Place is personal, subjective, and important—and as you consider places to live in Mexico, Mexperience helps you to consider your choices and shortlist locations that may suit your lifestyle needs.

Discover locations to live, work or retire in Mexico

To help you discover and explore potential places to live here, Mexperience publishes a curated list of locations to consider for living, working or retirement in Mexico—organized by popularity and notoriety and classified by the location type.

Our articles introduce you to key places where many foreign residents live now, emerging locations that are becoming increasingly popular with foreign residents, as well as those places that are less well known, or situated off-the-beaten path. We also publish a selection of detailed guides of places to live in Mexico:

Detailed living guides

For detailed guides to selected places to live and work or retire, connect to our section with Guides to Living Places in Mexico

Before you can assess whether Mexico is right for you and your situation, the matters concerning:

• your approach to retirement in Mexico;
• defining your intentions to move here; as well as
• factors that may influence your choice of location; then
• taking the time to settle-in properly to Mexico; and
• finding balance in your day-to-day lifestyle in Mexico…

…are entirely relevant to potential retirees as well as anyone else considering a move to Mexico—see the links in the box titled Further Insights below for more details and articles on these topics.

In essence: If Mexico as a country to live in is right for you (and your partner, and family where relevant), then it’s highly likely that Mexico will suit you for retirement, and that you will be able to cultivate a healthy, wholesome, and fruitful retirement lifestyle here.

Conversely: However attractive or suitable Mexico might appear to you in terms of its climate and environment, amenities, services, and cost of living, if you (and/or those close to you) cannot adapt to Mexico —and create a retirement lifestyle here on Mexico’s terms— then you are unlikely to find contentment in retirement by being here.

Mexico offers an ample variety of places and benefits that can be especially attractive to retirees the resources for retirement in Mexico here on Mexperience help you to consider practical matters and compromises that future or budding retirees may have to consider as part of their deliberations and planning for a retirement lifestyle 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.

• Articles about lifestyle planning in Mexico
• Latest articles about retirement in Mexico
• Discovering potential places to live in Mexico
• A regular Mexico Newsletter you can subscribe to for free

This series of articles introduces you to a curated list of locations throughout Mexico that foreign residents consider to live, work or retire in Mexico.

Emerging places to live in Mexico

This article in the series introduces you to locations in Mexico that do not have significant numbers of foreign residents already established and are generally places ‘off-the-beaten-path’.  These locations may be of interest to potential foreign residents and retirees seeking someplace more traditional, unusual, and with a lower concentration of foreign residents living there.

Acapulco

Acapulco continues to attract a certain type of foreign resident; usually those who know Mexico well and enjoy the old-world charms of these lands. Acapulco offers coastal living in a port city with an authentic and traditional Mexican feel featuring a wide range of local services and amenities.

Some head to the ‘old town’ of Acapulco —more or less west from the downtown areas— where, in the 1950s and 1960s (and for most of the 1970s) the rich and famous had homes. Those properties, now looking dated and some also severely dilapidated and in need of restoration, may be acquired at value prices.

If you want something more modern and up-scale (with prices to match), head south-southeast around the bay to the Diamante area. On this coast road from downtown Acapulco toward Diamante, you’ll also pass residences overlooking the outstanding Acapulco Bay (it’s said that only Hong Kong can better it for style), but you’ll need deep pockets for those mansions—if one happens to be for sale when you’re looking.

Acapulco’s heyday is long past, although the new Diamante area, near the airport with a relatively new international expo center adjacent, high-end hotel resorts, and contemporary residential developments, is proving a popular choice with potential new residents seeking modern facilities, tranquil living, and easy access to the traditional downtown and old town areas of Acapulco.

The Diamante area of Acapulco is now connected via a (tolled) road tunnel that makes the trip faster and easier than the narrow (but picturesque) coastal road that has become increasingly congested in recent times, especially during weekends and holidays.

Campeche

Campeche is a picture-postcard colonial city situated along the shorelines of Mexico’s Gulf coast. Relatively unknown, even by travelers, this ancient port city holds potential for foreign residents seeking a coastal lifestyle amidst a historic and visually attractive colonial setting.

Real estate developments have already begun to emerge here as the city begins to attract some attention from Mexican and foreign investors: high-end housing and condo communities are being built and sold across stretches of the beautiful coastline in this area.

It’s a city with a low concentration of foreign residents that attracts people seeking the ‘authentic’ feel of Mexico, without the commercialization and notoriety that has characterized some other coastal towns and cities.

Campeche is well served by an international airport offering connections to Mexico City and the USA and is also within an easy two-hour drive of the important and picturesque city of Mérida

Comala and Colima

Comala offers semi-rural living in Mexico, off the beaten path, and ideal for foreign residents seeking a place to live that offers an authentic Mexican experience where you can fully immerse yourself in local culture and cultivate a traditional lifestyle integrated within welcoming and friendly communities.

This countryside idyll is situated just 20 minutes by road from the capital city of Colima; about a 2.5-hour drive southwest of Guadalajara —Mexico’s second largest city— and approximately 90-minute drive east of the commercial port and resort town of Manzanillo—on the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

When you’re looking for a place that’s far removed from the usual locations potential foreign residents tend to shortlist, amidst a rural idyll with easy access to urban services and amenities and good transport links, Comala can provide a countryside lifestyle amidst one of the most fertile and colorful regions of Mexico.

Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo

Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo are two adjacent and contrasting towns on the shores of Mexico’s Pacific coast, situated about 160 miles northwest of Acapulco. Most foreign residents and retirees who come here to live choose the traditional and quaint ‘village’ feel of Zihuatanejo instead of the modern ‘vacation resort’ of Ixtapa; although the latter offers a wider assortment of amenities on the doorstep. There is a good road connecting the two locations, which are only a few miles apart and the local airport offers connections to Mexico City as well as the USA (some flights are seasonal)

Puebla and Cholula

Puebla is a picturesque colonial city within easy reach of the capital by road, and well connected to the adjacent state of Morelos —home to Cuernavaca and Tepoztlán— via the spectacular Siglo XXI highway that offers unparalleled views of the Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanoes.

The heart of the old city is the most picturesque to live in; the rest of the city extends out and around from the historic center into a series of contemporary districts and neighborhoods more akin to the look and feel of Mexico City.

Puebla is one of Mexico’s more industrial cities (large corporations have offices and factories here) and some people who want (or need) to live near Puebla but want to be away from the city might choose the adjacent town of Cholula, famous for its churches, its university quarter, impressive views of the volcanoes, and host to one of the world’s largest pyramids (by volume).  Cholula offers a more serene and provincial feel; the town is also a popular tourist attraction that becomes busy during the weekends.

Puerto Escondido

Puerto Escondido, a surfers’ beach town and chic oceanside town is a ‘niche’ location for foreign residents and retirees considering places to live in Mexico.

This Pacific coastal enclave attracts surfers and the bohemians looking for rustic, authentic —often remote and undiscovered— Mexico by the sea. If you’re a surfer, an artist, a romanticist, or a hippy-at-heart (or for real), consider Puerto Escondido (and nearby Puerto Angel) as you scout for places to settle in Mexico.

Puerto Escondido is one of the more remote places you can choose to live in Mexico; you can fly here, but if you intend to move around on land, it’s a seven-hour drive to Acapulco; about a 90-minute drive to Puerto Angel, and an eight-hour drive to Oaxaca City over heavy mountainous terrain.

Puerto Escondido is one of those locations that attracts and retains certain types of foreign residents; if you’re attracted to alternative lifestyles, remote places, and stunning coastal scenery, a reconnaissance visit is essential to get to know the town, its people, and the surrounding areas.

San Cristobal de las Casas

San Cristóbal de las Casas is a highland mountain town, situated amidst the thickly wooded mountain jungles in the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico.

Like Pátzcuaro, its strong ties to traditional cultures and indigenous roots have kept its style and character very distinct to most other places in Mexico.  San Cristóbal is a place to consider when you’re looking for highland mountain living in a relatively remote area of Mexico.

The town is about a 90-minute drive from the nearest big city, the state capital city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez; and a two-hour drive to Comitán de Dominguez, a quaint and quiet colonial town very near the border with Guatemala.

San Cristóbal has a relatively low concentration of foreign residents and retirees, probably due to its remoteness; although for those who do choose to live here, the outstanding natural scenery, the strong indigenous heritage, and the rugged mountain-jungle terrain, are all an integral part of the attractions of this place.

It’s a location to consider when you’re seeking places off-the-beaten path amidst authentic and uncommercialized culture, and when you’re seeking to cultivate a local lifestyle among traditional indigenous highland communities.

San Felipe

San Felipe in Baja California has for many years been a favorite stopping point for travelers exploring the east side of the Mexican Baja peninsula.

Today, San Felipe is a retirement haven with significant investments in real estate projects that have created new infrastructure, services, amenities, and affordable retirement homes.

One of the key attractions for Americans with homes and families situated in the southern US is that San Felipe is just a two-hour drive south from the border (Mexicali) and its location offers an agreeable climate, an outstanding mountain backdrop, and attractive waterside living and leisure opportunities on the shores of the Golf of California (formerly known as the Sea of Cortés).

Veracruz

Veracruz is an important industrial port city on Mexico’s Gulf Coast. Although it may not strike most people considering places in Mexico for living or retirement as a potential location for a shortlist, the city offers certain charms of its own which are particularly attractive to people who know Mexico well and enjoy a fusion of Mexican and Caribbean cultures.

The historic center is frequently likened to pre-revolutionary Havana, and although its colonial buildings lack the majesty of those found in the Cuban capital, this remains a charismatic port city that attracts people seeking coastal living and authenticity away from the traditional tourist and foreign resident trails.

