16 Places in Mexico to Live Very Well on Very Little

Pozos is a pretty place where you could live well on a budget.

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008
Merida, Mexico

Read more about Mexico in International Living Postcards—your daily escape

Dear International Living Reader,

“We’ll need to live on a budget,” the man said as his wife hovered nearby with a look of concern on her face. “Where is the best place in Mexico to do that?”

It was the first day of our Live and Invest in Mexico seminar, and I urged the couple to keep listening…and to keep the faith. There were many presentations yet to come about the many places in Mexico where the living is wonderfully affordable. I was certain they would find their perfect place.

I started to think about this more, though. If I were in their boat, where would I steer it?

First, unless I had my heart set on beach living, I’d go inland…to Mexico’s mountain areas where the climate is temperate and no air-conditioning or heating is required. I’d also seek a smaller town where I wouldn’t need a car. But I’d also want to be near quality Mexican medical care. I’d choose a town without a large foreign population where rentals wouldn’t be “gringo priced.” This means, of course, a commitment to learning Spanish and to doing without north-of-the-border products and customs.

There are many places in Mexico that fit this description. Tequisquiapan, near Queretaro, springs to mind. As do towns like Zacatecas, Aquascalientes, San Luis Potosi, Patzcuaro, and San Cristobal de las Casas. Personal favorites are Tapalpa in Jalisco and Pozos de Mineral in Guanajuato. Some may argue that with the exception of Tapalpa, these aren’t particularly small towns, and that’s true, but they fit the criteria in every other regard. Closer to the beach, but still with somewhat temperate climes, I’d opt for Colima, Comala, or Tepic near the Pacific coast, or Jalapa near the Gulf Coast.

And if I must live at the beach, but on limited funds? I’d head for the Yucatan coast, or west to San Blas or Rincon de Guayabitos in the state of Nayarit, or to one of the many small villages that dot the coast of Colima…like Cuyutlan.

These places are just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more affordable places to live in Mexico. Keep in mind that living on a “gringo budget” in any of them would be akin to living very well when compared with most of the local population. If you can survive without luxuries such as cable TV and eat like a local, you can live very well on very little in Mexico.

Suzan Haskins
Your Latin America Insider, International Living

Editor’s Note: More International Living readers have retired to Mexico than to any other country we write about. “It’s the quality of life” that we hear the most about. Some talk of the relaxed pace and the smiling faces of the local people...others mention the small-town feel and the comfort of safe streets...or the non-intrusive government, where politics don't matter so much. But whatever their initial remarks, they all agree: Your money buys more south of the border...and that makes for a decidedly comfortable life. To learn more, follow this link.

Read related IL Postcards:

- Affordable Beach in Latin America

- Revealed: Mexico’s Most Beautiful Beaches

- How to Make Your Second Home in Mexico Pay for Itself

- Indulge in Mexico’s Gastronomic Delights for Less Than $5