situations in Mexico.  Language lifestyle conversations are helpful when you are already living here and want to improve your language skills, or you visit Mexico frequently, or plan to move to Mexico in future—so that you can arrive prepared with language and vocabulary skills that will enable you to converse confidently in lifestyle situations you’ll encounter when you’re here.

Every course is tailored to your current skill level

Every course is tailor-made for each student.

Request a free consultation today and our language associate will take the time to assess your current language skill level on a video call and talk about your goals and intentions in regard to improving your Spanish language conversation skills, with no obligation.

Your free assessment also includes a lesson test-run via video-call, and if you enjoy the format you can choose to sign-up for a course that will be tailored to your current Spanish language proficiency and language learning goals.

Month-to-month coaching plans are available from US$140 per month; and you can cancel anytime.

Book your free consultation and lesson test-run, with no obligation

This article explores motivations as well as the fundamental choices you’ll need to make as you begin to paint (or repaint) your lifestyle canvass in Mexico.

Key themes and motivators for moving to Mexico

Common themes that motivate people to move abroad, and to Mexico in particular, include:

Reorganizing life situations: part of a long-term strategy of reorganizing a life situation for an eventual retirement, or semi-retirement, abroad—often when children are grown-up, debts paid, and spare time is available.

Culture and living environment: a desire to experience a different culture: for themselves, or as part of giving their children a wider perspective of living, lifestyles, and culture as they grow up.

Quality of life: the pursuit of a better quality of life, influenced by factors including the cost of living, the climate and natural environment, cultural nuances, and reasons related to health and well-being.

Working and professional reasons: a work placement or secondment that brought them to Mexico by way of their employer’s request for them to move here; or a desire to relocate an independent/freelance workstyle to Mexico.

Confidence of familiarity: the desire to move to a place that is familiar and geographically close to their home country—many Americans and Canadians know Mexico through vacations or family trips they have experienced here throughout their lives.

Pursuit of a new calling: a need to create a change in their life circumstances; perhaps as a response to some major life event, e.g., divorce, illness, or some sudden or unexpected loss or shift that caused the person to reexamine their lifestyle needs and choices.

Simplification and down-sizing: some people come to a point where they realize that their life situations have become enormously complex and challenging; and moving to Mexico becomes part of an effort simplify, down-size, and focus on a carefully considered set of redefined priorities—see the next heading in this chapter for more details about this;

Reflection through recuperation or sabbatical: to convalesce after an illness, or to take time away on sabbatical to reflect on how to make significant lifestyle changes and experiment with what these changes might look and feel like.

Simplifying your lifestyle situations

Simple living is concerned with recognizing your priorities, defining what is most important to you, and reorganizing your life to focus on those things and, in tandem, release the excess and superfluous elements and situations which are crowding or impairing your life.

A surprising number of people cite ‘creating a simpler lifestyle’ as one of the key intentions that propelled them to move abroad to start over with a fresh perspective on life.

Mexico offers choices for people who want to live more simply, and we have published articles that address matters related to creating simpler lifestyles for themselves and their partners/family here, and if that’s what you’re seeking, you don’t necessarily have to wait for retirement to consider pursuing a simpler lifestyle in Mexico.

The fundamental choices of your decision making

Most of the detailed choices that you’ll make as you consider a move to Mexico tend to be ‘peripheral’ matters; that is, they are everyday minutiae that are most often defined by specific circumstances and in most cases will not influence or impact the overall strategy and rationale for moving here.

Periphery matters might include things like whether to bring certain domestic appliances, accessories, or furniture with you or whether you’ll buy new when you get here.

However, some choices are fundamental, and, like the foundation stones of a building, these choices will determine what you can subsequently build within your framework from here on; and if you discover after the fact that you made a sub-optimal choice concerning something fundamental, it could cost you a lot more time, effort, and money to reorganize.

