Living in Mexico: Easy, Inexpensive, and Close to Home
High cost of living got you down? But don’t want to leave the comforts and convenience of home?
Maybe it’s time to start thinking about relocating…and living Mexico. Here’s why:
• Right now, the peso to dollar value is at an all-time high—your dollar goes farther than ever on everything from food and beverages to household supplies to Mexican real estate. And have no worries about the Mexican economy. It’s among the top 12 economies in the world, despite the global recession, and we expect it to stay that way.
More reasons living in Mexico makes so much sense – get a FREE Special Report
There are two more reasons why this is the best time in your lifetime to consider a move to Mexico. But first….
If you’d like to learn more about why you might want to live in Mexico, we have a special Report just for you. Called “Why Millions of Americans are Moving to Mexico,” it provides the facts and information about Mexico the mainstream media won’t tell you.
You’ll learn all about the economy, visa requirements, how to get your pet into Mexico, and more. Learn about the top cities for expats in Mexico and decide which Mexico city is right for you. You’ll read the truth about safety and security in Mexico…and learn just how much it will cost you to live there. And…you’ll get the inside scoop on how to buy Mexico real estate – including five things to do before you sign anything.
Get your FREE Special Report, full of Mexico information, right now -- just by signing up for our free daily International Living e-letter.
Two more compelling reasons to check out Mexico right now:
• The recession has created a buyer’s market. Prior to the recession there was a real estate boom in Mexico, especially among foreign buyers of vacation homes. Property prices rose, although they were never super inflated as they were in the U.S. (And since most properties in Mexico aren’t mortgaged, there is no reason for prices to fall as drastically as we’ve seen in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Today, with fewer people shopping for real estate, sellers in Mexico are willing to negotiate more on price and toss in enticing incentives…like covering association fees for one to five years, throwing in appliance and furniture packages, offering lucrative lease-back options, etc.
• The mainstream media has painted an unfair picture of Mexico. Media coverage of isolated violence and virus outbreaks in Mexico has kept some tourists and potential retirees at home. It’s not a fair picture. And the Mexican government is about to launch a campaign to bring them back. There’s a window of opportunity open right now, before they return…
As you may know, International Living conducts an annual survey called the Annual Global Retirement Index. In 2007, Mexico won for the first time. It won again in 2008. And it’s sure to “three-peat” this year. Here’s why…
Why you might want to live in Mexico:
√ Mexico is the closest retirement haven to the U.S. This may not seem like a big deal, but the convenience of a short plane ride makes all the difference in the world when you want to get back home to family and friends or attend to business matters. Flights to and from Mexico are plentiful and inexpensive and most take less time than a coast-to-coast U.S. flight. If you want to, you can easily and safely drive here.
√ It is easier to get a resident visa in Mexico than in any other country. You might think Panama, Belize, and Costa Rica have easy resident requirements. Well, forget everything you might think you know about obtaining a visa anywhere else. The Mexican government has made it very easy for foreigners to live here. You’ll find the requirements are easier to meet and less restrictive than practically anywhere else.
√ Mexico has a first-class retiree benefits program. You may know about Panama’s excellent pensionado program, but to be eligible for it, you have to get a visa. And unless you have a qualified pension (and who has one of those these days?) or very deep pockets and can make a sizeable investment in the country, it is difficult to get a visa in Panama. As mentioned above: not only is it easy to get a visa in Mexico, but foreigners who are age 60 or older, with a valid Mexico resident visa are eligible for Mexico's Personas Adultas Mayores benefits program.
The program offers discounts on a wide range of services, including health-related services (hospitals, doctors' visits, lab tests, medical devices, pharmacies, and dental work); cultural activities like theater tickets and entrance fees to museums and archaeological sites; transportation and accommodation, including airline tickets, buses, car rentals and purchase; and at hotels and many stores. Discounts can range from 5% to 50% off the full price of the good or service.
√ The cost of living in Mexico is low, low, low. With rapidly rising fuel, health care, food, taxes, and travel costs, it’s nice to know there are still places where you can still live well without burning through your savings. Mexico is one of those special places. Here, you can still enjoy a lifestyle that’s all but unaffordable for most Americans and Canadians. The cost of real estate is far, far lower than it is in the U.S. and Canada. Could you find a beachfront condo in the U.S. for less than $100,000? A home smack on the beach for less than $150,000? You can in Mexico. And you can live very well here on just $2,000 per month or less.
