If you enjoyed the video, help us out by subscribing to our channel! We have a lot more videos to come as we explore more of the country including tips about life in Mexico and how we're able to make a living here! 😊 - Lauren & Seth
I did enjoy the video, subscribed and liked. It's my first watch of your channel, too. I look forward to more, you've got me interested in being an ex-pat, or travel to Yucatan Mexico; and I never had before. Living in west -central Florida for years, rural area, but surely can't walk to anything much. How's the air conditioning down there??? lol I feel like I'd like it there in the spring and fall but otherwise, idk.
@@Richannplayshop Awesome! We're so glad to have you along. Moving down here is the best choice we've ever made, we're hoping to make it last as long as possible and after that come back down for retirement. Central Florida is beautiful too, and kind of similar to Yucatan in many ways. Great questions- many places come with strong AC, but a lot of the ones we've seen only have it in the bedrooms. It does get super hot! A lot of people will get a place with a courtyard or backyard that has a lot of vegetation and that cools it down a lot as well. Many people try to get everything done in the mornings or evenings during the hottest months. Luckily such a safe area and active at night, our favorite thing to do is wait for the sun to go down and go out for some drinks and food. It cools down a lot, lots of live music, and a very good atmosphere. Also, we're currently traveling around the country a bit more to kind of see where we'd like to put down more permanant roots...and we've been so surprised at just how cool some parts of Mexico are down here! For instance, San Cristobal de las Casas in the Chiapas state (about 470 miles from Merida), is 40s-50s in the nights and mornings and mid-70s during the day. Cool year-round due to its high elevation. Apparently, a lot of other places in Mexico are like that as well. Good luck with your decision, we both highly recommend coming down and checking some places out down here, we have really fallen in love with it here. Yucatan is the perfect place to start, and where we'll be heading back to after exploring a bit more. Thanks for watching!
I'm grateful that I found your channel. I've tried following other channels about expats living in Mexico and I just didn't quite get the feel. You two are much more down to Earth than others. I'm from Texas and I think our state's friendliness comes from its Mexican heritage. Mexico is my favorite country in the world. There isn't much to miss about the U.S.
That is so cool and after living here, we can believe it! Never been up to Quebec City, but heard great things! We did visit Montreal and it's one of our very favorite cities in the world. Didn't have the time to get up to Quebec City on that trip though. Stay warm, which part of Canada do you live in?
No offense, but many Americans are of Latin heritage, who became American citizens. In South Texas, many "Americans" know how friendly people from Mexico, really are.
Having always lived in walkable cities with decent public transport I can't imagine ever living somewhere where you have to drive everywhere.... it's definitely something I take for granted! Overall Merida sounds like a really nice place to live.
Honestly, we're wondering now how we ever did it haha. It's the source of so much stress having to fight through traffic constantly and worrying about your car breaking down, etc. Merida so far has been a really good spot to call home for the moment. Thanks for watching :)
In talking about availability of food and not having the opportunity to find a good quick meal, you are missing a huge gastronomical experience in not eating the fantastic street food you can find all over Merida and the Yucatan. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
That is a great point. Thanks for the advice! We did eat quite a lot of street food while staying in Valladolid before Merida, and it was great. We must have eaten 2 dozen marquesitas, sopas, churros, etc. :) We were even surprised to see how many hotdogs and hamburger food carts there are here and they're excellent! Where we're staying in Merida the ones convenient to us are mostly desserts but that is still very worth noting! It sure would be nice if more cities in the US would have those everywhere! Cheers! :)
We love Merida. We’ve been here for almost 7 years but we live north of the city and we have a huge yard for our dogs with tons of grass. Couldn’t get that in centro. We do have a car since we don’t live in centro but we are used to that since we’re from L.A. Merida is muy tranquilo. Welcome and enjoy.
That is amazing! It sounds like you guys have a lovely oasis. There are definitely times when we wish we had a vehicle in Mexico but at least the public transportation has been easy use 😃 gracias por el apoyo!
Sounds like yall are having a fun experience! We are pretty happy in our region of the US. But it does sound very exciting to travel long term and check out new ways of life in new places. Glad you are getting to live that out. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us!
Yes it has been a great experience so far! I totally understand. There are so many amazing parts of the U.S. to visit and to live 😊 thanks for watching!!
It's so underrated! It wasn't even on our radar until a blogger named NomadicMatt visited and talked about how nice it was on his Instagram stories. Caught our eye because of the location in the middle of the Yucatan Peninsula and the cenote in town, but we quickly realized it had even so much more going for it. It's a special place. :) Thanks so much!
@@laurenandseth Yes, I've been to Valladolid. We were at the town square at night, what a vibe of families together, and the street food was awesome! My kids were smaller then, and when we were walking around the town square, I told them, "look at all the people out here enjoying themselves, they don't watch TV for hours, like in America." Even the policeman was nice, when he told me I had to move the car since I had inadvertently parked in a no parking area, on the perimeter of the town square. While stopped at a red light at an intersection, a young boy, about 7-9 years old saw me, and came right up to my window, and he said that he wanted to speak to me, because, " I want to practice my English", which he spoke pretty well!
I was in Merida a month ago. It was a blessing not being around so much processed fast food. Everything was fresh and not genetically modified. The food and medical system in this country are killing us. My air bnb had a washer and dryer. Good luck guys. I'm moving in a few months. I'm checking out Queretero. The driving in Merida drove me crazy. A roundabout every mile. Lol I was there for two weeks and didn't miss the U.S at all.
That is very true as well! The markets here are so incredible and everything is so fresh. It's amazing having healthy food that's actually affordable. Haha, I can see that with the roundabouts, they are a bit excessive... reminds us a bit of France with that, especially on the street modeled after the one in Paris! We haven't heard too much about Queretero but looking it up now and it looks nice, we'd love to hear about how you like it there! Best of luck to you and we're not missing the US at all right now either :D
@@laurenandseth Thanks. I’ll keep you posted on Queretero. It’s like Merida but the temp is between 70-90 all year round. It’s extremely clean too. I love the mountains.
I got the solution for dirty underwear ,Don't wear any. You want fast food go to street vendors ,taco's don't take long .There are many beautiful place in Mexico where your rent will be around $175.00 USD to $300.00 USD per month .If you are in a touristy or high expat area you'r rent most likely will be much higher .
Haha! Love the solution for underwear and you're not wrong. :) On the cheaper rent, that's true. I think when we're going to stay in an area for a really long term stay 1-4 years, we'll try and find a more affordable area away from all the expats and tourists. That'll be easier as our Spanish improves too. For now we want to experience a bit more of Mexico before signing any leases or anything like that. Thanks for a great comment, made us smile. What are some of your favorite areas in Mexico?
Love the live music and compilation for your intro! Merida looks wonderful and seems like a wonderful place to live. What a cool experience! Will def re-watch this video before traveling around Mexico! Def on our post-pandemic bucket list :)
Let me tell you I got reverse culture shock. I’m an American and left to Mexico for five years to work for an American company. When I went back to San Francisco I was so shocked that I really just wanted to go back to Mexico. It took me about a year to get used to the grind and American way of life but I still miss Mexico and am sure I will retire there. The people are warm and really kind and you feel more loved with your friends. Weird that I still can’t get that feeling here.
Thanks so much for the awesome feedback! It's great to be here in Mexico and to be learning more about the country as we go. We're so glad you enjoyed it and subscribed! :)
Merida is for sure a good choice worth checking out! It does get super hot in the summer but it's nice that it's just about 30 miles from the coast and also close to thousands of cenotes (sinkhole swimming holes that generally have really nice, clear water). We're going to try and explore as much as possible of Mexico before we put down any long-term roots anywhere though. There are quite a few cities in Central Mexico that are cooler, close to mountains, and also known to be safe, and have a laid-back lifestyle that we can't wait to check out as well! Some examples are San Cristobal de las Casas, Oaxaca, Puebla, and San Miguel de Allende. If you're also looking for smaller cities, Valladolid which is right between Cancun and Merida is another awesome place to consider! We spent 5 weeks there and it was so nice :)
Think it would be such a great experience to live as an expat. So glad you are both enjoying your time and embracing other cultures and another country as home.
We have been wanting to try it for a long time and now we’re finally able to! It’s been one of the most amazing experiences and a huge learning opportunity. Thanks for watching & I hope you’ll try it out sometime too! 😊
Yooooo! Just came across your video. No undie problem what so ever! They come back folded, and smell fresh! New to the area and im love. Not only for lavanderias, but with merida. Cheers.
