11 BEST PLACES to LIVE IN MEXICO in 2022
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- Hear from real foreigners living in Mexico about the BEST PLACES to live in Mexico in 2022. If you’re thinking about moving to Mexico & wondering: where should I live in Mexico? This video is for you! Find out the best cities to live in Mexico!
#bestplacestoliveinMexico #movingtoMexico #backpackingbrunette
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Check out the living in Queretaro playlist: • Living in Querétaro (w...
Follow these foreigners living in Mexico on Instagram:
Alex Krotkov (Puerto Escondido): / alex.krotkov
Louise Buss (Guadalajara): / louisetastic
Jenny Hart (Mexico City): / jennyjhart
Katrin Schrimpf (Oaxaca City): / moving2mex
Stephanie Kempker (Puerto Vallarta/CDMX): / joyandjourney
Grab the Guide to Baja California Sur by Laura Bronner: eternalexpat.g...
Taste Puerto Escondido with Puerto Food Tours:
www.puertofood...
Get in touch with Stephanie Kempker about expat health insurance in Mexico: stephanie@guardianinsurance.com.mx
Learn more about traditional medicine in Oaxaca with Katrin: / moving2mex
Intro & Outro Song from RUclips Studio Audio Library: Caballero by OfShane
• 11 BEST PLACES to LIVE... 
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Apartment hunting tips, renting in Spanish cheatsheet & 11-point Move to Mexico Checklist! Download the FREE 32-page Move to Mexico Quickstart Guide (PDF) 👉🏼 backpackingbrunette.com/mexicoguide/
*Gringos go home*
I am in Huatulco and if people like hot weather year round and 36 beaches to choose from it might be on your list too! ❤
Hola seria bueno tener más opciones de ciudades bonitas y seguras de México. Una muy buena opción es Leon Guanajuato, ciudad cosmopolita, moderna y segura y con un clima templado excelente 🤩
Good move Alex, living in America has become so hostile & stressful just ain't what it used to be
Yep
Thanks for watching!
Yeah, I'm outta here! I'm 67 years old and NEVER thought I'd ever feel this way. But, Americans make me puke.
"Wahhhh!!! Wahhhh!!! Life is so hard!! I can't get my $200,000 job right away. But, I also hate people who only think of money!"
And,"I get so offended all the time!"
I have the money to leave here, but the easy life isn't what I'm looking for. I want to be around real people who love their families and are content with life...because yes, it is hard. But, it's also great and it's all we have! 😊
Very hostile for no reason. The stress just dropping my kid kff to school its too much
@@Luckimeeyup
I live 90 miles south of the California border in San Felipe, Baja CA. Love it on the beach, retired. Great internet, my house is 400 a month
sounds great. as a new yorker, i'm looking to leave. is it safe in san felipe? downside?
I am going to give you my top five. Best places to live in Mexico, I am a Beach lover, and that is the reason why I love Yucatan, so much to see, explore and discover.
1- Santa Maria Huatulco Oaxaca
2- Merida Yucatan
3- Cuernavaca Morelos
4- Tulum Quintana Roo
5- Valle de Bravo Estado de Mexico
Thanks for sharing! I've been to Merida & Tulum. Would love to check out the other spots on this list!
Yes! I want to live somewhat near the beach because that's what feeds my soul. However, I'm not able to tolerate the high heat/humidity of such. So I'm in intensive research into where I want to live. I'm visiting the Lake Atitlan area of Guatemala in a couple months to check if I may find it to be more compatible. Do you have any suggestions of a "cooler" city in Mexico that's maybe an hour away from the ocean? Any thoughts are appreciated!
Falto Tlaxcala hermoso clima y siudad.
@@PenelopePitstop888I've surfed my whole life so I'm fully aware of what the ocean can do for a persons general wellbeing. I had been coming to Baja to beach camp and surf for decades so I knew the area and to expect when I moved here from the LA/Ventura area last year. During those years fell in love with the smiling, friendly, helpful and welcoming people, food and family based culture and told myself years ago that when I retired and settled down I would live here in Ensenada. It's very affordable and I live like a Rey a couple miles from the beach. You won't need an ac because the weather is great here year round and it cools down so you can sleep comfortably with a light blanket in summer and maybe a little space heater in winter with some big comfy blankets. It's also very walkable to most everything you may need. Don't wait, the time is never just right. Buena suerte! 😎🏄🌮🥥🍯
Tulum is extremely expensive and turning more and more dangerous because of the parties -> drugs -> cartel activity.
I really like Puerto Vallarta for the infrastructure and convenience of location - they are very supportive about the expat community. I love Huatulco, too, but it gets HOT there with direct sun.
A supportive community is a huge plus especially when first getting settled!
Hi Dennis,
Could you tell us about the cost of real estate, foods, transportation? Thanks!!
