# Retiring in Mexico



## TxGypsy

Today's exchange rate is 23.5 pesos to $1 dollar US.
I was asked if I'd post about living in Mexico. I am a permanent resident...which means I jumped through the hoops to basically get the equivalent of a green card in the US. The main hoop is meeting the income requirements. I live near the beach on the Pacific side of Mexico. I purchased a townhouse in a gated community...24 hour manned security with video cameras. Mostly this keeps random people from knocking on my door all day trying to sell me something. I live a block from the beach as I was unwilling to pay an additional $100,000 for less than half the space in a high rise for beach front. My house is 3 bedroom, 2 bath, large sewing studio(most folks would use it as an additional family room), carport, huge terrace off the 2nd floor and a walled courtyard off the back with a porch then at the back of the courtyard is a 3 sided area with a roof and an outdoor kitchen. If the skeeters weren't so bad I would actually cook out there. It's paradise but paradise with skeeters and jejenes(no see ums).
Quality of life, when we aren't stuck in our homes because of a pandemic, is excellent. Food is incredible here. Fruits, vegetables and meats are so superior to what you can get in the US that I can't figure out how we ever settled for the tasteless stuff in the stores. The produce here is picked ripe so it has flavor. All the grocery stores have butchers. Likely your meat was moving on it's own and making noise the day before. Medical is absolutely superior to the US. That may surprise some. What I am referring to is private medical care....not socialized medicine. It is extremely affordable and not a problem to pay out of pocket unless something catastrophic happens. For everyday things you can go to a 'Doc in the box'. There are doctors offices attached to many pharmacies here. Probably the equivalent of a nurse practitioner. Some are excellent and I haven't been to any that are bad. Usual cost to see the Dr is 50 pesos($2). They will give injections, remove skin cancers or skin tags and do many small procedures for under 100 pesos. You do not need a prescription for most medicines. A specialist at a fancy absolutely modern hospital(I always feel under dressed at the one I go to) usually runs 600-900 pesos or $25-40. It is normal for an office visit to last an hour and the Dr to go into great detail about your health and make lifestyle and diet suggestions. You do not need a Drs order to get lab tests here. If you want an MRI you make the appointment at the lab and go get one done. The Dr on staff will write out a summary of your results. The results are handed to you. You take the results to your Dr and you keep them afterwards. You are treated as an adult and responsible enough to keep up with your own stuff. I go get blood and urine tested 4 times a year and an ultrasound once a year. It is only if there is a change in my results that I go see my specialist.
Everyone of course wants to know about costs so here are some examples. I am giving the examples in pesos because the exchange rate changes.
Massage in my home 500 pesos and I normally tip 100 pesos.
Condo association monthly fee 900p
Chiropractor 350p
Water bill 80p....I have filled up a pool and this amount has never varied.
High speed internet and home phone with unlimited calling to the US 560p
Rib dinner for 2 with a huge slab of ribs, salad, potato and drink 250p
Excellent tacos at a restaurant with an amazing array of salsas 20p per taco
Avacados 55p per kilo and these are wonderful quality
Fresh pineapple 23p per kilo
Papaya 22p per kilo
potatoes 16p per kilo
Bananas 16p per kilo
Carrots 12p per kilo
Celery 32p per kilo
Oranges 12p per kilo
Asparagus 165p per kilo
The fruits and vegetables listed above were delivered to my house this morning with no delivery fee. Had I gone to the Mercado I could have gotten them for even cheaper. 
We have Sam's Club...2 actually...and they have a lot of the same stuff as in the US and pretty much at US prices. There's a Home Depot, Office Depot, Petco, Woolworths, Starbucks, Burger King, McDonalds, Carl's Jr, KFC, Little Ceasars, Dominoes pizza, etc. You are going to pay close to US prices for familiar names. Fortunately there are Mexican alternatives that are better and cheaper anyhow.
Maids are well paid here in the fancy end of town....I am in the newest and most modern area. 100p per hour. 
I own a truck(due to the ex) but I really don't need a vehicle here. Public transportation is excellent and very cheap. 12p to go one way for 12 kilometers to the other end of town. We have taxis everywhere and Uber is excellent here. In country air fare is extremely reasonable and the long distance bus service is great. Nothing at all like the US.
Electricity. Mexico is very solar power friendly. The electric company is owned by the government so the rules are the same throughout Mexico. They will tie you into the grid and provide you with a smart meter that keeps track of what you pull out and what you put in at no charge. I had 10 solar panels installed...seems like they are 325 watt panels with micro inverters for $6,000 US when I first bought my house. My estimated pay back is 2 years and a few months which I am approaching now. My electric bill for all of last year was $90 US. I have the biggest most ****** monster refrigerator available in Mexico, washing machine, A/C, normal electronics, a pool with pump, chest freezer, multitude of fans, water distiller, instant pot and large variety of gadgets that are normally found in US homes using electricity. I normally go 8 months without any bill at all. Electricity prices aren't high anyhow but there is a pitfall you have to be aware of. There is a cap on the electricity you can use as a residence. If you go over that amount you are charged an enormous penalty. Your bill can go to $500-600 US...monthly for a year! I know people this has happened to. I have 5 mini split air conditioners in the house and had a husband that was part polar bear. I knew we would go over as he would never attempt to conserve. Now that it is just me I may have no electric bill at all.
The next thing after costs that everyone wants to know about are the cartels. Is it safe? I live in Sinaloa....yes, THAT Sinaloa. The city I live in is a tourist area and popular retirement spot. Good grief are we a tourist area! Expats in the winter and Mexicans in the summer. Locals keep the cruise ship schedule to refer to so we don't accidentally go to that end of town when the ships are in. Mazatlán has been in the top 10 places in the world to retire for a while and last year moved up to the #2 spot. Nobody wants to upset that particular egg cart! The cartels are heavily invested in hotels, resorts and such here. They don't want to mess in their nest. It is very safe here. Where it is not safe is outside of town. I would dearly love to buy some acreage outside of town but I know it is a bad idea. The cartels regularly take over farms for their operations. Small towns are also vulnerable. When I first moved to Mexico I lived in a small mountain village. We were the only non-Mexicans there(talk about being the new critter in the menagerie). We left when the cartels moved into town and started recruiting young men. Traveling on the toll roads is very safe. I regularly drive back and forth to Texas by myself. Basically don't do stupid stuff that would get you in trouble. Use common sense.
Here you don't have to speak Spanish. It's a tourist destination so many of the locals speak English. I recommend learning Spanish as it will really open up your options and allow you to make Mexican friends. There are very few expats that I am friends with here. Most of my friends are Mexican.


