When you travel to Mexico, you get to experience one of the most diverse and populated places in the entire world. Having a population as big as Mexico’s, you’ll be able to fully expose yourself to their rich culture.
As you start thinking of possibly migrating to Mexico after being persuaded by their sandy, warm beaches, the summer climate that spans an entire year, the culture of laughter and hospitality, the delicious, flavorful Mexican cuisine, and the low cost of living; there are certain factors you still need to consider before applying for residency here or Expat—short for Expatriate, which means a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country other than that of the person’s upbringing.
First, you have to have a clear understanding of “How is life in Mexico?” For those born there, life can be difficult especially in the countryside. However, in cities like Monterrey, there is high employment and standard of living that for the most part translates to good living conditions for city dwellers. Because of the relatively low cost of living and high currency exchange rate, life for ex-pats can be very pleasant and fulfilling.
Whether you are thinking of probably living the rest of your life in Mexico’s capital, Mexico City, or Guadalajara, Monterrey, or even simply living in a small town in the province filled with Mexico’s indigenous people. You have to fully grasp every ounce of knowledge and experience you can gather before migrating here. Here are some of the things, both good and bad, that you need to know before you can really decide on moving to the Land of Three Lands.
Introduction to Mexico
Over the years, Mexico has become a powerhouse in the world stage. Located in the southern part of the North American continent straddling the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Gulf of California, and the Gulf of Mexico in the east. The other neighboring countries of Mexico are Guatemala and the country of Belize to the South East.
This federal country of Mexico is divided into 31 states. One state is called plainly as Mexico and the capital city, Mexico City. Only in Mexico can you find towns in Chiapas where they operate on their own governance system under the Usos y Costumbres 
(or the “Autonomous Customary Law”), which allows these towns of indigenous descent to have governing rights on their own internal affairs.
The country has over 124 million citizens, and about 84.2 million of those known citizens are said to be Catholics. Living in Mexico, you will have a different sense of spirituality as the country is greatly influenced and mainly runs on the catholic faith’s traditions and teachings. In fact, Mexico is one of the only countries in the entire world that has a specific holiday for the ones who have passed away; if you are familiar with Disney’s 2017 film, Coco, you know that this holiday is called Dia de Los Muertos (or the “Day of the Dead”)
Why is it called “The Land of Three Lands”?
Often you would hear that Mexico is called The Land of Three Lands; there are other names for this wonderful country like The Land of Enchantments or even the Land of Tropical Splendor. But for you to understand and aid in your decision to migrate here, a slice of geographical information is important.
Mexico’s topography consists of diverse coastal plains, temperate highlands, and amazing mountain ranges. Though Mexico is a tropical country, the three geographical topographic lands of Mexico will give you an idea of the daily weather are in that certain area.
Tierra Caliente
Also known as “hot lands,” these lands are found near Mexico’s coastlines, which descends from the mountain ranges to the Pacific Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. Around this area, you will experience year-round warmth, but can be scorching hot and extremely humid during the rainy season. But there is no fear that the temperature tends to be moderate during the winter and autumn, and the humidity lessens.
Tierra Templada
Also known as “temperate lands,” the weather in this are often mild and moderated. Here you would discover colonial cities and the there known big cities of Mexico: Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. On average, during the summer season, these parts have a temperature of about 70 degrees.
Fahrenheit or about 23 degrees Celsius.
Tierra Fria
Lastly, the Tierra Fria lands, also known as “cold lands,” are about 2,300 meters above sea level. These lands are round the mountain ranges of Mexico. There are little to no towns and villages around this region but are often occupied by Mexico’s indigenous people. If you are looking for places to mountain hike, try to find places around the Tierra Fria region.
The Mexican People
The people of Mexico are widely known for their hospitality, spirituality, and kind-heartedness. Living in Mexico is basically living a life filled with rich culture. The general culture of Mexicans is mainly supported by strong family ties and family unity. The Land of Tropical Splendor is home to about 25.5 million indigenous people (about 21.5% of the total population in Mexico). These indigenous people contribute to the diversification of Mexico’s culture. The biggest group is the Nahua, descendants of the ancient Aztecs.
With talks of how the family is greatly important to Mexicans, their spirituality is of equal level, even with the world’s continuous progress, which resulted in some countries losing their faith. A study conducted by Pew Research Center showed that the sudden increase in Latin America’s population showed that about 90% of citizens in that region are catholic in 1910, but now only has 72% in 2010. The Catholic faith can barely catch up with fast population growth. Regardless, the Mexican people have always kept strong ties with the catholic church. It was reported that Mexico is the globe’s second-largest Catholic Community. The most significant symbol of Mexican Catholicism is the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, the dark-skinned version of the Virgin Mary. On December 12, all of Mexico will be engulfed with a large-scale celebration, fiesta, and pilgrimages during her feast day. Though this may look all bright and alluring, the Mexican Catholic Church is still socially conservative with its strong opposition to gay marriages, abortion, and civil unions.
We also have to mention that a large portion of Mexico’s citizens is “mestizos.” These terms are applied to citizens with ancestral origins mixed with European blood and descent. The main language used in Mexico is Spanish; in fact, Mexico is the largest Spanish-speaking country globally. Knowing Spanish is a factor to consider before you can fully immerse yourself in Mexico’s culture and lifestyle.
Cash vs. Credit in Mexico
If you are a migrant from countries like the United States, you know for a fact how important one’s credit score is. With high credit scores, you can easily purchase everything you need and pay at a later date. In the United States, about 32% of transactions are all done in credit in 2015. Comparing it to Mexico, it was found out that 90% of retail, rent, utility, service, and public transportation transactions were all done in cash in 2018. One of the main factors for this phenomenon is that only about 35% of the adult population in Mexico has a bank account.
Internet Connection
A study in 2018 shows that the highest leading problems encountered by internet users in Mexico are the slow transfer of information, right next to interruption of services, and excessive unwanted information. Compared to the United States and Canada, Mexico has an average internet download speed of 20.44 Mbps (half of that in the US and Candid) and an upload speed of 11.04 Mbps. But an article in 2019 was published saying that Mexico is now putting a ton of investments in improving its infrastructure problems to keep up with their well-developed neighbors. It was also reported that the American company AT&T is planning on investing around $3 Billion to extend its high-speed internet services to Mexico. The country is also emphasizing the importance of improving Mexican society, which are their transportation, infrastructure for labor, and energy sources.
Mexico is stepping up on the world stage and improving all of its societal factors that will become a great competition to other countries in the world. Remove all heard rumors of Mexico being an underdeveloped, poor country. It is now rising and has seen a drastic increase in its immigration statistics.
Final Thoughts
Migrating to a different country will always not be easy, no matter how great a country is or how fully developed it is. It’s merely a matter of the individual’s perception. But there has never been a perfect time to start thinking of migrating to Mexico. If you think that your personal adaptation to the country will hinder you from immersing yourself once you move, wait and see how its people, culture, values, places, and ideas push you to become one with the country. Your life in Mexico will truly be an experience you wish you did earlier on with your life, a life filled with fiestas, color, delicious food, and happy people.