Now that we've started using them (even for our underwear :D) since this video, they're really a game changer! Love them! Merida is fantastic. We're in Central Mexico now but looking forward to heading back that way in the near future!!
You said that right, mi amigo! Thanks for watching! 😊 San Diego is amazing! That was our launching point into Mexico for the first time! We took the train to the border and walked into Tijuana. It’s a great location!! 👍
Thanks to you guys, we are going to visit the Big Fish filming location. We are visiting my sister who just moved to AL for Spring Break. Rosalie and my wife are excited to see the Goats!!!!!
Guys!! That is so awesome! I can’t wait to see the video from your trip there. I hope you guys have a fun and safe trip! I know your sister will be excited to see you all 😄👍
Hey Lauren & Seth...congrats on taking a true leap of faith with all your adventures in Merida, Mexico! It's so cool to see you both truly living & taking advantage of the limited time we all have in this lifetime. This is truly an amazing video, PACKED with SO much informative information which the pace flows so smooth. #pantyproblems hahaha - funny, but not really. I hope you can find a better perm. solutions moving forward, as I would totally feel the same way! Good to see you so happy, love the visuals & edit, and love seeing you create content you love!! Be safe & I'll be looking forward to your next one!! -Shawn
Thanks so much for the great comment! We love seeing this :) So true about us having limited time. Haha, yeah we almost have to just laugh about the #pantyproblemz at this point :D We're loving your channel as well, looking forward to more content from you as well! Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks so much , I have been interested in moving to Merida mexico for awhile. I have lived in Europe for a while, worked and lived in the Mideast. I will be watching more of your videos. Thanks
Awesome, highly recommend it! It's worth the heat. Living in Europe sounds so nice, we both love traveling there any chance we get. Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the comment! :)
Great video , guys. Thank you . We had to buy washer and dryer , little kids activities require several times per day washing clothes :) Good Luck with your journey :)
I always travel Mexico without a car and wish I had one. When I move down I'm bringing mine, traveling is always easier with one. I would eventually stop driving thought when I find a long term place to stay. Driving does suck, you have to keep up on bills and you have to stay sober if you have to drive
That's a good idea. We haven't rented a car here yet but it's going to have to happen soon because we have some off the beaten path places we want to see. A car would be convenient, especially for road trips outside of town! Haha so true about having to stay sober and all the bills, it's always something with cars!
Prepping to sell our house in Nashville to travel around and settle in Mexico indefinitely as well and this is the first video of yours I came across before watching several more :) You are both such beautiful people inside and out and it has been such a great pleasure to be shown around the country by you two. I've lived in Guanajuato and Chapala. I highly recommend visiting Sayulita near Puerto Vallarta. It was a favorite of mine on my second stay there and I ended up spending nearly half of my time there :) Much love and gratitude to you both for introducing me and my family to such amazing places I'm very excited to see for myself
Thank you, that means a lot! :) We haven't been to Puerto Vallarta yet or Sayulita, they are on our list for ASAP! We've only visited the Oaxacan Riviera and a little bit of Baja on the Pacific side. We're so excited to see more of it. That's very exciting that you are prepping to move down. Safe travels and hopefully our paths cross in Mexico! :)
I'm really thinking to move to Mexico 🇲🇽 I have a Mexican family, after I watched this video I decided to live in Merida because it's safe place to live as you mentioned, thank you so much for your video.
I'm here because I want to do the same thing. Hope things go well for you guys. And best of luck with your channel. As you move around Mexico, I would love to hear about language barrier issues. My biggest fear is the fact that I do not know any Spanish
Thanks so much and same to you! We'll make language barrier issues a topic video in the near future for sure! I'd say you'll be fine for a few reasons and with a few tips. We're getting better with speaking Spanish as we go but when we moved down we only knew basic terms and words. One thing we did was download the language on the Google Translate App, it's free and has been a life saver when we don't have cell service or anything, we still have the whole language when in a pinch. It also works with your cellphone camera if you want to hold it over a sign or a menu. It's pretty cool! Another thing we did to start out was learn every 10th number 10-100 in Spanish. That way we could understand prices a bit more when catching a taxi, shopping, etc. To start with you could also just carry a small calculator or use the one on your phone and many people will put the amount in for you if you don't understand it. Many people only do not speak English here BUT we've noticed most people are super patient with us English speakers, while we try to use our translator apps and things like that. :D Especially if you learn the basics and can just greet them in Spanish at least. Good luck on your travels, looking forward to hearing about your experiences in Mexico!
My wife and I went to Merida Mexico last year and it definitely was a great experience. I’ve been trying to get people to go and see for themselves. Needless to say we’re going back next year for longer and to look for a place to stay!!!
Thank you! Glad it was helpful for you. Good luck with your move and great choice considering moving to Merida. After traveling all over the world...we both can honestly say it's a truly amazing place to be!
We've been living in Progreso for 3 years and took our laundry to a lavendaria for the 1st 2 years, underwear and all. No biggie. Most everyone wears it.
Happy to hear yall live there ... I currently live in Anaheim Ca and my roots are from a small town/village , Tunkas and own a home there and also plan to retire and move back...like we say si Dios quiere .
That's awesome. Been through Anaheim, really like it here! I just looked up Tunkas, we've been super close to there without knowing it! I love the small villages in Yucatan...so peaceful! Retiring back is a great idea. The US is nice but I can already see it's just not the same as being in Mexico! Thanks for a great comment -Seth
If you rent a house and or apartment in Merida , many of them have a leaking roof for some reason lol BTW we had some time in Russia and the have no dryers as well .
@@MigueltorrucoRivera i understand , in Russia people do that too. Once we tried dryers in US - its amazing. Clothes are dry within minutes and its less damaging unlike sun and dust outside. We bought a set of washer and dryer here in Mexico and wife is happy to use it now. She has to wash clothes daily since 5 little kids stain things a lot :)
Most Europeans cities don’t have dryers either. They are not common outside of the U.S. I lived in Barcelona and London... no dryers. Time to line dry or heat radiator-dry your clothes if you live in a cold & rainy place like London.
Wonderful! Great commentary on pros & cons and your experience in general of expat life in Mexico so far. And congrats on the growth and success of your channel. Well done, my friends 👍. Big like and full play. Thanks for sharing and enjoy your day 😀.
Very informative, thanks! I moved to Prague CZ from the States back in 2011 and never looked back! Surprised to hear how safe Merida is, and that you don't need a car. Cool!
I’m from Atlanta actually Gwinnett buss only runs Monday to Friday and it’s like 2 for hr sometimes 1 for hr wait not good . Rent its1000 n up for 600sqf !
Nice to hear from someone else who knows what it's like living in ATL! We really like it there overall. But honestly, the prices in the US are ridiculous and with all the extra expenses, it can really start to weigh you down! I feel like it can be worth it but it can also be so stressful.
Welcome to Merida! My husband and I have been here since October 2019 and we love it. Trying to get my son to come so I like to see all ages moving here.
Just came across your channel, well done. I’ll be in Puerto Vallarta for the month of December, with the thought of spending more time in Mexico. Looking forward to exploring more of Mexico.
I'm not sure if that one is still there. Will do some digging and find out if the largest is still in Merida. I know after about 9 months of being closed due to covid, the city opened back up it's famous street markets/flea markets back in December. We visited a few and they were awesome! The fresh food is still there for sure. We've never had such easy access to so much amazing, fresh and healthy foods!
We love that you are trying something different and seeing what other places are like. Personally I could never do what you are doing as I like the U.S. lifestyle. We respect what you are doing and have enjoyed seeing your adventures and hearing about them as well. Even not being able to get your underwear washed.....lol Sounds funny but that is a tough one. We will continue to watch and enjoy your new lifestyle so hang in there and stay safe.
Totally get that, there is for sure a lot we miss about the US as well, road trips being one of them! Helps to watch all the RUclips videos! :) Haha yeah the underwear thing has been interesting for sure. Thanks guys!