And yes, foreigners can legally own property in Mexico, including beachfront. Learn more in our FREE Special Report.
√ You can get full-coverage health insurance in Mexico for less than $1 per day. Hospitals and health care providers in Mexico are of excellent quality. Many doctors were trained in the U.S. or Europe and they speak English. Private health insurance, (through a major global provider) costs one-fourth to one half what you might be paying in the U.S. Doctors’ visits and common medical procedures in Mexico, too, cost about one-fourth of what they do in the U.S., so many expats just pay out of pocket. But get this: if you have a resident visa, you can get health coverage through IMSS (Instituto Nacional de Seguridad Social). There’s no age limit for signing up. This full-coverage health insurance runs from about $100 a year for children and adolescents, up to almost $300 for those over 60—and it includes prescription medications.
√ Taxes are lower than low. Taxes are a fact of life, we all know that. And like all countries, Mexico levies a value-added tax on goods and services. But other taxes are practically non-existent. The annual property taxes for 2008 on a 5400-sq.-ft. home in Merida, for example, was a low $139! The annual tax bill on 1500-sq.-ft. beachfront lots on the Gulf Coast? $10. Unless you’re working here, you probably won’t pay income taxes. But if you are working…and you’re self employed or working for a Mexico company or corporation or other foreign company…you can legally exempt up to $84,500 in income on your U.S. taxes…for both you and your spouse!
There’s much more to know about Mexico, of course, especially if you’re planning to live there. And International Living can help. We’ve been researching and writing about living better overseas for 30 years now. We have correspondents all over the world who tell us what life is like (and how inexpensive retirement can be) in the countries they live in. In our free daily e-letter and every month in the pages of our International Living magazine, we tell you about inexpensive places – like Mexico – to live and retire.
Our FREE Special Report, “Why Millions of Americans are Moving to Mexico,” will put you on the right path to a new, better life in Mexico. A copy will be rushed to your inbox immediately. Sign to receive the IL Postcards - our daily free e-letter - and get your free report here.
Living in Mexico: Easy, Inexpensive, and Close to Home
High cost of living got you down? But don’t want to leave the comforts and convenience of home?
Maybe it’s time to start thinking about relocating…and living Mexico. Here’s why:
• Right now, the peso to dollar value is at an all-time high—your dollar goes farther than ever on everything from food and beverages to household supplies to Mexican real estate. And have no worries about the Mexican economy. It’s among the top 12 economies in the world, despite the global recession, and we expect it to stay that way.
More reasons living in Mexico makes so much sense – get a FREE Special Report
There are two more reasons why this is the best time in your lifetime to consider a move to Mexico. But first….
If you’d like to learn more about why you might want to live in Mexico, we have a special Report just for you. Called “Why Millions of Americans are Moving to Mexico,” it provides the facts and information about Mexico the mainstream media won’t tell you.
You’ll learn all about the economy, visa requirements, how to get your pet into Mexico, and more. Learn about the top cities for expats in Mexico and decide which Mexico city is right for you. You’ll read the truth about safety and security in Mexico…and learn just how much it will cost you to live there. And…you’ll get the inside scoop on how to buy Mexico real estate – including five things to do before you sign anything.
Get your FREE Special Report, full of Mexico information, right now -- just by signing up for our free daily International Living e-letter.
Two more compelling reasons to check out Mexico right now:
• The recession has created a buyer’s market. Prior to the recession there was a real estate boom in Mexico, especially among foreign buyers of vacation homes. Property prices rose, although they were never super inflated as they were in the U.S. (And since most properties in Mexico aren’t mortgaged, there is no reason for prices to fall as drastically as we’ve seen in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Today, with fewer people shopping for real estate, sellers in Mexico are willing to negotiate more on price and toss in enticing incentives…like covering association fees for one to five years, throwing in appliance and furniture packages, offering lucrative lease-back options, etc.
