Dreaming of a retirement that’s sunny, affordable, and full of color? Mexico might just be calling your name.
It’s no secret that Americans and Canadians have long flocked south of the border, drawn by year-round warm weather, a lower cost of living, great health care, and a lifestyle that mixes relaxation with rich cultural traditions.
But with so many cities and regions to choose from, how do you know which spot is right for you?
In this week’s video, we’ll show you three of Mexico’s most exciting retirement destinations…
Whether you’re craving the lively rhythm of a coastal city, the charm of a colonial historic center, or the cultural depth of a UNESCO-listed hub, you’ll see that Mexico has options to fit every taste and budget.
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to swap your current view for palm trees, Spanish colonial plazas, and mountain ranges, you owe it to yourself to check out these top three Mexican destinations, where your dream retirement could become reality…
Got a question? Want to see us cover a particular topic? Write to me here.
Kat Kalashian,
Editor LIOS Confidential
Video Transcript
Intro
Hi, I’m Kat Kalashian for Live and Invest Overseas. Today, we’re looking at the top three places in Mexico for a relaxing and affordable life.
Mexico is a classic. It’s probably the top favorite retirement destination for Americans and Canadians because of its proximity, it’s affordable cost of living, the warm, sunny weather, established expat communities, quality health care, the easy residency process, and the rich culture, lifestyle, and culinary scene is on offer here.
To name just a few of the reasons. Here are our top three havens to retire in Mexico.
Mazatlan
Mazatlan, which is on the Mexican Riviera. It’s pretty far north. Actually, this is the most northerly of our havens. With stunning beaches, booming tourism, and a rich cultural heritage. Mazatlan is a coastal city on the Pacific side of Mexico, with a population of about half a million people.
It’s only about 200 miles south of the U.S. border.
Many expats even drive here from Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, California.
It makes it a really easy place for part-timers to just drive back and forth. If you’re already in that neck of the woods of the U.S., you can quite easily make the trip down the Mazatlan for as many months a year as you’d like to. Plus, there are plenty of direct flights from several cities in the U.S. and Canada. Mazatlan is, of course, a warm year-round, as you would expect. It’s got beautiful sandy beaches as well as islands, hiking in the nearby mountains, and nearby nature reserves. Plus, the city boasts a large historic center full of colorful Spanish colonial architecture, lively plazas, and historic cobblestone streets.
The city is perfect for great dining and drink options, live music, outdoor cafes, theaters, art galleries, shops, and more. It also has plenty of traditional events and festivals like Carnival every February, which is a massive event with parades, live music, and costumes. As it is throughout much of Latin America.
The Golden Zone is where the city’s nightlife is most vibrant, “The Zona Dorada” and that’s where you go for a fun night of bars, nightclubs, live music, and dancing.
It’s one of our favorite Mexican cities for retirement because it offers such an upscale coastal living at a price that really can’t be beat.
People in the city are friendly and it’s got a thriving expat community that’s welcoming and supportive, so newcomers feel at home very quickly.
Anyone who is looking for an easy transition to life abroad enjoys beachside living in a fraction of the cost back home and is excited about being near a waterfront, Spanish Colonial Historic Center, full of entertainment and dining options, will enjoy Mazatlan.
Puerto Vallarta
Next up, we’ve got Puerto Vallarta, which is not an unknown place at all. Probably one of the more well-known names in Mexican cities. Again, we’re on the Pacific coast of Mexico, but we’re now a few hours south of Mazatlan. Puerto Vallarta is situated on Banderas Bay, which is one of the largest natural bays in the world. The popular resort city has a population of just about 230,000, so a fairly small population, not too dense.
And there are plenty of direct flights from the U.S. and Canada, though they do tend to be more frequent from November to April, when tourists are looking to get out of the cold areas and head to the beach resorts. Off-season flights are available, but they’re less frequent.
This is a really well-connected resort destination, so it’s not a difficult place to travel to. And as a beach resort city, it has several stunning beaches that are great for swimming, snorkeling, parasailing, jet skiing, sunbathing, and just about anything else you could want to do on the water.
