If you wish to retire in Mexico you may ask, “Can you get your social security benefits in Mexico?” The answer to that question is “Yes.”

According to the the Social Security Online Electronic Booklet you have three different ways to receive your benefits in Mexico:

1. Have a check mailed to you in Mexico.

2. Receive a direct deposit into your account in Mexico.

3. Receive a direct deposit into your account in the U.S. (and use a cash card to access your money).

For more information you can read the booklet to learn more about your rights, residency requirements for some recipients, and other topics.

Personally, I recommend option three for the majority of people from the U.S. Option 1 involves depending on the Mexican mail system, and while it’s not that bad, it’s smart to use it for things you don’t depend on. I get 98% of my mail here in Mexico, but I received one letter about two years after it was sent! Obviously when you retire in Mexico, you wouldn’t want the thing that comes two years late to be your social security check. Option number 2 involves the slippery slopes of banks in Mexico with their often non-existent customer service and their frequently high/surprise charges involved in currency exchange, receiving transfers, scratching your nose, etc. Each bank is different in Mexico and sometimes it’s hard to know ahead of time what exactly you will encounter with a particular transaction at your particular bank. I created a section on banking in my book, Mexico: The Trick is Living Here, that includes tips on how to choose a bank in Mexico based on your particular needs. Having a bank account in Mexico is a smart idea and you can use that section to help you once you retire in Mexico, but again, when it comes to receiving your social security payments there is nothing like a cash card (and online banking through the internet) so you can work with a bank you are familiar with in the U.S. Cash machines are widely available throughout Mexico and are the best way to access cash.

Well, there you go, you can check that worry about retiring in Mexico off of your list. What else do you need to know about living in Mexico?

Back to Letting Go of Materialism for a Simple Lifestyle in Mexico

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Mexico Tops Global Retirement Index

If you think you want to retire in Mexico, here’s another reason to plan it. The number 1 country for retirement abroad in 2007, according to InternationalLiving.com is Mexico. Of course, those who are already retired in Mexico aren’t surprised! “We give top priority to those things that matter most to anyone planning for retirement….” reports Laura Sheridan of International Living in reference to their yearly Global Retirement Index.

The Global Retirement Index considers 8 factors of common concern to retirees or those planning their retirements. The most weight goes to the 4 factors which will have the strongest effect on the retiree’s pocketbook. 75% of the Index weight goes to cost of living, health care, special benefits, and real estate. The remaining 25% is covered by entertainment, infrastructure, safety, and climate.

Quick Guide to the Global Retirement Index:
1.  Cost of living — 20%
2.  Health care — 20%
3.  Special benefits – 20%
4.  Real estate – 15%
5.  Entertainment, Recreation, and Culture – 10%
6.  Infrastructure – 5%
7.  Safety and stability – 5%
8. Climate – 5%

Learn what the retirement index can’t tell you.

Isn’t it nice when someone gives you statistically analyzed support for what your heart knows to be true? It’s a good idea to retire in Mexico.

Sheridan emphasizes Mexico’s Geographic/Climactic diversity as one of it’s greatest advantages as a retirement location because, “[E]verybody can find exactly what they want.”

As the Index tells us, Mexico perfectly combines low costs, geographic variety, modern convenience, pleasant climates, and, well … fun! Sheridan writes, “[w]hether your vision of the ideal retirement involves shopping, fishing, sunbathing, diving, biking, mountain climbing, parasailing, collecting crafts, visiting archeological sites, partying, going to concerts, attending the theater, or fine dining, in Mexico you can engage in all of these activities, and many more.”

Hey! You and your spouse can retire in Mexico together and both get what you want. Don’t have a spouse? There’s plenty to do in Mexico.

What about those “Special Benefits” which receive 20% of the index’s weight? Mexico allows people who are over 60 and hold valid residence visas to participate in its senior discounts program. Discounts are often up to 50% and are offered for services such as health services, bus and airline tickets, and admission to cultural events.

You haven’t yet reached retirement age? Perfect! As Sheridan stresses in her article, these factors weighed by the Index are factors which are important in retirement planning. If you dream of retirement in Mexico, then you can begin to take steps toward that dream today. For example, you could purchase real estate and begin planning your dream home. Don’t wait, though, because sometimes when a country becomes popular as a retirement haven real estate prices increase.