@@nicolecarnevale3226 Real Estate can be a bit tricky in Mexico. Most recommend buying titled property; however, "Ejeto Land" is meant for natives only (buying is more like renting so be very careful), but there could be some value there given it's cheap enough in my opinion - some resort areas used to be ejeto land and some areas surrounding resorts still remains so. If you are a perm resident, you can own titled land as long as it's 50 miles from the coastline. For coastal land you'll need a trust and you must pay for the trust and it can be difficult to transfer even after you are a citizen, too. The good thing about owning is low property taxes and cash prices that can be very low, too, and you can resell as value appreciates - in resort areas that can happen. Also, building on land can be economical back in the colonias (neighborhoods), but Mexican construction workers can be unreliable so don't pay in advance. Be careful, because Mexico properties can be built poorly and don't have serious issues, but they can also be built better - nice to have locals helping you and check everything in detail, too. There are a lot of scams around, so be very suspicious, too, and authenticate everything. The food chain is much better in Mexico - most markets obtain local crops. I usually drive my own car and have not had problems, but it's best to take an expendable vehicle. Even with insurance, if the car is stolen, you may not be paid and you may not recover the car, but it's still essential to have insurance. Once in Acapulco, I met a man from Switzerland that returned to recover payment for his stolen car - never heard the outcome but I doubt that he ever recovered from the insurance. Some joke that having the insurance they let you go, most likely. There's some risk in traveling - I've been lucky so far!!!! In adversity, always remain friendly and confident, but don't be disappointed if you have to sustain a loss.
@@dennishassler605Thank you!
I like San Cristobal de las Casas. I went there initially as a border run from Guatemala, where I was living at Lake Atitlan.Visited with friends, long time expats. Fell in love with the colonial town in the mountains, surrounded with traditional indigenous textiles and traditions, and an expat community and not that far from international airport at Tuxla Gutiarez..
I visited San Cristobal very briefly & very much want to go back for a longer visited!
had no idea there was an airport near there. how long a drive to the airport from centro?
Maybe less than an hour
I just got here to San Cristobal, it is absolutely off the hook amazing. I had never even heard of it before, but I met a friend in Oaxaca who told me about it. So far, this is my favorite city in Mexico.
You should do more videos like this one. If this isn't your best one, it is at least one of your best.
Thanks for watching, Thomas!
I live in La Paz. Have been here 4+years and it’s been amazing!
It would be great to make an updated video on mortgage financing options available to foreigners. Maybe even a video on some of the advantages of living within a short drive to the US border, some cities could be MTY, Saltillo, Ensenada, Chihuahua.
I’d like to hear more about the local people in these areas. I’m moving to Puerto soon and when I visited, I loved meeting the local people. I learned a bit about the Afro-Mexicano culture, and its influence on the food/culture in Oaxaca state. It helped to really get to know the area. What have been your experiences with the locals? Thanks for another great video.
My wedding planner is a Puerto Escondido local & right now, she's one of my favorite people in the world!
Hi Dani, I’m thinking about puerto as well. They were some of the nicest people I’ve met there and scenery was amazing!!!!
I mean *Puerta Villarta sorry
Have you moved yet? Hoping to move in the next few months 🙏🏾
over all Mexican People, are one of the most friendliest, welcoming People in the World, People of color are not only welcome, but loved by most Mexican People,
don't be surprised, if People stop you on the street and want to touch your skin, because there is not a big African descendants community in Mexico.
Lifelong friends that I made in Mexico City, while on a fellowship in Mexico many years ago . . . moved to Morelia, Tepoztlan, Playa del Carmen (Campeche) and Merida. Of the four, my favorite is Tepoztlan, Morelos. It has a very pleasant climate year round and magnificent natural surroundings. However, it also has excellent expressway and bus connections to Mexico City. Tepoztlan is the most pedestrian friendly of the four, also. You can easily walk from the Centro to haciendas and farms.
I moved to Cabo San Lucas Mexico from Phoenix 2 years ago and it was the best decision. The weather is amazing with low humidity 10 months a year. Humidity was huge factor in my decision process. Cancun, Tulum, P.V. and every other beach location on the East Coast is horrible in terms of humid weather and seaweed and I didn't want to sweat the majority of the year.
It's probably the most expensive city in Mexico but it's absolutely beautiful. The culture, people, food and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world are here.
*Gringos go home*
What is the rent like there?
@@_JimmyBeGoodI'm sorry for the late reply. Rent starts at 1,500 a month and could go up to 10,000 for a luxurious home. Rentals are hard to come by here. On average about 4000 a month for a decent 2000 square foot home with a good view. Prices are similar to the United States because Cabo has a lot of Americans and it's so close to the United States and the beaches are insanely tranquil and beautiful.
@@jamescadzow9545 No problem thanks for replying. Hopefully they have smaller units as well like condos and apartments. If I were to move there I wouldn’t be looking for a full size house. A one or two bedroom unit would be fine for me.
@@_JimmyBeGoodif you're looking for a condo you're in good shape. 75% of new construction projects here are condos, single family homes are more rare. The weather is similar to San Diego it's just a little hotter and more consistent 72 - 89 degrees Fahrenheit 12 months a year. You should come out here on vacation and see if you like it. It's very Americanized and it has a Costco and a Walmart for all your needs and you can get Amazon delivered right to your house.
