Moving to Mexico

"If possible come to the city before you move and spend a week focused on looking for a house or apartment. Puebla is a big city and neighborhoods vary. Ask the locals at Starbucks, the hip restaurants or at a local bar in the nice hotels for advice on the better/safer places to live. They are very well informed and friendly. The nicer places to live do require a lease, so come prepared with a proof of employment or job offer letter, a bank statement (you can get a Mexican account after you can present a lease), passport, visa and best of all if you have a local reference that is trusted above all. You will need a lease to begin internet, phone and electric service. Hot water and cooking gas comes in the form of gas. Yes GAS only! Your neighbors can help you with the number of the company that services your neighborhood," said one expat in Puebla.

"Franvan, Versalles is reasonably priced. Las Gaviotas is reasonably priced. Vallarta Villas (gated condos) maybe comparable with Fluvial pricing. 5 Diciembre (There are some newer gated condo properties in some of this area. Most of Centro/downtown and the Romantic Zone will have electricity and water/flooding problems during the rainy season. Fluvial, a residential area has both homes & condos for rent & sale with some being newer (all electricity underground, including internet/phone with Telmex). The Marina area will have more condos than homes for rent and you'll pay more than all of the above most of the time," said one expat who made the move to Puerto Vallarta.

"Tijuana has 1,400,000 inhabitants, has few attractions and is a dirty, ugly border town. There are few job opportunities and most jobs pay about $20 (US)/day!!! If you are an American citizen, you can cross the border (fast crossing with Sentry or Global Entry cards) and work in the U.S. We HAD to move here, (long story) or I never would have left Puerto Vallarta. This should not be a destination for families with children. It's a last resort for those down and out, trying to save a bit of money, while working in the U.S," explained one expat living in Tijuana, Mexico.

"Do your research. Figure out what is really important to you. There is so much to do here and lots of people who speak English. The locals are very friendly. There are always exceptions but we have been very happy. It is a noisy country and there is dust. Bill is a musician and does sound for many of the productions and I am a quilter. There is a theater group, a community choir, an art society and a multitude of clubs, restaurants, live music that you will recognize. Medical care is good and you will find alternative as well as traditional medicine. You will see donkey carts and BMWs sharing the road. Working is a problem since jobs are reserved for the citizens so planning on working here may not happen," said one in Lake Chapala.

"Contact me or someone here about what to bring or not. Choosing a neighborhood and finding a home I would suggest a qualified real estate professional. We have an MLS group in the city. Preferably chose one of those realtors," explained one expat who made the move to Manzanillo.

"Merida is made up of the Centro area (downtown) and then many different neighborhoods which are called colonies and Fracc's. We were told by a realtor that many expats move to the North Merida area, which is nice and very safe with many stores and restaurants. He said anything above Calle 59 is good. We ended up finding a place in a small neighborhood called San Pedro Uxmal. I don't think there are many expats there, but the home had everything we wanted and the price was good. We are very happy there," said one expat in Merida.

"We rented a 3 BR/3 Bath home. It is very modern and has a small front yard and a beautiful back yard with a pool. It is 2 stories. We also have a terrace overlooking the back yard and a sunny roof top overlooking the front of the house. The house has a large wall around it and an electric gate in the front which is very nice for our 2 dogs and 2 cats. They can go in and out as they please," explained one expat living in Merida, Mexico.

"We have a large home, 2 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, jacuzzi, sauna, washer dryer fridge stove and completely furnished. Mexican style home with 12 foot ceilings and a huge yars. It is typical of this area. It is much better than what we had in Canada and less expensive. $600 a month," said one expat in Lake Chapala.

"Our home is a two story, 2 bedroom with around 2800 sq ft. We have a pool and small garden. The house is stand alone in a gated community. The area in which we live is primarily single family and we are about 10 minutes driving time to the center of town," said one expat who made the move to Ajijic .

"Our "house" is the downstairs of a 5 bedroom, 3 bath, 2 story house. We have 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, huge living room, dining room and kitchen with gated parking and back yard. It has been converted into 2 separate dwellings. It is in one of the better (upscale) areas of Tijuana. Yes, most expats would want close access to the border and a larger living space than most Mexican homes have," explained one expat living in Tijuana, Mexico.

"We live in a house on the beach. Ex-pats live in condos, houses, on the beach, in the hills, we are spread out depending on our tastes," said one in Manzanillo.

"We are paying $12,000 pesos/month, which is about $625 USD which is less than we paid in a mobile home community in Florida. Our TV/Internet/Home phone is approx. $70/mo. We have not gotten the electric or water bills yet, but we have been told that electric is about the same as the US and water is cheap. Trash pickup is about $3/mo," replied a member in Merida.

"Expenses here are FAR lower than the USA even though Real Estate here has gone up in price. Still very affordable. I live in So. Rosarito close to Puerto Nuevo. My house is on a Hillside above the ocean with spectacular Views of the Ocean and coastline. I have a 3 bedroom house, 3 baths home with huge view patio and enclosed parking for 3 cars. This for a fraction of the cost of an ocean view home in California. If you are looking to rent, Ocean view and ocean front places are low price and vary from area to area. Many American colonies here have 24/7 guards and security. Rents vary from about 400 USD to well under 2000 USD. Depending on size and area, Everything from small apartments to huge view homes are available," commented one expat who made the move to Rosarito.

"We bought a condo that we lived in for 9 years, then sold it and built our house. I is a very easy process, as long as you have a good realtor," remarked one expat who made the move to Manzanillo.

"Because we are on the beach, things of silver or other metals rust. Also art work, if you want to have it for other generations, is difficult to preserve. There are not many things that are not available here, but electronics are expensive, so I would bring computers.(Also they are in the language of your choice)," replied a member in Manzanillo.