Finally, here’s what makes home-sweet-mexico.com special: The author reminds you that Mexico isn’t only about low prices and luxury living. Mexico is about growing and changing. About getting to know yourself better while learning a new language and culture. If you really want to retire in Mexico, take some time and enjoy Mexico. If you are going to pick the best retirement destination for you, you have a lot of fun traveling to do. (Remember, it’s a diverse country.)

source: http://www.internationalliving.com/retire/paid/09-01-07-top-heavens.html

Convinced you want to retire in Mexico? You can learn more about the real cost of living in Mexico here.

Back to Letting Go of Materialism to learn more about the lifestyle when you retire in Mexico.

Live and Retire in Mexico: Cost of Living

Many people want to retire in Mexico because they have heard that the cost of living here is lower than in the U.S. or Canada. Mexico became famous for being cheap in the 60s and 70s and I have no doubt that it was. My experience from

2001 to 2007 (at the writing of this page) has been that cheapness is relative because buying power is relative. Here’s what I mean.

When you are spending dollars in Mexico your buying power is stronger than when you are spending pesos in Mexico, so in that sense the cost of living in Mexico is lower than up north. At the same time, it might not be as much lower as all the hype would make you expect. There are many factors that make Mexico more expensive than we dream.

If I Retire in Mexico Will it Lower My Cost of Living?

The most obvious factor that makes Mexico less cheap than we dream is that there are many places where prices are quite high. Ajijic, near Guadalajara, Cuernavaca, near Mexico City, and Cancun in the “Riviera Maya” are all examples of places in Mexico that have a high cost of living and they are certainly not the only ones. Obviously, the presence of a high percentage of Americans, Canadians, and other foreigners drives prices up (as well as the presence of lots of Mexico’s richest, too).

For example, renting a tiny house in Cuernavaca costs between $400 and $800 U.S. dollars a month. If $400 sounds cheap to you, then you need to understand what I mean by tiny. Tiny in Cuernavaca can be the size of a camping trailer. Would you pay $400 a month to live in a camping trailer in someone else’s back yard? That’s the way many of the least expensive places to rent are set up. Really the only way to get a good sense for the true cost of living any place in Mexico is to rent there for 6 months or so.

Dear Ms. Taylor;

Thanks for writing such an informative, enjoyable and readable e-book! The information you have provided is helping me with my planning for an extended stay, 2-3 months, in Mexico.

I don’t have a printer at home and I’m requesting permission to store an electronic copy of your book on my iPod until….

–Peter A Cassidy
British Columbia, Canada

A less than obvious factor that makes the cost of living in Mexico higher than we dream is that many things that we take for granted up north are not automatically in place in Mexico. Unsafe drinking water means that we must have a water filtration system or purchase bottled water. The monopolized telephone system charges outrageous prices causing people to avoid using the phone and thus generating the hidden costs of lost potential or to contract a variety of other services to meet their needs and thus costing extra time and money. The relatively poor transportation system makes travel more time consuming and tiring. The unreliable electrical system may create a need for alternatives. The rampant class-ism creates a lack of customer service in industries nationwide. I could go on, but I think you get the idea. Mexico is not a sunnier version of the U.S. It’s a developing country. The only way to truly calculate these “costs” in your life is to experience them and see for yourself before you decide to live or retire in Mexico.

Tired of authors talking around cost of living in Mexico but never giving any real information?
Get straight answers.

Another factor that can make the cost of living in Mexico extremely high is to have to earn money in Mexico. High paying jobs in Mexico are rare and hard to find. Most jobs don’t pay enough to live on and often the hours are long and split shifts are common. To top it off, if you retire in Mexico, then you are probably over 50. Mexico is “ageist” and it’s increasingly hard to get a job once you pass about 40 years old. I suggest that you do not live or retire in Mexico unless you have some U.S. or Canadian dollars to spend — or are just on a one or two year lark and have a way to move back north.

See also The Cost of Living in Mexico Depends on Your Lifestyle for a useful way to figure out what your personal buying power will actually be once you live or retire in Mexico.

Cut The Negativity and Give Me the Facts, Please.

To help you figure out the cost of living in Mexico, click here to see a detailed grocery list.

Budgeting in Mexico

Click here to read some tips on budgeting when you retire in Mexico.

Click here to read about how much and how rapidly prices have been increasing (2007).

Click here to read a real-life case study of costs for an expatriate in Ajijic.

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An Expatriate Experience:
Inside Out or Outside In?

By Michael Shepherd

Have you ever walked down a residential street at twilight as people have turned on their lights but not yet closed their curtains? The homes look so warm, cozy and inviting that you envy these strangers their ideal lives. For that is what they appear as you pass by on the outside, looking in. On such an illusion our ex-pat life is based.