This is a great round-up!! I have only spent half a day in Queretaro (and we hung out the whole time!!) but I was blown away by how clean it is. I've been ALL OVER the country and it was the cleanest city I've seen. Puebla might be second. Also, I had no idea there were 60k people in Puerto Escondido?! How?! I think you might have missed Guanajuato City on the list, but let's just keep it a secret. 😉
Guanajuato City is a gem! I hope you make it back to Queretaro one day, Janine!
Guadalajara: I had husband & wife friends. The wife had a chronic condition. They did medical tourism to Guadalajara, MX. They bought a condo there and the wife loved the city. They claimed the medical resources there were excellent and much less expensive than the USA. Many doctors in Guadalajara also had offices in Southern California.
Sounds right
*Gringos go home*
Guadalajara is my absolute favorite city in Mexico!! While all these RUclipsrs are busy giving us the cost of living of coastal towns and cities where expats are gravitating, im out here swimming upstream and trying to live in Guadalajara. I want a big city…and GDL is it🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Need to know best urban city museum. Theater, and all what a big city offers.. WOULD BE A GREAT VIDEO
I would love all those expats to start gravitating back to the US.
I’m glad you enjoyed Morelia! I moved here in December 2020, and love it every each moment. My top 3 was Morelia, Querétaro & San Miguel de Allende prior to moving here, Scott is a friend of mine here after his moved and we have a great group of expats in Morelia. Love the weather… similar to QRO & SMA. Best decision in my life!
@MX VINO Is there a Morelia expat FB group you’d recommend? We’re trying to narrow down our list of possible cities and having access to locals opinions is so helpful. TIA!
I am glad you loved Morelia. Actually I am from there, but I had to move several years ago to Mexico City, however I still continue to go often to my hometown. Please let le know should you have any questions about Morelia, con gusto te puedo ayudar. Saludos !
@@melissapowell4446 Sorry! I just read your message. Yes, Expats in Morelia & Morelia United. They are both great resources.
@@jaelmich Thanks Ismael, hope to see you when you’re in town. I love the Día de muertos here, a great vibe!
I really like the short interviews with people who live in a variety of areas , plus you have your own opinion having visited these places So obviously you really landed in the beautiful Central Mexico, which it would seem the Mexican people appreciate even more than beach towns for their daily life. I think steering clear of beach towns for actually making a home, makes more sense... because We all need somewhere to "vacation" right? :) I am always surprised that Campeche is overlooked, but it is definitely on my radar! Thanks for your terrific list!
Thanks for watching & yes, I've heard very good things about Campeche 🤓
I would add the charming lakeside town of Ajijic near Guadalajara. Lots of retired American and Canadian live there and most people in the town speak English. For a rather small town it has a great restaurant scene.
this may be of little interest here but, one of the most important events in Earth history is widely accepted to have happened near Mérida: the Chicxulub impact some 66 mil years ago. this asteroid impact was not only what caused the many cenotes in Yucatan, it also caused a mass extinction, including the dinosaurs. Mammals, including people eventually, then took over as the dominant animals on Earth.
Natural history is always interesting.
@@erldagerl9826 agreed but, few others are likely to chime in! 😶🌫
very nice comment, that is the reason why I want to live in Yucatan when I retire,
in you Yucatán, there are over 6000 cenotes, beautiful Beaches, Mayan ruins, natural beauty everywhere,
Thanks for sharing with the class.
@@jam9297 😄
LIKE A MEXICAN LIVING ON CHICAGO I SO SORPRICE HOY MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING TO LIVE ON MEXICO ARE IGNORING MOST OF THE WONDERFUL PLACES TO LIVE TO GO TO THE EXPENSES TURISTICS PLACES BUT ON DURANGO ITS SO CHIP SO MUCH BEUTY LIKE SWITZERLAND ON SIERRA MADRE
I've heard Durango is excellent for outdoor activities like hiking!
Thank you for the tip. In my bucket list.
Thanks Alex for the valuable info❣ I'm so over living in Houston and my very soul needs to get outta here! I've been researching for about a year now to find what places seem most suited to my "vision." I'm visiting the Lake Atitlan, Guatemala area in late spring as an exploration to see if it hits the spot. I have a dilemma because my soul craves the beach/ocean, but I truly can't tolerate high heat/humidity anymore.
I have gained a LOT of information from reading your subscriber's comments;grateful to all those who took the time to do so❣ But it's like my head is spinning with all the choices! I'm ready to leave the U.S. behind today! I'd be SO GRATEFUL for suggestions of smaller cities that are say, an hour from a beach but have cooler temperatures? Hopefully your AMAZING subs can chime in with suggestions! Maybe I'm just dreaming of a city like I described, but I'm ever hopeful! Many thanks to everyone❣
Ensenada is right on the beach and it has a great climate, not too hot not too cold. The Pacific ocean here hovers between the high 50's and mid 60's and keeps the weather nice. Buena suerte!