It’s therefore prudent to consider the fundamental choices you need to make as you consider a move to Mexico. While everyone’s situations and lifestyle priorities have distinct characteristics, there are a handful of matters which tend to be universally fundamental early in the decision-making cycle, and these are summarized below:

Timescales and your level of commitment

If your move to Mexico is intended to be tentative or experimental, or only part time —perhaps to get away from the cold during the winter months, or as part of a period of reflection in your life— you are likely to maintain ‘structures’ in two countries: for example, you may own a home and rent in Mexico, returning to your home country for certain seasons; or you might avoid making certain types of commitments in Mexico, e.g. buying a house here. Beware that this type of to-and-fro lifestyle takes good planning, as well as considerable effort and resources; moreover, it can become tiring over time.

Some people decide to make a ‘clean break’ with their life situation in their home country, sell their home if they have one, and their personal goods, and move to Mexico in earnest as means to motivate themselves to make things work: problems and challenges will inevitably arise, and being committed is a constructive way to find pathways through the difficulties.

Being clear about your commitment level and timescales will help you to focus on what is important and will also influence some of the other fundamental decisions you have to make.

Choice of location to live in Mexico

Where in Mexico do you want to live? Mexico offers a wide variety of locations, which in turn offer distinct types of topography, climate, and amenities.

Pausing to carefully consider the location you will go to is time well spent and patience well applied—especially if you intend to buy a home.  Part Three of this guide summarizes a list of key locations to discover and consider.  Also review the links in the Further Insight section, below, about matching your location with your lifestyle needs, and connect to Mexperience guides and articles about choosing a place to live.

Seeking legal residency

Some people have been staying longer term in Mexico as ‘perpetual visitors,’ using a visitor permit to live here indefinitely.  However, recent changes to the way visitors are admitted is making this more difficult, and perhaps impossible in some cases.

Exploring your routes to legal residency is therefore a fundamental aspect of your decision-making, and you ought to be clear about what type of residency permit you would like to apply for, (considering also what type you may qualify for), before committing to move here.

Accommodations

When you’ve chosen a location to live, you’ll need to arrange suitable accommodations locally.  Options include:

• Choose to rent for a year or two before you commit to buying a home in Mexico. This is a sensible choice especially if Mexico is new to you, or you intend to live in an area of Mexico you don’t yet know very well.
• Take a temporary rental for a brief period (usually a few months) while you scout for a home to buy locally.  People who are familiar with Mexico and the area where they intend to purchase will often take a short-term rental while they scout for a property purchase.
• Choose to make an investment in a home purchase right away.  Some people just don’t like renting and prefer to buy right away. Keep in mind that Mexico’s real estate markets are highly localized and might not be as liquid (it might take longer to sell up) as you are accustomed to, or expect.
• Move to Mexico and rent a home long-term, instead of buying a property. The property rental market in Mexico is extensive and varied and if you don’t want (or cannot afford) to buy, a long term rental house is a viable option.

Renting gives you additional flexibility but carries drawbacks in terms of choice of property types available and protocols —many rentals don’t allow pets, for example.

Buying enables you to find a place that is more precisely suited to your lifestyle needs and encourages you to settle in the location you have chosen.  If you need to move and cannot sell immediately, you might rent out the house, although this too requires thought and consideration to ensure your property remains well-kept and properly managed while you’re away.

Local services, amenities, and connections

Depending on your life stage and lifestyle choices, the services, amenities, and connections you want, or must have, can vary tremendously—but it’s essential that you identify them.

Read our article about matching your lifestyle needs to your location for details about this; key matters to consider are:

• the location you choose to live and rent or buy a home in (and the locale within that location) should have the key services you identified you need close-at-hand, for example, medical care if you have a pre-existing condition that may require immediate assistance;
• amenities you want or need regularly should be nearby too: this could include stores, restaurants, social centers, or other places of interest that form key parts of your life’s activities and priorities;
• if you have children, you should consider what they need in terms of schooling, sports activities, and community events—and ensure these are available and not too far away from where you live;
• the location should suit your need for community connections: local interest groups—whether those are with other foreign residents, Mexican neighbors, or both;
• if transport links are important to your lifestyle, you should consider these too: some places to live in Mexico are idyllic but remote, especially more rural places—so plan accordingly.