Veracruz city is situated less than four hours by road from the colonial city of Puebla, and about a five-hour hour road trip from Mexico City.

Discover more places to live in Mexico

Connect to the other articles in this series and discover more places to live in Mexico:

• Discover popular locations to live in Mexico: includes locations that have for a long time, or in recent times, garnered considerable popularity with foreign residents (retirees and others) and have active communities of interest established at the location.
• Discover emerging locations to live in Mexico: summarizes locations that have, in recent years, been catching the attention of foreign residents and have fledgling or developing communities of interest present.

It’s therefore prudent to research locations in Mexico that you are likely to feel comfortable living in year-round —or during the times of the year that you intend to spend in Mexico— as you shortlist potential places to live, work, or retire here.

Mexico is a vast land, and offers ample choices regarding climate types which are determined by a combination of the location’s latitude, elevation in relation to sea-level, as well as other regional topographical influences.

This article introduces you to Mexico’s principal climate zones and also shares tips and insights about how to adapt to Mexico’s seasons and climate.

Highland areas

Higher altitude areas, most notably the picturesque colonial cities that many foreign residents enjoy living in here, offer year-round temperate climates, although some can experience hot spells in the spring and summer months.

Some regions at high elevations can get cold or freeze overnight, especially in the late fall, winter, and early spring seasons.  Mornings and evenings in these areas tend to be cool or cold; temperatures can collapse dramatically after sundown during the winter months. Fireplaces and wood-burning stoves can serve to take the edge off the cold.

Coastal plains

Coastal areas near sea-level tend to be hot and humid —sometimes uncomfortably so without air conditioning or a good airflow and ventilation— between April and October each year.

The low-lying coastal plains usually offer pleasantly warm climates between November and March, which is why so many retirees who overwinter in Mexico choose to live by the ocean.

The most pleasant (comfortably warm) weeks along the coasts are usually between mid-November and mid-February of the following year; by late February temperatures begin to rise substantially along the coastal plains.

Seasonal changes

Mexico has a rainy season and a dry season, and each one offers advantages and disadvantages.

Rain season storms, when they come, tend to be sharp, fierce, and happen in the late afternoon or overnight, leaving the air cooled and mornings fragrant and refreshed.

The Yucatán peninsula, parts of the Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific, as well as Baja California can be susceptible to hurricanes, that occur mostly between July and October.

Adapting to Mexico’s seasons and weather

Regardless of where you live in Mexico, it will take some time to adapt to the local climate, weather and seasons as they change throughout the year. This section describes key aspects of Mexico’s climate and environment and connects you to extensive insights for further reading here on Mexperience.

Mexico’s climate and topography

Mexico is a vast land with varying climates by location, and those climates are influenced by a location’s latitude and the regional topography. If you choose to live in the mountain highlands you’ll experience temperate year-climates (some places can get quite cool or cold in the winter months); if you choose to live along the coastal plains, winters will usually be pleasantly warm, and summers hot and humid.

Learning to live at higher elevations

If you’re shortlisting any colonial cities, or places to live in the highlands (including Mexico City and Guadalajara) we recommend that you consider how you will cope living at elevation; most people can adjust easily to living in thinner air, but you ought to keep this in mind if you’re moving from a low-elevation area to living a mile or more up on a mountain.

Coping with the heat and humidity

If you’re shortlisting coastal towns and cities and areas along the coastal plains, including the Yucatán region of Mexico, consider how you may cope in climates with high heat and high humidity.

November through to early April can be gloriously warm and comfortable in low-lying areas; however, spring and summer can be swelteringly hot, and humid.

Mexico through the seasons

Mexperience helps you to discover Mexico’s weather and climates by region and location throughout the four seasons.

Mexico’s privileged location in relation to the equator, the length of daytime and darkness have a good equilibrium and the quality of the light in Mexico is extraordinary, too.

Mexico’s rainy and dry seasons

Mexico’s rainy season begins in May or June each year and gives way to the dry season in October or November. Regions affected by this cycle experience dramatic changes to the landscape; both the wet and dry seasons offer charms, and challenges.

Windstorms and the hurricane season

Windstorms in Mexico can be mystical and affect all regions regardless of topography and elevation.

The hurricane season tends to affect coastal areas the most, although strong hurricanes can drive heavy rains inland, too, causing local flooding and hazardous driving conditions on mountainous roads.

Discover Mexico’s weather and climates

Mexperience helps you to discover Mexico’s diverse topography and climate as you make your lifestyle and leisure plans:

• Learn about how Mexico is a land of three lands
• Discover Mexico’s climate through the seasons
• The rain season begins in May/June and yields to the dry season in October/November
• Check individual travel guides here on Mexperience for climate by location.
• You can get full details about the weather by region and season on our guide to climate in Mexico.
• Browse the latest articles about climate and weather in Mexico

Two calculations are required

There are two calculations you will need to make to determine the financial means you will need to have at your disposal to retire in Mexico:

• the first calculation is related to the financial requirements to qualify for a residency permit in Mexico, and
• the second calculation is related to your real living costs in Mexico that will be determined according to your individual circumstances, personal choices, and lifestyle plans.

Income or savings/investments required to obtain a residency permit

The financial requirements to qualify for a residency permit have risen in recent years.

Monthly income —v— savings/investments to qualify

Unless you intend to lead a ‘high octane’ lifestyle, the monthly income required to qualify for residency in Mexico is considerably higher than the typical costs of living in Mexico.

A corollary of this is that some people who want to retire in Mexico don’t have sufficient monthly income to qualify but do have sufficient income to live here.

If your pension income doesn’t meet the current income requirements, you can instead qualify based your savings/investments—and many people who have been saving throughout their lives will have sufficient savings and investments to qualify, even if their monthly income does not meet the minimum threshold.

The links in the box below contain detailed information to guide you about this. The include information about the current amounts of income or savings/investments you need to demonstrate to qualify for residency under the auspice of ‘economic solvency’ as well as other routes to residency besides ‘economic solvency.’

Income required to sustain your retirement in Mexico

The second calculation you’ll need to make concerns working out your real living costs in Mexico, and these will be determined by your individual circumstances, your intentions, and your lifestyle choices.

The question: “How much does it cost to live in Mexico?” has no specific answer because the amount of money you need to live and sustain yourself here will depend on an assortment of factors, the most common of which include:

• where in Mexico you choose to live: the most popular places also tend to be the most expensive to live in—from rents and house prices to everyday living expenses;
• whether you will rent or buy a home in Mexico;
• whether you have homeowner association fees to pay in addition to other expenses;
• the state of your general health and well-being: healthcare insurance premiums are higher for those with previous ailments, and while medications are less expensive in Mexico, they are still a cost and might have to be paid out of pocket;
• whether you’ll have a car or other vehicle(s) in Mexico to run and service;
• how often you travel, including trips back to your home country;
• what lifestyle choices you make including things like how and where you shop, how often you eat out, how much alcohol you consume (alcohol prices have been rising steadily in recent years), how much you spend on non-essentials, how much you spend on healthcare matters and medications, etc.;
• how much home help and other domestic assistance services you want or need: for example, whether you hire a housekeeper (and how often), a gardener, someone to maintain your swimming pool, if you have one, and other home services, e.g., nurses, or in-home care givers;
• how often you intend to travel within Mexico as well as how often you travel back-and-forth between Mexico and your home country.

Our guide to the cost of living in Mexico is a comprehensive resource that explores real living costs in Mexico and helps you to step back, make an assessment of your situation, and formulate a budget based on your individual circumstances.

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.

• Comprehensive guide to living and lifestyles in Mexico
• Articles about lifestyle planning in Mexico
• Articles about living costs in Mexico
• Learn about obtaining residency in Mexico
• Latest articles about retirement in Mexico
• Is Mexico right for your retirement?
• Benefits Mexico offers to retirees
• Discovering potential places to live in Mexico
• A regular Mexico Newsletter you can subscribe to for free

However, Mexico is especially attractive to retirees because some of these features and benefits can be especially helpful to people in retirement.

This article summarizes the key benefits Mexico offers to retirees and connects you to detailed information and local knowledge published here on Mexperience for further reading and research.

Agreeable climates

Climate affects us every day, and Mexico offers agreeable climates, often temperate or warm, and cold only at higher elevations in certain regions—and then only for limited times during the year.  Connect to a wide range of articles and guides on Mexperience for more details about climate, seasons and weather in Mexico.

Plenty of choices for location types

Mexico offers retirees choices in the types of places they can live in; from coastal locations that offer winter warmth, to mountain towns at elevation that offer year-round temperate climates.

Some places are more urbanized, others offer a countryside idyll surrounded by nature.  ‘Remote’ places popular with foreign residents tend to be within an hour’s drive of a large town or city that offer services and amenities retirees often seek, including healthcare services and major stores.

Our articles about discovering places to live in Mexico offer practical insights that can help you to consider the various locations on offer and discover potential places to live in Mexico so you can narrow your short-list according to your situation and considered lifestyle needs.

Fresh, locally produced food and drinks

Mexico’s shops and markets provide you with an abundant assortment of fresh food, especially visible at the vibrant, fragrant, local open-air markets here.

The year-round availability of delicious fresh fruits and vegetables, accompanied by a parade of colorful drinks and beverages made using them, makes Mexico one of the most attractive countries to be in if you enjoy good wholesome food that is also affordable.

Mexperience helps you to discover food and drink in Mexico as part of of your retirement research and planning.

Ample range of local products and amenities

Retirees coming to Mexico, especially those from the US and Canada, are likely to feel at home when it comes to obtaining many of the products, services, and amenities they have become accustomed to in their home country.

