Moving to Mexico

"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," said one expat in Manzanillo.

"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," said one expat who made the move to Tijuana.

"There are many expats living in Northern Baja. Playas Tijuana, Rosarito and Ensenada areas. Some bought their property, some rent while they are looking for the right place. If people are new to the area, I usually mention that renting for the 1st year is best. This of course is to make sure that living in this area would be a good idea. Most end up with positive views on this and either buy or rent," explained one expat living in Rosarito, Mexico.

"Barking dogs and the occasional loud party--often complete with Mariachi band--does make it difficult to find a completely quiet place to live. However, if your goal is TOTAL peace, might I suggest heading for the hills? There are plenty of houses located in isolated areas of Mexico. But you might give up security for the quietness. Personally, I have adjusted to the barking dogs by using a "white noise" machine at night. Otherwise they are now just background noise. The parties? Well...I just stay up until they over, generally around 2 a.m," said one in Rosarito.

"I would add only that those readers from the US need to realize that in Mexico what are very loosely called "realtors" are completely unlicensed and unregulated. It seems that everyone and their uncle is a realtor. Thus it is important to remain skeptical of anything a Mexican "realtor" alleges. As a result be sure to engage a real Mexican attorney (who are licensed and who will have a "Cedula"). Ask for a copy of their cedula number, as all true professionals in Mexico are indeed licensed. Not "realtors"," explained one expat who made the move to Mexico.

"Versalles, Aralias & Fluvial just to name a few. Rentals are found easy with boots on ground. You need to view in person and no deposits until you arrive. Otherwise, most likely, you will have a problem with your deposit and may never see it. In Zona Romantica (my opinion is that it’s for visitors/tourist) you will have fireworks almost every night, many tourist, road blocks for celebrations/water repairs, spring/winter breaks, flooding during the rainy season, and parties non-stop," said one expat who made the move to Puerto Vallarta.

"We made a discovery trip here in July. Loved the place and stayed a month... We toured the entire area and eliminated those areas that were a bit far out or did not meet our needs. We sold our home in the states in three days which spurred us to find a home... We have a dog and two cats that made renting a bit of a hassle so we decided to buy. I made another trip in September and we decided on one of the homes we had previewed earlier. It is a smaller gated community (7 homes) and we are quite delighted," explained one expat living in Ajijic , Mexico.

"Cost of living here is far less than the USA as are excellent restaurants, bars, clubs, etc," said one in Rosarito.

"After studyinng the market here for 2 1/2 years and debating renting or buying, we learned a lot about neighborhoods. And we learned the best way to figure out where you want to be is to come down and go airbnb for a while in different neighborhoods to figure out what you want. For those of us on a budget, Norte and Santiago are much too expensive and the father you go from Centro prices fall dramatically. We just bought a house and it was only after looking at very many and being ready to pounce on one that was significantly reduced in price and in excellent condition. Those go very quickly. Even renting, remember if you don't like the neighborhood, you're stuck for a year usually," explained one expat who made the move to Merida.

"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," commented one expat who made the move to Manzanillo.

"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," remarked one expat in Ajijic , Mexico.

"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," said one expat in Tijuana.

"We live in a single family dwelling that shares side walls with my neighbors. It is 2 story with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. Houses are made with brick or cider block with a skin coat of concrete. Many houses have beautiful, lush gardens with indoor/outdoor living. We chose not to have one. Many people have maids and gardeners but it was not in our budget. Square footage of houses include covered porches so be aware of that. We looked at one house that a porch was 1/3 of the square footage which left very little living space," remarked one expat who made the move to Lake Chapala.

"We live in a large home one town over from where my husband works. I think the type of housing one chooses depends on the expat. Some are single and would rather live modestly and pocket the excess money from the monthly stipend they are given towards housing. Others have families and need/want more elaborate housing. I don't know any expats living here who aren't working for a U.S. company. This isn't the type of area people move to on a whim. They are sent here for work," explained one expat living in Comalcalco, Mexico.

"We lust bought a small (1400sqft) house in Rosarito for $325,000. Not much inventory so if are ready to buy you can't be real picky. The 2 places we really wanted to see sold the day before we got there. New house built in 2019, nice furniture & long range ocean view," commented one expat who made the move to Mexico.