The city has a long oceanfront promenade where you can stroll along the bay, with views of the ocean on one side and plenty of shops, restaurants, clubs and bars on the other.
You will often see street performers, artists, sculptures, and monuments along this boardwalk.
And Puerto Vallarta’s Old Town is another highlight of the city. It’s an area that’s a complete labyrinth of cobblestone streets, cute little cafes, markets, and buildings with colorful architecture. Plus art galleries, boutique shopping, and a nice varied restaurant scene.
The city also boasts a botanical park, a marine park, a Marina, plenty of outdoor adventure activities like ziplining, hiking, ATV tours, and fishing.
They’re all geared towards the tourists that go there so often as well as a vibrant nightlife.
Puerto Vallarta has something for everyone, whether it’s the tranquil beaches that you’re looking for or fast paced outdoor adventures. And it’s bordered to the east by the Sierra Madre Mountains. So, no matter which direction you’re looking in, you’ll get stunning landscape views.
Puerto Vallarta is full of rich culture and incredible food. It offers wellness centers, a sizable expat community, welcoming locals, and plenty of English speakers.
Those who dream of living by the sea in a charming destination with a vibrant lifestyle will enjoy Puerto Vallarta.
Oaxaca
Finally, without further ado, our number three top retirement haven in Mexico is Oaxaca.
We again are further south than we were on either of the other two destinations. It’s about 150 miles north of the beach it borders, again on the Pacific Coast. So, you’re not actually on the beach at this one, in the city. You’re, you know, a little bit further away. It’s a drive away.
And it’s not as well connected as some other Mexican destinations, but there are some direct flights from L.A., Houston, and Dallas, though many are seasonal. And direct flights from Canada are more limited, but you will find seasonal direct flights from Toronto and Vancouver.
It’s surrounded by mountains and so Oaxaca provides great hiking opportunities.
Close by is the amazing petrified waterfall Hierve el Agua which stands almost 300ft above the ground. It’s truly breathtaking.
You can also drive to the coast for a weekend trip to the areas of Puerto Escondido or Huatulco. The drive across the mountain roads can be a little nerve-wrecking, but you can also hop on a quick flight to any of those places.
Oaxaca also boasts a Historic Center, which is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s a fantastic place to spend a weekend strolling through the main square and visiting the cathedrals, churches, and museums.
You can also visit the ancient ruins at Monte Albán which is a former archeological site built by the Zapotecs in 500 B.C., making it one of Mesoamerica’s earliest cities.
Oaxaca is famous for its cuisine, and you can enjoy it in the markets and varied restaurants. Don’t miss the mole, tlayudas, and mezcal.
Those who are looking to retire to a less touristy part of Mexico, a city with a little bit more of an authentic feel at times. Plus, a vibrant culture, plus a sizable and active expat community, making it easy to meet people will be happy in Oaxaca.
It really stands out for its charming colonial architecture and the ancient ruins and waterfalls around it are just a happy treat, as well as all those mountains nearby.
Oaxaca is a city with a small-town feel. It’s easy to get around on foot, but still has all the convenience of a big city without any of the annoyances of a big city.
If culture is what you’re looking for, it has more to offer than Mazatlan or Puerto Vallarta, which do cater more to the sun-seeking and beach-seeking tourists.
It’s also famous for its historic landmarks, indigenous culture, and for being a hub for the local art and handicrafts. So much to love about Oaxaca.
Definitely a place to visit if you haven’t already been there.
When it comes to health care, affordable health care is one of the main reasons expats choose Mexico at all as their new home base. And it has high-quality medical services, especially in the bigger cities and tourist destinations. So, in Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, you can get private health care that’s comparable to that of the United States, the standard that is, at a fraction of the cost. Many doctors here are fluent in English and are trained abroad, many in the United States.
Oaxaca probably it’s a step back from Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta in terms of size. So, it doesn’t have quite as many large-scale medical centers, but you can still get all your needs met here very nicely.
And an additional benefit of relocating to Mexico is that because it’s so close, you can maintain Medicare in the United States and return home to receive care when needed, or do the same with your Canadian health care.