Whether you will work in Mexico

If you’re not planning to move to Mexico to retire, you’ll need to consider whether you intend to work here, in what capacity, and how.

Getting a work permit without a formal job offer from an established company is not easy. Self-employment options are available.  Our articles about working and self-employment in Mexico provide detailed insights and guidance.

Cross-checking your choices

When you have taken time to consider what is motivating you (or what events or situations are driving you) to move to Mexico, and you have made decisions concerning the fundamental choices, you should consider your intentions and priorities.

Key matters to cross-check in your deliberations include:

Having realistic motivations

Are your motivations realistic and driven by a desire to create a new lifestyle based on the things that are important to you and those closest to you?  Making choices based on fear or misunderstanding, on a desire to run away from something, or through refusing to face matters and issues that will inevitably follow you to Mexico (or some other location in Mexico if you’re already here), does not create a good foundation for cultivating a new lifestyle abroad, in any foreign country.

Considering your partner and family

If you’re in a relationship, or have a family that will move with you, it’s important to take their needs and emotions into consideration as these issues can fracture your lifestyle intentions and even break relationships without consideration at the planning stage.

Two helpful questions to ask:

Is your partner feeling comfortable about the idea of moving to Mexico and the choices you are making? Some couples might assume that the other person’s desire to move to Mexico is as strong as the one leading the intention; and couples might also find that one partner adapts much more easily to Mexico than the other, even when both partners have genuine intentions about moving here.

How will you support your children through the changes?  If you have minor children, the decision is ultimately yours, but you will need to be mindful of their needs and prepared to support your offspring through the changes and the inevitable challenges they will face as they join new schools, make new friends, and grapple with Spanish perhaps as a secondary or foreign language.

See also: Adapting and settling-in | Purpose and routines | Cultivating community

Will your location choice be a suitable place for you?

Will the location you have settled on suit your lifestyle needs and intentions?  Places that are great to visit on vacation might not be the place you want to live. Locations that appear ideal in the rain season might be quite uncomfortable in the dry season.

If you chose a place that doesn’t have any secondary schools suitable for your (now) young children, that can cause logistical challenges when they grow a bit older.  Our articles about matching your location to your needs and discovering places to live in Mexico address these types of issues and help you to consider your choices.

Suitable accommodations for your needs

What type of accommodations are you considering?  Whether you rent or buy, finding the right house in the right location and moreover in the right neighborhood can strongly influence how your experience unfolds in Mexico—especially in the early years.

Choosing your accommodations is a fundamental choice.  You home will ideally be a place you can feel comfortable in, situated in the right location for your lifestyle needs and surrounded by the services and amenities you need and want, as well as having easy access to things you have identified as being most important for your lifestyle—for example, social connections, community, schools for your children, transport links, etc.

Your readiness to adapt to Mexico

It’s helpful to ask yourself how adaptable you (and your partner and children if relevant) are.  Moving to a foreign country will place unique demands on your patience and your social skills, as well as test your ability to compromise and adapt amidst changing situations.

As part of your adaption process, you’ll need to make an effort to settle-in to your new life here, cultivate social networks locally, and find purpose and balance in your everyday life situations.

Our series about essential skills for expats addresses the key matters foreign residents should consider as they move and settle into a new life in Mexico.

Further research and resources

Mexperience offers you a comprehensive online resource of information and local knowledge to help you discover Mexico, explore choices, find opportunities and plan a new life in Mexico.  Resources include:

• Articles about lifestyle planning in Mexico
• Discover places to live in Mexico
• Principal routes to legal residency in Mexico
• Latest articles about lifestyles in Mexico
• A regular Mexico Newsletter you can subscribe to for free

Mexico Assistance Services bridge the gap

Mexperience helps you take the next steps and bridge the gap between your planning and making those plans happen.

We work with established associates to offer a selection of Mexico Assistance Services that connect you to local professionals that can facilitate your efforts and help you to realize your plans.

