Choosing to expatriate, or even live in another country for a while can be a big and often frightening decision. Will you like it there? Are the people there friendly and nice to foreigners? Is it dangerous? What about the cities? Are they clean and pleasant? If you go looking, you’ll find plenty of alarmist media stories about the dangers of Mexico, but a lot of that is out of context. Moreover, Mexico can be a wonderful place to live. There are some areas and neighborhoods that re not great, but overall most of Mexico is friendly, welcoming, and generally enjoyable. Everyone has their own definition of what they think is nice, but when you’re talking about such a large country, there is a place for every taste. From the bustling city streets of bohemian San Miguel de Allende to beaches, rainforest, and desert pueblos, you can find a place to live that you’ll enjoy.
Is Mexico a nice place to live? Mexico is a nice place to live. A family and community-centric country, our neighbors to the south, are mostly cheerful, helpful, and openly welcoming to outsiders. The weather is warm, and the food is outstanding. Moreover, the cost of living is fantastic.
Is the Weather Nice in Mexico
Pictures of life in Mexico often include nice images of dusty pueblos in the desert or beach scenes where young people are catching waves and getting some sun. While both of those images hold some truth, there’s so much more to the country. Mexico is huge.
Although it’s smaller than the US and Canada, Mexico is still the fourteenth largest country in the world. Furthermore, because of the length and shape of the land, the weather and types of environment you’ll find are incredibly diverse. Though all of Mexico is nearer the equator than the US, the weather isn’t as ‘bad’ as you might think.
At the northern end of the country, you’ll find deserts, while the coastline provides plenty of ocean destinations. However, the interior of Mexico has mountains, massive cities, rolling hills, and rainforest areas in the south. You can live near volcanoes, lakes, ancient ruins, or in the heart of the eleventh largest city in the world.
In short, the weather is typically warm, but you can find more variation than you’d expect. That said, expect to sweat in summer, and also in spring and fall. Wintertime temps can plummet, but most areas don’t get below freezing very often. Likewise, unless you choose a mountaintop, say hasta la vista to snow.
Once you find the right climate and city, you may want to make an extended visit and rent for a month or more to get familiar with the area. However, when you’re sure you chose the right spot, buying a home in Mexico is relatively inexpensive and straightforward.
Weather Changes The Schedule
As a result of the warm climate, you will see a noticeable change in schedule. Just as people in Maine see snow-days, people in Mexico adapt their habits to the weather. The most significant difference is that this isn’t just for rare occasions.
While people don’t necessarily take a nap in the middle of the day, the siesta has it’s place. The heat from noon until around four can get intense. Many shops close, and a lot of people take the mid-day time to retreat indoors to relax, nap, and generally do things that are not physically intense. Being closer to the equator also means this helps reduce risks of sunburn and overall UV exposure.
You will want to invest in light weight, yet long-sleeved clothing. Similarly, you’ll probably adopt the local custom of wearing pants rather than shorts or short skirts. This could be considered modesty, but mostly it’s just self-defense when the sun is closer to your skin.
Since people tend to be more relaxed during the hot part of the day, life in Mexico picks up around sunset. People go out, even those with very young children are a common sight after dark. Moreover, the last meal of the day might not happen until eight or even nine at night.
You can expect people to be up much later in Mexico than we are here in the north. That is entirely normal. Furthermore, they don’t feel particularly obligated to be quiet about it.
Mexico is a place where people know how to have a good time, and they are not afraid to express themselves. Noise ordinances are all but unheard of, and people having a good time are not the ones in the wrong. Instead, it would be considered rude of you to ask people to stop enjoying their lives.
How Much Money do You Need to Live Comfortably
Living in Mexico isn’t just nice. It’s a convenient place to live. The cost of living is low, so your US dollars will go a whole lot further. Although there are a few items, like imported Nike shoes that tend to be more expensive in Mexico, almost everything else is incredibly reasonable.
Depending on where you choose to live, the costs vary, just as they do here in the US. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment typically ranges from about three to five hundred dollars a month in a city. Meanwhile, according to Business Insider
last year, “The national median price for a one-bedroom apartment (in America) is $1,216.”
Similarly, groceries should run a single person around two hundred USD per month if you plan to cook at home. That’s approximately twenty-four hundred per year as opposed to the US home-cooking consumer who spends closer to four and a half thousand dollars a month. Naturally, it depends on what you eat.
Average utility costs for heat, light, and water runs an American around two hundred dollars a month. In Mexico, these bills come out closer to seventy-five or eighty dollars at the current exchange rate. Cell phone service, internet, and cable TV each tend to run twenty to thirty dollars a month in Mexico. You can easily see how those savings add up.
So how much money do you need to live comfortably in Mexico each month? The simple answer is that most people can live quite comfortably on around a thousand USD per month. Luckily, if you purchase a home, then the cost would be even less once your mortgage is paid off.
Americans can own real estate in Mexico. Plus, there is a wide variety of different styles and options available. With a little patience, you will be able to find the perfect place to live.
Is it Safe to Live in Mexico As a Foreigner
A big part of what makes Mexico a nice place to live is safety. Despite fear-mongering news and a couple of bad areas, Mexico is an extremely safe place to live. The ex-pat community is an excellent place to start asking online about safety, and most of what you’ll hear is that they feel safer in Mexico than they did in the US, and there’s nothing to fear.
Although it may not be what you’re used to, a highly visible, and yes, armed, police and military presence is often somewhere nearby. Unless you’re up to something, there’s no reason to fret over them. From security stops on major roads to parades, you’ll see more uniforms in Mexico than you expect because they aren’t as likely to be cooped up on a base.
The majority of the crime is related to drugs and gangs. Please don’t mistake my meaning. There are no more of those things happening in Mexico than in US cities. Furthermore, so long as you don’t deal with drugs or gangs, then you have no reason to worry.
If you want to make ‘extra’ sure you’re in a safer area, choose somewhere with a lot of other expatriates like yourself. San Miguel de Allende is one of the nicest places to live in Mexico. The ex-pat population makes up about one out of every ten people in the city. Best of all, real estate in SMA and other ex-pat heavy communities is both affordable and easy to find.
Public Affection
Although it has nothing to do with safety, I feel I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how affectionate people are in public. Male or female, an air kiss on the cheek, with no lip contact, is a customary greeting or parting gesture for anyone with whom you are friendly. You will see more people kissing and holding hands in public as well.
You are not obligated to participate in becoming more affectionate; however, you should anticipate having people treat you this way. Employers and other authority figures are the exceptions. However, your neighbor, his wife, a coworker, or anyone who has enjoyed your company in a peer level relationship may lean in to kiss near your cheek. Think of it as a handshake, with fewer germs and no skin contact.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re going for an extended period for work, or you plan to retire in Mexico, it is a marvelous place to live. From gated communities and mansions to apartments and neighborhoods that will remind you of the US, there are accommodations for any lifestyle or budget. If a laid back attitude and warm weather sound nice, pack a bag.
Despite the television portrayals, most of Mexico is as safe as the US. Realistically, there are cities in the United States that are more dangerous than most or all of Mexico. Avoid Tijuana and the worst ghettos, and you’ll have very little to worry about. Naturally, it would be best if you practice common sense and have a solid grasp of the language.
From young people and families to retirees, expatriates flock to Mexico for numerous reasons. Your dollars will go further in Mexico, and you can keep all of the modern conveniences like wifi and cable TV.