Here is the link to Michael’s website:

An American-Irish expatriate couple share their Greek island experience by offering lodging and information including maps and photos. They provide content and links for Paros, the Cyclades, Greece and the world of living abroad. Learn more at: www.ParosParadise.com

As we have passed through various tourist areas my wife, Karin, and I have looked on the lifestyles of the locals and yearned for their apparent simplicity in the midst of splendor. It started on our honeymoon in Mexico leading us to host a Mexican exchange student a few years later which in turn lead us to visit his and a second student’s families in Mexico. The hook was set. Our experience as visitors, as honoured guests of the locals was vastly superior to that of mere tourists gawking at the quaintness of the culture.

Since then we have traveled in many countries and found something to like about each of them. We love the excitement, adventure, discovery, and romance of the foreign. We search for depth; we want to meet the real people not the jaded tourist industry personnel. Both of us are avid students; we learned and studied everywhere we went. We developed an international perspective and felt so worldly wise. Yet, by the time we got to England we struggled to keep a straight face the first time an English B & B matron asked us, “What time shall I knock you up in the morning?” Our minds were stuck in our teenage phrase for getting pregnant—”knocked up”.

Also we felt duty bound to improve attitudes towards Americans. The gap between perception and reality was first driven home to me when hosting a group of young Nigerian businessmen through Rotary International in Portland, Oregon. As they became comfortable with our open friendliness one hesitantly asked if they could see my gun. “My gun? I don’t own a gun!” They all exhaled, for they sincerely believed that they had to be extremely careful not to offend an American or he would whip out his pistol and shoot them dead. After all they had seen it many times in the cinema.

Now fast forward to our youngest child being 22 and out on his own, my 18 year old business humming along OK, and our middle age lifestyle getting boring. We do a house exchange for two weeks in England and find ourselves thinking why not live like this permanently. Back in our safe, comfortable surroundings of hometown, USA we fantasize at all the possibilities and begin researching the alternatives. Two years later we had bought a small grocery store in Ballydehob, West Cork Ireland—mortgaged to the very hilt.

Our family said we were foolish; our friends said we were brave. We replied confidently that we were following our dream but also had all the possible scenarios covered. Everything was planned to a tee. How right they were, how wrong we were.

Upon moving into our living quarters above our shop in a 200-year-old stone building in a picturesque village we discovered the glow of the fireplace off the wood paneling as seen from the street was a false front. We couldn’t get the #&@%# stove to stay lit in the coldest January the locals could remember. The shop assistant who was going to help us learn the trade didn’t show up our first morning. The Lotto organization decided our taking over was a good time to cancel the outlet. For the first year every week we learned a new and more frustrating difference between doing business in Ireland versus the States.

We also made a few social faux pas. For instance, during Karin’s first trip back to Oregon I stayed to mind the shop. Our helper was behind the counter chatting about Karin’s absence with a couple customers, John and Mary. I sauntered over to make the comment, “It certainly has made a difference in my pants!” They all froze for a long pregnant moment as I tried to figure out what I had said. Mary chuckled and asked, “Oh, how is that, Michael?” And it hit me. “My trousers that is, they have a lot more room,” I said as I thumbed the waistband to show them. Everyone laughed and changed the subject. (In Ireland pants refers to underwear, trousers to outer.)

One of our fruit and vegetable vendors, Paddy, was the flirty type. He wore tight jeans and was always making comments to and about our girls. Karin just ignored his occasional double intentres. So one fine sunny spring day Karin and I had gone to Schull for lunch. One of us had to be back at two to relieve our help. So Karin decided to stay and walk around the warm, pretty harbour with my encouragement that it would easy to get a lift back when she was ready. But when the time came, a couple cars passed without stopping and she felt very uncomfortable. So she started walking back into town and saw Paddy’s lorry. She went over to see when he would be heading back. She complained to him that no one would give her a ride. His mouth dropped open, he smiled, and said, “I’ll be glad too.” Then Karin remembered that here the common use of ride is sexual slang. Her face turned red and she back-tracked to “A lift, back to Ballydehob and my husband, who expected me an hour ago.” She sat next to the door with the young assistant in the middle.

But oh boy, did we enjoy the lifestyle. Young people complain about village life where everybody knows your every coming and going but we found it brought back our youth to know and be known. Karin would go on a “quick” errand up the street and be back 45 minutes later with all the latest gossip. On a busy day driving up the street was like being in a parade with all the waving. We loved the people, we loved the music, we loved the casualness of it all. I don’t have the ability to describe Ireland in fewer than 1,000 words. Suffice it to say, I know of no one who visited who did not immensely enjoy it.

