Before moving here full time in 2018, we had traveled around to many beautiful and scenic places and upon departure, it was common that we would start daydreaming of living in that destination. When we visited Tulum in 2017 we had the same feeling, the beaches were great, the people were friendly and the cost of staying long-term seemed like a move that we could afford. 

Tulum was our first impression of the Yucatan peninsula and was initially our destination, but life does not always work out as planned. Instead of living in the Caribbean we found ourselves in the Capital city of the State of Yucatan called Merida, Mexico. 

We did not intentionally move here–we just thought it would be a good place to start our journey into Central and South America. When we found out we could rent an apartment in downtown Mérida for under $300 a month was when things started to take a shift.

If you are thinking of moving to Mexico, you probably have a lot of questions. How is the weather? Is it safe? And the biggest question: where should I move? Moving to Mexico with its 31 states plus the Capital city (Mexico City) is a little like moving to the United States in terms of the size and variation of landscapes and climates. 

Below are our reasons why making the move to Mexico might be the best decision you have ever made. We have proven you do not have to be retired to come here. If you have any more reasons why you love Mexico or have moved here let us know in the comments below. 

1. Cheaper Cost of Living

From airline flights in-country to the price of everyday dining, the cost of living in Mexico has been great for us. As stated above Mexico is a vast country with large cities which all have their own cost of living. It is also a worldwide travel destination and you can run into many tourist areas (as well as tourist traps) while you are here. 

Cost of Food

Local markets are the place we love to go when we first arrive in a new location. You get to see foods that are not readably available in the supermarkets in Mexico or the United States. Shopping at the local markets is also a great way to save money if you are on a budget. There are regular supermarkets as well like Walmart and Costco where you can spend about the same amount as in the US but overall if you shop smart you will save a load of money on your monthly grocery bill. 

Restaurants:

Just like the local markets vs. superstores, we have found prices vary vastly if you eat where the locals eat vs. eat in touristy or upscale neighborhoods. We have had meals for under $5 USD and also meals that cost over $200 USD. It definitely depends on where you go.

Housing

The cost of housing, in general, is much lower than in the United States or Europe. In our experience, we went from a 1 bedroom in Centro (of Mérida) which cost $2500 pesos (approx $125 USD) to a brand new partially furnished 2-bedroom house with 4 bathrooms and a pool for $10,000 pesos (approx $500 USD). We have discussed many times with our friends in the United States what something like this would cost if we were still in Portland, Oregon. We figure it would be about 5 times the cost. 

On average, if you live a price-conscious life the cost of living in Mexico will be less than in the US, which we think will add to your daily enjoyment of life.  It has certainly cut down on our stress around these bills.

US Dollar to Peso Conversion 

As global markets change and currency fluctuates, prices in Mexico are not always stable. If you are depending on converting your money from US dollars to Pesos make sure to check out the conversion before you start planning your budget.

2. Better Weather

To say that we like the weather in Mexico is a little like saying we like the weather in the USA. It really varies from place to place. However, depending on where you live in the US, the weather in Mexico can be a real upgrade as the winters are less harsh and the climate, in general, is warmer than its northern neighbor. 

We currently live in Mérida where it varies from warm to hot to extremely hot. However, there are some places in Mexico, such as Urupan in the state of Michoacán (in central Mexico), that have average temperatures of 66 degrees Fahrenheit which people refer to as eternal spring. 

Depending on where you go in Mexico you also have many varying landscapes and elevations to fit your preference. From beachy jungles with flat low elevations to mountainous, dry landscapes with crisp air and higher elevations Mexico truly has it all.

3. Learn a Language

Rosetta Stone and Duo Lingo are great options for learning a language when you are driving in your car or studying before going to a location. Cassie also recommends the Pimsleur app however she cautions that their subscription process and customer service could be improved. However, the 30-minute lessons themselves along with their supplemental quizzes and reading lessons are amazing. Every day she does a lesson while she is doing chores around the house or driving to the store and her Spanish has incrementally been improving with the well laid out lessons. 

While digital Spanish courses are wonderful in and of themselves, there is no better teacher than being in a Spanish speaking country and forcing yourself to communicate with locals who do not speak English. Being thrown into a local market hungry where the only option is to communicate what you want or going to a party where everyone is speaking Spanish is an excellent way to really learn the language. Living in Mexico has been the best Spanish teacher along with some obvious supplemental education. If you want to learn Spanish, visiting or living in Mexico is a great option. 

4. Relaxed Lifestyle

We worked the 9-5 lifestyle for a long time with roles as entrepreneurs and hourly employees. Living in the rat race of just making enough to survive with bills and rushing consistently being a source of worry. Not only does Mexico give you a more relaxed lifestyle because of the lower cost of living but a slower pace is also built into the culture. 

At first, when we moved here we would get frustrated with the sense of time and speed of operations for example getting set up with the internet which can be a week-long affair. Slowly but surely we have realized that it is just a little more relaxed and if you go with the flow instead of fighting against it life becomes a lot easier. You can even learn to take a siesta (a nap or a very long lunch in the middle of the day).

5. Move your work to more of a remote life

With the recent pandemic, a lot of brick and mortar jobs have moved online. But before the pandemic jobs for the most part were location dependant. With location-dependent businesses, money is spent renting office or store space, paying for a ton of extra insurance, etc. Thinking differently about how you can work or own a business online will make life easier for you if you want to live in Mexico. 