Mexico’s retail markets are extensive and well-developed; and there’s a large and growing selection of online shopping choices too.

Many products and brands foreign retirees are accustomed to seeing back home will be available in Mexico, either at one of the many supermarkets, through specialist retailers, or through online shopping options.

There are still some exceptions, for example, black tea, and alternatives for smokers are conspicuously absent; but Mexico today offers more choice and variety than it ever has before, and the range and selection of products and amenities continues to improve each year.

Local leisure amenities, including cafés, bistros, restaurants, gymnasiums, event centers, cinemas, theme parks, national parks and reserves, campsites, etc. are plentiful and readily accessible.

Affordable living costs

Retirees have different cost structures compared to people moving to Mexico who are of working age and perhaps with children to raise; for examples:

• they have no school fees to pay or children to ferry around and take on school trips;
• most have no mortgages and may also have no other substantial debts to service; and
• they might also be able to live in Mexico without a car, which can save costs.

However, retirees have costs to consider and budget for in other areas that younger people might not have, perhaps healthcare costs being the major expense, and other assistance services, including home help and specialist care services that might have to be considered and duly funded.

Accessible transportation and communications

Most retirees travel within Mexico to explore the country, as well as take trips to travel back to their home country to see family and friends and many also receive visitors at their home in Mexico.

Some people retiring to Mexico might do so part time, spending only part of the year in Mexico, perhaps to overwinter here.

It’s for these reasons that good transport links, including decent roads and access to international airports, becomes important.

Mexico offers a well-developed and reliable transportation infrastructure that enable you to travel and be near other people who are close in your life, as well as excellent communications networks that enable you to keep touch at a distance, affordably.

Ample choices in accommodations

Retirees coming to Mexico who want to rent will find an ample choice of property types to choose from; our article about the practicalities of renting a home is worth reading to get local insights about that. (See link below.)

A wider selection of property types is available to retirees seeking a home to buy; and engaging the services of local real estate agent is an effective way search and buy a home here.

The links to the articles below help you to consider your accommodation choices when you’re thinking about retirement in Mexico.

World-class health and wellbeing services

Healthcare services and the availability of medicines is often near the top of retirees’ needs and concerns when they plan a move to Mexico.

All of Mexico’s popular retirement destinations are well served by doctors, dentists, opticians as well as a range of clinical and hospital services, including emergency care and specialized medical professionals and services.

Thriving retirement communities

In addition to the ample variety of types of locations on offer, the more popular locations to live in Mexico offer thriving and well-established retirement communities that help newcomers and long-time residents to get involved in local groups, societies, and events.  This is especially helpful when you are endeavoring to settle properly into Mexico, long term.

Safety, and economic stability

Although media reports about security matters have put-off some people from visiting or retiring to Mexico, foreign residents of all life stages report that they feel safe in Mexico, and that the reality they live here every day is characterized by regular routines and being part of strong local communities where people look out for each other and work together to resolve issues if problems arise.

Retirees also enjoy stable lifestyles here, too—as the macroeconomics of the country are well-managed, markets work well, and there is a wide and regular availability of goods and services available, including increasing ranges of goods available through online companies that specialize in offering less common and imported products.

Warm, welcoming culture and language

Although English is widely spoken across Mexico, especially in the most popular retiree enclaves and tourist towns, learning or improving your Spanish language skills will help you enormously as you settle into your retirement in Mexico because it will give you deeper access to the local culture and enable you to integrate in ways that those who don’t speak Spanish cannot.

Mexico’s rich culture and its canny ability to assimilate foreign things without losing its own identity, offers retirees the opportunity of experiencing unusual celebrations and traditions which are nonetheless familiar.

Retirees get a front-row seat to all this culture and the events that surround it, and while others may dream of visiting Mexico in-season to experience these events, they are part of everyday life here for retirees in Mexico.  It’s an enormous, and often overlooked, benefit of living here.

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.

• Articles about lifestyle planning in Mexico
• Latest articles about retirement in Mexico
• Discovering potential places to live in Mexico
• Cultivating your home life in Mexico
• A regular Mexico Newsletter you can subscribe to for free

Learning about and respecting local customs and social practices is an integral part of assimilating a new lifestyle in a country that is foreign to your home culture.

This guide helps you to navigate Mexico’s contemporary social etiquette and get acquainted with the social graces practiced here. It can also help to prevent you from making embarrassing or unnecessary faux pas.

Becoming familiar with Mexican social etiquette

This guide provides you with a detailed primer about Mexican social etiquette in everyday situations to help you learn about and adapt to local customs. This guide shares valuable insights if you plan to move to Mexico to live, work or retire.

If you plan to work in Mexico, whether you’re living here or visiting Mexico on a business trip, this guide in combination with our Guide to Business Etiquette in Mexico will help you to prepare for your meetings and negotiations.

Social graces and language

Mexico has very polite and courteous mannerisms built-in to its social norms and language. Politeness, patience, and tolerance in all situations —especially in difficult or frustrated ones— is always appreciated, and ultimately rewarded in Mexico.

Conversely, a display of impatience, anger, frustration, or lack of general respect in formal or informal situations can tend to fall on ‘deaf ears’ when dealing with most people in Mexico.

Although those around you may not outwardly react to your conflictive behavior, the ultimate outcome in a situation could be made worse for you through deliberate obstruction or total rejection of your wishes, not because it is impossible to fulfill them, but as a response to what is deemed to be your impoliteness.

Language formalities in Mexico

Politeness is built-in to social graces of Mexican culture, and this is most apparent in use of Spanish language.

• It’s common to use the Spanish language in its formal context —Usted— when dealing with people you do not know or who are senior to you.
• For friends, close associates, and informal situations, the informal —Tú— form of language is usually more appropriate.
• The use of formal language in informal situations in Mexico is often employed as a means to express irony, for example.

To better understand, and ultimately assimilate elements of Mexican social culture, you’ll need a good working knowledge of Spanish and spend time absorbing the nuances of how Mexican Spanish is employed everyday situations.

If your Spanish is rusty (or you’re monolingual), a language course can help.

When you have at least a basic working knowledge of Spanish, Mexperience’s PinPoint Spanish series helps you understand the nuances of how language is used in Mexico.

The etiquette of meeting & greeting people in Mexico

Meeting & greeting formalities are important in Mexico. Following social protocols will demonstrate your interest and sincerity, whereas ignoring them may be interpreted by others as coldness, or outright impoliteness.

Personal space

Mexicans tend to stand closer to each other than people do in the USA and Europe. This might feel a bit awkward to you at first if you are commonly used to having two feet or more of ‘air’ between you and other people (and especially those of the same gender as you), but in Mexico it’s quite common for people to stand and converse more closely than that with each other.  You don’t want to get too close, but stepping back too far may be taken as a sign of mistrust.

Men meeting & greeting other men

Men always shake hands when they meet and before they depart each other’s company.

Furthermore, an abrazo (hug) is shared between friends and may also be shared business associates with an established and productive working relationship. If you are unsure about whether to hug, allow the other person to lead: if, while shaking hands, he pulls you in toward him, follow through with your left arm on lightly his back—and give him 2 or 3 pats on the back.

Men meeting & greeting other women

It’s appropriate and courteous for a man to bow slightly when meeting a woman, regardless of familiarity, and whether the situation is a social or business occasion.

In business situations where familiarity is not yet established, men will politely shake women’s hands when they meet, and before they depart.  It is less usual for women to expect a kiss on the cheek, and most women will simply offer a handshake.

In social situations, and in business situations where a working relationship has been established, women might learn toward you to kiss when they are shaking your hand and if they do, you should follow through with a light kiss on the cheek—and only one kiss.

In regard to hugging, an abrazo (hug) is shared between friends and may also be shared between business associates with an established and productive relationship—hugs are light, and brief.  In business settings, men ought to allow the woman to lead in this matter.

Women meeting & greeting other women

In situations where women already know each other, women will always hug and kiss each other on the cheek.

When women are being introduced for the first time, whether socially or in a business context, a light handshake is a minimum gesture, and it’s also more common for women to share a light kiss and/or a light hug on a first meeting, but not always—wait for your host to lead if you’re unsure.

When departing, a handshake is a minimum gesture in a business context, and in social situations, and where business familiarity is well established, it is quite likely that women will kiss on the cheek and hug before they depart.

Before you part company

It’s important to say good-bye to people properly in Mexico. Leaving a meeting or situation without saying good-bye may be construed as poor form, impoliteness, or coldness on your part.

It’s not appropriate to simply say good-bye from a distance after you have been meeting somewhere together; there should be some physical contact, for example shaking of hands or hugs. See the section earlier in this guide for more insights about greeting protocols.

The use of professional titles in Mexico

Professional titles are an important part social and language etiquette in Mexico —they can be significant status symbol in some professional circles— and even in some informal situations.

Professionals with a degree are not referred to as Señor or Señora or Señorita in professional (and some social) situations, but instead by their professional title.

The most common professional titles in Mexico

When someone is using their professional title, they will be addressed as [Title] First name and Last Name, for example, La Licenciada Mariana Sanchez.

Here are the most common titles you will encounter in Mexico:

Licenciado/a — This is the most common and used to address anyone with a professional degree. Often used for addressing lawyers and Notary Publics, and any senior office worker, senior manager, or official.

Ingeniero/a — This refers to an engineer, and may be used when talking formally to anyone working in an engineering environment, and examples include: building and construction (but see Arquitecto, below), senior staff or managers working in manufacturing or design, and experts in information technology.

Doctor/a — Anyone who has earned a Doctorate in their discipline may refer to, or present, themselves as Doctor/a; it’s most commonly used to address professionals working in medical and pharmaceutical fields.