I heard that! Lauren is working full time for a US based jewelry sales company and I'm doing freelance work so far, I'm considering looking for something more full time and remote as well in the future though! The cost of living definitely makes it a lot easier! Cheers man! -Seth
After listening to all your pros and cons, it sounds like pros outweigh the cons! 😄 Love the sound of a laid back island time place ☺️ honestly feel like heading to Mexico right now! Sounds amazing there. Really enjoying your videos about Mexico 😄 funniest con definitely had to be the pantyproblems 🤣 Really enjoyed this video, thanks for the real talk about opportunities as an expat in Mexico ☺️
Haha I agree that there are more pros than cons! It definitely feels more relaxing living everyday life here than in the U.S.! I know you guys would probably enjoy some warm weather in your life right now 😂 I’m glad you liked the video & we’re hoping someone will come along with some advice to our #pantyproblemz lol. Thanks for watching!!
Also from Atlanta! Just spent a week in Islas Mujeres and Mexico just felt like home. Coming home to Atlanta after such an incredible experience is underwhelming. Plotting my next move, maybe to Mexico!
Merida is a great choice for sure! Thanks to the great food and shops, proximity to the beach, and how walkable and bike friendly it is. All of this just gives it a relaxed and enjoyable vibes that's hard to beat. We've heard the summers are really bad with the heat but at least there's all the cenotes nearby to cool off haha. Thanks for watching! :)
@@laurenandseth if you can deal with AZ heat you can deal with any heat lol, I'm also curious of the rainy and winter seasons, if any...Thank you guys💯
I been living in Mexico since 2013 and Literally in the Heart of Downtown Mexico City-Talking about Reforma, bellas artes. That's been my HOMELADN for yeah we go up to 11 years + I do Love Mexico wqith all my heart and Benn one year living in Cancun to in Playa de Carmen so so I'l actually move to Merida Norte jajaj. Hope meeting u up guys. Lovely Vid!
Nice vlog guys. Good to see you enjoying expat life in a new country. Yeah living in a downtown area of USA could be expensive. Good to know about the safety asoect here contrary to the popular beliefs about a typical Mexican city.overall a great content to watch comparing it to your life in usa.
Thank you! Exactly, we hadn't heard about this side of Mexico before because it doesn't seem to get much media coverage. So far, we're loving life down here and not in any hurry to go back to the US :)
omg thank you the best video i have seen so far about Merida, I'm for sure going to watch more as i plan my move... (anyone can answer this question for me) is it really that hot people have been telling me about the heat
That's awesome, thank you! Yes-not going to lie, it gets REALLY hot. However, people come up with unique ways to beat the heat there. 1. It's not too bad in the mornings and evenings. 2. The beach is nearby and cenote swimming holes which helps. 3. It's not hard to find places to rent with AC luckily, and even some with shaded areas in the yard. 4. Many people sleep in hammocks which helps with the heat a bit. 5. The drinks are cold, affordable, and delicious, For us, it's worth the heat and kind of makes it fun experience, especially if you're coming from a cold winter somewhere. However, getaways to much cooler cities in Central Mexico are always nice too. :) Good luck with your move, let us know how it goes!
I'm actually living in Mérida right now myself. Imagrated here from NC. Been here just over a month. I've never heard of the underwear cleaning problem that you speak of. 😳 Iv only used 1 lavanderia since I been here, and it's on 43 between 50 and 52. Enjoyed your video. Thx.
How much money do you have to save up to go down there? How long are you guys staying there for? What do you do for a living to support yourselves there ? Mexico’s wages are too low comparing to the US. I want to do something similar :(
Great questions, you really don't need a big savings. We had about $3,500 when we moved down and try to just live off of and save what we make while we're down here. There is not set amount you must have though. Lauren works full time for a US based company in jewelry sales and I, Seth do freelance work. I work with a few companies with website design, video editing and social media, things like that. We also both offer services on freelance sites like Fiverr, where you can really sell almost any service. For example, Lauren actually does voiceovers on there for things like voicemails and radio ads. I know a lot of people will move down here doing freelance writing, or other skills and online English teaching. Some require degrees, some don't. Lauren used to do that as well, but hasn't had the time lately. :) Let us know if you have anymore questions on it, we'll make a video about this exact topic in the near future!
Yes it's beautiful here!! Especially the weather lol. Thank you for watching and yeah I had to get a good laugh about the whole panytproblemz situation!!
From the ‘90s movie , “Timecop”: Senator Aaron McComb: “When I'm in office it's going to be just like the 80's. The top 10% will get richer and the other 90% can immigrate to Mexico where they can get a better life.” Well, we’re letting the top do it to us.
That's the truth! I'm going to check that movie out. We get a lot of questions about our live down here in Mexico from friends and family and often the question goes: "how do you afford to travel full time in Mexico?" And I always say: "Hell, I can't afford to NOT travel full time" Cost of living in the US is outrageous these days and getting worse!
in Mexico city, I think you need a car, depending where you live and work. If you want to get quick to your job, in car around 20 min is fine, otherwise in public transport is around 1.5 hours
I think we're looking in the wrong places! :) What are some good ways to look for apartments here? We've just been using Airbnb and Marketplace mostly, for now we're looking to avoid a lease because we've experienced so little of Mexico and we want to see a lot more of the country before putting down any roots, but in the future I think we're going to need a much better way of locating apartments, lol. Thank you! :D
@@laurenandseth Well I was about to say most people that I know we stay there now or had an apartment tour on RUclips went through a realtor/ landlord which was showing them the best nice luxury cheap places!
Loved this, and you guys. Just stumbled upon you. I'm gonna try 2 months in PV in 2 weeks. I appreciate the tips about daily life, street level stuff. Are you gradually working your way to the Pacific Ocean? Looking forward to more.
Thank you! And yes, so far we've spent quite awhile on the Oaxaca coast a few months ago, and briefly visited Baja years ago. So the Pacific is definitely where we want to spend a lot more time soon. Puerto Vallarta, back to Baja, etc. Cheers!
Hi Guys! My husband and I moved from Atlanta GA to México as well. Merida was initially our first choice, but we were concerned about the heat+humidity year-round so relocated to Santiago de Queretaro 🇲🇽 (which is also a very beautiful city 🌹). We also have two small dogs and didn't think the climate in Merida would work for the little guys (especially in those really scorching monthy). We do plan to visit the Yucatan Peninsula in the future. 😊 I know it's just March now with the real heat still to come, but would love to hear your feedback on dealing with the heat. Nice job! 👍
That's awesome guys! Was just checking out your channel, Santiago de Queretaro looks so nice! We can't wait to explore more of that side of Mexico! I totally understand about the the heat and the dogs. We haven't experienced the full on heat yet but we have had lots of days reach into the high 90s and super hot. We've heard about the notorious summers in Merida too. The people who have been living in Merida or are from there have recommended a few things to us to stay cool.. One is taking care of errands in the early morning, sleeping in a hammock. We personally love the AC but a lot of people in Merida advise against it, they say it's better to just run fans, cover the hot windows, and be super careful when picking a house/apartment. Try to get one with a backyard that has room for a garden or some vegetation and that REALLY cools things down. Does make sense, because AC runs the bill up and makes the outdoors less tolerable. Many people here also do siesta and take a nap during the hottest part of the day. For us, we love going out at night since it's a fun city to be out after dark, it's super safe, lots of live music and really cools down too. Also just having the beach and all the cenote swimming holes so close by makes it better. The cenotes that are covered are cool year round and the water is always cool in the cenotes. Can't wait to hear what you guys think about the Yucatan Peninsula and we're excited to see more of Central and Northern Mexico as well. :)
@@laurenandseth Hey Guys! ❣️ Santiago de Queretaro is truly a lovely (and very safe) city. If you guys do end up coming for a visit, don't hesitate to reach out and let us know. 😊 We've checked out your channel too; you guys have traveled quite a bit which is very cool. As for the heat, I am sure the locals in Merida know exactly what they are talking about in terms of adjusting to the heat.🔥 I will honestly tell you though, that I would have a hard time without having an a/c in the hottest months especially with the humidy (having asthma makes it difficult for me). We heard there is a lot of music/ family friendly action that goes on in the plazas in Merida after the sun sets ..that sounds like a ton of fun (we sometimes people watch & grab an ice cream here 😉 so we would love that). We would love to check out some cenotes! So....if you aren't a "great" swimmer, would you say cenotes are still a go..? Hope so..😁
Nice! Yeah, our favorite spots so far have been Mercado60 because most nights there's live music or dancing shows and lots of options to drink and eat. It also has a chill outdoor/indoor type atmosphere. Malahat is a cool speakeasy bar that we like going to as well! Check out Paseo de Montejo, it's a nice wide street, great for biking and walking, based off a street in Paris that has some pretty good restaurants and bars. A bit embarrassingly, we've been going to one called McCarthy's Irish Pub a lot there haha. Mainly just because it's the closest bar to our airbnb but the vibes are nice there as well. Make sure to try Mezcal if you haven't ever had it, it's extremely popular in Mexico and made here. It's a bit like tequila in taste, but it's stronger and you sip it instead of shoot it. :) Cheers and have a great trip!
