Comments on: Top 10 Reasons to Retire in Mexico

By: Rick

Rick — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:42:36 +0000

Thanks so much for this wonderfully written article on how amazing retiring in Mexico can be. I love to see articles like these that explain real reasons behind retiring abroad to Mexico besides just the weather. It’s such a great place to go that offers quality of life and quality health care as well. I liked your article so much that I wrote about the story on http://www.retireinnayarit.com, where I blog about retirement in Mexico and the Riviera Nayarit. Check it out and feel free to leave me your comments. Best wishes, Rick

By: Sha Simss

Sha Simss — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 19:50:48 +0000

I loved my visit to San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico a few years ago. Chiapas is a wonderful place to visit if you speak spanish. SCdlC has an Amber Museum, The Jaguar House Museum, a beautiful cathedral and wonderful open air markets. Beautiful country, the people as a rule were very nice to us. I loved the colors of the city. The artisans create beautiful hand woven textiles and needlework. One of my daughters minored in Spanish and was living in Chiapas while interning with a human rights organization. As in the US, unfortunately, there was a large gap between the people in the city and the “Indigenous” people who sold their handcrafts in the open markets. They are not treated very well at all, they live in primitive conditions. I saw a mother at the market picking lice out of her child’s hair. Their children are everywhere trying to sell small items. (as in the Metro in Paris where the “gypsies” begging or picking pockets) They even interrupted our meal in a restaurant. Sanitation was an issue for me. Our hotel provided purified water for guests. As careful as I was I still managed to get sick our last day (I think from contaminated food). I loved the colors of the city. I think our trip was wonderful mainly because my daughter speaks the language and had an honest affection for the people. We purchased a tour of three archaeological zones in Chiapas. I was extremely alarmed on two occasions during our tour. Our tour bus was stopped by the military at a checkpoint exiting one of the zones. The soldiers were armed with machine guns and made us all exit the bus (a large van) while they searched the van. On the bus ride home from Palenque in the mountains our bus (large air conditioned motor tour bus) was stopped three times by the military with guns who one time boarded the bus. They walked up and down the aisles questioning people for whatever reason. They woke my daughter who was wearing regional-type dress. She has dark hair, eyes and olive skin tone and could have been mistaken for a latin woman. I can’t advise for or against retirement in Mexico. I don’t feel comfortable with the local government, police or military. Perhaps there aren’t the drug cartel issues as there are in the border states but I did not feel safe there. My daughter received counterfit bills at an atm machine. She tried to spend her money and was told it was no good. She went directly to the bank who tried to discredit her. I think in the end she was able to get her money back. After that she went to a bank teller every time she needed cash. Corruption and bureaucracy are too much. As a people, I very much liked those I met in our daily lives there but I was glad when my daughter returned home from Mexico.

By: Marina Arias

Marina Arias — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:40:09 +0000

Living in any country as pros and cons and while i agree in the reasons to relocate to Mexico , I would like to add some of other factors. 1) if you are planning to do business in Mexico it is a nightmare to deal with the bureaucracy and the slowness of the pace of life! Most things work in a snail pace and when you are use to efficiency it is frustrating to deal with the ‘mexican pace” . That pace is great on holidays but not on a daily basis. the long line ups at the banks, at the government offices , etcc…
Travelling by road in mexico is also not that safe, there are many kidnappings and horror stories from being mugged in the highways.
The violence of the drug cartels is not that present in PV but it is in other parts of Mexico so use your common sense and don t take unnecessary risks. Another problem of living in mexico when you are a foreigner is that everyone is after your Dollars and you are more prompt to being scammed.
The weather in P. Vallarta from may to september is also so hot and humid that it is not pleasant at all so you may consider going back home and thus becoming a snowbird and catching the best of 2 worlds!

By: Doug Bower

Doug Bower — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 01:04:17 +0000

Real Estate brokers are notoriously bias when it comes to giving reasons for moving to Mexico. They have a product to sell you, a house, and are not going to mentioned crimes rates, violence in the primary and secondary schools, drug and alcohol addictions, and the ever present rise in organized crime.

The paragraph in this article titled “Safety” borders on the absurd. Gringos visiting Mexico routinely engage in risky behavior of walking around Mexico in the middle of the night because of biased statements like this: “the citizens walk the streets at any time of day or night safely and confidently.” Gringos are the victim of crimes in these cities because it is foolishly risky to do something in Mexico that you would not dream of doing in the States.

To make statements that living in Mexico is safer than living in the States is not only unfounded but dangerous and driven by real estate moguls who want to sell you a house. The stats I report on my blog show differently.

Doug

By: Natalie

Natalie — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 17:39:34 +0000

What are the top 10 reasons not to retire in Mexico?
What about the horrific drug problems and dangers for Americans?

I am of Mexican/Indian decent and have had a great interest in retiring in Mexico but have concerns of safety for myself any visiting family members.

Thank you

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Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:37:44 +0000

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