Lifestyle Assistance

When you’re planning to pursue lifestyle choices in Mexico we can connect you to specialist lifestyle service providers.

Insurance services

Our insurance associates offer a range of coverages to give you peace of mind as you develop your lifestyle activities in Mexico.

Leisure activities

Our travel associates offer custom made tours and our insurance associate provides insurance coverage for your visits to Mexico.

Resources for Living & Lifestyle in Mexico

Mexperience offers you a comprehensive online resource of information and local knowledge to help you discover Mexico, explore choices, find opportunities and plan a new life in Mexico.  Our resources include:

• Resources for Lifestyle Planning
• Helpful insights to cultivate your Home Life in Mexico
• Discovering Places to Live in Mexico
• A regular Mexico Newsletter you can subscribe to for free

Most foreigners seeking legal residency in Mexico must begin their application at a Mexican consulate abroad.  However, as we describe in our article about seeking residency in Mexico via Family Unit rules, the immigration law allows foreigners with defined family connections in Mexico to apply through a Mexican consulate abroad, or exchange a Visitor permit (FMM) for a residency permit from within Mexico.

The most common Family Unit application is between couples, where one spouse or common-law partner is a Mexican national or existing foreign resident, but there are others. Learn more about Family Unit applications.

Apply for residency in Mexico via Family Unit

Our associates can help you when you intend to apply for residency in Mexico using the Family Unit rules.

Family Unit applications may begin at a Mexican consulate abroad, or they can be filed directly at an immigration office in Mexico (recommended in most cases).

How the Tele-Assistance facilitation service works

The tele-assistance support service offered by our associates saves you time and helps avoid common mistakes made by applicants applying for residency in Mexico using Family Unit rules. You can use tele-assistance regardless of what location you plan to move to (or are currently situated) in Mexico.

The service facilitates your application when you intend to apply via Family Unit:

• An initial consultation by phone/videocall/email/chat to understand your situation and plan a workable approach for your residency application using Family Unit rules.
• Confirmation of the required procedures for residency via Family Unit.
• Review of your supporting documentation for accuracy and completeness.
• Correct completion of the forms and covering letter you will need to file at the immigration office when you make the application.
• If your procedure will begin at a Mexican Consulate abroad, our associate will provide help with the appointment booking, and assistance with the preparation for your consulate interview.
• Booking of an appointment for you at the immigration office in Mexico using the INM’s online appointment system.
• Customized checklist of documents you’ll need to carry and present when you attend the immigration office in Mexico.
• Detailed instructions/guidance about where to go and what to do when you arrive at the immigration office to file.

Get support through every stage of the application

The table below describes the support offered at each stage of the application process.

Family Unit application Tele-Assistance Fees

Our associate’s Family Unit tele-assistance package offers facilitation that is transparent and affordable, with fixed-fee pricing and no hidden charges.  All consulting and assistance fees exclude the government fees applicants must pay to apply for residency in Mexico.

Accompanied Option: The Family Unit applications service plan is also available as an Accompanied Assistance option at selected cities in Mexico.  Accompaniment is not available at Mexican consulates abroad.  See this page for details and fees.

Make a service request for assistance with Family Unit residency applications

To hire our associate to assist you with the facilitation of your Family Unit residency application, please complete the request form below.

What happens next?

• After you complete the form, Mexperience will send you an email that confirms your request and introduces you to the associate who will assist you.
• The immigration assistance associate will respond to you directly and request payment for their service. When you’ve paid, they’ll schedule-in your initial consultation and the service will begin.

Auto insurance coverage valid in Mexico

Some auto insurance policies might contain wording that leads you to believe that you are covered in Mexico, but this out-of-country cover, if any is included, is limited to damage to your own vehicle and certain things you may be carrying inside your car.

The most important aspect of an auto insurance policy when you’re driving in Mexico is third-party liability, because claims for damages by third parties can be substantial.

Third party liability abroad needs a special policy

By law, US and Canadian insurers can’t provide third party liability and this coverage must be underwritten by a Mexican insurance company and be specially formed to be legally valid under Mexican law.