Excellent as always, Alex. I see you left off Chapala/Ajijic. Brave girl. :) Most everyone always includes that in their lists. Having lived in Chapala for 14 years and recently visiting again, I would leave it off my list, too. Too much traffic, people, wall-to-wall businesses, parking problems, etc. and has lost its magic charm for us. The infrastructure and local government has deteriorated badly. We plan to check out Puebla and Morelia again.
Thanks for watching, Phil & for sharing your experience in Chapala!
Morelia is a vibrant city but the traffic is insane.
Thxs for this wonderful video!! Mexico is a fantastic country in every aspect. I have lived in Puerto Vallarta, Playa Tijuana, current!y in Cancun. Cancun is my favorite. Cabo, Mexico City, GDL are all wonderful. Looking forward to visited each city in this video. I found your guest to be interesting and accurate. Muchas Gracias to the fine citizens of Mexico. ☺
How is the utilities and plumbing in Playa Tijuana? I am looking to move from San Diego to Playas. I am researching it now . Thanks in advance for your help
Love this so much! Cannot wait to talk about Baja California Sur and why it's the BEST with you next month! Would love to transport myself there right now tbh 🤣
We’re so excited to have your expertise inside the Move to Mexico Membership 🇲🇽 thanks for contributing to this video, Laura!
Nice video. Covers almost all key cities to live. Wish Saltillo, Ensenado, & San Felipe had also found its way into this list.
Other highland cities to consider: Cuernavaca, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosi and Taxco. For those who need to be close to the US, Ensenada (just south of Tijuana) would be a reasonable option too.
Love love love Guanajuato 🤓 thanks for sharing these places in Mexico! Ahhh so many places yet to visit!
@@alex-wittman have you done any videos about Guanajuato city? please share!
I'd love to know more about Merida. Bummer you didn't have someone talk about living there like in other sections. Hope you can do more on this area.
Thanks for the feedback, Bobby! I have more on Merida coming!
If you like extreme heat along with extreme humidity you'll like Merida because has both in abundance most of the year..
Pleaseeeee do more videos speaking more indept about mexico city......thank you so much for these informative videos
Great list Alex!! It’s hard to choose lol. I will most likely “retire” in Morelia as it’s close to my hubby’s hometown, but I also love it there it’s the only place I feel at hone. I do fantasize about living in CDMX though ❤️
Morelia is lovely, but I fall more and more in love with CDMX every time I visit 🤩
what are your fav places for cafes and lunch in morelia? what about activities (zoo hikes etc). you dont feel danger there? i saw a vid with all these homeless tents downtown and that was a bit shocking not sure if that was an all time thing but I think I can't quite afford real estate in qro so I'm thinking morelia there are some great houses with a bit of land but only 8 mins to centro
Puerto Escondido is wonderful beautiful and compelling. You gotta talk about the climate though. It is hotter than Haidies for the majority of the middle of the day. And that’s during the cold time of year. You gotta love the roasting temps or you’re gonna have to move. But an absolutely lovely place.
I definitely recommend checking out this followup video: ruclips.net/video/M1s1LLLPjl0/видео.html
I'm practicing getting accustomed to the heat and humidity of Merida by living in Alabama first.
Really Amazing video. Loved the friends comments. Very personalized, useful touch. Just starting my expat research journey. Much obliged.
Glad it was helpful!
Maybe you should also touch on the not so great things, like the air pollution in Guadalajara. The first time I got a good look at the city from above I was shocked to see a brown layer of haze hanging over it. And the smell when I got in! Reminded me of my area in the early eighties.
I hope you're subscribed, Terry! Because I have a very interesting video coming to the channel 🤓
@@alex-wittman no, I'm not. Kinda tired of watching upbeat RUclipsrs glossing over important details. I've been living in Mexico for over six months, and I have seen some things. So called, "paradise," areas where untreated sewage flows into a lake, for instance. Convicted murderers posing as lawyers... 🙄 Beggars, pickpockets..... I'll stop now.
@@terrycavender I hope you find a place that makes you happy!
@@alex-wittman thank you, but these are just things I have observed, but never seen mentioned. My own happiness is not connected to them. Right now I'm just slow traveling Mexico.
Gosh, great vid. I am Jones'en for some Mexico! I swore I wouldn't live another year in North Carolina and this winter but here I am....Oaxaca looks like my place along with Puerto Escondido!! Every city was great, I am putting this vid in my favorites photo for researching for when I finally move to Mexico!
I'm so glad to hear your found it helpful! Keep your eye out for what I hope will be an interesting PART 2!
I just found your channel and subscribed. My wife and I are in the process of purchasing a home in Los Cabo’s. I’ll be retiring in two years at the young age of 54 and we are planning on spending half the year in Cabo and half of the year in Southern California. If we love it, I really see us selling our home in California and purchasing a nice place somewhere in central Mexico. We would like to find a place where the weather is cooler. We have some really nice ideas after watching this video. So thank you.