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## crehberg

TxMex, I love learning how things are in other parts of the world...I really appreciate you sharing your first hand experience!


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## SLADE

Someone asked me just recently what could be better than the US. Sounds like you found your place.
I would think it's heaven.


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## In The Woods

Thank you for this! As said above I love hearing the real story about far away places.

Question - where did you live when in the US? Was your move to Mexico related to your retirement?


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## HDRider

From start to finish how much did it cost, and how long did it take to be a permanent resident?


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## TxGypsy

In The Woods said:


> Thank you for this! As said above I love hearing the real story about far away places.
> 
> Question - where did you live when in the US? Was your move to Mexico related to your retirement?


I mostly lived in Texas and Missouri. I was a beekeeper and a queen breeder. I migrated to where I could best raise queens. 
Yes and no as to retirement. I had lived in a different part of Mexico not long after I first retired. There wasn't the technology there is now and I kept having to make trips to the border to get documents notarized or sign stuff. That is why I ended up moving back to the US. I have spent winters in Mexico for many years....one of the advantages of being a beekeeper...you get winters off. I get the winter blues really bad...like crawl in a hole and don't come out bad. That is when I started going further and further south each winter and ended up trying Mexico. I am a solar powered water baby! I noticed quickly that my checking account would plump up when I was in Mexico in the winter as I didn't spend as much money.

I wouldn't have purchased a house here if it hadn't been for my now ex husband(nor bought anything this expensive). Rent is reasonable and you can move if you end up with terrible neighbors. I have about got my neighbor trained. He likes to come in late drunk and invite friends over and have loud parties(yes the condo association has rules against that but good luck enforcing it). I got a speaker the size of a large suitcase with a microphone attached to it that will crack stucco if I turn it all the way up. I can't sing....can barely hum. Turns out he doesn't care for my singing nor for fiddle playing. Now he parties elsewhere. When he starts to get loud I turn on the speaker for about 2 minutes and it gets quiet.


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## In The Woods

TxMex said:


> I mostly lived in Texas and Missouri. I was a beekeeper and a queen breeder. I migrated to where I could best raise queens.
> Yes and no as to retirement. I had lived in a different part of Mexico not long after I first retired. There wasn't the technology there is now and I kept having to make trips to the border to get documents notarized or sign stuff. That is why I ended up moving back to the US. I have spent winters in Mexico for many years....one of the advantages of being a beekeeper...you get winters off. I get the winter blues really bad...like crawl in a hole and don't come out bad. That is when I started going further and further south each winter and ended up trying Mexico. I am a solar powered water baby! I noticed quickly that my checking account would plump up when I was in Mexico in the winter as I didn't spend as much money.
> 
> I wouldn't have purchased a house here if it hadn't been for my now ex husband(nor bought anything this expensive). Rent is reasonable and you can move if you end up with terrible neighbors. I have about got my neighbor trained. He likes to come in late drunk and invite friends over and have loud parties(yes the condo association has rules against that but good luck enforcing it). I got a speaker the size of a large suitcase with a microphone attached to it that will crack stucco if I turn it all the way up. I can't sing....can barely hum. Turns out he doesn't care for my singing nor for fiddle playing. Now he parties elsewhere. When he starts to get loud I turn on the speaker for about 2 minutes and it gets quiet.