Arquitecto/a — This title is specifically reserved for those with a professional degree in architecture.

Maestro/a — This term is versatile, and can be used to describe a teacher, a master crafts person, someone who is adroit in the fine arts, and also an experienced or highly skilled builder or trades person, including a plumber, for example.  Read this article for further insights.

Professor/a — This term is used almost exclusively in academia, or to address an academic professor who happens to be working in an industrial or office environment.

When to use professional titles

Although professional titles remain an important and an integral part of social etiquette and language use in Mexico, it’s also reasonable to acknowledge that they are not as important as they have been in previous eras—especially among younger generations.

However, keep these points in mind:

• In the context of formal situations and/or situations of (legal) dispute or argument between parties, professional titles will often not only be employed, but emphasized, and this is part of the formality in those types of circumstances.
• When you are being introduced to someone by somebody else, the person making the introduction might refer to the third person by their professional title and in this case, follow the example and refer to the person by their title.
• If the person you are meeting immediately refers to themselves using their professional title, take that as a cue to know that the conversation will be formal, even if the situation may be a social or informal one.
• You might at some point during the course of a conversation be invited to use perhaps a first name—but the other party must lead this; never assume familiarity.

Dining etiquette in Mexico

Whether you’re dining our formally or informally with others in Mexico, there are certain rules of etiquette to consider as part of the gathering. Here are some local insights about the etiquette of eating out and dining socially here.

Invitations and bill settlement protocols

Regardless of whether the meal is informal, formal, or to discuss (potential) business matters, there are a few graces to consider about invitations and bill settlement.

• If you invite someone to eat out at a restaurant, it is presumed (and expected) that you will settle the bill, including the tip.
• If you are invited out to eat at a restaurant, it is also presumed that your host will settle, and polite to let them do so.
• It is customary for those who have been invited out to eat at a restaurant to offer to pay but this is a social grace, and one that should always be kindly and politely declined.
• If you are invited out to a restaurant for a meal you, too, should offer to pay, and then gracefully accept when your kind offer is politely declined.
• Splitting the bill is not typically practiced in Mexico, except in the case of close friends, or family. (Note: Restaurants will take split payment from patrons if asked to do so.)

Formats for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and supper

The format and length of meals out can vary and is most usually aligned with the time of day, type of meal, and the occasion.

Social breakfasts last for thirty minutes to an hour if the parties have a busy day ahead of them, or might go on for two or more hours depending on the situation.

Lunch or dinner is the main meal of the day in Mexico, and typically starts between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. You should always plan to spend at least two hours for this meal. It’s impolite to rush off immediately afterwards, unless there’s a prior understanding that you or the other party has other commitments to attend.

Dinners and suppers in Mexico tend to be ‘friends and family’ affairs; supper is taken from any time after 8 p.m. and can start as late as 10 p.m.  Business dinners and suppers are uncommon except between close business associates.

Being invited to dinner to a person’s own home is quite an honor, especially if the relationship is relatively new, or you have recently been cultivating a working or business relationship. You may take wine and/or flowers if you have been invited to dinner at someone’s home.  If you only take one item, we recommend you take flowers.  See gift-giving, later in this guide, for more insights.

Some observations on table etiquette

Here are some notes and tips in relation to table etiquette when you are dining in Mexico, whether at a restaurant or at someone’s home:

• If you are at a restaurant and dining formally, it’s customary to allow your host to order for you. If you are the host, it’s customary to ascertain your guest’s choices and order accordingly on their behalf.
• If you are dining informally, it’s more common for each person to order their own food directly with the waiter.
• If you don’t read/speak Spanish, some restaurants may offer a menu in English, or the menu might be bilingual.  If you’re the host, ensure that someone is at the table who can translate if your Spanish is not good; if you are the guest and there’s only a menu in Spanish, ask the host for guidance.
• Excess drinking is frowned upon in polite company Mexico; always regulate your alcohol intake when taking meals out on social or business occasions.
• It is local custom to offer toasts; the traditional toast in Mexico is “¡Salud!” (health).
• It is customary for the host to say “buen provecho,” or perhaps just “provecho” before commencing a meal; this also serves as a prompt to begin eating, and might be combined with a toast of ¡Salud!  The word provecho is the linguistic equivalent of the French, “bon apetit.“
• Some foods, like tacos, tortas, and tostadas are eaten using your fingers; using a knife and fork may be impractical and even look comical; if in doubt, follow the lead of your host(s).

Tipping etiquette at restaurants in Mexico

Mexico has a strong tipping culture and, if you are settling the bill, you must include a tip (unless the service was poor, that is unlikely).

• 10% to 15% of the total bill is customary, depending on the class of establishment and level of service you received.
• At Mexican diners and fondas and non-fancy restaurants 10% is sufficient; at higher-end restaurants and bistros, 15% is expected for good service.
• The 18%-25% rates now often expected at high-end restaurants in the United States are not practiced in Mexico; 15% is considered an acceptable ceiling for a meal tip.

Time and punctuality in Mexico

The English are so well known for their punctuality that, in Mexico, there’s a phrase people might use immediately after agreeing a time with you, “hora inglesa,” literally translated means “English time.”  The inference is that the time agreed should be strictly adhered to.

For social events, you could arrive 30 minutes later than the time on the formal invitation, or communicated by the host in some other way. In many countries, people rarely show up for informal parties at the exact time, preferring to arrive a little later on, and in Mexico this is quite common.

If you are sending out invitations to host a social gathering, whether its formal or informal, keep in mind that most guests are unlikely show up at the precise time you set on the invitation.

Importantly, it is not customary to define an ‘end time’ for social occasions in Mexico. Sometimes invitations to very formal events might specify a time at which the event will end, but in Mexico the end-time on your invitations ought be left open-ended (i.e., blank), with no end time specified on the invitation.

Dress code in Mexico

How people dress is another important aspect of Mexican social culture.  Here are some insights about attire depending on the climate and social or business situation.

Attire is influenced by local climate

The dress code in Mexico is in good part influenced by the local climate. Suits and heavy dresses in hot and sultry climates may not commonly be worn even for some formal situations (check locally) in which case smart-casual clothing that is light, comfortable, and elegant is often worn in more formal situations in hotter climate zones, whereas heavier formal attire (or heavier smart casual clothing) is often used in more temperate and cooler climates.

Formal meetings in temperate climate zones

For formal occasions in temperate climates —including business meetings, weddings and funerals, and other somber or serious occasions— men should always wear a suit and tie and women a formal dress.  During colder months, overcoats and scarves may be worn, and it’s also prudent to carry an umbrella during the rain season.

Formal meetings in hot climate zones

Except for very formal situations (and at venues where the building is air conditioned), attire for most formal meetings in hot climates is characterized by light and elegant clothing.  Heavy suits and dresses are simply impractical in hot, humid, environments.  Good quality cotton and linen garments can look elegant and provide a natural breathable fabric that will keep you cooler and more comfortable than synthetic fibers.  When dressing formally in a hot climate pay special attention to footwear; overall, “simple elegance” is what is called for.

Informal gatherings

For informal occasions, smart-casual or informal attire may be appropriate depending on the venue and situation.

For casual social gatherings, people’s attire tends to match the local climate: lighter for hotter climates, heavier smart-casual clothes for temperature and cool climates.  Beach shorts and T-shirts are commonly worn at informal gathering with friends coastal locations and in other hot climates; however, if you are meeting informally at a party where you don’t know that many people, something closer to smart-casual might be a better choice, absent a theme, e.g. pool or beach party.

During more formal or special occasions, for example birthdays and anniversaries, people will tend to dress-up. Older men might wear a coat or suit (with or without a necktie) whereas younger men and boys will tend to sport smart casual attire.  Older women will typically wear a formal dress (lighter natural fibers like cotton and linen are better in hot climates) and younger women and girls will wear smart-casual, often colorful, dresses.

Wedding attire in hot climates

Heavy suits are impractical in hot climates (e.g. Mérida in the summer or along the coasts) and so wedding attire might be less formal in hotter places, depending on the venue. Some weddings have “themes” in which case you ought to attend in attire to match. Check with the wedding hosts (or wedding planner if there is one).  Choose light cotton and linen attire that can look elegant and provide more comfort in hot weather than synthetic equivalents.

Meeting for the first time

If you are meeting people for the first time, it’s better to dress conservatively, especially if the meeting is for business or some other (potential) formal working association.

Attire ought to match the climate (see above), with an emphasis on simple elegance and attention to appropriate footwear.  Neutral colors including white and beige (ideal for hot climates), navy, black, or gray (better in temperature climates); or conservatively bright spring colors are ideal.

Dressing for the season

As we have mentioned in a related article, there are places in Mexico that can get cool or cold during the fall and winter months, so check the local climate where you are meeting.

Layers of clothing are often practical during the fall and winter, as mornings and evenings tends to be cool or cold at these times of year, especially in places situated at elevation, but daytime temperatures can get quire warm.  Cold fronts during the fall and winter months may require an overcoat as well.

Torrential afternoon rainstorms can be common during the rainy season, and it’s prudent to take an umbrella or a light raincoat if you might be outdoors or otherwise exposed to the elements.

The dry season, especially in the springtime between February and May, can get very hot and dusty in some places, so dress accordingly: light clothing (elegant for formal occasions), long sleeve shirts and a hat to protect from unbroken sunshine if you’re likely to be outside for extended period, e.g. a garden party.

You can learn more about Mexico’s Seasons here on Mexperience

Gift-giving etiquette in Mexico

Gift-giving is a significant aspect of Mexican social culture. Gifts are seen as symbols of affection and appreciation, and the absence of a gift on some occasions might be construed as impolite, or a form of “cold shoulder.”