"Right now a condo on the beach with 2-3 bedrooms can be purchsed for as low as about 150,000.00 US dollars. This is a buying opportunity. We also have a beautiful house on the beach with 4 bedrooms for 869,000.00 US dollars. It is the perfect time to take advantage of our low prices," remarked one expat in Manzanillo, Mexico.

"The costs are a little less to about the same as the U.S. (to rent). The locals have realized they can get more for their properties because they are dealing with petroleum companies who are willing to pay. And, I think there was a housing shortage for a while. The house is nice though. We pay about usd $1800.00 for about 3000 sq.ft. You can rent cheaper places but you will generally end up with problems (leaking roof, older appliances)," said one expat in Comalcalco.

"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," remarked one expat who made the move to 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," explained one expat living in Rosarito, Mexico.

"We bought an empty lot and built a house on it. Had to get construction permits, since I was a resident at the time it had to be in my wifes name as she is a citizen," remarked one expat in Apizaco, Mexico.

"I wish I brought: -high quality linens bedding, sheets, towels, etc. -a set of good quality pots and pans, basic set of kitchen gadgets -a TV and DVD player wish I left at home: You can find anything in this modern city, however the prices are much higher and the quality is not what we are used to in the USA. Don't weigh yourself down with anything but the essentials or the over the weight limit fees at the airport can be expensive. Don't even think of paying to move your belongings by truck unless your job will cover it. There is still a big risk that it will be stolen, so I left my items in storage in the USA where they remain today," remarked one expat in Puebla, Mexico.

"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," said one expat in Mexico City.

"My husband and I were told by the shipper that once we have a Merida address that our items will be shipped to our door within a few days. We have been here for almost a month and we have found that our items are still in Miami!! We were also told that our items cannot be sent from Miami until my husband gets his Temporary Resident card (which he applied for, but we have been told that it will take approximately a month to get it). Once he has the card, then they will schedule the items to be sent and it takes 10 days to go across the Gulf of Mexico and then a few days to go through Customs. So at this rate, we will be lucky if we have our items for the New Year and we have been in Mexico since October 27th. Please be warned about this and make sure that you get everything in writing. We did and we are still having issues. We wish we would have all our items that we shipped and have not found anything that we had wished we left yet," remarked one expat who made the move to Merida.

"I wish I had brought my cat. He is living with my father at the moment. But I do miss him. We aren't sure how long we'll be here, though, and we do know a woman who had a hard time getting her dog in and out so we are holding off bringing him down for now. I also wish I had brought more specialized food items. Spices, tahini, couscous, kalamata olives, marsala wine (just to name a few). I love to cook and haven't been able to find some items down here. And, last, I wish I had brought more guide books in English. We have been traveling everywhere down here and they would have come in handy! We use everything we brought down with us. Including all of our furniture and our two cars so there isn't anything I regret bringing," explained one expat living in Comalcalco, 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 was told by a good friend to just throw the words out there. They noticed that I had a tendency to be a lot quieter than usual during table discussions where everyone is engaged and fluent in Spanish. He said "Just like a baby babbles and throws a word incorrectly just do it anyway. We will correct you!". That was a relief! He knew that I was afraid of making mistakes so he told me to do the opposite of what my mind was telling to do. Don't stay silent, just jump in there and graciously accept the friendly help! They love it! And it breaks the ice! It makes sense. As a teacher that's exactly what I encourage.my students to do -- I tell them to just jump into the discussion and I'm there to help as needed," said one expat who made the move to Comitan, CHIAPAS.

"Sure, I tried out new words I thought I had learned and made a fool of myself, but I just laughed with everyone else and it was fine. Also, I fell twice in the street 'cause the streets are so broken and uneven and felt silly, but a nice lady helped me, very kind," explained one expat living in Guadalajara, 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," stated one expat who made the move to Mexico.

"Playa Del Carmen, is just about an 1 and half hour plane ride from Miami. The community is filled with expats and each year that passes, the assimilation process gets easier and easier. This is due to the high US investment in the area. We now have Home Depot, Starbucks, Old Navy, Forever 21, Sephora. So many of the products and services that expats are accustomed to using can now be found in town. This was not the case 11 years ago when we moved there. ," remarked one expat in Playa Del Carmen.

"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," offered one expat living in Playa Del Carmen.

"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 who moved to 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," said one expat.