Great story - both of them!


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## TxGypsy

HDRider said:


> From start to finish how much did it cost, and how long did it take to be a permanent resident?


The fee isn't too bad. The process takes a while. You start at a Mexican Consulate in your country of origin. Do a search for the nearest to you. It will list the requirements. If you don't have the income or assets to qualify for a Permanente you can apply for a temporary resident. You will have to renew the temporary for several years before it gets upgraded to a Permanente. The income requirements change every year based on the minimum wage in Mexico so you literally have to look and see what they are at the time you apply. After you have presented all the documents to the Consulate...bring extra copies and they put the stamp in your passport, you have 6 months to enter Mexico before the stamp expires. Once you enter Mexico you will stop at the immigration office and they will give you a 30 day special permit to get to your destination. Before that 30 days expires you must take your passport to the local immigration office at your destination. You will get to fill out more paperwork, get more pictures made and wait. Try to do it at a time when you won't need to leave Mexico for several months....because you can't. Technically you can get a special permission letter to leave the country briefly in an emergency but it is best not to do that. 
All paperwork is sent to Mexico City to be processed and then sent back to your local immigration office. Ever notice that Mexicans are not famous for efficiency....there is a reason for that. So eventually you will get your notice to go back to immigration where they will take your fingerprints. Then you will wait some more until they send you a notice that your card is ready....unless the card machine is broken again. It took me about 2 months from the first visit to my local office until I got my card but I pushed it as my husband was in the hospital in the US(long story). I have heard of it taking up to 4 months.


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## HDRider

Thanks @TxMex


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## gilberte

I know, it's my problem. I started to read that first post and I found it interesting. Then I started to get a headache from trying to wade through the wall of words. For the love of all that is holy. Can someone make it readable so I can go back and have a look at it?


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## In The Woods

gilberte said:


> I know, it's my problem. I started to read that first post and I found it interesting. Then I started to get a headache from trying to wade through the wall of words. For the love of all that is holy. Can someone make it readable so I can go back and have a look at it?


Today's exchange rate is 23.5 pesos to $1 dollar US.


I was asked if I'd post about living in Mexico. I am a permanent resident...which means I jumped through the hoops to basically get the equivalent of a green card in the US. The main hoop is meeting the income requirements. I live near the beach on the Pacific side of Mexico.


I purchased a townhouse in a gated community...24 hour manned security with video cameras. Mostly this keeps random people from knocking on my door all day trying to sell me something. I live a block from the beach as I was unwilling to pay an additional $100,000 for less than half the space in a high rise for beach front.


My house is 3 bedroom, 2 bath, large sewing studio(most folks would use it as an additional family room), carport, huge terrace off the 2nd floor and a walled courtyard off the back with a porch then at the back of the courtyard is a 3 sided area with a roof and an outdoor kitchen. If the skeeters weren't so bad I would actually cook out there. It's paradise but paradise with skeeters and jejenes(no see ums).



Quality of life, when we aren't stuck in our homes because of a pandemic, is excellent. Food is incredible here. Fruits, vegetables and meats are so superior to what you can get in the US that I can't figure out how we ever settled for the tasteless stuff in the stores. The produce here is picked ripe so it has flavor. All the grocery stores have butchers. Likely your meat was moving on it's own and making noise the day before.


Medical is absolutely superior to the US. That may surprise some. What I am referring to is private medical care....not socialized medicine. It is extremely affordable and not a problem to pay out of pocket unless something catastrophic happens. For everyday things you can go to a 'Doc in the box'. There are doctors offices attached to many pharmacies here. Probably the equivalent of a nurse practitioner. Some are excellent and I haven't been to any that are bad. Usual cost to see the Dr is 50 pesos($2). They will give injections, remove skin cancers or skin tags and do many small procedures for under 100 pesos.


You do not need a prescription for most medicines. A specialist at a fancy absolutely modern hospital(I always feel under dressed at the one I go to) usually runs 600-900 pesos or $25-40. It is normal for an office visit to last an hour and the Dr to go into great detail about your health and make lifestyle and diet suggestions. You do not need a Drs order to get lab tests here. If you want an MRI you make the appointment at the lab and go get one done. The Dr on staff will write out a summary of your results. The results are handed to you. You take the results to your Dr and you keep them afterwards. You are treated as an adult and responsible enough to keep up with your own stuff. I go get blood and urine tested 4 times a year and an ultrasound once a year. It is only if there is a change in my results that I go see my specialist.