• The mainstream media has painted an unfair picture of Mexico. Media coverage of isolated violence and virus outbreaks in Mexico has kept some tourists and potential retirees at home. It’s not a fair picture. And the Mexican government is about to launch a campaign to bring them back. There’s a window of opportunity open right now, before they return…
As you may know, International Living conducts an annual survey called the Annual Global Retirement Index. In 2007, Mexico won for the first time. It won again in 2008. And it’s sure to “three-peat” this year. Here’s why…
Why you might want to live in Mexico:
√ Mexico is the closest retirement haven to the U.S. This may not seem like a big deal, but the convenience of a short plane ride makes all the difference in the world when you want to get back home to family and friends or attend to business matters. Flights to and from Mexico are plentiful and inexpensive and most take less time than a coast-to-coast U.S. flight. If you want to, you can easily and safely drive here.
√ It is easier to get a resident visa in Mexico than in any other country. You might think Panama, Belize, and Costa Rica have easy resident requirements. Well, forget everything you might think you know about obtaining a visa anywhere else. The Mexican government has made it very easy for foreigners to live here. You’ll find the requirements are easier to meet and less restrictive than practically anywhere else.
√ Mexico has a first-class retiree benefits program. You may know about Panama’s excellent pensionado program, but to be eligible for it, you have to get a visa. And unless you have a qualified pension (and who has one of those these days?) or very deep pockets and can make a sizeable investment in the country, it is difficult to get a visa in Panama. As mentioned above: not only is it easy to get a visa in Mexico, but foreigners who are age 60 or older, with a valid Mexico resident visa are eligible for Mexico's Personas Adultas Mayores benefits program.
The program offers discounts on a wide range of services, including health-related services (hospitals, doctors' visits, lab tests, medical devices, pharmacies, and dental work); cultural activities like theater tickets and entrance fees to museums and archaeological sites; transportation and accommodation, including airline tickets, buses, car rentals and purchase; and at hotels and many stores. Discounts can range from 5% to 50% off the full price of the good or service.
√ The cost of living in Mexico is low, low, low. With rapidly rising fuel, health care, food, taxes, and travel costs, it’s nice to know there are still places where you can still live well without burning through your savings. Mexico is one of those special places. Here, you can still enjoy a lifestyle that’s all but unaffordable for most Americans and Canadians. The cost of real estate is far, far lower than it is in the U.S. and Canada. Could you find a beachfront condo in the U.S. for less than $100,000? A home smack on the beach for less than $150,000? You can in Mexico. And you can live very well here on just $2,000 per month or less.
And yes, foreigners can legally own property in Mexico, including beachfront. Learn more in our FREE Special Report.
√ You can get full-coverage health insurance in Mexico for less than $1 per day. Hospitals and health care providers in Mexico are of excellent quality. Many doctors were trained in the U.S. or Europe and they speak English. Private health insurance, (through a major global provider) costs one-fourth to one half what you might be paying in the U.S. Doctors’ visits and common medical procedures in Mexico, too, cost about one-fourth of what they do in the U.S., so many expats just pay out of pocket. But get this: if you have a resident visa, you can get health coverage through IMSS (Instituto Nacional de Seguridad Social). There’s no age limit for signing up. This full-coverage health insurance runs from about $100 a year for children and adolescents, up to almost $300 for those over 60—and it includes prescription medications.
√ Taxes are lower than low. Taxes are a fact of life, we all know that. And like all countries, Mexico levies a value-added tax on goods and services. But other taxes are practically non-existent. The annual property taxes for 2008 on a 5400-sq.-ft. home in Merida, for example, was a low $139! The annual tax bill on 1500-sq.-ft. beachfront lots on the Gulf Coast? $10. Unless you’re working here, you probably won’t pay income taxes. But if you are working…and you’re self employed or working for a Mexico company or corporation or other foreign company…you can legally exempt up to $84,500 in income on your U.S. taxes…for both you and your spouse!
There’s much more to know about Mexico, of course, especially if you’re planning to live there. And International Living can help. We’ve been researching and writing about living better overseas for 30 years now. We have correspondents all over the world who tell us what life is like (and how inexpensive retirement can be) in the countries they live in. In our free daily e-letter and every month in the pages of our International Living magazine, we tell you about inexpensive places – like Mexico – to live and retire.
Our FREE Special Report, “Why Millions of Americans are Moving to Mexico,” will put you on the right path to a new, better life in Mexico. A copy will be rushed to your inbox immediately. Sign to receive the IL Postcards - our daily free e-letter - and get your free report here.