Note that if you receive a gift, it is customary to open the gift immediately to show interest and appreciation for it.

Here are some tips about gift-giving practices in Mexico.

Lunch and dinner invitations

Although gifts are not required if you are invited to a lunch or dinner meal, they are appreciated.

A gift should always be offered if you are invited to someone’s home for lunch or dinner. Fresh flowers are always appreciated.  A bottle of wine (if your host drinks alcohol), or a small gift from your home country if you are visiting from abroad are also good gifts to take to a dinner party.

Gifts for personal assistants

Secretaries and executive assistants appreciate gifts in return for their assistance; for example, when a friend’s assistant helps you arrange some travel plans.  These gifts ought to be a token of appreciation (not a statement), and if you are male and the assistant is female, you ought to indicate that the gift is from you and your spouse/partner if you have one.

Gifts at birthdays

Birthday gift-giving is popular and frequently practiced in Mexico, especially among close friends and family members.  Sometimes the gift might be a meal out at a fashionable or fancy restaurant.

If you’re living in Mexico with a young family, you’re likely to be invited to your children’s friends’ birthday parties.  It’s appropriate to take a gift for the child being celebrated.

Gifts given at Christmastime

Christmas gift-giving is practiced in Mexico, usually on Christmas Eve, although children might also receive (additional) gifts on January 6th, Kings’ Day.

If you don’t know what to give

If you’re unsure about what to give, inquiring about what kind of gift the receiver would like to get may be considered discourteous, so avoid asking the person you intend to give something to what they would like.

If you know someone well who is close to the person you want to give to, you might ask them privately for guidance.

If you are visiting (or returning to) Mexico from abroad, you might bring something that is directly associated with your home country as a gift.

Mexico’s geography

Mexico is on the North American continent and ought not be referred to in conversations as being part of “South America” or “Central America.”  Mexico can correctly be referred to as being part of Latin America.

Learn the language and speak in Spanish

If you intend to live in Mexico, full-time or part-time, You ought make a genuine attempt to speak some Spanish.  Making an effort to speak Spanish, even at a basic conversational level, will be greeted with warmth and considered a gesture of respect and goodwill.

The Mexican flag

The Mexican flag is an important emotional and political national symbol and should never (under any circumstances) be exhibited, used, or referred to in mock, mimicry, or defamatory terms.

Walking past or between people, and leaving

When walking past someone who has yielded to you, or past people who are in conversation with each other (e.g., to excuse your passing between them); and when exiting an elevator, or leaving an office or a room when others will remain present, it is customary to say “con permiso” (or more simply, “permiso“). When someone else says (con) permiso, in these situations, it is customary to reply with the phrase “propio.”

Etiquette when visiting Mexico’s churches

Whether you are visiting a church as part of a leisure tour, attending mass, or some other formal event there, for example a wedding or funeral, you ought to observe certain rules of etiquette when entering the church.

• Be respectful in your attire: shorts, beachwear, cut-off tops, and other very casual clothing should not be worn inside the church.
• Men must always remove hats (including baseball caps), scarves and gloves.  Women may wear a head covering —that can include a hat/scarf, but not a baseball cap— and may be encouraged or expected to do so in some of the more traditional Catholic churches.
• Churches are a place of worship: be mindful of any religious services taking place and don’t interrupt the services.
• Do not use flash photography.  In some smaller communities, for example, rural Chiapas,  taking photographs in and even around the church is strictly forbidden.
  See also: Photography etiquette.
• It’s respectful to leave a donation (the donation box is typically near the main entrance/exit) to help with church expenses, whether you are touring or visiting for a specific event.  If you attend mass, the alms basket may be passed around and it’s appropriate to contribute.  Take cash with you.

Beware of hands on hips, and in pockets

Putting your hands on your hips is a sign of aggression in Mexico; and placing your hands inside your pockets when in conversation with someone, as in many countries, is regarded as bad manners.

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.

• Making friends and cultivating social networks
• Adapting and settling-in to your lifestyle in Mexico
• Finding balance and purpose in your Mexico lifestyle
• Articles about lifestyle planning in Mexico
• Articles about Mexican culture
• Articles about local customs
• Essential skills for expats series

How you approach a potential move to Mexico, or approach changes to your lifestyle if you’re already here, will usually depend on your personality and the evolving priorities of your life situation.

Approaches to living in Mexico

Some people may throw caution to the wind and make an impulsive move to Mexico; others might pass through the logistical mechanics of a move here without carefully considering what propelled them to do so in the first place—perhaps due to extenuating or serendipitous circumstances.  Some people make a detailed plan, perhaps years in advance.

Taking a step back to reflect on what is motivating you to consider moving abroad, and Mexico in particular —and through that, defining your lifestyle intentions— will help to underpin some of the most important choices you make in relation to your move.

If you’re already living here, this exercise can serve a means to reflect upon and redefine your priorities and reorganize your situations in Mexico, if necessary.

Whether Mexico will suit you depends on a range of factors; some you might be able to foresee, and others you will not be able to grasp until you come here and begin to settle in and cultivate your new life amidst the charms and challenges that Mexico will present to you.

Familiarity helps

To have some idea about how you might cope with living in Mexico, you ought to have visited the country, probably more than once. Although there are success stories involving ‘love at first sight’ situations and impulsive decisions that led to a successful long-term residency and settlement here, don’t underestimate the effort it takes to adopt Mexico as your home country and settle-in here.

For some, the move is propelled by work situations: perhaps your company is relocating you to Mexico. If this is the case, the resources here on Mexperience will help you to get a thorough grounding in Mexican culture and prepare you for your move to Mexico.

Choosing a place to live in Mexico

If you know Mexico already, then you are likely to have a clearer impression about what location or region you might prefer to live in.

Some people are clear about the location where they want to live in Mexico through previous knowledge of being there, local connections they have, or simply a ‘gut feel.’

If Mexico is new to you, and you don’t have any friends or family here, then your approach will require more research, or your ability and willingness to experiment and adapt to new environments.

Another approach is to spend a few months or perhaps a couple of years traveling to various places in Mexico, renting homes along the way, to find a place that feels right.  This approach consumes more time and resources, but can be part of an adventure, or a sabbatical period of reflection to help you consider your life situation, needs and priorities.

The ‘structured approach’ is to research potential places to live, including recommendations from friends or family if you have those connections here, make a short-list, visit the places on your short-list for a time, and afterwards decide which one to move to for the longer term.

Mexperience publishes articles that help you to consider your location in regard to your lifestyle needs, as well as a series that helps you to discover and explore specific places in Mexico for living and working or retirement.

Financial considerations

Some foreigners approach a move to Mexico as a way of simplifying their lifestyle and reducing their living expenses.

While you can live simply and affordably in Mexico, financial reasons ought not to be the primary concern propelling your decision. Mexico can be affordable and offers good value but it’s not the ‘cheap’ destination paraded by some magazines and websites.

Our detailed guides to the cost of living in Mexico help you to get in-depth insights and plan a sensible and realistic budget based on your life stage, lifestyle choices, and your own unique life situation.

Learning Spanish is important

Spanish is Mexico’s official language, and although English is widely spoken in certain places, to get the most from your lifestyle experiences in Mexico —to get full access to the culture, and to ultimately settle-in properly— you will need to learn Spanish.

If you plan to live in Mexico, regardless of your approach to the change, you ought have or develop at least a basic conversational level of Spanish, and there is no better place to learn or improve your Spanish than by being present here in Mexico.

Mexperience connects you to helpful resources for learning Spanish including our detailed PinPoint Spanish series and connections to Spanish language courses.

Further research and resources

Whether Mexico is right for you and your lifestyle, only you and your partner/family can know—and you’ll probably need to come here and live for a while to learn the answer to that question.

Through research you can begin to make informed choices and commit to or abandon certain approaches with more confidence—and Mexperience offers you wealth of local insights and knowledge as well connections to people who can help you.

• Matching your lifestyle needs with your location
• Your motivations for moving to Mexico
• Influencing factors as you choose a place to live
• Finding your place in Mexico
• Discover places to live in Mexico
• Resources for planning a lifestyle in Mexico
• Principal routes to legal residency in Mexico
• Simple living in Mexico
• Learning Spanish
• Latest articles about lifestyles in Mexico

This series of articles introduces you to a curated list of locations throughout Mexico that foreign residents consider to live, work or retire in Mexico.

Emerging places to live in Mexico

This article in the series introduces you to ’emerging’ locations in Mexico that have, in recent years, been catching the attention of foreign residents and have fledgling or developing communities of foreign residents present there.

Guanajuato

Guanajuato is the capital city of the state of Guanajuato, and one of the most picturesque and well-preserved of Mexico’s historical colonial cities.

Situated about 50 miles (90-minute drive) east of the popular enclave of San Miguel de Allende, this city is currently experiencing an influx of foreign investment and, with that, interest from foreign residents seeking potential places to live and retire in Mexico. The nearest airport serving Guanajuato is situated in the city of León, about an hour’s drive west.

Guanajuato is a mountain city, with steep and sometimes narrow roads and alleyways; its history and culture make this one of the most attractive-looking places in Mexico to live, although you’ll need to feel confident negotiating its steep topography.

The city is also a popular tourist destination and experiences a high influx of visitors at weekends, and during holidays.

Mérida

Mérida is the capital city of the state of Yucatán, and quickly becoming one of the more popular destinations for foreign residents to live and retire in Mexico.

November through March in Mérida is pleasantly warm; although spring and summer temperatures soar to highs of 105-115F (40-45C) making this one of the hottest cities in Mexico. Notwithstanding the spring and summer heat, this city has experienced an enormous influx of foreign residents and is on the cusp of becoming ‘popular.’ (Some say that if it were not for the tremendously hot climate here between April and October, it would be the most sought-after place to live in Mexico.)