Everyone of course wants to know about costs so here are some examples. I am giving the examples in pesos because the exchange rate changes.


Massage in my home 500 pesos and I normally tip 100 pesos.

Condo association monthly fee 900p

Chiropractor 350p

Water bill 80p....I have filled up a pool and this amount has never varied.

High speed internet and home phone with unlimited calling to the US 560p

Rib dinner for 2 with a huge slab of ribs, salad, potato and drink 250p

Excellent tacos at a restaurant with an amazing array of salsas 20p per taco

Avacados 55p per kilo and these are wonderful quality

Fresh pineapple 23p per kilo

Papaya 22p per kilo

potatoes 16p per kilo

Bananas 16p per kilo

Carrots 12p per kilo

Celery 32p per kilo

Oranges 12p per kilo

Asparagus 165p per kilo



The fruits and vegetables listed above were delivered to my house this morning with no delivery fee. Had I gone to the Mercado I could have gotten them for even cheaper.



We have Sam's Club...2 actually...and they have a lot of the same stuff as in the US and pretty much at US prices. There's a Home Depot, Office Depot, Petco, Woolworths, Starbucks, Burger King, McDonalds, Carl's Jr, KFC, Little Ceasars, Dominoes pizza, etc. You are going to pay close to US prices for familiar names. Fortunately there are Mexican alternatives that are better and cheaper anyhow.

Maids are well paid here in the fancy end of town....I am in the newest and most modern area. 100p per hour.



I own a truck(due to the ex) but I really don't need a vehicle here. Public transportation is excellent and very cheap. 12p to go one way for 12 kilometers to the other end of town. We have taxis everywhere and Uber is excellent here. In country air fare is extremely reasonable and the long distance bus service is great. Nothing at all like the US.



Electricity. Mexico is very solar power friendly. The electric company is owned by the government so the rules are the same throughout Mexico. They will tie you into the grid and provide you with a smart meter that keeps track of what you pull out and what you put in at no charge. I had 10 solar panels installed...seems like they are 325 watt panels with micro inverters for $6,000 US when I first bought my house. My estimated pay back is 2 years and a few months which I am approaching now. My electric bill for all of last year was $90 US. I have the biggest most ****** monster refrigerator available in Mexico, washing machine, A/C, normal electronics, a pool with pump, chest freezer, multitude of fans, water distiller, instant pot and large variety of gadgets that are normally found in US homes using electricity. I normally go 8 months without any bill at all. Electricity prices aren't high anyhow but there is a pitfall you have to be aware of. There is a cap on the electricity you can use as a residence. If you go over that amount you are charged an enormous penalty. Your bill can go to $500-600 US...monthly for a year! I know people this has happened to. I have 5 mini split air conditioners in the house and had a husband that was part polar bear. I knew we would go over as he would never attempt to conserve. Now that it is just me I may have no electric bill at all.



The next thing after costs that everyone wants to know about are the cartels. Is it safe? I live in Sinaloa....yes, THAT Sinaloa. The city I live in is a tourist area and popular retirement spot. Good grief are we a tourist area! Expats in the winter and Mexicans in the summer. Locals keep the cruise ship schedule to refer to so we don't accidentally go to that end of town when the ships are in. Mazatlán has been in the top 10 places in the world to retire for a while and last year moved up to the #2 spot.


Nobody wants to upset that particular egg cart! The cartels are heavily invested in hotels, resorts and such here. They don't want to mess in their nest. It is very safe here. Where it is not safe is outside of town. I would dearly love to buy some acreage outside of town but I know it is a bad idea. The cartels regularly take over farms for their operations. Small towns are also vulnerable. When I first moved to Mexico I lived in a small mountain village. We were the only non-Mexicans there(talk about being the new critter in the menagerie). We left when the cartels moved into town and started recruiting young men. Traveling on the toll roads is very safe. I regularly drive back and forth to Texas by myself. Basically don't do stupid stuff that would get you in trouble. Use common sense.



Here you don't have to speak Spanish. It's a tourist destination so many of the locals speak English. I recommend learning Spanish as it will really open up your options and allow you to make Mexican friends. There are very few expats that I am friends with here. Most of my friends are Mexican.


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## gilberte

Thank You! Very interesting, but the mosquitos could be a deal breaker. At least here we get a break from them for a few months.