Third party liability covers any losses your actions might cause to others. These most commonly include (but are not limited to):

• damage to another person’s vehicle, or their property;
• injuries to another person in an accident; and
• damage to public property (e.g. road structures).

How much liability insurance is needed in Mexico?

While no one expects to be involved in an accident —and far less a serious one— when arranging coverage, it’s worth considering the worst-case scenario: that you accidentally cause serious injury or death of another person as a result of a vehicle accident.

Here in Mexico you can be made financially responsible to the other party (or their kin) if you unintentionally cause the death of another motorist, and reputable insurance brokers suggest that you have no less than US$300,000 in liability insurance and they will usually recommend US$500,000.

Get a policy covers more than just accidents

There are other factors besides financial liability to consider when you are arranging your auto insurance when you drive in Mexico.  The three most important aspects to consider when choosing a policy are:

Legal representation

If you’re involved in a serious road accident in Mexico, it’s common for those involved to be detained until the situation is assessed, fault is determined, and financial responsibility is assigned.

Due to this process, the legal representation which better policies offer will provide you with:

• local assistance to help you deal with the complex paperwork and procedures (in Spanish, and liaise with you in English);
• a fund to post a bail-bond and get you released as soon as practicable; and
• a legal team to negotiate on your behalf if fault and responsibility is assigned to you.

Medical coverage

If you or any of your vehicle’s occupants are injured in an accident, medical payments might or might not be covered. Medical coverage on auto policies vary and you’ll need to compare the choices to ensure you have an adequate amount of coverage, per person and in total.

Assistance for accidents and vehicle breakdowns

When an accident happens, what really matters is the practical support provided by an insurance policy.

If your vehicle breaks-down, or in the event of a minor accident which leaves your car damaged but readily repairable, a roadside travel assistance plan offered by the insurer can be an enormous benefit to you.

Roadside assistance can be purchased as part of an auto insurance policy and offers very practical help in what can be stressful and confusing circumstances.

• In the event of a breakdown or minor accident which leaves you stuck, help with things like gas delivery, a flat tire, a locksmith, or a tow truck to a nearby garage for essential repairs can be a phone call away.
• In the event of an accident, assistance can provide practical support and liaison with key personnel to help you recover more quickly and get back on your road trip as soon as practicable.

Learn more about driving in Mexico

Mexperience offers articles with insights to help you prepare for your road trip and drive confidently in Mexico.

• Insuring your vehicle for driving in Mexico
• Importing a foreign car or other vehicle to Mexico
• Getting a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) for your vehicle
• Your Mexico road trip checklist
• Latest articles about driving in Mexico
• Guide to auto insurance in Mexico

Detailed guides and helpful connections that enable you to plan and realize your relocation to Mexico

Mexperience provides in-depth insights and local knowledge with extensive articles, guides, and cross-references and connections to help you discover more of Mexico, consider your lifestyle options, define your intentions, make a plan, and help you to avoid making material mistakes with your Mexico lifestyle plans.

Our guides are written by people who know Mexico intimately, are continually revised and updated—and are free to access.

Mexperience helps you through every step of the journey

Our detailed guides and insights offer you complete information throughout every step of your journey:

• Discovering the benefits and opportunities Mexico offers to live and work or retire.
• Detailed insights that help you to consider whether Mexico is right for you and your partner—and family if relevant.
• When you’ve determined that Mexico is right for you, we offer lots of practical advice to help you plan your lifestyle in Mexico.
• Mexperience also helps you to plan your move, settle-in to Mexico, cultivate your social and community networks and helps you learn how adapt to the country and its culture.
• When you’re settled here, our up to date articles and monthly newsletter help you to cultivate a fruitful home life in Mexico.
• Our homestead articles offer practical advice to help you manage your home in Mexico and its dwelling spaces.
• Our insights and local knowledge also help if you’re living in Mexico now but want to revisit your intentions and need guidance to help you settle, adapt, and reform your plans.

Take the next step: start here

Mexperience offers extensive insights, local knowledge, and connections to help you plan and realize a relocation to Mexico, whether you’re single, a couple, or a family.