Thanks for watching & welcome to our community!
Los Cabos is my favorite place in the world, I also want to retire there
I’ve heard Xalapa, Veracruz the capital of said state is quite nice. Smaller and it has a university. I agree with the woman who spoke about Mexico City. Like most places you find your niche and live and play there while still having options in the rest of the city.
FOLLOW-UP VIDEO: ruclips.net/video/M1s1LLLPjl0/видео.html Hear foreigners living in these SAME CITIES in Mexico share what you NEED TO KNOW before moving there!
I travel a lot in Mexico. Once in Acapulco I had a group of younger friends and one was black, so there are some black Mexicans, but they appear rare. Also, there are several Indian tribes in Mexico - surprisingly, many Mexican Indians do NOT speak Spanish. There are several Indian tribes in Mexico and there's several Indian languages as well. Yeats back, I estimated that 80% of Mexicans speak Spanish - there are a lot that speak Indian languages.
My favorite picks?
San Miguel de Allende,
San Luis Potosi,
Guadalajara, Jalisco
Zamora y Paracho, Michoacan
and Santiago NL
Manzanillo used to be high on the list but it is extremely dangerous now.
Super helpful video and very well done! Keep up the great work!😊
Glad it was helpful, Kirk!
Great video. It really opened my eyes about all the possible options of where to live in Mexico. I just figured I'd move to Mexico City but now I have a bit of work to do to figure out where would be best for me.
I want somewhere "safe".
Somewhere with good transport links so I can explore other areas of Mexico easily at weekends.
Lots of trees/hiking nearby for the afternoons/evenings.
And somewhere where there's a decent shared workspace so I can easily meet other foreigners/expats/immigrants.
Shouldn't be too difficult, right?
Got a hint of Stefan... "Mexico city really has it all ..." Love the vid
Excellent overview, thank you.
Honorable mentions from a mexican residing in tx
San Felipe Guanajuato
Smallish, affordable, great weather
Guanajuato City
University, great weather, hub , picturesque
Chapala Jalisco
Water sports, fishing, tequila
Hey Alex, I have not commented for quite some time, but have been watching and enjoying all your episodes. This particular episode is very good. Giving lots of information and knowledge on all the different places for people to consider visiting or living. Keep up the great work Alex! I’ll be hanging out and following along. 👍🏻😎🇨🇦
Glad to have you hear, Gerald! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
One year on...but great to stumble across your review Alex! I've watched many travel vlogs and Guanajuato consistently came up among favourites. My girlfriend and I are moving to Mexico for 6 months (or longer) in April - and are making Guanajuato home for the first half...before moving to Merida. Being an Aussie farmboy - I didn't want Big City life straight up. Also when digging a little deeper - April/May are the hottest 2 months in Merida. Coming from our hot Queensland summer...I wanted a break from the heat - and researched the best mountain towns for a cool change. I'll check out your channel...but did you spend time in Guanajuato? Cheers, Farmer Gregie :)
I was happy to see Mexico City on your list. I have been there and love it. I am very much oriented towards urban environments. That is the only place I would consider to live because there are enough museums and sights to keep me occupied.
I live in México City, I really think is the most amazing big City in the world, it has ecerything, great culture, weather, food, cosmo, beautiful place.
@@ivansanchez8458 Thank you for this. I was supposed to return in January, but the omicron variant was rising at the time, so I had to delay my visit.
Thanks for your interesting videos! I would like to hear from someone living in the Huatulco and Puerto Escondido and other areas of Oaxaca state, as well as Zihuantanejo, Manzanillo area, Loreto, and Sayulita Mexico.
Would love to know your thoughts on Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo. We (and many canadians) love it there; wondering if you have any thoughts on how it compares to the other places mentioned for living.
Love Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, I think it is a beautiful place to live
Would like to know more about La Paz, BC. I need to live close to the water, have access to good medical care, want to know what the cost of living is, what amenities exist and what the infrastructure is like. Thanks
I live there. You would get a ton of information on Facebook Groups about La Paz. It's definitely close to the water - which is a huge selling point because there's no waves and tons of sea life in the Sea of Cortez, has good medical care, the cost of living is probably a tad higher than mainland Mexico cities of similar sizes but not as expensive as Cabo, infrastructure/amenities are all good for Mexico. It's about 99 degrees as a high half the year but the rest of the year has perfect weather. You'll want access to a pool and a/c but its definitely a location that would make all these lists if people knew about it.
I would include Durango and San Luis Potosi. -Marc
Great and informative. My only wish is you would have gone over more of the cons. Every city sounded wonderful, but it's not all good. Many cities lack what Westerners expect every city to have. You can't always depend on conveniences like a 24/7 Walmart. And then there's crime you didn't discuss unless I missed it. My wife is from Mexico, and she's seen the poverty and crime firsthand. The danger may be exaggerated by many, but it's real and needs to be openly discussed, such as which areas are safer than others.
