Know anyone who retired to Mexico?

Sawfish

Sawfish

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If anyone has retired to Mexico, or knows someone who has, can you tell us what you know about it?

My daughter just came back from staying with a friend whose parents retired to Puerto Vallarta. They had both worked for the state of CA, so these are not really wealthy folks, but pretty comfortable, financially. My daughter told me there appears to be a very sizable US/Canadian ex-pat community.

Damn, the photos/videos she brought back made it look nice!
 

We're going to San Miguel de Allende in March, where there is supposedly a large expat community. I'll check it out and report back.

I have no interest in living in Mexico (and not much interest in visiting -- I have vivid memories of how sick I got 40 years ago) but my wife is intrigued by the place.

Maybe I'll get to choose the next trip.
 
JimBob1952 said:
We're going to San Miguel de Allende in March, where there is supposedly a large expat community. I'll check it out and report back.

I have no interest in living in Mexico (and not much interest in visiting -- I have vivid memories of how sick I got 40 years ago) but my wife is intrigued by the place.

Maybe I'll get to choose the next trip.
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Thanks! Looking forward to it!

I probably can't do a move like that, physically, but happy thoughts like that help to drag you along.
 

Funny enough, it is not only retirees moving there. My son's friends moved there right after they married. They have work, a nice home. They don't have children yet. I do not know how medical care it there. Of course things may change in the future but they have been there for about 5 years.
 
Lake Chapala is known as a popular retirement place for gringos. Near Guadalhara.
We have traveled in 8 states in Mexico, but keep coming back to Florida.
 
My former and final coworker and his wife moved to Mexico just a few years ago. They love it. They live in an area where a lot of other ex-pats live. Shoot! I forget the name of it. But anyway, they love it there....love the food, the scenery, the holidays and the weather; all of it.

They sold their house in Calif before they left, and he gets retirement income. He said they live quite comfortably on their money. They travel around Mexico quite a bit, and eat at restaurants fairly often.

@Sawfish I'll see about getting the name of the city they're in, if you want.
 
I have a friend who moved to Mulaha (I probably spelled that wrong)
in Baha Mexico and he loves it.
He married a lovely young senorita and lives on the beach.
He said poverty is rampant there though.
Whenever he travels to California, he buys tons of toys
for the children who live in Mexico. He said they have no toys.
Baha is supposed to be quite nice to live.
I understand Americans can't BUY the house, but can lease
for many years.

I've talked to many who say gangs are everywhere in Central Mexico,
and they take everything that belongs to you.
It's very dangerous for Americans.
 
I followed a blog for several years written by a lady who moved to San Miquel years ago. She had a business in Houston (decorating I think) and went to Mexico frequently to purchase decor items. I found her blog to be quite entertaining - address is babsofsanmiquel.blogspot.com. She doesn't post much anymore but she has a list of other blogs written by expats living in all areas of Mexico that one can check out.
 
Murrmurr said:
My former and final coworker and his wife moved to Mexico just a few years ago. They love it. They live in an area where a lot of other ex-pats live. Shoot! I forget the name of it. But anyway, they love it there....love the food, the scenery, the holidays and the weather; all of it.

They sold their house in Calif before they left, and he gets retirement income. He said they live quite comfortably on their money. They travel around Mexico quite a bit, and eat at restaurants fairly often.

@Sawfish I'll see about getting the name of the city they're in, if you want.
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Please do!

Thanks!
 
J-Kat said:
I followed a blog for several years written by a lady who moved to San Miquel years ago. She had a business in Houston (decorating I think) and went to Mexico frequently to purchase decor items. I found her blog to be quite entertaining - address is babsofsanmiquel.blogspot.com. She doesn't post much anymore but she has a list of other blogs written by expats living in all areas of Mexico that one can check out.
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Thanks!
 
I lived in Oaxaca 30-35 years ago. I was young, but I knew quite a few retired expats there. I liked it, and they liked it.

Mexico is not super cheap, but it is cheaper than the USA or Canada. The weather is nice (depending on where you go, and your definition of nice). Even if you don't speak Spanish and don't want to learn, you can get by, especially if there is a large expat contingent.

Certainly worth considering.
 
Gaer said:
I have a friend who moved to Mulaha (I probably spelled that wrong)
in Baha Mexico and he loves it.
He married a lovely young senorita and lives on the beach.
He said poverty is rampant there though.
Whenever he travels to California, he buys tons of toys
for the children who live in Mexico. He said they have no toys.
Baha is supposed to be quite nice to live.
I understand Americans can't BUY the house, but can lease
for many years.

I've talked to many who say gangs are everywhere in Central Mexico,
and they take everything that belongs to you.
It's very dangerous for Americans.
Click to expand...
Sounds like Mulege, which is on the Baja peninsula on the Sea of Cortez side. Nice little town.
 