Begin your journey

Our Mexico Living & Lifestyles guide connects you to in-depth articles and information about living in Mexico. It’s continually updated, helping you to make considered choices and useful connections.

Help with lifestyle planning

Our regularly-updated section about Lifestyle Planning in Mexico shares insights to help you make informed decisions about your lifestyle choices in Mexico.

Calculate your living costs

Our detailed guide to the cost of living in Mexico helps you calculate a personalized budget based on your life stage and lifestyle choices.

Consider places to live in Mexico

We publish guides to help you consider places to live in Mexico, whether you come to live, work or retire.

Obtain your Mexico residency permit

Our detailed guide to applying for residency in Mexico shows you every step needed to qualify and apply for legal residency in Mexico

Real estate and property rental in Mexico

We publish a detailed guide to real estate in Mexico that shares practical insights when you’re buying, owning, renting, and selling property here.  We recommend you rent a house first before you buy, unless you’re familiar with the area you’re moving to.

Learn how to keep in touch when you’re in Mexico

Our comprehensive guides describe how you can keep in touch when you’re in Mexico.  Our local insights include learning about Mexico cell phone plans, how to dial phones, connecting to internet services including satellite services, and also learn about post and couriers… and the cost of utilities and communications.

Cultivate your home life

When you’ve made the move and you’re living here, our regularly updated articles about cultivating a fruitful home life in Mexico will give you insights, inspiration, and ideas to make the most of your everyday lifestyle.

Manage your money & finances in Mexico

We publish detailed, updated, information about managing your finances in Mexico, including bank accounts, money exchange, and money transfers.

Homestead care and management

Whether you’re renting a home or have purchased a property here, our regularly updated guides help you manage your home and dwelling spaces in Mexico, with tips and local knowledge to keep them well maintained and secure for you and your family.

Learning and improving your Spanish

We encourage you to learn Spanish to help you make the most of your experiences in Mexico.  We connect you to language courses, and our in-depth PinPoint Spanish series helps you to learn about the nuances of language usage in Mexico.

Driving, road trips and running a car in Mexico

Our guides and articles about driving and taking road trips in Mexico help you to prepare your longer road trips as well as dealing with everyday driving matters.

Free Monthly Mexico Newsletter

Sign-up to our free monthly newsletter about Mexico that is filled with inspiration, meaningful knowledge, helpful connections, and tips for better living, lifestyle, and leisure in Mexico.

Discover even more of Mexico

Our Discover Mexico section provides a constantly updated stream of articles and guides that share knowledge and keep you updated about opportunities in Mexico.

Requesting appointments for residency at Mexican consulates

The ways in which Mexican consulates schedule appointments for residency application interviews varies by location, and lead times for appointments also varies.

For full details: see our related article about making residency applications at a Mexican consulate and learn more about how appointments are made, typical leads times, and the interview process.

Requesting appointments at Mexico’s immigration offices

Most immigration offices in Mexico use an online appointment system to book-in applicants; for example, to exchange a residency visa sticker for a residency card, or to renew an existing residency card, or some other residency-related matter, e.g. filing change notifications.

For full details: see our related article about online appointments at Mexico’s immigration offices and learn about the online appointment system, the types of procedures that can be booked online, typical lead times, and the booking process.

Self-service or Assistance for appointments

The online appointment-booking systems can be accessed directly by applicants and you can go through the entire booking process yourself.

If you would like assistance with your residency application, visa exchange or other residency-related procedure, our associates offer assistance services and all of their service options include assistance with appointment-making at Mexican consulates and/or Mexico immigration offices—as appropriate for your situation.

Learn more about Mexico visas and immigration

Mexperience publishes extensive information about visas, immigration and residency in Mexico, including:

• The residency application appointment at Mexican consulates
• Making appointments at Mexico’s immigration offices
• Read a detailed summary of the application process for a Mexico residency permit.
• Our latest articles about visas and immigration keep you apprised of current situations including financial criteria for residency, fees, and managing your residency.