Several friends and relatives were persuaded to holiday at our Irish dwelling. They saw that we worked hard to produce a living that would not be up to their standards back home. Yet they, as we so long ago in Mexico, recognized the joy of immersing themselves into a foreign culture.

MICHAEL’S STATEMENT ABOUT THEIR IRISH LIFESTYLE IS TRUE FOR MEXICO, TOO. CLICK FOR A DESCRIPTION OF 3 LIFESTYLE LEVELS IN MEXICO WITH GENERAL COST ESTIMATES.

Both in West Cork and in Paros we heard many stories of musicians, sailors and the like who came for a short visit and never left. Thus we were not alone in having succumbed to the delights of a beautiful life compared to a prosperous one. The everyday gorgeous scenery somehow wins out over suburban buildings and traffic.

After five years of operating losses we liquidated the business, made a profit on the property and began searching for a way to turn our hard won experience into an income. Our eyes drifted South to the land of Socrates, Plato and warm sun—where truly the locals must live a charmed life. Once in Athens the first two people I asked recommended Paros. So I quit asking and went there.

Once again we are spending the profits of our earlier life while struggling to make ends meet. During my regular afternoon swim at Livadia Beach with the beautiful bodies on the sand, the attractive buildings along the harbour and the mountains as a backdrop to the warm water and sun I thought: Lord help me remember this scene when I am old and poor in a public nursing home.

The cycle continues as we share our piece of paradise by operating a small guesthouse on the island of Paros. We help our guests enjoy their holiday and gain an insight to the Greek culture. They then return to their land of hypermarkets, traffic and high-paying jobs while we spend our winter with wind, rain and ouzo at ˆ4 per litre.

Karin and I are still wandering the residential areas peeking at the bougainvillea-covered terraces wondering what it would be like to live in that house. It has to end some time, I guess. We can retire as soon as I win the lottery.

Back to Letting Go of Materialism.

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A Live or Retire in Mexico Illustration:
A Trip to the Bank as a Major Cognitive and Emotional Effort

Before you decide to live or retire in Mexico, let’s break your thought process down into all of the individual questions you will have to answer before stepping out your door to do a simple errand such as going to the bank.

 1. Where is the bank?

 2. How will I get there? Car, bus, taxi?

 2A. If by car, do I have gas?

 2B. Do I know the route?

 2C. Where will I park? Is the parking safe?

 2D. If by bus or taxi, do I have change or small enough bills?

 2E. Do I know which bus to take and where to get off the bus? / Do I know how to tell the taxi driver where to take me?

 3. What documents are necessary for the transaction I want to carry out? (Sometimes they are different from back home.)

 4. What Spanish phrases will I need to use to communicate my needs?

 5. Shall I take a book to pass the time on the bus or in line?

 6. Is there a bathroom nearby that I can use? (You may chuckle now, but this is often a major consideration for me before heading out on the bus to take care of various transactions.)

 7. Do I know how to get back home? (For example, where is the bus stop for the return bus route?)

 8. How long will this errand take me? Should I take water? Should I wear comfortable shoes? Will I need to eat before I come home? 

Do you really know what your lifestyle as an expatriate in Mexico might be like? People love this book.

“Julia,
I starting reading your book and I couldn’t put it down.  I loved it.
I chuckled at some of your experiences and felt your frustrations
at others.

I would like to interview you over the phone [for my web site].

Linda” (creator of secondactliving.com)

Add onto the above the fact that it’s hot, sunny, you consider personal safety measures, you sometimes feel like you stick out like a sore thumb banks are miserable places etc. etc.

All of the above questions are things you don’t even have to consider back home.  This is why it is critical when you live or retire in Mexico, that you take things slowly and do things one at a time. 

After 6 months to a year, you will find that you are equally as comfortable in your new surroundings as you were before you moved. Just know that it will take time—especially if you don’t speak Spanish before you become an expat.

Back to Some Things to Consider Before you Live or Retire in Mexico
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Live or Retire in Mexico: Precious Moments Make it Worth It

One reason to live or retire in Mexico is so that you can see things you wouldn’t see back home.

Yesterday I saw one of the loveliest things I’ve seen in a long time. I was in a two-story book store and glanced out the window, which overlooked the back yard of a large house next door.  