For cons, check out this follow-up video: ruclips.net/video/M1s1LLLPjl0/видео.html
Oh so glad I found ur channel! I'll subscribe. Thank you sooooo much for your content. So informative, appreciated.
Welcome to our community, Marcus!
Thank you SO MUCH for this video. 🙂
LOOOOVE Mexico City!!!! The public transportation can't be beat. You can literally get across the entire city for 25 cents (USD). It doesn't feel overwhelming at all (by my standards). You'll never run out of things to do/see and you're close to other major cities. However, I've decided on the Pachuca area b/c of CDMX's infrastructure problems caused by the city sinking. Pachuca is a cheap, short bus ride away and the state of Hidalgo is one of the cheapest. Honestly, there isn't much to do in Pachuca, but its proximity to CDMX and other major cities makes it doable. I'll be close to loads of water parks and a day trip away to las Grutas de Tolantongo. And....almost no foreigners!!! (bonus in my book)
Thanks so much for sharing, Jenny!
ruclips.net/video/TOXumz3PTNc/видео.html
So, I'm thinking about greater CDMX -- Tula, Pachuca, Cuernavaca, and Toluca. I'm interested to know what you know/think about those areas...TIA
After traveling about 8 months of my life throughout Mexico id say most of the best places fortunately don't make top lists that i have come across on RUclips channels. Greatful the truly great places are still a secret kept to those who venture off the usual gringo trails. My experience with these lists are that prices tend to go higher along with crime in those places.
I hope you enjoyed your time in Mexico!
I was missing Monterrey, seems like a nice city! Have a friend who lives in Morelia, so would like to know more about this city, and also Guadalajara and Puebla.
I hope to visit Monterrey in 2022!
I’m surprised you didn’t cover Lake Chapala/Ajijic as that has the highest number of expats in Mexico if not the world!
At the time I filmed this video, I hadn't spent time there, but I finally visited at the end of 2023: ruclips.net/video/lyB7hq5UJnI/видео.html
Fantastic video!! Thanks so much :)
Glad you found it helpful!
Although I live in Oaxaca and I do like it, it certainly has his big negatives which you failed to mention.
Mostly other cities on your list do not have these these negitives.
Oaxaca is a very political state & city. Even the Communist party is strong here, not to mention, The teacher's labor union, Section 22; the Normalistas, the trash collectors, & other public workers, as well as the tremendous amount of graffiti. Also there is a tremendous amount of disruptive bloqueos & strikes. There is also a tremendous amount of graffiti marring buildings.
These are all things that would disqualify Oaxaca for most people, if they knew about it, and these are things that you should mention in future videos in order to be more accurate.
Most people would never never put up with these problems and would cross Oaxaca off their list immediately as a place to live.
These issues are not as prevalent in the other cities that you mentioned.
We live in Oaxaca because we are into the indigenous cultures, plus I graduated from a Mexican University in Cholula, Puebla many years ago, although I am from the United States originally.
I love Mexico. I lived there for 6 months in the 90's and I travel there frequently. I am considering it for retirement. During our drive through Mexico we had extended stays in Culiacan, Mazatlan, San Blas, PV, Patzcuaro, Cuernavaca, Oaxaca City, Puerto Escondido, San Cristobal, Palenque, Isla Mujeres and Playa del Carmen. One cautionary tale for the state of Michoacan (Zitacuaro), my partner and I had a very ugly experience with corrupt federales who were attempting to extort a huge bribe from us. It was like something out of a movie. I've never seen such dark souls as those three men. They were coked up and liquored up, traveling with their families (wives & children!) as were we. They were from Morelia. We left town in the middle of the night. There is no way I will travel in that part of the country ever again. Sadly. Uruapan and Patzcuaro were two of my favorite places in the entire country.
The federal police were eliminated by the current president AMLO
Guadalajara is an excellent city. It's in a part of Mexico with very progressive and educated Mexicans making it one of the most wealthy states in Mexico - Jalisco!
Love your videos Alex! Ensenada, Baja California won me over a few years ago and I can’t wait to live there! Rosarito and San Felipe, B.C. also on my list, and Guaymas, Sonora is as well.
Thanks for watching, Jason! Ahhhh I need to do a BIG trip up and down Baja California 🤓🇲🇽
@@alex-wittman do it! And check out Sonora for us too!
Do you Know San Carlos?
There are many good options my best are: Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende, Cancún, Morelos, Puebla.
Coming from California a lot of our family agreed that Morelia felt very safe and adorable.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Nice job, Alex! How safe are these towns /cities you mentioned. I was in Queretaro last month and it seemed pretty safe.
There are better places like Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago, New York
Queretaro would be at the top of my list.
Thanks Alex for this insightful presentation and comments. As a wild card, I was told Cuernavaca/Tepoztlán area is great. Also Valle de Bravo for the outdoor activities is high on my list.There's a small town in the same area called Malimalco I was told is up and coming.
Excellent video Alex, thanks! 🤗
Thanks for watching, Lainey! I’m glad you found it helpful!
