Best Places To Retire In Mexico

Written by Glen in North America

people around a mexican flag

When retiring to Mexico these are some must know places and I will tell you why. We will discuss the weather, how many people there are, how to get around, and all the basics you will want to know to move there comfortably. 

Mexico has a very rich and vibrant culture. Mexican cuisine is considered one of the best in the world. Some places are riskier than others but overall it is getting a lot better and a choice for a lot of people retiring from the USA.. People are friendly and the dollar is strong against the local currency (Mexican peso). Being a Spanish speaking country the Latin influence can be seen daily in the daily lives of the people who like to get outside and celebrate life.  Most people in upper-middle social classes have a good command of English as a second language as well as hospitality staff.

The Best Places to retire in Mexico are:

  • Guadalajara
  • Mazatlan
  • Durango
  • Cuernavaca
  • Guanajuato
  • Puebla
  • Oaxaca
  • Chapala
  • Ajijic

Now that you know which are the best places to retire in Mexico, let’s dig deeper into each of them and discover which one is right for you.

Where to Retire In Mexico?

There are many cities where you can live in Mexico and many of them have similar climates. What stands out each of them is the lifestyle. You can live in really busy cities like Guadalajara or escape to quieter towns like Chapala or Ajijic.  

Mexico is characterized as one of the largest avocado exporters in the world so the quality of them is very good and the prices are cheap. It is also a producer of the best tequila and mezcal in Latin America. And who doesn’t like kicking back with a shot of good quality tequila or mezcal, especially when it is cheap!  

If tequila or mezcal isn’t your thing a 1L bottle of name brand spirits can cost as little as 5 usd. They also have a wide selection of craft beers from 3 usd. All of this as well as a friendly and welcoming people makes it a good destination to retire.

Why live in Guadalajara?

Temperature – 2 to 32 deg C / 35.6 to 89.6 F

Population – 1.4 million

Tourist Information – https://visitguadalajara.com/

Guadalajara is the third biggest economy in  Mexico. It is considered one of the best cities for quality of life in the country. This is for the simple reason that this city has managed to host a large number of technology industries which is why it is considered as the Silicon Valley of Latin America. 

Guadalajara is the capital of the state of Jalisco. Its climate is considered temperate humid subtropical with a very regular rainy season around June and July.  IT has a mostly dry winter and in certain areas of the city the temperature can drop to -2 ° C. The gastronomy and the nightlife in Guadalajara is very vibrant. Which can start from 2 pm and head into the early hours of the next day.

Security in Guadalajara is good. During the day you can find police officers and police modules in most of the city as well as at night in areas such as Avenida Chapultepec Sur, which is an area of ​​bars and restaurants that also houses small handicraft shops on the pedestrian promenade located in the middle of the street.

Popular Restaurants

Transport

  • Bus System
  • Urban Electric Train
  • Taxis
  • Airport
  • Bus Terminal
  • Trolleybus
  • Bikes for Rent and Bicycle paths

What To Do

Guadalajara has more than this to offer you. Check this article to find more information about rental prices, the best suburbs, safety, and more clicking in Retiring in Guadalajara Mexico: A Great Place To Live.

Why live in Mazatlán?

Temperature – 15 to 33 deg C / 59 to 91.4 F
Population – 442K
Tourist Information – http://sinaloa.travel/index.php/destinos/mazatlan

Mazatlán is a city located in the northwest of Mexico with a semi-humid dry-rainy tropical climate. This city is very attractive due to its beaches, which makes it a desirable tourist destination and also one of the options for retired people from the USA and Canada.

The cultural and gastronomic offer of Mazatlán is another of the charms that make this city an ideal destination. Security in Mazatlán has been improving in recent years thanks to the reinforcement and improvement of patrols and police throughout the city.

Popular Restaurants

Transport

  • Port
  • Bus Terminal
  • Airport
  • Ciclovia
  • Taxis
  • Bus System

What To Do

Why live in Durango?

Temperature – 4 to 30 deg C / 39.2 to 86 F
Population – 616K
Tourist Information – https://www.visit-mexico.mx/durango/

Victoria de Durango mostly known as Durango is a quiet city that maintains a colonial style and architecture.  This is one of the favorite reasons for the majority of retirees and tourists.

The city’s climate is temperate semi-dry, although the cold predominates a bit as winter approaches and the nights are relatively cool. The city is surrounded by mountains and deserts. It was also declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Security in Durango is good, due to the increase in tourists in the city, security and patrol systems have been increased. This does not mean that basic safety precautions should be ignored as in any other city in the world.

Popular Restaurants

Transport

  • Airport
  • Bus TerminalBus
  • Taxis
  • System

What To Do

Why live in Cuernavaca?

Temperature – 12 to 32 deg C / 53.6 to 89.6 F
Population – 378K
Tourist Information – https://www.visitmexico.com/morelos/

Cuernavaca is the capital city of the state of Morelos, located 85 km south of Mexico City, it has a climate that varies between temperate humid and semi-humid due to the different altitudes throughout the city.  This is why temperature wise it is referred to as  the city of eternal spring.

Cuernavaca is a city that is growing. The attractiveness of its architecture and its proximity to nature have  managed to capture the attention of many tourists and people who have decided to live in the city. The level of security is good with little crime and a good police presence.

Popular Restaurants

Transport

  • Airport
  • Bus Terminal Bus
  • System

What To Do

Why live in Guanajuato?

Temperature – 10 to 31 deg C / 50 to 87.8
Population – 195K
Tourist Information – https://www.visitmexico.com/guanajuato/

Guanajuato is the capital city of the Guanajuato state located in north central Mexico. This city has two types of climates, semi-warm in the south and southeast, and temperate sub humid for the remaining areas.