A young man was pushing a lawn mower back and forth accross the grass. On his shoulders was a little girl.

They were both very intent on the mowing. She leaned forward over his head, watching the work in progress. When he turned the mower, he would reach his hand up to her foot to help her ballance.

Every time I peeked out the window I would expect to see that she had gotten down, but they mowed the whole lawn together. A two headed mowing tower.

When you live or retire in Mexico I can’t promise you that you’ll see a two headed mower, but I do know that you will see lots of other precious sights.

I’d be VERY GRATEFUL if you would buy my e-book. I put a lot of care into making sure that it contains useful information and I’m sure you would enjoy it.

Back to A Simple Lifestyle in Mexico

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5 Strategies for a Good Start When you Live or Retire in Mexico

As I state on my home page, the decision to live or retire in Mexico will change your life for the better. What I want my readers to understand is that what makes the change a good one is the personal growth that it forces one to undergo. If you try to live or retire in Mexico and STAY THE SAME PERSON you will be crushed by anger and frustration, or lost in self-righteousness (or some such dreaded emotional quagmire).

Need to know more about your lifestyle as an expatriate in Mexico?
Click here to see a description of an e-book prepared by the author of this website.

Becoming an expat involves so many changes that one can feel completely overwhelmed. In her article below, Rhiannon Williamson shares some important points that you can consider even before you move. If you plan to live or retire in Mexico with a spouse, talk about them together.

I found point number 2 to be especially true for me. Just doing a simple errand, like going to the bank, is a major cognitive and emotional effort when you first get here (click here for a detail of what I mean) . As Williamson says, you are probably currently taking the familiarity of your current environment for granted.

Also, in regards to number 1, remember that you and your spouse are different people. I notice in my own family and friends when they come for extended stays with us, that each of them responds very differently to the various challenges of being in a completely new country. Be a good listener for your spouse; to live or retire in Mexico is not a bed of roses.

Starting a New Life Abroad

By Rhiannon Williamson

For some people starting a new life abroad is their ultimate dream come true, for others it’s a daunting but necessary lifestyle change brought about by a career move or a relationship requirement for example. Whichever category you happen to fall into one thing is for certain, starting a new life overseas is an incredibly exciting opportunity but one that requires courage and commitment – this article shows you how to find that courage and commitment to enable you to get the very most out of your brand new life.

1) Spousal Support

There are significant stresses and strains placed on a relationship during a move overseas. Chances are at least one in the partnership will be embarking on a new job, taking on different responsibilities and meeting new people…the other spouse may well have to take on the burden of getting accommodation sorted out, dealing with the necessary bureaucracy and getting the family unit into a routine alone. Both parties will be experiencing challenges and will need the full support and understanding of their partner, therefore you should take time out of your very busy lives to discuss your day, to share experiences and to give each other the critical moral support to keep plodding away at building the new life.

2) Coping With Change

Before you move abroad try and understand how you cope with change – if you adapt easily, make friends quickly, are not addicted to your routine then chances are you’ll find moving overseas a breeze! If on the other hand you’re shy, hate making the first move or need to know where everything is and which tasks you have to fulfill tomorrow you will need to prepare yourself mentally for your move. Don’t try and take on too many tasks in one day – where you might be able to achieve 15 different chores in one day currently, the slow pace of life in your new host country or even just the language barrier may well slow you down. See each achievement as worthy of celebration and don’t push yourself to settle in too quickly. Take each day at a time and at the end of the day look over even the smallest things you’ve achieved that day and give yourself a pat on the back!

3) Making New Friends

When you move abroad you may well be leaving behind a strong network of family and friends on whom you know you can rely. This support network is often something we take for granted but as soon as you relocate you’ll find you miss it a great deal. While it is essential you keep in touch with everyone back home with phone calls, emails and letters, it is also critical that you get out there and build a new network. The sooner you can get in a situation where you’re meeting new people the sooner you’ll be in a position to make friends and the sooner you’ll have people there who can support you, offer advice and even show you around the best bits of your new host country. So, take a deep breathe and go out to expat events or popular bars and start networking!

4) Finding Familiarity

Your new house will feel like a home when you are 100% familiar with it, your local surroundings and the people who live nearby. And while it is hard to speed up the familiarizing process too much, you can make an effort to ensure it is progressing as fast as it can! Find local shops, hairdressers, dentists, doctors, schools, pubs and restaurants straight away. Drive round, walk round and learn where all the amenities, facilities and services are in the local area. Get to know your way around easily, and then slowly but surely everything will seem so familiar to you that when you return to your house after work or a day away you’ll feel like you’re returning home -then you will feel 100% happy and secure in your new environment.