Thanks a ton! We're feeling great, just need to lay off on the tequila and tacos a little I think lol. Yep, we're able to work remotely from US companies at the moment. Won't be permanent but fingers crossed it last a good while longer. The speeds here in Merida have been really good, more than sufficient. Here at our current apartment we get 83 mbps download and 79 upload. Lots of coffee shops here too and the parks and even a few entire streets offer free wifi. We've heard Merida is some of the best in Mexico though and are kind of dreading finding out about the speeds in central Mexico when we head that way. We've heard mixed reviews.
It's more lenient in the Quintana Roo state, they have a 11:30 curfew I believe but it doesn't seem to be too well enforced. There are speakers around town with automated recordings reminding people to wear masks to avoid fees but I'm not sure if they're actually issuing the fees, not everyone wears masks but I'd say at least 75 percent do. All of the beaches and outdoor spaces are open, night clubs are closed. As far as the Yucatan state, it's been much more strict. 11:30 curfew for driving and walking so everything closes earlier. The beach in Progreso completely closes for weeks surrounding any holidays, restaurants are limited capacity and literally EVERYONE it seems wears a mask at all times, even outdoors. Most stores only allow one person per party in at a time. Everywhere we've gone in Mexico so far also does temperature checks, sanitation pads for your shoes, and/or hand sanitizer when entering any facility. Some of the cities also have sanitation tents set up over the sidewalks where you get sprayed down and random people walking around giving out hand sanitizer. It's all pretty efficient really and other than the closed beaches we ran into in the Yucatan state, not of it has really made it too difficult to travel. Thanks for the great question! :)
I’m considering spending the few years before retirement, working remotely, and trying out ex-pat life. The thought being I am considering retiring outside of the US. Thank you for you video. Temu sells the little portable washing machines which would solve the underwear issue. Just a thought. 😊
The vibes definitely are different. Life is smooth sailing outside, every time I return to the U.S. someone tries to start a fight with me. Last time there were 3 within a 2 week timeframe.
Nice, we love Marietta and thought about moving there awhile back! :) So if you just get the 180 day tourist visa, our understanding is that the only way to extend it is to leave Mexico and then come back. Some people just go to Guatemala, Belize, etc or back to the US close to the end of their 180 days and then hope to get granted another 180 days when reentering. I think the only way to get a longer time up front is to apply for a temporary resident visa, which is for people that want to stay longer than six months, but less than four years. Good luck on planning your trip and feel free to ask away if you have any more questions about it! :)
Great video also good for you guys ! So, when you entered the customs and showed your passport, did they ask first how long you like to stay or did they just stamp it auto for 180 days ? Also, on the plane when you fill that stay custom paper did you have to fill out where you are going to stay and also for how long ? Also, did you have to buy round trip flight or just one way ?
Great questions, and thank you so much for the feedback! So almost always, you'll be granted 180 days, even if you say you're going to stay for a shorter time. They'll usually write it (180) on the visitors permit (FMM) card they give you, that you'll make sure to keep with you. (If you did lose it, our understanding is that it isn't the end of the world, you'd just have to go to an immigration office and apply for a new one, pay a fee, etc) If for some reason you aren't granted 180 days, you'd have to leave the country before your days run out and then reenter for more time on the tourist card. But our understanding is that it's basically always 180 days! The card we filled out on the plane did ask how long we'd be staying, and we wrote the maximum amount. It wasn't exact, but close. We simply wrote the name of our first hotel in Cancun, where we were staying for the first two nights. The immigration's officer asked what our plans were in Mexico and we told him we would like to stay for as long as possible on the tourist card before applying for an actual more long term visa, and he granted us 180 days and stamped the passport and that was it. Many people who want to stay longer still don't get a more permanent visa though, they simply leave the country for awhile and then re-enter in hopes for another 180 days! We just bought a one-way, which is why we were asked by the airline when checking in for the flight when we were planning on leaving the country. Again we just said a date that was close to around the maximum time allowed. We figured if we ended up getting granted less than 180 days for some reason, we'd just leave earlier than we had said to Belize or Guatemala and then return. We aren't sure what route we'll take when we run out of time yet, we've been discussing that lately! :) Good luck planning your trip, let us know if you have any more questions!
If you enjoyed the video, help us out by subscribing to our channel! We have a lot more videos to come as we explore more of the country including tips about life in Mexico and how we're able to make a living here! 😊 - Lauren & Seth
I'm glad you guys are doing well! I enjoy watching your videos. I miss ya girl! Maybe I can come visit one day 😊❤
I did enjoy the video, subscribed and liked. It's my first watch of your channel, too. I look forward to more, you've got me interested in being an ex-pat, or travel to Yucatan Mexico; and I never had before. Living in west -central Florida for years, rural area, but surely can't walk to anything much. How's the air conditioning down there??? lol I feel like I'd like it there in the spring and fall but otherwise, idk.
@@Richannplayshop Awesome! We're so glad to have you along. Moving down here is the best choice we've ever made, we're hoping to make it last as long as possible and after that come back down for retirement. Central Florida is beautiful too, and kind of similar to Yucatan in many ways.
Great questions- many places come with strong AC, but a lot of the ones we've seen only have it in the bedrooms. It does get super hot! A lot of people will get a place with a courtyard or backyard that has a lot of vegetation and that cools it down a lot as well. Many people try to get everything done in the mornings or evenings during the hottest months. Luckily such a safe area and active at night, our favorite thing to do is wait for the sun to go down and go out for some drinks and food. It cools down a lot, lots of live music, and a very good atmosphere.
Also, we're currently traveling around the country a bit more to kind of see where we'd like to put down more permanant roots...and we've been so surprised at just how cool some parts of Mexico are down here! For instance, San Cristobal de las Casas in the Chiapas state (about 470 miles from Merida), is 40s-50s in the nights and mornings and mid-70s during the day. Cool year-round due to its high elevation. Apparently, a lot of other places in Mexico are like that as well.
Good luck with your decision, we both highly recommend coming down and checking some places out down here, we have really fallen in love with it here. Yucatan is the perfect place to start, and where we'll be heading back to after exploring a bit more. Thanks for watching!
@@gabriellewatson9864 Hey! I miss you too and I hope you’re doing well! That would be so fun if you could come visit sometime!! 😄
can you guys not? so annoying we dont need anymore of you people here lol
I'm grateful that I found your channel. I've tried following other channels about expats living in Mexico and I just didn't quite get the feel. You two are much more down to Earth than others. I'm from Texas and I think our state's friendliness comes from its Mexican heritage. Mexico is my favorite country in the world. There isn't much to miss about the U.S.
Hi guys Merida supposed to be ranked the 2nd safest city in the American Continent just after Quebec City, Greetings from cold Canada!
That is so cool and after living here, we can believe it! Never been up to Quebec City, but heard great things! We did visit Montreal and it's one of our very favorite cities in the world. Didn't have the time to get up to Quebec City on that trip though. Stay warm, which part of Canada do you live in?
I love Quebec City. So beautiful and historic
Findly Americans
Are finding the true about
How nice people are in Mexico
Welcome to México
Thank you friend!
No offense, but many Americans are of Latin heritage, who became American citizens. In South Texas, many "Americans" know how friendly people from Mexico, really are.
Native Americans are also from Mexico and south. Anyhow Yucatan is a precious state in general.
Exelent vidoe!... So many young people are moving to mexico its crazy, thankyou guys for the feedback.
Thanks so much! :) It's a great place to be!
6:39 "You're killing yourself, but you're glad that you're saving time." What a quote!
listening to both of you makes me imagine I'm also living in Mexico it's a great city indeed enjoy your stay in Mexico guys and keep showing us around
Thanks so much! :) We're loving it here so far! We're enjoying seeing the natural beauty of your area on your channel as well!
Having always lived in walkable cities with decent public transport I can't imagine ever living somewhere where you have to drive everywhere.... it's definitely something I take for granted! Overall Merida sounds like a really nice place to live.
Honestly, we're wondering now how we ever did it haha. It's the source of so much stress having to fight through traffic constantly and worrying about your car breaking down, etc. Merida so far has been a really good spot to call home for the moment. Thanks for watching :)
Moved from London to coast of Spain (Cartagena) a few years ago..life is so much sweeter & simpler. Best of luck!