There is a saying with ex-pats, earn dollars but spend pesos. This is operating your business in the US while sitting on a beach in Tulum (Note: working on a laptop at the beach is nearly impossible with the glare, sand, and sweat). 

Moving a business online also opens you to a global market. If you previously were only able to reach your customers locally, opening your business internationally can actually bring you higher profits than before. We’ve found that setting up automated systems in your online business helps tremendously as well. 

6. Step away from Home Politics

Before we left the US in 2016, I would check CNN, the NY Times or listen to NPR all day and night. My first habit in the morning was drinking my coffee while checking the latest horrible news. It took a while to break the habit, but if you are able to check on the news in your home country only occasionally vs. living in it, life magically becomes easier. 

We are not advocating that you cut yourself off or ignore what is going on in terms of the state of your country. We are just advocating to take a media break and the best way we have found this is with travel. If you are able to explore a new area or spend time in the wonder of the world, then check into the political news on your own time, we have found it makes for a much more stress-free life.   

7. Amaaaaazing Food

When most people in the US think of Mexican food they often conjure up chain TexMex restaurants like Chipotle or worse, Taco Bell. After exploring this country for the past 3 years we have found something completely different. The funniest thing is we have only found a couple of spots in all of Mexico serving up burritos and they are tiny! What we have found is food and chefs with their grandma’s secret recipes of salsas and dishes that could compete with the likes of any restaurant with 3 michelen stars.  And many times these dishes are served on paper plates with to-go cutlery out of what appears to be the front porch of someone’s private home or off the back of a motorcycle food cart!

New to the world of Mexican cuisine? We’d say- for starters the mole in Oaxaca and the street tacos in Mexico city are out of this world.  From simple handmade tortillas topped with stretchy Oaxacan cheese and salsa, to blue corn enchiladas with red sauce, to fresh ceviche and totopos (tortillas chips) made straight on the boat while sailing around Isla Holbox, to chilaquiles and eggs after a late night, to elote (corn on the cob) dipped in mayonnaise, chili salt and lime, to camaron (shrimp) and fish tacos on the beach, to vegan pozole in Guadalajara’s hipster avenue, to the huitlacoche gorditas (corn fungus, I know, I know it sounds wretched but just wait until you try it) served up by the street vendors lined up in some plaza in Guanajato City. Don’t even get us started on the guacamole. 

The list never, ever ends for the delicious dishes you must try when you come to Mexico.

As stated above you can eat very fancy (5 stars) or very inexpensive and local (think sitting in a family’s patio with plastic chairs and tables) in cities throughout Mexico. No matter where, we have found that eating the food here has been one of our favorite reasons for living in Mexico. 

When you come to Mexico you can also expect to not only find a seriously vast variety of Mexican cuisine, but you’ll also discover many international options, many of which we would rate just as high as any other cosmopolitan city. We have eaten delicious Italian, French, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Spanish food, and more here in Mexico, like in Mexico City, Monterrey and Mérida.

And how could we forget the delectable Yucatecan-Mayan food we have had the privelage of eating here in the Yucatan? Dishes like pib, which is like a giant corn tamale typically served with chicken, a special black bean called espalón and a red sauce made from achiote seeds (we had it made vegetarian) during Hanal Pixan (Mayan Day of the Dead) festivities in early November.  

We could write for days about all of the delicious food there is in Mexico but we will leave it by saying you must come discover it for yourself. And don’t be shy with the salsa picante unless it’s habenero sauce. Then be very careful.

8. Immerse in another Culture

This goes hand in hand with almost every one of the points stated in this post. We advocate if you do decide to move to Mexico step away from the resort areas or gated communities and go out and be part of the local culture. Eat at unknown restaurants owned by locals, or have a local take you on a tour of the area. We promise you will find something that will change you for the better if you are able to let go a little bit and be open to experiencing something out of your normal routine.

9. Travel around a new country that could keep you busy for a lifetime

Mexico is massive at 2000 miles long with 5,800 miles of coastline and thousands of cities (12 with more than a million people). Traveling by car up and down Mexico twice before has been eye-opening in terms of the many different landscapes or magical towns (‘Pueblo Magicos’) that you will find if you drive around Mexico. 

In the 3 years that we have explored Mexico, we have only covered a small fraction of the entire county. You could nearly spend a lifetime exploring different natural areas or cities and we highly recommend that you do. 

10. Because Mexico is awesome.

Need we say more?

11. Amazing Hospitality of the People

Last but not least on our list of favorite things about Mexico, is the friendliness of the Mexican people. Cities in Mexico such as Merida and San Miguel de Allende have consistently been rated the top friendliest cities in the world for a reason. People are warm and genuinely caring here. 

The term “Mi casa es su Casa” is real with the people of Mexico. They will give you information if you are lost, food if you are hungry, and a place to sleep if you need it, all while doing their best to communicate with you and your broken Spanish if you’re still learning. We have made some great Mexican friends while living here. Of course, we continue to love the scenery and beauty of this vast country, but the main reason we stay is because of the kind spirit of the people here in Mexico. 

Wrapping it up

In conclusion, Mexico has been a great place for us, but that does not mean it is the place for everyone. We encourage you to come and visit one of the great cities or natural areas here and explore for yourself. 

Let us know what you have discovered about Mexico and why you think Mexico is a great place to live or visit.