Interested in vacationing to Mexico, leaving all possibilities for both the 180 tourist stay on a second visit, all the way up to being an expat. But being an expat from the U.S. to Mexico might be a tight squeeze for the wife and I. We have some minor differences of life style, but I'm more than willing to make compromises. We are 66 and 69 years of age. I favor the beach, but the wife don't like hot hot, not much of anything over 80 degrees. Medical facilities and healthcare is a biggie, although both of us are relatively healthy (right now) . Some place with a rather large expat population because honestly speaking I have zero interest in the language. This is why I say "tight squeeze". Only willing to pick up the least for day to day living, otherwise I'm willing to be a hermit. LOL. From what I've seen so far (from afar) that might be a good fit are: Los Cabos; Lake Chapala (Ajijic)I'm really not interested in Architecture, the arts, character, history, and the like. More interest in people we can relate to, restaurants, clean and safe places, maybe an earshot to airports, and better than adequate healthcare. In comparison, I guess I can say that we bring a good income, and I generally lean toward conveniences. Of course I'm open to any suggestions anyone would have. Thank you Backpacking Brunette, you are providing a wonderful benefit for those of us researching Mexico.
Great information thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for sharing this video
Muchos lugares bellos, buenos, únicos y llenos de cultura existen en México.
Would you please add info about safety in there towns. I travel alone and often find myself walking at night. Would you do that in Mexico city or queretaro?
Love it !
I need to be in a beach community.
Guadalajara is very close to the beach - 3 and a half HOURS ?
WHAT ? Having grown up on the gulf coast of Florida, I consider 20 minutes A LONG WAY to the beach !
I'd like to know about docking my sailboat in Mexico, as a live-a-board. What port cities are best for this ?
Need to mentioned rents in these areas
Agusilantes (sp) - prices are very nice
Good explanation Alex 👌❤️❤️❤️
Nice documentary thanks
I really liked Queretaro in so many ways, I actually just did a “first impressions” video about it on my channel. But for living I had two issues: 1. There was a random sewer smell that would waft through the air downtown a lot. Gross. 2. My eyes itched the whole time.
Did you notice either of these two issues? Both my friend and I did and it was widely talked about in the FB expat groups, but never mentioned in these videos at least as far as I know.
Are we all crazy? ;)
I m living in LA Paz baja california sur from 6..7 years is a peaceful city with many beaches.
I've heard many wonderful things about La Paz & am hoping to visit later this year!
I want to live by the beach with close proximity to the stores! I dislike living in the USA,.😭😭😭
Tray rosarito baja california
Great video....Beautiful....Thank You.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Alex, thank You so much for the great video. So i'm from Switzerland and i'm considering escaping the winter here and going to spend 6 months in Mexico. From Switzerland we only have direct flights to Cancun which is not very practical, as I wanted to go to Puerto Vallarta and would have to take 3 planes. Now I am considering a city closer to Mexico City, I would like it to be close to the sea, that the climate is not too humid and that the city has a good structure, with everything close by and good transport or uber network, because I will be without car there. Can you give me any suggestions???.( PS; i speak gut spanish)
i will not tell where I am retiring in Mexico because I don't want it to be flooded by gringos like san miguel or riviera maya but I can tell you Its great and not too far from the US
La Paz really isn't that safe and PV is way to much of a tourist destination to consider it as an expat relocation city... Merida is really nice and we found a 24 hour restaurant/coffee shop a few blocks from Centro... The beach in Progreso is really close and a super easy drive or bus ride away. Then there is our personal favorite, Mazatlan!! A mixture of old and new and all the things that make Mx great... food, people, activities, climate, infrastructure , good cost of living, off shore fishing, boating, beaches, cliff divers, stone island for horse back riding on the beach, Carnival Mazatlan is one of the 2 largest in Mx followed a week later by the largest motorcycle rally in latin america, great medical facilities and doctors - a lot of them speaking english... Mazatlan definately should be in the top 10 places to consider as a retirement location in Mx. BTW, plenty of, but not TOO many, expats here and a lot of yearly snow birds from Canada... :)
Thanks for sharing your experience in Mazatlán, Mike!
@@alex-wittman my pleasure, for sure!! Keep up the good videos..
San Cristobal de las Casas, Ajijic Jalisco, Tapalpa Jalisco, Mazamitla Jalisco, and the best small town in Mexico is Susticacan Zacatecas, which is called the cleanest town in Mexico I have been trying to buy property there for almost 5 years but nobody wants to sell.
Thanks for sharing these awesome cities & towns!
Please… more info on San Miguel de Allende. Recently spent 2 months there and strongly considering moving there!
Which of these cities in Mexico would you like to learn more about? What would you have on your best places to live in Mexico list??
I would like to hear about Morelia. It sounds about the right size. Weather and cost of living would be great to know. Thank you
@@msmargiek48 If you haven't seen my Morelia vlog yet, you should def check it out! I will make a note that you're interested in a deeper dive, Margie 🤓 thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts!