In talking about availability of food and not having the opportunity to find a good quick meal, you are missing a huge gastronomical experience in not eating the fantastic street food you can find all over Merida and the Yucatan. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
That is a great point. Thanks for the advice! We did eat quite a lot of street food while staying in Valladolid before Merida, and it was great. We must have eaten 2 dozen marquesitas, sopas, churros, etc. :) We were even surprised to see how many hotdogs and hamburger food carts there are here and they're excellent! Where we're staying in Merida the ones convenient to us are mostly desserts but that is still very worth noting! It sure would be nice if more cities in the US would have those everywhere! Cheers! :)
Loved this one! Thanks for the conversation about Mexico! :)
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it :)
We love Merida. We’ve been here for almost 7 years but we live north of the city and we have a huge yard for our dogs with tons of grass. Couldn’t get that in centro. We do have a car since we don’t live in centro but we are used to that since we’re from L.A. Merida is muy tranquilo. Welcome and enjoy.
That is amazing! It sounds like you guys have a lovely oasis. There are definitely times when we wish we had a vehicle in Mexico but at least the public transportation has been easy use 😃 gracias por el apoyo!
Sounds like yall are having a fun experience! We are pretty happy in our region of the US. But it does sound very exciting to travel long term and check out new ways of life in new places. Glad you are getting to live that out. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us!
Yes it has been a great experience so far! I totally understand. There are so many amazing parts of the U.S. to visit and to live 😊 thanks for watching!!
I’ve never been to Valladolid and have not seen many RUclipsrs who’ve lived there. That’s awesome. Best of luck on your new life and travel journey!
It's so underrated! It wasn't even on our radar until a blogger named NomadicMatt visited and talked about how nice it was on his Instagram stories. Caught our eye because of the location in the middle of the Yucatan Peninsula and the cenote in town, but we quickly realized it had even so much more going for it. It's a special place. :) Thanks so much!
@@laurenandseth Yes, I've been to Valladolid. We were at the town square at night, what a vibe of families together, and the street food was awesome! My kids were smaller then, and when we were walking around the town square, I told them, "look at all the people out here enjoying themselves, they don't watch TV for hours, like in America." Even the policeman was nice, when he told me I had to move the car since I had inadvertently parked in a no parking area, on the perimeter of the town square. While stopped at a red light at an intersection, a young boy, about 7-9 years old saw me, and came right up to my window, and he said that he wanted to speak to me, because, " I want to practice my English", which he spoke pretty well!
I was in Merida a month ago. It was a blessing not being around so much processed fast food. Everything was fresh and not genetically modified. The food and medical system in this country are killing us. My air bnb had a washer and dryer. Good luck guys. I'm moving in a few months. I'm checking out Queretero. The driving in Merida drove me crazy. A roundabout every mile. Lol I was there for two weeks and didn't miss the U.S at all.
That is very true as well! The markets here are so incredible and everything is so fresh. It's amazing having healthy food that's actually affordable. Haha, I can see that with the roundabouts, they are a bit excessive... reminds us a bit of France with that, especially on the street modeled after the one in Paris!
We haven't heard too much about Queretero but looking it up now and it looks nice, we'd love to hear about how you like it there! Best of luck to you and we're not missing the US at all right now either :D
@@laurenandseth Thanks. I’ll keep you posted on Queretero. It’s like Merida but the temp is between 70-90 all year round. It’s extremely clean too. I love the mountains.
Queretaro is also amazing and 2 drive to Mexico City and so close to other amazing places
I got the solution for dirty underwear ,Don't wear any. You want fast food go to street vendors ,taco's don't take long .There are many beautiful place in Mexico where your rent will be around $175.00 USD to $300.00 USD per month .If you are in a touristy or high expat area you'r rent most likely will be much higher .
Haha! Love the solution for underwear and you're not wrong. :) On the cheaper rent, that's true. I think when we're going to stay in an area for a really long term stay 1-4 years, we'll try and find a more affordable area away from all the expats and tourists. That'll be easier as our Spanish improves too. For now we want to experience a bit more of Mexico before signing any leases or anything like that.
Thanks for a great comment, made us smile. What are some of your favorite areas in Mexico?
Love the live music and compilation for your intro! Merida looks wonderful and seems like a wonderful place to live. What a cool experience! Will def re-watch this video before traveling around Mexico! Def on our post-pandemic bucket list :)
Thanks so much, so glad you guys enjoyed it! Mexico is so incredible! :)
Let me tell you I got reverse culture shock. I’m an American and left to Mexico for five years to work for an American company. When I went back to San Francisco I was so shocked that I really just wanted to go back to Mexico. It took me about a year to get used to the grind and American way of life but I still miss Mexico and am sure I will retire there. The people are warm and really kind and you feel more loved with your friends. Weird that I still can’t get that feeling here.
Same for me, I lived 3 years in Mexico and I can't wait to get back to Mexico.
New subscriber now, nice to hear umbias information from people who actually are in Mexico.
Thanks so much for the awesome feedback! It's great to be here in Mexico and to be learning more about the country as we go. We're so glad you enjoyed it and subscribed! :)
OK, I'm interested now! Looking for safe, green places to retire.
Merida is for sure a good choice worth checking out! It does get super hot in the summer but it's nice that it's just about 30 miles from the coast and also close to thousands of cenotes (sinkhole swimming holes that generally have really nice, clear water). We're going to try and explore as much as possible of Mexico before we put down any long-term roots anywhere though. There are quite a few cities in Central Mexico that are cooler, close to mountains, and also known to be safe, and have a laid-back lifestyle that we can't wait to check out as well!
Some examples are San Cristobal de las Casas, Oaxaca, Puebla, and San Miguel de Allende.
If you're also looking for smaller cities, Valladolid which is right between Cancun and Merida is another awesome place to consider! We spent 5 weeks there and it was so nice :)
Yes, now that you mention it, as I hadn't really considered retiring anywhere but the US; the idea intrigues me to go elsewhere.
Think it would be such a great experience to live as an expat. So glad you are both enjoying your time and embracing other cultures and another country as home.
We have been wanting to try it for a long time and now we’re finally able to! It’s been one of the most amazing experiences and a huge learning opportunity. Thanks for watching & I hope you’ll try it out sometime too! 😊
Im a full time online poker player and this video really makes me wanna try out Mexico
That's awesome! Sounds like the best job! :) Mexico is a great option, honestly!
Yooooo! Just came across your video. No undie problem what so ever! They come back folded, and smell fresh! New to the area and im love. Not only for lavanderias, but with merida.
Cheers.
Now that we've started using them (even for our underwear :D) since this video, they're really a game changer! Love them! Merida is fantastic. We're in Central Mexico now but looking forward to heading back that way in the near future!!
Good food, friendly people and beautiful weather , that's Mexico !! Saludos desde San Diego California! :)
You said that right, mi amigo! Thanks for watching! 😊 San Diego is amazing! That was our launching point into Mexico for the first time! We took the train to the border and walked into Tijuana. It’s a great location!! 👍
@@laurenandseth ;)
Thanks to you guys, we are going to visit the Big Fish filming location. We are visiting my sister who just moved to AL for Spring Break. Rosalie and my wife are excited to see the Goats!!!!!
Guys!! That is so awesome! I can’t wait to see the video from your trip there. I hope you guys have a fun and safe trip! I know your sister will be excited to see you all 😄👍
What a beautiful place. Love watching the colorful houses. The view is amazing. Thank you for sharing. Enjoy and have fun guys. Have a nice day.
Yeah I love all of the colorful houses too!! Thanks for watching 😊
Hey Lauren & Seth...congrats on taking a true leap of faith with all your adventures in Merida, Mexico! It's so cool to see you both truly living & taking advantage of the limited time we all have in this lifetime. This is truly an amazing video, PACKED with SO much informative information which the pace flows so smooth. #pantyproblems hahaha - funny, but not really. I hope you can find a better perm. solutions moving forward, as I would totally feel the same way! Good to see you so happy, love the visuals & edit, and love seeing you create content you love!! Be safe & I'll be looking forward to your next one!! -Shawn
Thanks so much for the great comment! We love seeing this :) So true about us having limited time. Haha, yeah we almost have to just laugh about the #pantyproblemz at this point :D
We're loving your channel as well, looking forward to more content from you as well! Thanks for stopping by!