I know this is a bit off-topic, but we watch House Hunters International almost every night and it seems that every other episode entails a couple moving to Mexico. There are certainly a lot of expats in the major resort cities. It always amazes me that young couples (30's, 40's) are "tired of hard work and stress" and want to move to other countries to establish some type of online business. I have to admit I admire their sense of adventure and wish I'd had those options 20 years ago.

We do have friends that lived for many years in Costa Rica. One's mother lived there as well because the healthcare was outstanding. When she passed away they moved back to the States. They said it was great but the bureaucracy and difficulty getting anything done was a negative. Not sure if Mexico is different.
 
NorthernLight said:
I lived in Oaxaca 30-35 years ago. I was young, but I knew quite a few retired expats there. I liked it, and they liked it.

Mexico is not super cheap, but it is cheaper than the USA or Canada. The weather is nice (depending on where you go, and your definition of nice). Even if you don't speak Spanish and don't want to learn, you can get by, especially if there is a large expat contingent.

Certainly worth considering.
Click to expand...
My gosh! My younger sister spent a month there! She was very fluent (and was trained Opera) she spent $10 a day on hotel/2 meals included. Small world!
 
The only reason I count it out is the fact that I am a widow. With my husband I would not be afraid but on my own I would be terrified. Truth be told I am scared, in my own home, in a good neighborhood and city not plagued by crime. We can all look back and see the neighborhoods and towns once considered safe no longer are the same.

Technology and evolution of the world is turning the world into unknown dangers. I worry for future generations, will everything just keep getting worse. The drugs, the guns, the violence have made their way into all communities and worse, our schools. This will sound very bad but I am grateful to be old. I won't be here to see the horrors that is coming unless the younger generations get it under control.

Right now, I do not see a happy future for those that come after us. That includes my son and my grandchildren. No matter how hard they work to have a good productive life there will be those that choose to rob, steal and kill. No one will be safe, normal people will have to carry guns just to go get grocercies. What the F is that kind of life? Now that I have said all that I need to take a break, cry and throw up.
 
I don't know anyone personally, not technically anyway. I have two online friends I've known for over 15 years. They moved to Mexico and love it. I don't remember exactly where they're at. The man needed an amputation and his partner said that he got excellent medical care. I think they met through the site we were on. I don't know if they ever got married. A couple of months ago, I read about a woman who moved to Mexico and is living well on about $1,500 a month. This article also mentions that amount as a reasonable expectation for expenses, including maid service, though it's a little more than 3 years old.
https://vittana.org/18-pros-and-cons-of-retiring-in-mexico
 
NorthernLight said:
I lived in Oaxaca 30-35 years ago. I was young, but I knew quite a few retired expats there. I liked it, and they liked it.

Mexico is not super cheap, but it is cheaper than the USA or Canada. The weather is nice (depending on where you go, and your definition of nice). Even if you don't speak Spanish and don't want to learn, you can get by, especially if there is a large expat contingent.

Certainly worth considering.
Click to expand...
All I know about Oaxaca is the interesting black pottery. I have enjoyed a couple of pieces over the years.
 
I use to travel to Mexico often for work. I never liked it. The people I dealt with were great, but lots of poverty and corruption at every level. When I went down there we were treated like royalty by our hosts. Ate only in the best restaurants, would come out after eating and see a beggar sitting on the curb. YOu knew you spent more for dinner than the poor folks might see that year. More often than not the people busing in the restaurants were 12 year old kids.

The town where our factory was located was known for two things, it was the opal capital of the world, and the hepatitis capital of the world. I ended up not bringing either one of them home with me.
 
Visiting our friends in S. CA a few years back they took us down to Ensenada. At the toll booth, it had been commandeered by some protestors and also the rest stop was taken over. Kind of a scary feeling and I surely wouldn’t want to live in a country where such a thing could happen. The meal we had at an Ensenada restaurant was fantastic and about 1/2 the price it would normally cost.
 
I just saw a documentary on El Chapo. I found most interesting that the level of governmental corruption seems to be alive and well as it was when I traveled for work 30 years ago. El Chapo pretty much ran the prisons where he was being held. While inside, he was able to partake in any past time he chose. When he decided to escape, the entire prison staff were conveniently looking the other way.

When I traveled to Mexico, the richest guy in the town owned the factory which I would visit. He had a large, gated house overlooking the city. He made it clear to all of us, if we were ever involved in any sort of accident, be it a fender bender or accidentally running over a group of children, do not stop. Head directly to his house, crash thru the gate if you have to. He said if we were to be apprehended by the police for any reason, we may never be seen again.

There were a number of Americans who lived in the town, they seemed to enjoy it. Even living on a very basic pension, the Americans could afford a maid and a gardener. All the Americans lived in homes which were surrounded with 8 - 10 tall concrete walls. At the top of the walls, ever foot or so was an embedded broken beer bottle. Purpose being similar to barb wire. JUst a very different life style than I would enjoy.

Truth be told, the engineers in our group fell into one of two camps, those who enjoued going to Mexico, and those who didn't. I was one who did not enjoy going. I think everyone of the group who enjoyed going either maintaned a mistress, or frequented the local brothels.
 


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