Mérida offers a lot to residents, who are attracted to its authentic Yucatecan culture and cuisine, its picturesque streets and neighborhoods, the wide array of local services and amenities available here, and its excellent transport links including modern roads and direct connections by air to the Mexico City and the USA.

It’s also close to many of the historically important ancient Maya cities (archaeology sites) and offers residents ready access to breathtaking natural environments—and plenty of leisure opportunities, including outdoor adventure, swimming in natural cenotes, nearby coasts, and a collection of beautifully restored haciendas converted into fine restaurants or hotels.

Mérida is among the most remarkable and culturally rich provincial cities you’ll find anywhere in Mexico and is likely to continue to attract and draw-in foreign residents who can cope with the summer heat or decide to overwinter here

Morelia and Pátzcuaro

Morelia and Pátzcuaro have been tucked away in the forested mountains of the state of Michoacán for years; but more recently these two places —Morelia, one of Mexico’s most elegant colonial cities; and Pátzcuaro, a charming and ancient highland town with strong indigenous roots— have been catching the eyes of a new generation of foreign visitors, as well as foreigners seeking unusual places to live or retire in Mexico.

Direct flights from the USA to Morelia have helped to make this area more accessible, and there is also a modern tolled highway between Morelia and Mexico City that enables drivers to traverse this mountainous route in just under four hours.

You can continue to drive across the mountains southwest from here and arrive in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, on shores of the Pacific Ocean, in less than four hours—offering a refreshing change from mountain life, and a repair away to instant warmth that can be especially agreeable during the coldest weeks of the winter.

Morelia and Pátzcuaro are two places worth exploring if you’re attracted to mountains, lakes, forests, and an authentic fusion of indigenous and colonial Mexico—and also value ready access to the coastal plains of the Pacific.

Mazatlán

Mazatlán, the northern-most ocean facing city on the ‘Mexican Riviera,’ has long been a favorite vacation spot for Mexican families.

The location’s key attractions include a cooler climate than other beach locations further south, ready access to excellent services and local amenities, and one of the best ‘value for money’ options on Mexico’s Pacific coast. In recent years, significant real estate developments have begun to emerge as foreign residents have flocked to Mazatlán for living, working, retirement and second-home investments.

The port city’s excellent air/road connections and proximity to the USA, coupled with affordable living and an agreeable coastal climate are making Mazatlán an increasingly attractive option for people who want ocean-side living without the ultra-commercialization associated with beachside locations more widely populated by foreign residents.

Like Mérida, Mazatlán has become better known among foreign residents and those seeking places to live in Mexico that offer good local infrastructure and services along with some existing foreign resident communities and without the higher concentration of foreign residents now prevalent in the most popular locations.

Substantial investments in infrastructure and services, including ports, roads, and other economic initiatives, are funneling considerable sums of capital into this region, and this coastal city appears likely to become one of the more popular coastal locations for foreign residents in years ahead.

Manzanillo

The port town of Manzanillo is situated on the Pacific coast about a four-hour drive from Guadalajara and a five-hour drive from Puerto Vallarta.

This authentic Mexican resort town has two principal areas: the resort bays either side of the Santiago peninsula, and the busy commercial area downtown, on the southside. Although Manzanillo is a busy and important working port town on Mexico’s west coast (it’s also host to an important Mexican naval base), it still retains a tranquil, laid-back atmosphere with an authentic Mexican feel.

Manzanillo is not well-known by foreigners seeking a place to live or retire in Mexico, although it does attract foreigners seeking a location that that doesn’t have a high concentration of existing foreign residents, and which offers a genuine Mexican flavor, style and feel.

It’s also one of the best value coastal locations anywhere in Mexico, offering a lower cost of living than popular resorts, and property prices that have not soared as they have in the most popular places like Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, and the Rivera Maya.

Oaxaca City

Oaxaca city, capital of the state of Oaxaca, is sometimes termed as ‘the soul of Mexico.’  This is one Mexico’s most alluring and culturally rich cities; featuring a beautiful historic district, an international airport, and a modern tolled highway that connects you to Mexico City by road within six hours.

Nearby are important archaeological sites including Monte Albán and Mitla; and the nearby town of Santa Maria del Tule is home to Mexico’s oldest living tree. This highland colonial city offers a year-round temperate climate, ready access to modern services and amenities, and a moderate influx of foreign residents who love living here and being part of the local community.

Oaxaca state also borders the Pacific; the resort town of Huatulco is about a five-hour drive south, and Puerto Escondido an eight-hour drive south-southwest; both roads cross heavy mountainous terrain.

Querétaro and Tequisquiapan

Querétaro, northwest of Mexico City, is a thriving colonial city within easy reach of the capital by road. The center is beautiful and kept pristine. In recent years, some Mexicans seeking to vacate Mexico City have moved to find a new home and lifestyle in Querétaro.

The region is undergoing a period of significant investment, and the commercial and industrial growth is creating new jobs and new prosperity in the region. Querétaro is the southern gateway to Mexico’s central highland region (“El Bajio”) and has also become one of the country’s top wine producing centers.

Nearby, Tequisquiapan is a picturesque colonial town with character and charm that has been popular for decades as place to go for weekend get-aways, as well as a popular provincial town in the region for Mexican families to have homes in the countryside; it has the potential to become more popular among foreign residents, too.

Querétaro is a place to consider if you want to be away from, but within relatively easy reach of, Mexico City and you’re seeking a location with good infrastructure and amenities within an attractive colonial setting.

Tepoztlán

Nearby the colonial city of Cuernavaca is Tepoztlán, an ancient highland town situated in a valley surrounded by copper-toned mountain cliffs and outcrops.

The town has long been a draw for well-heeled Mexican and foreign residents, and today remains something of an exclusive enclave that combines all the attractions of a country idyll with the convenience of being close to Cuernavaca (the capital city of Morelos) and also within easy reach of Mexico City by road.

Tepoztlán is one of the most unique places in Mexico’s colonial highlands: foreign residents are attracted to the natural beauty of the area, as well as the peace, tranquility, and sanguine atmosphere to be found here.

Most people who visit Tepoztlán remark on its tranquil serenity, and some speak glowingly about its mystic allure, the prevalence of its ‘New Age’ culture, the mystery of the UFOs that are often sighted here, and how this ‘sacred valley’ compels them to return, time and again.

This is one of Mexico’s more expensive colonial enclaves to buy home in; the rental market tends to have limited choices and renters also pay a premium to live here. The town has a small but well-established community of foreign residents who organize a wide array of cultural, artistic, and trade initiatives locally. The café/bistro, La Sombra del Sabino, is a key focal and meeting point.

Discover more places to live in Mexico

Connect to the other articles in this series and discover more places to live in Mexico:

• Discover popular locations to live in Mexico: includes locations that have for a long time, or in recent times, garnered considerable popularity with foreign residents (retirees and others) and have active communities of interest established at the location.
• Discover underexplored locations to live in Mexico: features places that do not have significant numbers of foreign residents already established and are generally ‘off-the-beaten-path’ for most foreigners considering Mexico for living and retirement. These places can offer attractions that may be of interest to some potential foreign residents and retirees seeking someplace more traditional, unusual, and with a lower concentration of foreign residents living there.

This article explores the typical situations people tend to approach retirement planning in Mexico, as well the typical lifestyles they tend to pursue when they arrive here.

Common approaches to retirement in Mexico

Everyone’s situation is unique, although generally, those considering Mexico for retirement tend to be typically fall into one of these situations:

People who know Mexico well and are planning ahead

People currently in their middle age who know Mexico quite well, have visited frequently —possibly since their childhood on family vacations— and are considering Mexico as a place to retire to when their children grow-up and leave home, and they retire from work. They might already own a home here or they might be thinking about buying one in preparation for their retirement.

Those who discover Mexico by serendipity and add it to their shortlist

People in their adult or middle ages who visit Mexico for the first time, very much enjoy the country, get a good feel for it, and start to think about Mexico as a potential place for retirement.  They might return several times, and they might buy a home here that they intend to use for an eventual retirement to the country.

Older people approaching retirement age and considering options for places to retire to

Another group of people who explore Mexico for retirement are those approaching retirement age (typically, within five years) and who then start to actively consider what to do, and where to go, when they retire.

They may be undecided about whether to stay in their home country, or move abroad, and if they move abroad, Mexico may be one of several destinations they are considering for retirement.  They are probably familiar with Mexico through having visited here before.

About to retire, making choices

Some people leave retirement plans to the last minute, perhaps because they have been engulfed in busy working situations and raising families, and who have not had time to step back and consider their choices in much detail.

When people find themselves rapidly approaching retirement age (usually within the next year), or those who have decided to retire earlier than anticipated, discover that they need to start narrowing-down some potential choices about how they might organize their retirement years—and those plans may include Mexico as possible retirement haven.

Already in retirement, considering changes

People already in retirement and, for a multitude of reasons, considering a move to Mexico as part of a change of retirement lifestyle.

Key reasons may include things like seeking a better climate (possibly overwintering in Mexico), seeking a better quality of life, getting access to affordable healthcare and/or senior care services, and for those concerned about finances—seeking a place where the cost of living is lower than in their home country so that their pension income can stretch further.

Some people might retire to Mexico because family have moved here, or close friends have made the move and they want to avail themselves of a similar retirement lifestyle others have created here.

Typical retirement lifestyles in Mexico

Regardless of your approach or planning stage, your retirement in Mexico will ultimately be formed around your own interests, priories, and lifestyle choices.