You are so true I have lived all over this world and Cars suck and to over priced in the US !!
So true, it's always something expensive and stressful with cars!
Thanks so much , I have been interested in moving to Merida mexico for awhile. I have lived in Europe for a while, worked and lived in the Mideast. I will be watching more of your videos. Thanks
Awesome, highly recommend it! It's worth the heat. Living in Europe sounds so nice, we both love traveling there any chance we get. Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the comment! :)
Great video , guys. Thank you . We had to buy washer and dryer , little kids activities require several times per day washing clothes :)
Good Luck with your journey :)
Yes! I can imagine with kids it's absolutely essential to buy a washer and dryer! :) Thanks so much, we're glad you enjoyed the video!
I always travel Mexico without a car and wish I had one. When I move down I'm bringing mine, traveling is always easier with one. I would eventually stop driving thought when I find a long term place to stay. Driving does suck, you have to keep up on bills and you have to stay sober if you have to drive
That's a good idea. We haven't rented a car here yet but it's going to have to happen soon because we have some off the beaten path places we want to see. A car would be convenient, especially for road trips outside of town! Haha so true about having to stay sober and all the bills, it's always something with cars!
Prepping to sell our house in Nashville to travel around and settle in Mexico indefinitely as well and this is the first video of yours I came across before watching several more :) You are both such beautiful people inside and out and it has been such a great pleasure to be shown around the country by you two. I've lived in Guanajuato and Chapala. I highly recommend visiting Sayulita near Puerto Vallarta. It was a favorite of mine on my second stay there and I ended up spending nearly half of my time there :) Much love and gratitude to you both for introducing me and my family to such amazing places I'm very excited to see for myself
Thank you, that means a lot! :) We haven't been to Puerto Vallarta yet or Sayulita, they are on our list for ASAP! We've only visited the Oaxacan Riviera and a little bit of Baja on the Pacific side. We're so excited to see more of it. That's very exciting that you are prepping to move down. Safe travels and hopefully our paths cross in Mexico! :)
"...makes you question whether it should have been normal in the first place." Outstanding observation.
I'm really thinking to move to Mexico 🇲🇽 I have a Mexican family, after I watched this video I decided to live in Merida because it's safe place to live as you mentioned, thank you so much for your video.
Awesome, Merida is a great choice. If we had kids we always say we’d probably move full time to Merida. Good luck and enjoy amigo!
I'm here because I want to do the same thing. Hope things go well for you guys. And best of luck with your channel. As you move around Mexico, I would love to hear about language barrier issues. My biggest fear is the fact that I do not know any Spanish
Thanks so much and same to you! We'll make language barrier issues a topic video in the near future for sure! I'd say you'll be fine for a few reasons and with a few tips.
We're getting better with speaking Spanish as we go but when we moved down we only knew basic terms and words.
One thing we did was download the language on the Google Translate App, it's free and has been a life saver when we don't have cell service or anything, we still have the whole language when in a pinch. It also works with your cellphone camera if you want to hold it over a sign or a menu. It's pretty cool!
Another thing we did to start out was learn every 10th number 10-100 in Spanish. That way we could understand prices a bit more when catching a taxi, shopping, etc. To start with you could also just carry a small calculator or use the one on your phone and many people will put the amount in for you if you don't understand it.
Many people only do not speak English here BUT we've noticed most people are super patient with us English speakers, while we try to use our translator apps and things like that. :D Especially if you learn the basics and can just greet them in Spanish at least.
Good luck on your travels, looking forward to hearing about your experiences in Mexico!
My wife and I went to Merida Mexico last year and it definitely was a great experience. I’ve been trying to get people to go and see for themselves. Needless to say we’re going back next year for longer and to look for a place to stay!!!
Great video! Thank you!! We are looking to move to Merida and this was so helpful.
Thank you! Glad it was helpful for you. Good luck with your move and great choice considering moving to Merida. After traveling all over the world...we both can honestly say it's a truly amazing place to be!
We've been living in Progreso for 3 years and took our laundry to a lavendaria for the 1st 2 years, underwear and all. No biggie. Most everyone wears it.
This video has been so helpful thank y’all so much!
Thank you for watching! 😊
Happy to hear yall live there ...
I currently live in Anaheim Ca and my roots are from a small town/village , Tunkas and own a home there and also plan to retire and move back...like we say si Dios quiere .
That's awesome. Been through Anaheim, really like it here! I just looked up Tunkas, we've been super close to there without knowing it! I love the small villages in Yucatan...so peaceful! Retiring back is a great idea. The US is nice but I can already see it's just not the same as being in Mexico! Thanks for a great comment -Seth
If you rent a house and or apartment in Merida , many of them have a leaking roof for some reason lol
BTW we had some time in Russia and the have no dryers as well .
In Mexico dryer machines not really used couse we dry by the air and sun even rich people do that
@@MigueltorrucoRivera i understand , in Russia people do that too. Once we tried dryers in US - its amazing. Clothes are dry within minutes and its less damaging unlike sun and dust outside. We bought a set of washer and dryer here in Mexico and wife is happy to use it now. She has to wash clothes daily since 5 little kids stain things a lot :)
Most Europeans cities don’t have dryers either. They are not common outside of the U.S. I lived in Barcelona and London... no dryers. Time to line dry or heat radiator-dry your clothes if you live in a cold & rainy place like London.
Haha, good to know! :D That's interesting, we haven't been to Russia yet but it's on the list.
The sun here is perfect for that! We're really getting used to it, at least our cotton shirts aren't shrinking in the dryer anymore! :)
A fabulous upload you have done my dear friend . mind-blowing , entertaining , genuine .. God be with you always . my best wishes . love.❤️❤️
Many thanks! You too :)
Wonderful! Great commentary on pros & cons and your experience in general of expat life in Mexico so far. And congrats on the growth and success of your channel. Well done, my friends 👍. Big like and full play. Thanks for sharing and enjoy your day 😀.
New to your channel . Luv it✌✌✌✌😎😎😎👍👍👍👍👍👍👍😎
Awesome! Welcome and thanks so much! :)
Very informative, thanks! I moved to Prague CZ from the States back in 2011 and never looked back! Surprised to hear how safe Merida is, and that you don't need a car. Cool!
I’m from Atlanta actually Gwinnett buss only runs Monday to Friday and it’s like 2 for hr sometimes 1 for hr wait not good . Rent its1000 n up for 600sqf !
Nice to hear from someone else who knows what it's like living in ATL! We really like it there overall. But honestly, the prices in the US are ridiculous and with all the extra expenses, it can really start to weigh you down! I feel like it can be worth it but it can also be so stressful.
Atlanta needs to work on it's public transportation, I used to take it too! Especially now that Microsoft is expanding in the city and all that.
You two are great!!
Loving your channel! 😊
Thank you!! That means a lot to us 😊
Welcome to Merida! My husband and I have been here since October 2019 and we love it. Trying to get my son to come so I like to see all ages moving here.
Just came across your channel, well done. I’ll be in Puerto Vallarta for the month of December, with the thought of spending more time in Mexico. Looking forward to exploring more of Mexico.
Merida used to have the largest open air "flee market" in the Yucatan. Fresh everything. Is it still there?
I'm not sure if that one is still there. Will do some digging and find out if the largest is still in Merida. I know after about 9 months of being closed due to covid, the city opened back up it's famous street markets/flea markets back in December. We visited a few and they were awesome!
The fresh food is still there for sure. We've never had such easy access to so much amazing, fresh and healthy foods!
We love that you are trying something different and seeing what other places are like. Personally I could never do what you are doing as I like the U.S. lifestyle. We respect what you are doing and have enjoyed seeing your adventures and hearing about them as well. Even not being able to get your underwear washed.....lol Sounds funny but that is a tough one. We will continue to watch and enjoy your new lifestyle so hang in there and stay safe.
Totally get that, there is for sure a lot we miss about the US as well, road trips being one of them! Helps to watch all the RUclips videos! :) Haha yeah the underwear thing has been interesting for sure. Thanks guys!
I have been thinking about living in Mexico for a good while now. If i had even a decent income i could collect from working remotely, I would do it.