5) Getting Stuck In

The sooner you make that first trip in the car alone the sooner you’ll know your way around. The sooner you approach that group of strangers at the party the sooner you’ll make friends. The sooner you get the bureaucracy in motion the sooner you’ll be a legal resident. The sooner you look for work the sooner you’ll have financial security. You’ve made the decision to live abroad – so don’t put your new life on hold once you make the move – get out there, get stuck in and start living and loving your new life.

Rhiannon Williamson is a freelance writer whose many articles about living abroad and international property have appeared in publications around the world. Visit this link to read her latest articles about buying property in North Cyprus. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rhiannon_Williamson.

Hopefully these ideas will start some thinking for you and/or open dialog between you and your spouse. Knowing these things ahead of time can help you be emotionally prepared and significantly reduce the effects of culture shock when you live or retire in Mexico.

Back to Letting Go of Materialism (when you live or retire in Mexico)

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Live or Retire in Mexico and Enjoy a More Outdoors Lifestyle

One of the joys when you live or retire in Mexico is the amount of time that you can spend outside.

As at many houses in Mexico, our washing machine and hot water heater are outside. We spend quite a bit of time going in and out of our house to use these appliances and are therefore in close contact with the stars, the cycles of the moon, the birds that visit our garden, and the neighbors.

Need to know more about your lifestyle when you live or retire in Mexico?
Click here to see a description of an e-book prepared by the author of this website.

At a friend’s house we sometimes go out onto their porch to do preparation work when we are cooking meals together. There is more room, a breeze, and a wonderful view out on their porch. That and the ants stay outside when they come to see what may have fallen down into their territory.

Choose Your House for Outdoors Access When You Live or Retire in Mexico

House hunting in Mexico should include considerations for how you will get outside to enjoy Mexico’s warm climate. A nice garden outside your kitchen or living area, if well-connected by an open doorway will add a lot to your ability to move in and outdoors.

Mexico’s weather is warm and sunny – sometime too sunny, so when you are selecting your home or planning your patio area, consider shade. You won’t go outside if you have to be in the full sun.

You Can Have a Container Garden When You Live or Retire in Mexico

If you don’t like gardening all that much, or choose to live or retire in Mexico in a house with a relatively small patio, you can still do a lot with potted plants. A container garden is fun to care for and you can purchase some beautiful pots made by traditional artists that add color and style to your patio area.

Ask around to see if there are greenhouses (viveros) where you can buy plants for your yard. Plants are a lot less expensive at the greenhouse where they are grown and you can ask the people who work there to tell you how to care for the plants that you select. It’s fun to experiment with new plant varieties that you didn’t have back home. It’s also sometimes nice to pick a familiar plant that will remind you of home and help you to feel connected to your previous life.

Live or Retire in Mexico With FLAVOR

Mexico’s year-round warm weather makes cultivating herbs a real option. We are able to enjoy pesto regularly because the basil in our yard just goes and goes. An additional pleasant surprise that came from the basil is that some hummingbirds like its flowers!

Garden for Humming Birds and Butterflies

I suggest that you select flowers that humming birds and butterflies like. We really enjoy watching these exquisite creatures visit our flowers. It will make you feel so blessed to be in sunny Mexico when you can enjoy their presence in your patio area. Just remember NOT to use PESTICIDES in your garden. Plant a variety of plants and use other organic gardening techniques.

Make Yourself a (Mosquito-Free) Reading and Chatting Area

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, when you decide to live or retire in Mexico, you decide to be part of a new community. Be available to your neighbors to chat. Leave your gate open sometimes, if the layout of your house lends itself to this. When people see you out and about in your patio area, they will stop to say hi. Greet them warmly, invite them to sit with you and enjoy some lemon aid or some cold beer.

When friends and family come to visit you, you will want to hang out in the shade in your patio area. On hot days, you may want to get out of your house and into the air. Taking a book out to a comfortable chair in the patio can be oh-so why you decided to live or retire in Mexico. BUT mosquitoes can quickly change your plans. If you can, see if you can invent a way to deter them. Maybe screen in an area, or buy one of those mosquito nets designed to go over a bed. Plant a citronella plant and rub the juice from its leaves onto your ankles. Buy smoke things to burn to scare them off (one brand is called “raidolitos”). Whatever you can think of, just remember that if you don’t use chemicals in your yard, there will be more birds to help you by eating all sorts of bugs.