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## po boy

@TxMex 's handwriting is prettier


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## TxGypsy

po boy said:


> @TxMex 's handwriting is prettier


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## susieneddy

TxMex, one day when this virus is history we can visit each other. Simple flight from Merida to Mazatlan. We are north of Merida and live in a fishing village west of Progreso. It would be interesting to see that side of Mexico


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## TxGypsy

susieneddy said:


> TxMex, one day when this virus is history we can visit each other. Simple flight from Merida to Mazatlan. We are north of Merida and live in a fishing village west of Progreso. It would be interesting to see that side of Mexico


Likewise I'd like to visit your area. I love domestic flights here. We'll have to trade off visits  One day I'd love to sail in that area.


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## Esteban29304

I am not a resident of Mexico, but have spent a lot of time there. Stayed around the Yucatan , mostly, due to study & work at ruins. Merida is very nice, but too large for my tastes. I really like Valladolid a lot. Working at the ruins in the Summer is very hot. Go back home to Valladolid & take a nice swim in the cenote in town ! Scuba at other cenotes, when you have tome off. Fish out of Progreso & have someone cook your fresh fish, once you get back in !! NOT a bad life at all !


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## 101pigs

susieneddy said:


> TxMex, one day when this virus is history we can visit each other. Simple flight from Merida to Mazatlan. We are north of Merida and live in a fishing village west of Progreso. It would be interesting to see that side of Mexico


How is the fishing there? I did a bit of fishing below Ca. in Mexico years ago when i lived in Ca.


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## susieneddy

101pigs said:


> How is the fishing there? I did a bit of fishing below Ca. in Mexico years ago when i lived in Ca.


The local fisherman catch grouper, red snapper, tuna, shark. mero and of course shrimp and octopus.
Our favorite is pescado frito which is usually fried grouper or mero. They gut and skin it them score each side and then thrown in extremely hot oil. It is so delicious


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## TxGypsy

101pigs said:


> How is the fishing there? I did a bit of fishing below Ca. in Mexico years ago when i lived in Ca.


Marlin fishing heaven! Lots of charter boats to take folks out fishing. I have seen marlin working a bait ball fairly close in a couple of times from my boat. Their fins throw up a thin line of water when they hit the surface. Really cool to watch. Good dorado and red snapper fishing too. I'm sure there are others but those are the ones I know for sure. 
Also there is a record bass fishing lake not far from here. Lake Picacho is a '200' fish lake. Nice private resorts that include taking you out and fishing until you are tired of catching them.


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## Esteban29304

Valladolid is not a tourist mecca like Cancun , so prices overall are very good. If you just want to visit there to " get the feel " of the place, you can stay at inexpensive hostel, or a much nicer hotel at a very reasonable price. I love just walking all over the city & eating at different places for every meal. Eat local dishes, & don't go to Mexico to eat a cheeseburger !

A nice, reasonably priced hotel in town.

https://www.expedia.com/Chichen-Itz...n=true&theme=&useRewards=&userIntent=&x_pwa=1

https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/Valladolid?g2lb=2502548,4258168,4260007,4270442,4274032,4291318,4305595,4306835,4308216,4309598,4317915,4328159,4329288,4333265,4357967,4364231,4364504,4366684,4366858,4369397,4373085,4270859,4284970,4291517,4307996,4356899&hl=en&gl=us&un=1&q=valladolid mexico hotels&rp=OAFAAEgC&ictx=1&sa=X&hrf=CgQIUBAAIgNVU0QqFgoHCOQPEAUYExIHCOQPEAUYFBgBKACwAQBYAWAAaAOaAQwSClZhbGxhZG9saWSiARcKCS9tLzAxc3BuaxIKVmFsbGFkb2xpZKoBBgoCCBEYAKoBCwoDCOECEgIIYxgBkgECIAE&ap=MAFabwoECFAQACIDVVNEKhYKBwjkDxAFGBMSBwjkDxAFGBQYASgAsAEAWAFoA5oBDBIKVmFsbGFkb2xpZKIBFwoJL20vMDFzcG5rEgpWYWxsYWRvbGlkqgEGCgIIERgAqgELCgMI4QISAghjGAGSAQIgAQ


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## susieneddy

Esteban29304 said:


> Valladolid is not a tourist mecca like Cancun , so prices overall are very good. If you just want to visit there to " get the feel " of the place, you can stay at inexpensive hostel, or a much nicer hotel at a very reasonable price. I love just walking all over the city & eating at different places for every meal. Eat local dishes, & don't go to Mexico to eat a cheeseburger !
> 
> A nice, reasonably priced hotel in town.



Valladolid to me is a miniature Merida. Both have the European style architectural. Cancun is more expensive than a lot of towns in Mexico. That is one town I have been in once and have no desire to go back to.
We do want to go for 3-4 days and explore Valladolid and the surrounding area. Campeche is another town we want to visit.


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## Michael W. Smith

Hmmmmm. Very, very interesting.