@@alex-wittman Oh great, thank you so much.
What is your experience, if any, with Guanajuato? Thanks!
Hey, Alex. Can't believe you did a "Best Places" list and DIDN"T include Ajijic, or anything on the Mayan Riviera.
I can't stand mega-cities, so I would cut Mexco City, Guadalajara, and Puebla from your list. I would replace them with Ajijic, either Playa dal Carmen or Tulum, and Mazatlan.
I'd also like to squeeze in Todos Santos somewhere on the list, but I'm not sure which of your other cities I'd knock off to make room. Laura (Eternal Expat) turned me on to that little gem awhile back when I was watching her channel.
Hi 👋. Great video!! We are a family of 3 , meaning husband myself and my 4 year old. We are planning to move to Mexico. Currently , we are living in South Florida. We like to be close to mountains or beaches. We rather to be in small cities but we are concerned about safety and schools. What city would you recommend the most!! We were thinking about Merida Querétaro ... please any inputs suggestions I would highly appreciate it
Taylor and I always say to each other that we think Queretaro would be a great place to raise a family!
Beautiful presentation. Amazing content. Thanks for all that detailed research.
Interested in Lake Chapala for us Canadian senior sisters who are very young in body and mind. Absolutely considering a move permanently 🤔 We reside in BC.
Hi! I’m from Jalisco, Mexico. Living in the USA. I suggest you to take a look on Ajijic town, great for retired people. It is on the riviera of the lake of Chapala. One hour from gdl City.
Hi! I also enjoyed ten of these eleven cities. Love most of them. She is right about how uncomfortably hot Merida is, but the depiction of San Miguel de Allende being cold shocked me. Generally speaking, San Miguel has the best temperature I’ve ever experienced (and I travel a lot!). If 70 degrees is not your thing, avoid SMA. 😂
By the way, Queretaro and San Miguel de Allende are only an hour apart so the weather is quite similar in my experience.
Winter nights and .mornings 30s and low 40s...not heat in houses....
ruclips.net/video/TOXumz3PTNc/видео.html
That's a nice list, Alex. We seem to be spoiled for choice. Merida, La Paz, and Puerto Vallarta capture my imagination the most from these recommendations. The bulk of the suggestions are larger spots, however. Do you have similar thoughts for smaller places? What about living in communities near(ish) these bigger towns, where you could take advantage of the more varied amenities when you need, but enjoy small town life the rest of the time. I was thinking Progreso (for Merida), Todos Santos (for La Paz), and Sayulita (for PV) as examples. Have fun in La Paz. I agree with Laura - I thought it was wonderful too. Cheers.
Spoiled for choice is right, Mark! I'm very much a city person (two years in Madrid will do that to you), but I'm going to think on smaller places...perhaps a part two vid? Of the places you mentioned though, I've got to say, I would not live in Sayulita. Fun place for a party vacay with friends, but too much of a spring break vibe for me.
@@alex-wittman Okay. You caught me. Of all the place I mentioned, Sayulita is the only one I haven't personally visited. But you get the point; I'm looking for small towns within a quick commute of the larger cities you've profiled. Not that you asked, but I am happy in both big cities and small towns. I moved from Istanbul, which had 12 million people at the time, to a small community in southern Utah with fewer than 5,000 people. There are lovely advantages to both, and perhaps ideal for me is a smaller, self-contained and independent community (not a suburb) near the big city. I would love a part two vid continuing this theme if you choose to create one. BTW, you are sweet to respond to my comments, but I hope you don't feel obligated. Cheers.
Visited Sayulita earlier this month. Alex is totally correct in my opinion. Sayulita is Spring Break on steroids. If the party scene is your thing, go for it. But I did not like it. Love San Cristóbal and it is quite cheap. Kind of isolated though, which has both advantages and disadvantages. Love the indigenous influence there. Chiapas is Mexico’s poorest state, however. Love both Oaxaca and Puerto Vallarta. PV is home to a large gay community and is a very friendly place. The outdoor scene is amazing-don’t miss the botanical garden! Oaxaca is so colorful and the outlying artisan villages are fun to visit.
@@markfoley3923 I recently bought a house in Bucerias. Haven't spent a ton of time there yet but already in love (and booked renters for three full months right away.) Quick drive to both PV and Sayulita (and many other places along the Bay.) Also calmer and cheaper than PV, without missing the beach life. And as was noted in the video a few times, 3-4 hour drive to Guadalajara, like a one hour flight to CDMX from PV.
Great video, thank you. Please explore Vera Cruz, I'd like to visit it.
Great video! I have been exploring Mexico since 1978. My daughter and I will be staying in San Miguel for a month this upcoming July. In a couple of years I will decide where I to buy and retire. You videos help me decide on potential places to visit.
San Miguel is a dream place, my second favorite after los Cabos
Great video. I was hoping to see Guanajuato on your list as it is where I might move. Only an hour away from San Miguel.
Good choice! I do love Guanajuato!