As I write this, my husband is outside working on a carpentry project and chatting with a neighbor who has come by to “saludar.” They are breathing fresh air and maintaining social connections.

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Live or Retire in Mexico: Connect with your Neighbors

Neighborliness is one of the nicest things about living in Mexico.  It is one of the main reasons to choose to live or retire in Mexico.

Neighborliness is Fun

Our neighbors are present for the little things such as laundry and purchasing tortillas. Chatting through the fence while I’m hanging clothes on the line makes laundry a social event — which is a great improvement over how it was before we moved to Mexico.  

Walking to the corner together to buy tortillas breaks the monotony and gives me a chance to get an update from my neighbor on the latest, which ranges from upcoming cultural events to hot sales at the grocery store.  

Need to know more about living in Mexico?
Click here to see a description of an e-book prepared by the author of this website.

Good Mexican Neighbors Help Out

My husband is building a box from scrap wood. As soon as Don Manuel heard the sound of the skill saw, he moseyed over to help out. My husband, who is skilled in the Mexican art of hospitality, quickly pulled out the beers and a plate of lemons and salt.  

The first two days our neighbor showed up, my husband made little progress on his box. He wondered out loud what he was going to do with Don Manuel, who wanted to make too many suggestions. The focus had shifted from the project to hospitality. So far neighborliness was slowing him down.

Today he was not going to be slowed down. I peeked outside and saw Don Manuel and he bent over the boards they were cutting, Don Manuel holding the board as my husband slid the skill saw through it. The next time I peeked out, Don Manuel wasn’t there. Later, I looked out again and they were both leaning over Don Manuel’s red chop saw! The lid of the box ended up being framed with mitered corners, a quality touch that couldn’t have been done without a chop saw.

“Planning” to Connect with Your Neighbors When You Live or Retire in Mexico

Our neighbors celebrate holidays with us, loan us tools, and keep us informed on infrastructure, such as whether or not the municipal water has been turned on. Their attention and generosity provides us with a safety net and source of fun.

When you Live or Retire in Mexico, how can you set yourself up so that you can enjoy Mexico’s neighborliness?  Mexicans interact with people with whom they are in regular contact.  You have to be available.

Be sure to say hello to people.  Beyond that, the type of house and community that you live in when you come to live or retire in Mexico effects your connection to your neighbors. Instead of a wall and solid gate, the entrance to our house is a chain-link fence. It doesn’t create a barrier between us and others. The neighbors can see us when we are outside. We don’t have privacy in our front yard, but we do have lots of opportunities to strike up conversations.

You can choose housing that allows you to see and talk to your neighbors. If you aren’t quite trusting enough to have a see-through fence, you could try a gated community that is open once you get inside.  

Also when you first live or retire in Mexico, remind yourself to make an effort at neighborliness. Give away plates of cookies. Stop and chat. Break out the beers or lemonade. If someone is unloading a truck, show up with your sleeves rolled up. If someone is sweeping, come out with your broom and dust pan. Mexico is the perfect place to enjoy neighborliness.

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The Cost of Living in Mexico
Depends on Your Lifestyle
When You Live or Retire in Mexico

If you have been researching and planning to retire in Mexico, you may have noticed that it’s hard to get solid information about the cost of living in Mexico.

I have good news. You can breathe a sigh of relief because you’ve just found a useful source of information.

The cost of living in Mexico is quite varied. Imagine trying to tell someone from Europe what the cost of living is for the entire United States. Well, it’s that hard to describe the cost of living in Mexico — yet it’s crucial information for anyone planning to live or retire in Mexico. Additionally, there aren’t the same sources of information on the Internet as there are for the U.S. and other similar countries. Getting solid information about Mexico is a little like reading the paper through a glass of water.

To help my readers I have devised a unique way to elucidate the cost of living in Mexico. I describe three levels of lifestyle (low, medium, and high) and give prices — as references — at Cuernavaca prices. These three “lifestyle levels” provide a snapshot that will allow you to imagine how you would like to live in Mexico once you retire here. You can then use them as starting points to plan accordingly for your retirement.

You wouldn’t buy a car without first researching its safety, comfort, reliability, and gas mileage.

DON’T MAKE THAT MISTAKE WITH MEXICO.

There’s NO NEED to make planning to retire in Mexico like reading the newspaper through a glass of water when you can have REAL ANSWERS. Treat yourself to a book which will clear up your doubts.  Click here to learn how.