You can teach English
Anywhere in Mexico
@@MigueltorrucoRivera I have thought about that...worth looking into, I think :)
I heard that! Lauren is working full time for a US based jewelry sales company and I'm doing freelance work so far, I'm considering looking for something more full time and remote as well in the future though! The cost of living definitely makes it a lot easier! Cheers man! -Seth
After listening to all your pros and cons, it sounds like pros outweigh the cons! 😄 Love the sound of a laid back island time place ☺️ honestly feel like heading to Mexico right now! Sounds amazing there. Really enjoying your videos about Mexico 😄 funniest con definitely had to be the pantyproblems 🤣 Really enjoyed this video, thanks for the real talk about opportunities as an expat in Mexico ☺️
Haha I agree that there are more pros than cons! It definitely feels more relaxing living everyday life here than in the U.S.! I know you guys would probably enjoy some warm weather in your life right now 😂 I’m glad you liked the video & we’re hoping someone will come along with some advice to our #pantyproblemz lol. Thanks for watching!!
@@laurenandseth we're definitely looking forward to warmer weather soon! For now we're still in the snow 😂❄️
Also from Atlanta! Just spent a week in Islas Mujeres and Mexico just felt like home. Coming home to Atlanta after such an incredible experience is underwhelming. Plotting my next move, maybe to Mexico!
Very informative you guys, lookin for a retirement spot, this video gave a different perspective of Merida. Thank you!
Merida is a great choice for sure! Thanks to the great food and shops, proximity to the beach, and how walkable and bike friendly it is. All of this just gives it a relaxed and enjoyable vibes that's hard to beat. We've heard the summers are really bad with the heat but at least there's all the cenotes nearby to cool off haha. Thanks for watching! :)
@@laurenandseth if you can deal with AZ heat you can deal with any heat lol, I'm also curious of the rainy and winter seasons, if any...Thank you guys💯
I been living in Mexico since 2013 and Literally in the Heart of Downtown Mexico City-Talking about Reforma, bellas artes. That's been my HOMELADN for yeah we go up to 11 years + I do Love Mexico wqith all my heart and Benn one year living in Cancun to in Playa de Carmen so so I'l actually move to Merida Norte jajaj. Hope meeting u up guys. Lovely Vid!
Nice video. Excited about moving there in Spring.
Nice! It's incredible, you're most likely going to love it!
Thanks for the info , excited to be omw to Merida 🎉 looks beautiful!
Great comparison, guys.
Thank you, both.
Quiet! Don't tell the world. And it us soooo hot here! Paradise!!
Nice vlog guys. Good to see you enjoying expat life in a new country. Yeah living in a downtown area of USA could be expensive. Good to know about the safety asoect here contrary to the popular beliefs about a typical Mexican city.overall a great content to watch comparing it to your life in usa.
Thank you! Exactly, we hadn't heard about this side of Mexico before because it doesn't seem to get much media coverage. So far, we're loving life down here and not in any hurry to go back to the US :)
Look for Barburner Trio's RUclips channel. They just arrived in Mexico as expats and you could do a colaboration. That would be great
Awesome, we'll check them out! That would be awesome, thank you! :)
omg thank you the best video i have seen so far about Merida, I'm for sure going to watch more as i plan my move... (anyone can answer this question for me) is it really that hot people have been telling me about the heat
That's awesome, thank you! Yes-not going to lie, it gets REALLY hot. However, people come up with unique ways to beat the heat there.
1. It's not too bad in the mornings and evenings. 2. The beach is nearby and cenote swimming holes which helps. 3. It's not hard to find places to rent with AC luckily, and even some with shaded areas in the yard. 4. Many people sleep in hammocks which helps with the heat a bit. 5. The drinks are cold, affordable, and delicious,
For us, it's worth the heat and kind of makes it fun experience, especially if you're coming from a cold winter somewhere. However, getaways to much cooler cities in Central Mexico are always nice too. :) Good luck with your move, let us know how it goes!
I'm actually living in Mérida right now myself. Imagrated here from NC. Been here just over a month. I've never heard of the underwear cleaning problem that you speak of. 😳
Iv only used 1 lavanderia since I been here, and it's on 43 between 50 and 52. Enjoyed your video. Thx.
How much money do you have to save up to go down there? How long are you guys staying there for? What do you do for a living to support yourselves there ? Mexico’s wages are too low comparing to the US. I want to do something similar :(
Great questions, you really don't need a big savings. We had about $3,500 when we moved down and try to just live off of and save what we make while we're down here. There is not set amount you must have though.
Lauren works full time for a US based company in jewelry sales and I, Seth do freelance work. I work with a few companies with website design, video editing and social media, things like that.
We also both offer services on freelance sites like Fiverr, where you can really sell almost any service. For example, Lauren actually does voiceovers on there for things like voicemails and radio ads. I know a lot of people will move down here doing freelance writing, or other skills and online English teaching. Some require degrees, some don't. Lauren used to do that as well, but hasn't had the time lately. :)
Let us know if you have anymore questions on it, we'll make a video about this exact topic in the near future!
@@laurenandseth dang I have like $70gs saved and I’m still to scared to make a move
Looks so beautiful! Life of leisure 🤗 so happy for you guys taking that leap of travel and thinking outside the box!
So funny #pantyproblemz 😂😂
Yes it's beautiful here!! Especially the weather lol. Thank you for watching and yeah I had to get a good laugh about the whole panytproblemz situation!!
From the ‘90s movie , “Timecop”:
Senator Aaron McComb:
“When I'm in office it's going to be just like the 80's. The top 10% will get richer and the other 90% can immigrate to Mexico where they can get a better life.”
Well, we’re letting the top do it to us.
That's the truth! I'm going to check that movie out. We get a lot of questions about our live down here in Mexico from friends and family and often the question goes: "how do you afford to travel full time in Mexico?" And I always say: "Hell, I can't afford to NOT travel full time"
Cost of living in the US is outrageous these days and getting worse!
in Mexico city, I think you need a car, depending where you live and work. If you want to get quick to your job, in car around 20 min is fine, otherwise in public transport is around 1.5 hours
I love Merida and have been here for a year
Guys they do have apartments in Merida, Mexico with washer and dryer😀 lol. Did you see on your apartment tour if you had one?
I think we're looking in the wrong places! :) What are some good ways to look for apartments here? We've just been using Airbnb and Marketplace mostly, for now we're looking to avoid a lease because we've experienced so little of Mexico and we want to see a lot more of the country before putting down any roots, but in the future I think we're going to need a much better way of locating apartments, lol. Thank you! :D
@@laurenandseth Well I was about to say most people that I know we stay there now or had an apartment tour on RUclips went through a realtor/ landlord which was showing them the best nice luxury cheap places!
@@marvelboi3416 That's great to know, we'll look at going through a realtor then! :)
I've heard this is a great city. I do want to vacation here.
It's worth the trip for sure! Awesome place.
great content. keep it up
Thank you!
Loved this, and you guys. Just stumbled upon you. I'm gonna try 2 months in PV in 2 weeks. I appreciate the tips about daily life, street level stuff. Are you gradually working your way to the Pacific Ocean? Looking forward to more.
Thank you! And yes, so far we've spent quite awhile on the Oaxaca coast a few months ago, and briefly visited Baja years ago. So the Pacific is definitely where we want to spend a lot more time soon. Puerto Vallarta, back to Baja, etc. Cheers!
Hi Guys! My husband and I moved from Atlanta GA to México as well. Merida was initially our first choice, but we were concerned about the heat+humidity year-round so relocated to Santiago de Queretaro 🇲🇽 (which is also a very beautiful city 🌹). We also have two small dogs and didn't think the climate in Merida would work for the little guys (especially in those really scorching monthy). We do plan to visit the Yucatan Peninsula in the future. 😊 I know it's just March now with the real heat still to come, but would love to hear your feedback on dealing with the heat. Nice job! 👍
That's awesome guys! Was just checking out your channel, Santiago de Queretaro looks so nice! We can't wait to explore more of that side of Mexico! I totally understand about the the heat and the dogs. We haven't experienced the full on heat yet but we have had lots of days reach into the high 90s and super hot. We've heard about the notorious summers in Merida too. The people who have been living in Merida or are from there have recommended a few things to us to stay cool..
One is taking care of errands in the early morning, sleeping in a hammock. We personally love the AC but a lot of people in Merida advise against it, they say it's better to just run fans, cover the hot windows, and be super careful when picking a house/apartment. Try to get one with a backyard that has room for a garden or some vegetation and that REALLY cools things down. Does make sense, because AC runs the bill up and makes the outdoors less tolerable. Many people here also do siesta and take a nap during the hottest part of the day.