Retirees in Mexico enjoy agreeable climates, delicious food, a warm and welcoming culture with friendly people amidst an environment that offers unusual and interesting traditions that are nonetheless familiar.

Here is summary of typical lifestyles and pastimes retirees in Mexico come to enjoy, to give you some insights and inspiration about the ways in which others have come to Mexico and cultivated wholesome lifestyles here as part of their retirement.

Wide choice of location types

Some retirees move to popular locations where there are existing and thriving communities of foreign residents present.  Others choose to move into live in emerging locations that are less populated by foreign residents, whereas some  choose places off the beaten path and make efforts to integrate themselves there.

In addition to choosing a location by its notoriety, retirees can choose places by climate and by topography: Mexico offers hot coasts and cool colonial cities to live in.  Learn about Mexico’s climate zones and its seasons throughout the year.

Engage in your personal interests

For those with hobbies and pastimes, the hobby or interest can almost always be pursued in Mexico. In the unlikely event that a local group or society related to those interests doesn’t already exist, consider starting a new group of your own.

Many people continue their existing passions for arts and crafts or take up new pastimes including photography, painting, writing, and theatre—using Mexico as their landscape and inspiration. Some find that their work can be sold inside or outside Mexico, supplementing their income.

If you view your retirement as an opportunity to improve your golf, Mexico has no less than three of the world’s top ten golf courses for you to try—and dozens more situated all over the country.

Read more about your motivations for moving, settling-in to Mexico, and finding your own pace and rhythm here.

Excellent transport and communications

Mexico’s transport infrastructure is excellent, so it’s easy to travel and visit different regions in Mexico, as well to get to-and-from your home country.  It’s also easy for family and friends to visit you here too. Learn more about transportation choices in Mexico.

Keeping in touch with family and friends is easy, and affordable. High speed internet services are ubiquitous in Mexico and will enable you keep in touch with family, friends, and other associations you have with ease and at minimal cost.  You can learn about communications services in Mexico here on Mexperience.

Volunteering and social work

Some people get involved in social and volunteer work: helping local communities to build new infrastructure, getting involved in charity work, sharing their expertise, knowledge, and experience of life with others, and making a significant and positive contribution to the communities where they choose to live in a wide variety of ways.

Some people work part time in their retirement, either on a self-employment basis, or working at an established firm to share their life experience and expertise. Learn more about working in Mexico here on Mexperience.

An opportunity to learn or improve your Spanish

There’s no better time to learn or improve your Spanish. Surrounded by the language, engulfed in a country passionate about its history and culture, Mexico is ideal place to improve your Spanish language skills.

Learn why Spanish is a good investment in your retirement lifestyle, study the nuances of Mexican Spanish in everyday usage, and find Spanish language courses.

Alternative lifestyles in retirement

If you prefer alternative lifestyles, you can, for example, come to retire in Mexico in in a more secluded setting if you want to by buying a rural property surrounded by picturesque landscape.

Alternative lifestyles can also be formed in one Mexico’s colonial mountain towns which have immediate (or close-by) access to local services and amenities, surrounded by the local communities, sharing their culture and their way of life.

Some retirees come to Mexico to simplify their lifestyle, and Mexico can facilitate this if you make choices accordingly, regardless of where in Mexico you live.

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.

• Articles about lifestyle planning in Mexico
• Latest articles about retirement in Mexico
• Is Mexico right for your retirement?
• Benefits Mexico offers to retirees
• Discovering potential places to live in Mexico
• A regular Mexico Newsletter you can subscribe to for free

This series of articles introduces you to a curated list of locations throughout Mexico that foreign residents consider to live, work or retire in Mexico.

Most popular places to live in Mexico

This article in the series introduces you to locations that have for a long time, or in recent times, garnered considerable popularity with foreign residents (retirees and others) and have active communities of foreign residents established at the location.

Chapala, Ajijic, and Jocotepec

Chapala, Ajijic and Jocotepec are the three towns situated on the north shore of Mexico’s Lake Chapala—the largest lake in Mexico.  The towns are situated about an hour’s drive south of Guadalajara, Mexico’s second largest city.  These lakeside colonial towns are home to the highest concentration of foreign residents anywhere in Mexico.

Attractions of the location include an ideal year-round climate, easy access to Guadalajara’s amenities and international airport, and a long-established community of foreign residents who organize a wide range of social and cultural events in the locality.  Although the Lake Chapala area has historically been primarily a place for retirees, this is changing and people who are not yet retired, some with young families, have been relocating to this area in recent times.

Cozumel and Isla Mujeres

Although small island life is not for everyone, each of these islands, situated off the coast of Playa del Carmen and Cancún respectively, offer charms of their own. Cozumel is a larger island with more happening, and more amenities. Isla Mujeres is small, with hardly any traffic, and has beautiful calm beaches on one side and a rugged, dramatic coastline on the other (some houses overlook the latter). Cozumel has its own international airport (some flight routes are seasonal); and both islands are well-served with frequent sea ferries connecting them to the mainland.

Cuernavaca

Since Aztec times, Cuernavaca has been a fashionable place for capital dwellers to repair and recuperate; and even today the city remains a popular getaway destination at weekends, and during holidays.  It’s a city with hidden charms and a lot going for it: its proximity to the capital, its magnificent climate, and a colonial feel with a sincere character. While it’s not the most picturesque of Mexico’s colonial cities, it has an authentic Mexican feel.

The city is built on a mountain straddling five ravines that give this location unique microclimates: the northern limits of the city are forested and much cooler (cold in the winter); the climate between the north and the city center are temperate; and the areas south of the center get considerably warmer (hot in the summer) as you travel south.  Its climate, especially in the temperature zone, remains one of the best you’ll experience anywhere in Mexico and the city offers almost every service and amenity you may need, with easy access to the capital by road.

Guadalajara and Tlaquepaque

Guadalajara is one of Mexico’s important big cities, said to be ‘the most Mexican of Mexican cities’ that features a beautiful historic center and various districts or neighborhoods of interest to foreign residents, the most notable of which is Tlaquepaque.

The city is situated near Lake Chapala and Ajijic (see above), where most of foreign residents in this region live, although all of them repair to Guadalajara for services, shops, and amenities—and the international airport that is based on the south side of the city.

La Paz, Todos Santos, and Loreto

Situated in Baja California Sur, La Paz, Loreto, and Todos Santos are popular locations for living and retirement.

La Paz is the capital city of the state that offers a laid-back, relaxed pace of life with plenty of water sports and outdoor activities amidst the unspoiled nature on its doorstep; it also offers ample amenities and transport connections including an airport and a ferry port to the Mexican mainland.

Todos Santos, situated southwest of La Paz near the Pacific coast of the peninsula, is the bohemian arts quarter of this region and is ideally suited to people who want to find a town away from the more commercialized feel of nearby Los Cabos.

North of La Paz along the coast of the Gulf of California (formerly known as the Sea of Cortés) is Loreto, a location well-known for its planned residential communities —mostly retirees— enjoying a fine climate within a beautiful natural environment.

Los Cabos (Cabo San Lucas & San José del Cabo)

Los Cabos comprises a ‘corridor’ that connects two towns at the southern cape of the Baja California peninsula: Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo.

The area is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Mexico and it’s also one of the primary locations where foreign residents choose to live in this region and includes a well-established community of foreign retirees.

The agreeable climate (especially in the winter months), access to a comprehensive selection of amenities that foreign residents tend to seek in a destination —including excellent medical facilities, some of the world’s top rated golf courses, a well-developed local infrastructure, easy access via an international airport, and active local community groups— make Los Cabos one of the most attractive locations for living or retirement.

Some choose to spend only the winter months here and rent out their homes in the summer when they are away. Los Cabos is not for everybody, and it’s one of the more expensive places in Mexico to live and buy property; but for the many foreigners who choose to call this place home, full or part-time—they love it.

Mexico City

Mexico City remains a strong favorite with working-age foreign residents who arrive here for the (net)working opportunities and buzz of the capital; and with retirees who never tire of the alluring charm of this, one of the world’s largest and funkiest capital cities.

Some people who come know the capital intimately and fall in love with it tend to stay without being able to articulate quite why they do. Perhaps they adore being part of the vibrancy, the vast size and complexity and contrasts of this remarkable historical metropolis that has been a major inhabited settlement of civilization for over 600 years.

In addition to the unsurpassed selection of services to found here, Mexico City also offers some of the world’s finest museums, parks, restaurants, markets, shops and, being the center of economic and political power, has the best connections to everywhere you’d ever want to travel to inside Mexico and internationally.

Playa del Carmen and Tulum

Playa del Carmen and the town of Tulum (more popularly known is the archaeology park here that features spectacular views across the turquoise waters of the Mexican Caribbean), and both part of the ‘Riviera Maya,’ have become among the most sought-after places to live by foreign residents coming to Mexico in search of a beachside destination.

‘Playa’ (and to a lesser extent Tulum) have experienced tremendous growth in the last two decades. Not too far by road (three hours) from the historical and important city of Mérida, Playa and Tulum offer a beautiful Caribbean lifestyle with less commercial hype than its neighbor, Cancún, although in recent years, Playa del Carmen’s development has created a much more commercialized feel than was present here at the turn of the century. And with Cancún just 30 miles away, you can enjoy the excellent infrastructure and facilities it offers as well as access to a major international airport with direct connections to the US, Canada, and Europe (in season).

Puerto Vallarta and Punta de Mita

Puerto Vallarta and environs has a history and reputation all its own: this is one of Mexico’s fastest-growing areas and the influx in recent times of working-age foreign residents as well as retirees to this region has been unprecedented.