I'm thinking when my wife and I retire, we would like to move somewhere - still come back home during the summer - but spend the majority of time elsewhere.

Last month I happened to have a chance to go to Belize on a mission trip. Very nice place - but even being there in March, there were several hot days. The mission trip was to a small village - Santa Familia. I fell in love with the people and would certainly like to go back.

I've heard Belize or Costa Rica are good retirement places, but will add Mexico to my list. So far I've only been to Belize - so hope to check out the other two countries at some point. If I ever make it to your area of Mexico, I hope we can meet up and chat.


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## birdman1

i was getting emails when i first retired , saying that for what the US goverment was taxing me i could buy a home in belize , out of curiosity i checked a lil more ( of course i knew i was'nt leaveing my farm ) and found out my health care (included in my pension ) would not pay outside the US .


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## dyrne

Everyone's situation is different but for me, roots before comforts.


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## TxGypsy

birdman1 said:


> i was getting emails when i first retired , saying that for what the US goverment was taxing me i could buy a home in belize , out of curiosity i checked a lil more ( of course i knew i was'nt leaveing my farm ) and found out my health care (included in my pension ) would not pay outside the US .


No mine doesn't either. However to go to a Dr for something simple it costs $3....nope that isn't a typo. For me to see a top specialist it's $30-40. I paid for my ex to have surgery and be in the nicest, fanciest hospital in town for a week in a private suite(seriously fancy huge room).....$10,000. If he had consented to go to a regular, still very nice, hospital it would have been half that. At a competent no frills hospital probably about $3-4,000.

If I didn't have a fairly obvious pre-existing condition I could enroll in IMSS and my medical bills would be substantially less. I have friends that are enrolled and it costs them $2-300 a year. All medications, Drs visits and hospital stays are covered. It's not fancy but it is mostly adequate. 

I'd like to say that I'm not trying to convince anyone to move here. Frankly I wish there were fewer gringos here rather than more. How the heck can people be so cranky while living on the beach in paradise?!! Most of my friends are Mexican and I mostly avoid the gringos. 

I simply posted this in case someone was curious and wanted accurate information rather than the sensational headlines that are all you hear in the US.


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## 101pigs

TxMex said:


> No mine doesn't either. However to go to a Dr for something simple it costs $3....nope that isn't a typo. For me to see a top specialist it's $30-40. I paid for my ex to have surgery and be in the nicest, fanciest hospital in town for a week in a private suite(seriously fancy huge room).....$10,000. If he had consented to go to a regular, still very nice, hospital it would have been half that. At a competent no frills hospital probably about $3-4,000.
> 
> If I didn't have a fairly obvious pre-existing condition I could enroll in IMSS and my medical bills would be substantially less. I have friends that are enrolled and it costs them $2-300 a year. All medications, Drs visits and hospital stays are covered. It's not fancy but it is mostly adequate.
> 
> I'd like to say that I'm not trying to convince anyone to move here. Frankly I wish there were fewer gringos here rather than more. How the heck can people be so cranky while living on the beach in paradise?!! Most of my friends are Mexican and I mostly avoid the gringos.
> 
> I simply posted this in case someone was curious and wanted accurate information rather than the sensational headlines that are all you hear in the US.


Thanks for the report. I have friends that live in Mexico. I know a lot of reports are not good about Mexico. Been that way for years. On my job years ago i was on a job for 2 years in Canada. All the reports in the U.S. said Canada's Health care system was very bad because it was a different system. Also report that their government was not the same and you didn't have any freedom. I didn't find that the case when i was there on a job for 2 years. Got all my dental repair while there. Very good care and no waiting time to get health care there. The government paid for all my health care. Much safer there also. I could take a walk in V.C.B.C. 3am or any time i wanted and didn't have to worry about getting robbed or bothered by anyone. There was a policeman on duty ever couple blocks in the city. You was not allow to carry any firearms in the city or anywhere else without permit. No gun allowed in your house without permit issued the government.


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## HDRider

Esteban29304 said:


