Retirement in Mexico..
Everyone has their own idea about retirement in Mexico, depending on several personal considerations such as their health, wealth, needs and wants.. Mexico is not Nirvana and your not likely to live here if you can't make some changes in your attitude and lifestyle.. However, it can be a pleasant place to live with various plus and minuses like any other country. You’ll find "extranjeros" living and scattered about everywhere in Mexico.. Along the coastlines, colonial cities in the mountains and most everywhere in between..
If you want to live in a large community of english speaking, retired expats, check out areas like Lake Chapala or Guatalahara.. Playa del Carmen / Merida area in the Cancun area may also appeal to you.. If your looking for something else.. try all other areas in between....
Veracruz
Personally, I have adopted the city / state of Veracruz as my Mexican home-place.. I have wrote a few of my thoughts down based on my travel experiences around the state. I don't have complete information on all aspects of the cities I am about to recommend, but do have enough time in each of them to know they have a lot of potential, "as far as my preferences are concerned". .. "Your idea of retirement cities/areas may be very diferent than my own".
The tropical port cities of Veracruz / Boca del Rio have been referred to as the New Orleans of Mexico and indeed it is an area unlike any other Mexican cities I have visted.. Its a resort town, lots of Mexicans come here for vacation, enjoy the laidback, slow-going lifestyle along the sea-side.
Boca del Rio is the modern side of Veracruz.. Lots of upscale housing available, high rise apartments complexes, large modern shopping plazas, nightclubs.. Plenty of doctors, clinics, dentist and private hospitals.. I would rate most as fair to excellent.. Medicine is dirt cheap, when compared to the USA..
There are several businesses that you'll recognize by name from back home such as... Walmart, Sams Club, Cosco, Home Depot, Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Bennigans, McDonalds, Burger King, Subway, KFC, Churches Chicken and a few more that I can’t think of right off hand..
There is an international airport with daily direct flights to Houston (via Continental) also many flights daily to Mexico City (45 minutes) with connecting flights to about anywhere in the world..
SOME DRAWBACKS: The hottest of the hot weather sucks as does the windy nortes that blow in over the winter months.. However planning your activities in the cool of the morning and or evening and hanging out in the shade, or AC takes care of the hot.. A good book, or a light jacket usually takes care of the nortes..( nortes usually blow in for 2-3 days at a time)
Most everyone speaks spanish.. You will most likely want to take a language course when you first get here to at least learn some basics.. It is also a good way to make some new aquaintences and make new friends in the area..
Rentals & Real Estate Cost: If your from small-town, Midwest USA you may not find that rent, or real estate prices to be much, if any, cheaper than where you live now.. If on the other hand you are from New York, California, or any other area with high cost of living then you’ll probably think its dirt cheap to live here.. Unless you can afford the higher end of whats available, the quality of much of the housing will more than likely be sub-standard to what your accustomed..
In Veracruz / Boco del Rio a fair size house, in good repair and in a good neighborhood, will run you anywhere between 500 and a 1000 dollars a month.. If you can get "Mexican rates", rent can be a little cheaper as is most of the property prices.. ("gringo prices" tend to run a higher) Before buying property I would suggest you rent something and spend a little time looking around for something that suits you.. This will also give you a chance to figure out what properties may, or may not be worth.. Property in el centro, Boca del Rio, or anywhere nearby the beach is the most expensive.. The further back, or way from the afore mentioned areas will be cheaper as you go.. Small one bedroom casitas or apartments can be found for 1500 pesos and up.. I have found some as low as 800 pesos.. However, this is far from downtown and you’ll definitely need to speak Spanish to get around here.. People in el centro and or Boca del Rio are more accustomed to seeing / dealing foreigners.. You may not feel as comfortable living in some of the more distant / poor areas in town..
A few of "my thoughts" about other retirement areas in state of Veracruz
Las Tuxtlas region of Veracruz
This is a tropical rainforest region with over 7 foot of anual rainfall.. some areas more.. Rolling hills / mountain, rivers, creeks, lake, lagoons, waterfalls, gulf beaches.. Everything that doesn't have water standing on it is green, large tropical plants and flowers growing practically everywhere.. The jungle that has been cleared in some areas is used mostly for pasture for the local cattle ranchers.. or perhaps for a tobacco field. The towns are all located around 1100-1500 feet above sea level and enjoy a little cooler temperature than other low lieing areas around them I would recommend the following three towns ..
Lake Catemaco (pop 24,000)... San Andres Tuxtla..(pop 150,000) or Santiago Tuxtla.(pop 50,000) ... There are a few retired type x-pats in the area from USA, Canada and Europeans living in and or around this area either on a permenent, or semi-permenet bases .. There are also a few younger people teaching English in the local schools. House / apartments rent from 1,500-6,000 pesos a month.. (chicken houses slightly less) There are a couple of large shopping plazas located in San Andreas (more or less like walmart super stores) You'll also find that all three of the burgs have local stores & markets that tend to have about everything you need.
DOWNSIDE: For the most part, this is a rural area with a real laid back atmospher.. You won't find a big variety of restaurants / bars.. There are two large shopping plazas in San Andres.. Soreana y Mega.. There is a mercado in all three towns, and as usual, many small mom / pop tiendas thru/out.. Veracruz is about 2 1/2 hrs drive by car.. 3 1/2 hrs by bus.. You'll almost certainly want to have a car to get around in if you choose this area to live in permently.
XALAPA
Xalapa would also be good option.. it is about 2 hrs northwest of Veracruz and the coast at 3500-4000 feet above sea-level.. It is a large city, pretty central park, Universities, large museum, many parks to walk thru, several interesting pueblos nearby for daytrips.. lots of festivals and activities.. There are a few teachers and retired xpats living in the area.. Local markets and several shopping plazaes makes for an abundance of shopping options. Taxis are cheap for getting around in.. Weather is cooler at this higher altitude than in tropical Veracruz on the coast and can be cool and damp in winter months..
Wal-Mart (Plaza Cristal)
Costco (Plaza Animas, "suburb" east of Xalapa Centro)
Chedraui (Plaza Cristal, Plaza Animas, and other locations)
Office Max (Las Animas)
Movie Theaters: Las Animas, Plaza Cristal, Plaza Museo
FORTIN, CORDOBA, ORIZABA
I think another good option would be Fortin, Cordoba and Orizaba area.. 3000 - 4000 feet above sea-level.. Fortin and Cordoba are basically a small burg and a larger one that have more or less grown together.. Orizaba is just up the road a half hr or so and situated at little higher altitude. It is pretty mountain country.. several small burgs nearby for daytrips, weekend excursions. Markets, museums, nice central parks, waterfalls, swimming holes, churches out the wahzoo, mercados y shopping plazas. Weather is cooler at this higher altitude than in tropical Veracruz on the coast and can be cool and damp in winter months..
This is a good central location to several other major cities, areas of interest. Veracruz is 1 1/2 hrs to the east, Xalapa 3 hrs to north, Puebla 1 1/2 hrs to the west, the state of Oaxaca and other places of interest lay just to the south.
Another bonus is there is direct bus service, by ADO, from Cordoba to the airport in Mexico city.. 3 1/2 hrs. about 350 pesos..
If you have more questions I would be happy to answer them, (if I can).. drop me a line at jonw46996@hotmail.com