The reasons are clear: the heart of Puerto Vallarta has an authentic colonial city feel to it, and the extensive ‘bay area’ —that encompasses the area of Mismaloya on the southern edge of the bay to Bucerías/Cruz de Huanacaxtle in the north— offers a wonderful oceanfront seat along Mexico’s Pacific coastline.

This is a cosmopolitan, contemporary, and forward-looking region of Mexico. The winter climate is idyllic; July through October can be stifling with heat, although some people don’t mind this, or leave/travel during those months).

The availability of local services and amenities is extensive and improving every year; it’s a one of the most accessible locations in Mexico with good road and air connections, and it’s considered by many who live here ‘the best place in Mexico to be.’

In recent years, Nuevo Vallarta and other towns northward including Bucerías and Sayulita have also become popular; and about 27 miles north of Puerto Vallarta you’ll find the more exclusive area of Punta de Mita: with its rugged, picturesque and dramatic coastline, it’s home to some fine hotel-resorts, one of the country’s best golf courses, and higher-end residential developments.

San Miguel de Allende

San Miguel de Allende was a quiet backwater and bohemian hideaway in the 1960s and 1970s, a popular dwelling space for foreign artists, writers, and hippies living alternative lifestyles in the highlands of south-central Mexico. San Miguel’s popularity began to soar in the early 1990s and today this highland mountain town is one of the most popular colonial cities in Mexico to live in—sought after by foreign residents and Mexicans alike.

People who have known the town for decades say that its quaint roots have been forever altered by the influx of investment and people in recent times; it does, however, continue to rate as one of the top places in Mexico for living and retirement.

Situated at elevation in the rugged mountains in the state of Guanajuato, about a four-hour drive northwest from Mexico City, this old ‘silver city’ is one of the most picturesque of Mexico’s colonial enclaves; residential property in the historic center and neighborhoods adjacent to it is among the most expensive in all Mexico.

The town has a long history of attracting foreign residents and, like Lake Chapala, has very well-developed community groups and societies managed and frequented by foreigners and Mexicans living here.

It also has a strong arts culture, with language, art and writing schools and societies prevalent.  San Miguel offers an excellent selection of services and amenities, including good healthcare and medical facilities.  The light here is outstanding, although being a relatively remote town situated at elevation, it can get quite cool or cold during the winter months after sundown and during the early mornings.

Discover more places to live in Mexico

Connect to the other articles in this series and discover more places to live in Mexico:

• Discover emerging locations to live in Mexico: summarizes locations that have, in recent years, been catching the attention of foreign residents and have fledgling or developing communities of interest present.
• Discover underexplored locations to live in Mexico: features places that do not have significant numbers of foreign residents already established and are generally ‘off-the-beaten-path’ for most foreigners considering Mexico for living and retirement. These places can offer attractions that may be of interest to some potential foreign residents and retirees seeking someplace more traditional, unusual, and with a lower concentration of foreign residents living there.

This article explores typical profile patterns of foreign residents who come to Mexico to live and work or retire, and also describes the key considerations which influence people’s level of commitment when they come to live here.

Foreign residents’ commitment levels vary

While everyone’s situation has unique aspects, people who come to Mexico to live and work or retire tend to fall into one of these profile patterns—and reviewing these can help you to consider what level of commitment you might have.

Full-time residents, fully committed to Mexico

Foreign residents who are fully committed arrive to live and work or and/or retire full-time and settle permanently in Mexico.  They usually sell their home abroad and move all their personal goods to Mexico.

They might already own a home in Mexico, or will purchase a home, perhaps renting somewhere for a time while they scout for and find the property they want to buy.

Some people might commit to Mexico this way and rent a home instead of buying; for example, if they have sufficient income to rent, but insufficient capital to buy—or if they prefer the flexibility that renting a house offers.

These types of retirees tend to visit family and friends in their home country at least once a year; and family and friends may also come to Mexico to visit them.

Our article about considering choices for accommodations in Mexico shares further insight about whether to buy or rent in Mexico.

Full-time residents, partly committed to Mexico

Foreign residents who are partly committed arrive to live and work and/or retire full-time in Mexico, but tend to keep their home and other significant assets abroad.  They either rent long term or buy a home here if they don’t own a home in Mexico already.

They will likely make regular annual trips back to their home country, perhaps at certain times or seasons of the year, to be with family and friends they have outside of Mexico.

Part-time residents, living in Mexico for defined periods

Foreign residents who arrive to live and work and/or retire in Mexico part-time, for defined periods are not fully committed to Mexico and tend to hold considerable assets and perhaps work and family commitments abroad.

When and how long these types of foreign residents stay in Mexico varies, and dates and seasons might depend on individuals’ own circumstances and commitments they have ongoing here, and elsewhere.

Foreign residents who overwinter in Mexico are commonly termed as “snowbirds”—who typically arrive in November and leave in April or May of the following year.  They might own or buy a home in Mexico, or they might rent a house here—and they’ll probably keep a home abroad.

Frequent shuttling or short stints in Mexico

Some foreign residents, especially (but not exclusively) those who live near the southern US border, might shuttle frequently between a home in the US and their home in Mexico.

Others might live most of their time in their home country (or another country) and live in Mexico for a short stint or stints: either for a single, defined period during the year, or through several shorter periods in weeks or months peppered throughout the year.

These types of residents will almost certainly own a home in Mexico, although some might have long term rental arrangements in place.

In years past, foreigners who arrived in Mexico to live this way would not bother getting a residency permit and stay in Mexico using a visitor permit instead.  However, with changes to the way foreign visitors are admitted, it’s prudent to apply for a residency permit in Mexico.

Considerations that tend to influence commitment levels

How long you spend living in Mexico, and how much commitment you make to cultivating a life and lifestyle here, will depend on many things and is ultimately  determined when you define your intentions for moving to Mexico to live and work or retire.

This section describes key considerations that tend to influence people’s decision-making.  Contemplating these these as you make your own deliberations can be helpful as you think about your move to Mexico, or making changes to your current arrangements if you already live here.

Your social and family ties

The choice about whether to live in Mexico full-time or part-time is oftentimes influenced primarily by people’s social and family ties back home.

If you have strong friendships, children and grandchildren that you are close to and want to see them more often than through occasional visits, then you might choose to make Mexico a part-time living place.

Most people who live in Mexico part-time choose to live here during the months of the year when the climate is least agreeable in their home country—and for most that’s the late fall and winter months in the northern hemisphere, when foreign residents arrive to overwinter in Mexico.

Attachment to your home country

Another key influencing factor is how attached you (and your partner and family as relevant) feel to your home country.

For example, some people find the notion of selling the family home —where children were raised, and lifetime memories were engrained— difficult. It’s easier for some people to let go, and more difficult for others.

As you contemplate this, consider your partner’s feelings about the matter; as we noted in a related article about setting out your intentions for moving to Mexico, moving abroad when a one partner is enthusiastic and committed and the other is lukewarm or unpersuaded can break relationships—even long-standing ones.

The distance between Mexico and your home country

Consider how long it takes you to travel between Mexico and you home country.

If your home in Mexico is close to the US-Mexico border and your other home is in the southern US, this might be relatively inconsequential.

Conversely, if your home country is Europe or Japan, your travel time between the two countries will be substantial.

Most Americans and Canadians that fly home will have to travel for between 6-12 hours to get to/from Mexico, door-to-door.  Most Europeans will need to travel for between 24-30 hours to shuttle between Mexico and their home country, door-to-door.

Aside from the time, effort and financial resources you’ll need to expend to travel between Mexico and your home country (especially if you continue to have significant ties to your homeland), there is also a psychological aspect to take into consideration that’s also related to your commitment level (see first section, above).

If you’re only living in Mexico part time and your home country is far away and you have significant commitments and attachments there, this is likely to eventually take a toll on you even if you are able to fund the continual traveling.

Logistics, financial resources, and personal energy

Persistent traveling may become more burdensome for some as they grow older.

Living part-time in Mexico and part-time elsewhere every year requires you to manage at least two sets of homes, two lifestyles, and two ‘lifestyle structures.’

The logistics become more complex if you must rent out one house or the other as part of your income needs.

Shuttling between two countries requires considerably more financial resource and moreover it demands time and energy from you personally every time you shuttle.

Consider the impact this will have on your budget longer term and, more importantly, on your body and overall wellbeing: as we grow older, constant moving may become less attractive, and for some also less viable.

Offspring’s perceptions and concerns

People who come to to live, and especially those who come to retire, often have grown children (and grandchildren) living in their country of origin, or in a country other than Mexico.

Most adult children concern for their parents as they age, and if you choose to live in Mexico, it’s sensible to share those intentions with any children you have and express to them how long and what level of commitment you might make to Mexico in the longer term.

Some children might be quite comfortable with the notion of their parents living or retiring abroad in Mexico; others might see it as fancy experiment that will be short-lived, while others might express worry or fears—especially if the parents are ‘selling-up’ and moving to Mexico full time.  These personal family connections can become significant influencers in the decision-making.

If you intend to commit to Mexico long-term and make Mexico your ‘primary home’ then be sure to communicate this intention with your close family; and consider the longer-term impact, including estate planning and, related to that, senior care services and end-of-life planning.

Some people retire with the intention of living out the remainder of their lives in Mexico and if you become unable to make decisions it’s helpful to have a (legally-binding) plan in place that may prevent others from acting against your wishes and moreover facilitate the implementation of yours and your partner’s wishes.  Hire a Notary Public in Mexico to talk about living wills, and/or consult with a professional financial advisor or attorney.

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.

• Articles about lifestyle planning in Mexico
• Defining your intentions for moving to Mexico
• Matching your location with your lifestyle needs
• Discovering potential places to live in Mexico
• A regular Mexico Newsletter you can subscribe to for free