"I would of brought the following: My own bed, Pots & Pans, My Tool Box. The items I would of left at home are: My Cell Phone, 2 of the 3 TV's I brought, and my Stereo," commented one expat who made the move to Mexico City.

"I wish I had brought modern a/c units with dehumidifiers built in, but electricity is outrageously priced and on a tier system," remarked one expat in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

"We used a facilitator for our permanent residency cards. She charged us $200. US for both. Best deal ever and quick. La Paz consulate," said one expat in Mexico.

"I lived in San Francisco, California area for 50 years, moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in 2009, then to Tijuana in 2012. I moved to PV with nothing but collected quite a bit of stuff while living there. We rented a moving truck and carted it all to Tijuana. I can get everything I need by crossing the border to the U.S. Take what is important to you (treasured things). If you can afford to buy new/used furniture when you arrive, leave as much as you can in the U.S. Customs is a pain," remarked one expat who made the move to Tijuana.

"Yes. I was speaking with a bi-lingual Mexican man and I told him that I was very happy because people here must think I am Mexican. He asked me why I felt that way. I said "Well..everyone freely and openly just start speaking to me in Spanish, so they must think I'm Mexican". He looked at me with a smile and said "That's because they don't know how to speak English" Oh boy, did I feel silly....we had a really good laugh at that one," said one expat in Tequisquiapan.

"When you meet someone for the first time, you usually say the formal address of you, which is "usted". Once you know them, saying "usted" is almost an insult! I've done that a few times. Now I call everyone "tu", which is the informal "you", and everyone welcomes it," said one expat who made the move to Mexico City.

"I said a word in Puerto Rican Spanish that is very commonly used to mean 'to take', and it means to have sex in Mexican Spanish. It made people laugh. But I turned it around and told them but you guys say this word for the meaning of insect and that is a sexual word in Puerto Rico. They would laugh. You got to realize words mean different things in different societies and not to take yourself too seriously," explained one expat living in Merida, Mexico.

"The rich culture, colorful landscape, and attractive climate are some of the main reasons that attract expats to move to Mexico. With its affordable cost of living, it is an ideal destination for those looking to experience an exciting and vibrant lifestyle while keeping expenses down. The friendly and welcoming locals are another great reason to live in Mexico, and the country's excellent infrastructure and healthcare system make it a great place to settle. Additionally, Mexico offers a diverse range of activities, from bustling cities to relaxed beach towns, providing visitors plenty of options to explore," offered one expat living in Mexico.

"Medical care is readily available in our area and we have a very nice private hospital called Hospitan. Another private hospital - not as well equipped - CostaMed. The doctors all speak English and as we have Global Health insurance, we have the option to choose any hospital or doctor we wish. Private hospitals are really the only way to go if you expect the type of facilities and services that you would receive in the United States. As Playa Del Carmen is a smaller community, many times you will need to go to Cancun for specific needs. They have several private hospitals - Galenia, a larger Hospitan. If you have a chronic medical condition you might want to check with either hospital to make sure that the resources you will need are available," remarked one expat in Playa Del Carmen.

"Healthcare services in Mexico are provided by both public and private institutions. The public healthcare system is known as the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) and is funded by the government. It provides basic medical services to Mexican citizens and permanent residents, including preventive care, diagnosis, and treatment. The quality of public healthcare in Mexico is generally considered to be good, although there are some areas where it is lacking. Foreign residents do not have access to the public healthcare system, but they can purchase private health insurance to cover medical expenses. Expats in Mexico typically use private healthcare services, although some may opt to use the public system if they are eligible," wrote one expat living in Mexico.

" It depends on finances and age. If you're a professional moving to Mexico for business reasons, then you'll no doubt be given a private insurance plan. For those still young, private insurance is cheaper than in the USA but still ultimately unaffordable. Those working for public or private sector employers should automatically be enlisted in the IMSS which is our national system free to the user. Roughy equivalent to the UK's NHS, if you need something major it is excellent. For minor problems you may care to go private. Besides the IMSS, if you're not working you can enroll in the govenment's Seguro Popular system which is probably a bit inferior to the IMSS but again will protect you against major events. Next, I recommend paying monthly to subscribe to a private ambulance/outpatient service such as EMME. The price is reasonable and they come quickly with a fully equipped ambulance and medical team. They also have an outpatient walk-in centre open until late. Most pharmacies have an attached doctor available during work hours (sometimes morning only) and you can get a quick consultation either free or at insignificant cost - very useful if you need an antibiotic because these need a prescription now. ," commented one expat who moved to Monterrey.

"Although I have met people having care for serious conditions, my experience has only been dental. People I know who had the same procedure done just across the border in San Diego had side effects I did not experience with my Mexican dentist," said one expat.

"Be sure to have travel insurance... helps to speak Spanish to communicate more freely with the caregivers, however someone there will speak English," said one expat living in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

"I avoid cut-and-drug as much as possible and take responsibility for the key aspects of health: eating wisely and exercising. If I don't do those things, what can anyone do for me? What I do no t like about the government health program that I joined is that doctors have the same reliance on drugs as in the US. I have not had hospital care, but friends who have report excellent care. I would like to start a movement to ban Coca Cola and other diabetes-inducing "foods." And I would like to see more attention paid to use of traditional medicinal plants, which are widely available in Mexico," commented one expat living in Coatepec.

"Medical services in Mexico vary depending on the region. Generally, the country has a wide range of medical facilities, including public and private hospitals, clinics, and medical centers. Many of these facilities offer quality care and modern medical technology. In addition, Mexico has a number of specialized medical centers that provide specialized care for specific conditions. Mexico also has a number of medical tourism destinations, where people from other countries can receive medical care at a lower cost than in their home countries," commented one expat who moved to Mexico.