The prices I give are estimates that will give you ballpark ideas of how much it costs to live a certain way. Keep in mind that in addition to your lifestyle, the cost of living in Mexico also depends on where you live. We all know that it costs less to live in Virginia than it does to live in San Francisco, California. In the same way, it costs less to live in Morelia, Michoacan than it does to live in Mexico City or Cuernavaca.

Keep in mind that really touristy areas, such as Los Cabos and Cancun, cost much more. Also keep in mind that if you don’t need to work and can handle a less “modern” city, you can find lovely places in Mexico with much lower prices. If you do need to work, you need to consider the amount of industry or tourism in the area.

Once you get serious about living in a particular area, you can use the ideas on this page and in my e-book to investigate the actual prices and cost of living in your area of choice.

The Cost of Living of the “LOW” lifestyle Level in Mexico:

This lifestyle is rustic in many ways compared to life in the US, but covers the basic needs (you have to actively define your basic needs). See letting go of materialism for a simple lifestyle to read about peeling your lifestyle-onion.

This lifestyle costs a total ballpark figure (in Cuernavaca) of about XX,XXX to XX,XXX* pesos per month for two people.

*To see the prices and read lots of important information about life in Mexico that’s not available anywhere else, read the e-book called “detailed and thorough” by the owner of mexicoadventure.com.

At this lifestyle level, eating out consists of tacos and comida corrida, with a very occasional trip to a more expensive restaurant. It involves eating very few packaged foods and shopping for fresh meats and vegetables at the market, rather than in a supermarket. It does not include many movies, nor many trips in a taxi. It might include having one economical car per family and may include one or two extras such as exercise or language classes, but the extras have to be prioritized. For example, “Do we want cable TV or dial up internet service?”

Housing:

Housing at this level costs between X,XXX and X,XXX* pesos per month, with X,XXX* being most common. You’d have to get lucky to find something for less than X,XXX*/month. At this lifestyle level, features of the housing are considered separately. It is possible to find the ones that are most important to you, but probably not all of them together (that would jump you up to the medium level).

*To see the prices and get the information you need about real life in Mexico, read the e-book Mexico: The Trick is Living Here.

“I bought a copy, and I think I struck a wonderful bargain.” — Michael Greene, Online Instructor.

Note: at this level of lifestyle you have to buy ALL of your own appliances—even your shelves and cupboards. Small, less expensive stoves and refrigerators are available.** You will have a wider range of appliance options than are available up north. If you can purchase these, then it represents a one-time purchase rather than a cost that would otherwise be included in the monthly rent.

Features to consider are the following:

1.  There may be asbestos in the roofing or water tank

2.  A separate sink in the kitchen and bathroom

3.  Hot water to the kitchen

4.  An outside area to put a washing machine (covered vs not covered)

5.  Private area to hang clothes to dry

6.  A private vs. shared patio area

7.  Space for plants in a patio area

8.  Closets

…* 

20. Other kinds of pollution, such as smells from food stands

21. Safety of neighborhood

22. Frequency of bus service (I recommend that it come by at least every 15 minutes because this lets you get by without a car)

23. Protected off-street parking for a car (room for two may be too much to ask for)

24. Stores within walking distance

*To see the rest of this list and read lots of additional information about life in Mexico that’s not available anywhere else, read the e-book Mexico: The Trick is Living Here.

The Cost of Living of the “MEDIUM” lifestyle Level in Mexico:

This lifestyle is simpler in many ways compared to life in the US, but doesn’t force you to peel your lifestyle-onion down very much.

This lifestyle costs a total ballpark figure (in Cuernavaca) of about XX,XXX to X,XXX* pesos per month for two people.
Conveniences at this lifestyle level often include….

*Don’t stay blind to the realities of living in Mexico. To read the rest of this section get the all new Second Edition of Mexico: The Trick is Living Here.

The Cost of Living of the “HIGH” lifestyle Level in Mexico:

This lifestyle can actually be more luxurious than life in the US….

*To read the rest of this section get the all new Second Edition of Mexico: The Trick is Living Here.

“…forthright and entertaining…” –Michael Greene, Online Instructor 

**To see some of the variety in appliances available, click here. When you get to the site, click on Electra.com, then where it says “buscar” type in the words “Estufas” and “Refrigeradores.” It’s not really easy to see, but some stoves don’t have an oven under them, and many of the fridges are actually slightly bigger than our mini-fridges (you know the ones college students have in their dorm rooms).

You can also find out the value of Mexican pesos in your own currency.

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