> Valladolid is not a tourist mecca like Cancun , so prices overall are very good. If you just want to visit there to " get the feel " of the place, you can stay at inexpensive hostel, or a much nicer hotel at a very reasonable price. I love just walking all over the city & eating at different places for every meal. Eat local dishes, & don't go to Mexico to eat a cheeseburger !
> 
> A nice, reasonably priced hotel in town.
> 
> https://www.expedia.com/Chichen-Itza-Valladolid-Hotels-HOTEL-REAL-COLONIAL.h23328898.Hotel-Information?MDPCID=US.META.HPA.HOTEL-CORESEARCH-desktop.HOTEL&MDPDTL=HTL.23328898.20200521.20200522.DDF.33.CID.2040586220.AUDID.&chain=&chkin=6/2/2020&chkout=6/8/2020&daysInFuture=&destType=MARKET&destination=Valladolid, Yucatán, Mexico&gclid=Cj0KEQjwyur0BRDcn-qIxI6FyKQBEiQAS3zogH4enzog2wyKeUc-GEoSOjO-7LGLG6XFyLgZ-HKgtysaAhHZ8P8HAQ&group=&guestRating=&hotelName=&latLong=&mctc=10&misId=&poi=&pwa_ts=1587216543256&referrerUrl=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXhwZWRpYS5jb20vSG90ZWwtU2VhcmNo&regionId=182190&rm1=a2&roomIndex=&selected=23328898&selectedRatePlan=260009485&selectedRoomType=216002505&sort=recommended&stayLength=&swpToggleOn=true&theme=&useRewards=&userIntent=&x_pwa=1
> 
> https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/Valladolid?g2lb=2502548,4258168,4260007,4270442,4274032,4291318,4305595,4306835,4308216,4309598,4317915,4328159,4329288,4333265,4357967,4364231,4364504,4366684,4366858,4369397,4373085,4270859,4284970,4291517,4307996,4356899&hl=en&gl=us&un=1&q=valladolid mexico hotels&rp=OAFAAEgC&ictx=1&sa=X&hrf=CgQIUBAAIgNVU0QqFgoHCOQPEAUYExIHCOQPEAUYFBgBKACwAQBYAWAAaAOaAQwSClZhbGxhZG9saWSiARcKCS9tLzAxc3BuaxIKVmFsbGFkb2xpZKoBBgoCCBEYAKoBCwoDCOECEgIIYxgBkgECIAE&ap=MAFabwoECFAQACIDVVNEKhYKBwjkDxAFGBMSBwjkDxAFGBQYASgAsAEAWAFoA5oBDBIKVmFsbGFkb2xpZKIBFwoJL20vMDFzcG5rEgpWYWxsYWRvbGlkqgEGCgIIERgAqgELCgMI4QISAghjGAGSAQIgAQ


Thanks so much for contributing to this discussion.

Can you suggest a realtor for Valladolid? Would it be safe living some distance outside of town?


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## HDRider

As C-19 is on everyone's mind - Mexico's death rate is .0007% compared to the USA's .01%


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## susieneddy

Michael W. Smith said:


> Hmmmmm. Very, very interesting.
> 
> I'm thinking when my wife and I retire, we would like to move somewhere - still come back home during the summer - but spend the majority of time elsewhere.
> 
> Last month I happened to have a chance to go to Belize on a mission trip. Very nice place - but even being there in March, there were several hot days. The mission trip was to a small village - Santa Familia. I fell in love with the people and would certainly like to go back.
> 
> I've heard Belize or Costa Rica are good retirement places, but will add Mexico to my list. So far I've only been to Belize - so hope to check out the other two countries at some point. If I ever make it to your area of Mexico, I hope we can meet up and chat.


We thought about Belize as a place to move to before we picked Mexico. The main reason is healthcare. We knew a few folks that lived there so we asked about medical. Their response was we have doctors here but if we get really sick we have to go to Mexico to see a doctor. That made up our mind.


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## TxGypsy

HDRider said:


> As C-19 is on everyone's mind - Mexico's death rate is .0007% compared to the USA's .01%


A quote from a Spanish language group.... The rich die of Covid 19. The poor die of atypical pneumonia. The rate of deaths from 'atypical pneumonia' are very high. 

The numbers that are being reported are completely wrong. Extremely under reported. They want to give the impression that it isn't bad here in the hopes of not losing future tourism. In my area for instance there is virtually no testing. My best friend likely has it but there is no testing so he has la gripa. There will be no way to track the actual infection rate or percentage of those that die from Covid 19. Since social distancing is counter to the culture I am betting the percentage is quite high. I am staying home. I plan to stay home for quite a while after the government says it is safe to go out.


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## TxGypsy

101pigs said:


> Thanks for the report. I have friends that live in Mexico. I know a lot of reports are not good about Mexico. Been that way for years. On my job years ago i was on a job for 2 years in Canada. All the reports in the U.S. said Canada's Health care system was very bad because it was a different system. Also report that their government was not the same and you didn't have any freedom. I didn't find that the case when i was there on a job for 2 years. Got all my dental repair while there. Very good care and no waiting time to get health care there. The government paid for all my health care. Much safer there also. I could take a walk in V.C.B.C. 3am or any time i wanted and didn't have to worry about getting robbed or bothered by anyone. There was a policeman on duty ever couple blocks in the city. You was not allow to carry any firearms in the city or anywhere else without permit. No gun allowed in your house without permit issued the government.