For us, we love going out at night since it's a fun city to be out after dark, it's super safe, lots of live music and really cools down too. Also just having the beach and all the cenote swimming holes so close by makes it better. The cenotes that are covered are cool year round and the water is always cool in the cenotes. Can't wait to hear what you guys think about the Yucatan Peninsula and we're excited to see more of Central and Northern Mexico as well. :)
@@laurenandseth Hey Guys! ❣️ Santiago de Queretaro is truly a lovely (and very safe) city. If you guys do end up coming for a visit, don't hesitate to reach out and let us know. 😊 We've checked out your channel too; you guys have traveled quite a bit which is very cool. As for the heat, I am sure the locals in Merida know exactly what they are talking about in terms of adjusting to the heat.🔥 I will honestly tell you though, that I would have a hard time without having an a/c in the hottest months especially with the humidy (having asthma makes it difficult for me). We heard there is a lot of music/ family friendly action that goes on in the plazas in Merida after the sun sets ..that sounds like a ton of fun (we sometimes people watch & grab an ice cream here 😉 so we would love that). We would love to check out some cenotes! So....if you aren't a "great" swimmer, would you say cenotes are still a go..? Hope so..😁
Very nice here in Merida, good call amigos
Glad you’re enjoying it! Beautiful place.
@@laurenandseth prefer Guadalajara but too damn dangerous there,. MerIda is lovely sure, all the best
We are planning to visit in the summer, do yall recommend any awesome places in the city to drink? lol
Nice! Yeah, our favorite spots so far have been Mercado60 because most nights there's live music or dancing shows and lots of options to drink and eat. It also has a chill outdoor/indoor type atmosphere. Malahat is a cool speakeasy bar that we like going to as well!
Check out Paseo de Montejo, it's a nice wide street, great for biking and walking, based off a street in Paris that has some pretty good restaurants and bars. A bit embarrassingly, we've been going to one called McCarthy's Irish Pub a lot there haha. Mainly just because it's the closest bar to our airbnb but the vibes are nice there as well.
Make sure to try Mezcal if you haven't ever had it, it's extremely popular in Mexico and made here. It's a bit like tequila in taste, but it's stronger and you sip it instead of shoot it. :) Cheers and have a great trip!
Oh, I have to follow you. Great video!!!
You guys look great! Mexico has treated you well! I assume you are working for a US company remotely? How are the internet speeds and connections?
Thanks a ton! We're feeling great, just need to lay off on the tequila and tacos a little I think lol. Yep, we're able to work remotely from US companies at the moment. Won't be permanent but fingers crossed it last a good while longer. The speeds here in Merida have been really good, more than sufficient. Here at our current apartment we get 83 mbps download and 79 upload. Lots of coffee shops here too and the parks and even a few entire streets offer free wifi.
We've heard Merida is some of the best in Mexico though and are kind of dreading finding out about the speeds in central Mexico when we head that way. We've heard mixed reviews.
@@laurenandseth What a great way to spend the winter. Those speeds are really good!
Beautiful video. New subscriber ❤️
Thank you so much 🤗
U guys seem real n honest..new subscriber..look forward to more vids
Thank you, we try to keep it as real as possible! Glad to have you along, friend!
Nice video Thanks for sharing 😀👍
Thanks for watching! 😊
Great Video!
Thank you!
Awesome!! 👍👍🙏💕
Thanks! :)
WOW thank you soooo much for this video !!
Well done! Thank you for sharing my friend. Great Like 44
Thanks for watching! 😊
Amen! Loved Merida,. 🥰
It's a fantastic city! :)
This was some fun information to hear. I always love hearing about other places. I always wanted to travel but never got to do it. Life happened.
what are the covid restrictions in the areas you have been in mexico?
It's more lenient in the Quintana Roo state, they have a 11:30 curfew I believe but it doesn't seem to be too well enforced. There are speakers around town with automated recordings reminding people to wear masks to avoid fees but I'm not sure if they're actually issuing the fees, not everyone wears masks but I'd say at least 75 percent do. All of the beaches and outdoor spaces are open, night clubs are closed.
As far as the Yucatan state, it's been much more strict. 11:30 curfew for driving and walking so everything closes earlier. The beach in Progreso completely closes for weeks surrounding any holidays, restaurants are limited capacity and literally EVERYONE it seems wears a mask at all times, even outdoors. Most stores only allow one person per party in at a time.
Everywhere we've gone in Mexico so far also does temperature checks, sanitation pads for your shoes, and/or hand sanitizer when entering any facility. Some of the cities also have sanitation tents set up over the sidewalks where you get sprayed down and random people walking around giving out hand sanitizer. It's all pretty efficient really and other than the closed beaches we ran into in the Yucatan state, not of it has really made it too difficult to travel.
Thanks for the great question! :)
I’m considering spending the few years before retirement, working remotely, and trying out ex-pat life. The thought being I am considering retiring outside of the US. Thank you for you video. Temu sells the little portable washing machines which would solve the underwear issue. Just a thought. 😊
Good video well designed I enjoyed watching greetings from austria 😄✌
Thanks for watching! Prost! :)
I have been coming to Acapulco etc. for over 60 years. I am 80 and I live in Queretaro. Merida was too hot for me. Enjoy.
Nice! Acapulco is on the list! Been to Queretaro in passing twice now but haven't really had time to properly explore it. Seems so nice there!
Great info we just got our residency , 2 small children looking for family community to move to in Merida
Thanks for sharing
The vibes definitely are different. Life is smooth sailing outside, every time I return to the U.S. someone tries to start a fight with me. Last time there were 3 within a 2 week timeframe.
Wow, honestly doesn't surprise me though. Does seem like there's a lot more hostility and aggressive behavior in the US. Stay safe amigo!
After 2 years, we have had zero problems with Lavanderias
We're right there with you now! Loving the Lavanderias, they're just so easy!
How can you extend 180 day visa..I am from marietta.ga and planning on visiting mexico next month
Nice, we love Marietta and thought about moving there awhile back! :) So if you just get the 180 day tourist visa, our understanding is that the only way to extend it is to leave Mexico and then come back. Some people just go to Guatemala, Belize, etc or back to the US close to the end of their 180 days and then hope to get granted another 180 days when reentering.
I think the only way to get a longer time up front is to apply for a temporary resident visa, which is for people that want to stay longer than six months, but less than four years. Good luck on planning your trip and feel free to ask away if you have any more questions about it! :)
Sounds like a chain of self-serve laundries would be a good investment to make in Mexico.
Chedraui you can find anything you want and waltmart all over Merida
True, we've been really loving Chedraui lately!
Great video guys!, Very informative!
Don’t be fooled by feeling safe at night... most people there are great there, but don’t let your guard down.
Great video also good for you guys ! So, when you entered the customs and showed your passport, did they ask first how long you like to stay or did they just stamp it auto for 180 days ? Also, on the plane when you fill that stay custom paper did you have to fill out where you are going to stay and also for how long ? Also, did you have to buy round trip flight or just one way ?
Great questions, and thank you so much for the feedback! So almost always, you'll be granted 180 days, even if you say you're going to stay for a shorter time. They'll usually write it (180) on the visitors permit (FMM) card they give you, that you'll make sure to keep with you. (If you did lose it, our understanding is that it isn't the end of the world, you'd just have to go to an immigration office and apply for a new one, pay a fee, etc)
If for some reason you aren't granted 180 days, you'd have to leave the country before your days run out and then reenter for more time on the tourist card. But our understanding is that it's basically always 180 days!
The card we filled out on the plane did ask how long we'd be staying, and we wrote the maximum amount. It wasn't exact, but close. We simply wrote the name of our first hotel in Cancun, where we were staying for the first two nights. The immigration's officer asked what our plans were in Mexico and we told him we would like to stay for as long as possible on the tourist card before applying for an actual more long term visa, and he granted us 180 days and stamped the passport and that was it. Many people who want to stay longer still don't get a more permanent visa though, they simply leave the country for awhile and then re-enter in hopes for another 180 days!
We just bought a one-way, which is why we were asked by the airline when checking in for the flight when we were planning on leaving the country. Again we just said a date that was close to around the maximum time allowed. We figured if we ended up getting granted less than 180 days for some reason, we'd just leave earlier than we had said to Belize or Guatemala and then return.
We aren't sure what route we'll take when we run out of time yet, we've been discussing that lately! :) Good luck planning your trip, let us know if you have any more questions!
@@laurenandseth Thank you, great info and I will keep watching you guys thank you again.