I think half of Canada overwinters here! I know several Canadians that get surgeries done here since it is quicker and better care. As I understand it they get reimbursed. Also they say that it varies depending on province. One of my neighbors has had several surgeries here. 

Speaking of firearms. You can get a permit for a firearm in Mexico. You are restricted on calibers....nothing the military uses. You have to make the application through the military and buy the gun through them. I qualify as I am a permanent resident. I have thought about it but as difficult as Mexico makes paperwork I don't know that I have the level of patience to jump through the hoops this likely requires.


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## HDRider

TxMex said:


> A quote from a Spanish language group.... The rich die of Covid 19. The poor die of atypical pneumonia. The rate of deaths from 'atypical pneumonia' are very high.
> 
> The numbers that are being reported are completely wrong. Extremely under reported. They want to give the impression that it isn't bad here in the hopes of not losing future tourism. In my area for instance there is virtually no testing. My best friend likely has it but there is no testing so he has la gripa. There will be no way to track the actual infection rate or percentage of those that die from Covid 19. Since social distancing is counter to the culture I am betting the percentage is quite high. I am staying home. I plan to stay home for quite a while after the government says it is safe to go out.


Be safe


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## Esteban29304

HDRider said:


> Thanks so much for contributing to this discussion.
> 
> Can you suggest a realtor for Valladolid? Would it be safe living some distance outside of town?


 I cannot recommend a realtor, due to lack of experience. Most people I have met, are like me, and like to stay in the city & are just there for a week vacation to a few months. Many stay in inexpensive, BUT nice hotels . Some spend a few nights in a hotel, then find a local who has an apartment for rent. Try to rent from an owner, rather than a realtor, who sees " big American dollar$$ . Everything is negotiable.
You can walk most everywhere while staying in the city. Get a bike & tour the area if you want. A cheap taxi ride can take you to other areas. Buess for longer distances. Buses are nice & modern, now. I remember riding in many old school buses with local chickens, turkeys to different destinations. It was hot & smelly, but a lot of fun ! The Mayan people are sweet !


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## HDRider

Esteban29304 said:


> I cannot recommend a realtor, due to lack of experience. Most people I have met like to stay in the city & are just there for a week vacation to a few months. Many stay in inexpensive, BUT nice hotels . Some spend a few nights in a hotel, then find a local who has an apartment for rent. Try to rent from an owner, rather than a realtor, who sees " big American dollar$$ .
> You can walk most everywhere while staying in the city. Get a bike & tour the area if you want. A cheap taxi ride can take you to other areas. Buess for longer distances. Buses are nice & modern, now. I remember riding in many old school buses with local chickens, turkeys to different destinations. It was hot & smelly, but a lot of fun ! The Mayan people are sweet !


Good advice

I looked at the hotel you linked. Very reasonable. 

Thanks


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## Esteban29304

A couple more tips for Valladolid ;

This is another pretty nice, reasonably priced hotel in town. Their website may show up in Spanish, but you can get it translated into English, by Google, or other sites. You can usually save some money by going directly through their hotel website.

http://www.mesondelmarques.com/habitaciones

How to get to Valladolid ;

Since Cancun is a huge tourist attraction, you can get cheap flights to that airport , go into Cancun's ADO bus station, & buy tickets, there. 
https://travellemming.com/cancun-to-valladolid/

You can also fly into Merida , go to the bus station in town, & get tickets. 
The trip to Valladolid is about the same distance from either airport. Of course you can rent a car at either airport, too. 
Make SURE your car insurance in the U.S. covers you , since most DO NOT !!

If you would like a nice vacation , stay a week in Merida or Cancun , then a week in Valladolid.


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## 400578

Thinks TxMex. We now live in Texas but I travel to San Luis Potosi to work afew times a year and really like that area and the people I meet and work around there. Your post has given me food for thought on another possible retirement location.


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## Esteban29304

I am looking into the possibility of going back to Mexico this fall or winter. I might stay in Isla Mujeres, an island off the coast of Cancun , for the part of my visit. I haven't been there in years, but always liked it. Unfortunately , its proximity to Cancun is leading it to become a tourist attraction. No longer the sleepy little town like it used to be.


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## oceantoad

TxMex and the others,

How well could one person live on 36K a year?


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## TxGypsy

oceantoad said:


> TxMex and the others,
> 
> How well could one person live on 36K a year?


You could live very well indeed on that level of income. Just like here some areas are more expensive than others. I recommend renting rather than buying. Laws are different there.


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## oceantoad

Thanks.


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## Esteban29304

Yes, you could live very well, in some areas with that much money . Stay away from tourist cities, etc. Live among the local people. Rent an apartment, small house from the owner, get groceries at the local stores, eat at small restaurants, etc. The original post has answers to a lot of questions you may have about the prices of things. Remember to convert dollars to pesos.


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