The city of Guanajuato offers a very quiet lifestyle as well as a good cultural scene. The health and education system in this city are great. It has a large population of students. The cost of living is affordable in terms of prices.

It is very common to find squares and parks in Guanajuato where you can do outdoor activities. Although the nightlife is not very big like cities like Guadalajara there are plenty of cafes and bars.

Guanajuato has preserved its colonial style. There are many museums that will appeal to the more artistic retirees. This added to the quiet and tranquility make it one of the favorite destinations to live.

Popular Restaurants

Transport

  • Airport
  • Bus Terminal Bus
  • System
  • Taxis

What To Do

Why live in Puebla?

Temperature – 4 to 26 deg C / 39.2 to 78.8 F
Population – 1.6 million
Tourist Information – https://www.visitmexico.com/puebla

Puebla de Zaragoza is better known as Puebla. Is the capital city of the state of Puebla and the fourth most populated town in the country. This city has a mild climate with cool winters and cold mornings as well as a somewhat hot summer with pleasant nights. So this makes it one of the perfect destinations and retirees.

Despite being a large city, Puebla offers lots of cultural activities. It has two of the most important museums in Latin America. The  lifestyle is similar to that of Mexico City but a little cheaper. The food scene of this city is very varied and similar to the rest of the country. What stands out the most are the delicious Chiles en Nogada, Mole Poblano and Pipián.

One of the other attractions of Puebla is that it is surrounded by four volcanoes with snow-capped peaks. It is that it is one of the places with the most Magic Towns in Mexico, which gives it a very important tourist attraction.

Popular Restaurants

Transport

  • Metrobus
  • Teleferico
  • Tourist Train
  • Terminal de Buses
  • Ciclovias

What To Do

Why live in Oaxaca?

Temperature – 10 to 32 deg C / 50 to 89.6 F
Population – 600K
Tourist Information – https://www.visitmexico.com/oaxaca/

Oaxaca officially called Oaxaca de Juárez, is a city located in the southwest of the country and named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The climate is considered subtropical and mountain climate, so warm and temperate temperatures predominate throughout the year, this being one of the factors preferred by most of the retirees in this city.

Oaxaca is a somewhat quiet city with friendly citizens. Crime rates are low as well as a good police surveillance camera system.. If we compare it with cities like Mexico City or Guadalajara it tends to be much cheaper.

The cultural diversity in Oaxaca is very large. I feel this city is one of the most picturesque places in the state. The gastronomy of Oaxaca is very recognized thanks to its famous Tlayudas and Memelas. It is delicious but also very cheap. The only problem with this city is the poor public transport system options and busses and uber will be your chosen way to get around if you don’t have your own car.

Popular Restaurants

Transport

  • Bus TerminalBus
  • Airport
  • Bus

What To Do

Why live in Chapala?

Temperature – 7 to 30 deg C / 44.6 to 86 F
Population – 23K
Tourist Information – https://visitjalisco.mx/

Chapala is a city in the state of Jalisco located next to Lake Chapala, this being the largest lake in Mexico. Just 45 minutes from the city of Guadalajara. This small and quiet city has become one of the most acclaimed places by retirees for its relaxed lifestyle and huge artistic scene.

The climate in Chapa is warm and temperate, marked by a rainier winter than in the summer. Although Chapala is a tourist place it is still a quiet city with a good level of security.

Popular Restaurants

Transport

  • Bus Station Bus
  • System
  • Taxis

What To Do

Why live in Ajijic?

Temperature – 7 to 30 deg C / 44.6 to 86 F
Population – 11K
Tourist Information –  https://visitjalisco.mx/

Ajijic is considered a magical town and is part of the municipality of Chapala located around Lake Chapala in the state of Jalisco. The tranquility of this town has a generally warm and temperate climate. Which has made it the best destination to retire in Mexico for foreigners.

Being a magical little town Ajijic enjoys a very good cultural life. With a large expat community most of the advertisements on the streets are in both Spanish and English. The security of this town is considerably good. The tourist activities of this town focus on boat trips on the lake as well as balloon trips or sport fishing.

Popular Restaurants

Transport

  • Buses
  • Taxis

What To Do

Where To Find A Home?

Whether you are buying or renting the real estate websites below will help you out. If you are looking for something cheaper then you can go to facebook marketplace where you can find really cheap shared accommodation. Change your filter to Guadalajara and then click on Property Rentals or House Sales. You will find that if you are buying, prices will be in local peso.

TIP: I generally use Airbnb for the first month with their large discounts on stays over 28 days to get me started and then look for local property. Just be careful for those long stays you have to cancel or change 1 month out or you are stuck with it.

Top Real Estates To Look At In Mexico:

What is the Language in Mexico?

Spanish is the language of Mexico and all of north, central and south american so a very handy language to learn. English is spoken in 67 countries and Spanish in 21 so the next widest spoken language country wise. How can you learn Spanish? There are literally thousands of courses, software, youtube videos, podcasts, audio books and real books (old school television) that you have to choose from. 

Here are my recommended steps:

  1. Download the DuoLingo App on your phone available in iTunes and Google Play.

Use this for a few months and get a couple of levels up doing at least 2 to 3 lessons a day or more.

  1. Audible – Paul Noble Spanish

A great companion while using duo lingo and you are out and about. It will cost a book credit but well worth it and he will tell you some nifty tricks to increase your vocabulary.

  1. Find a language exchange partner on iTalki or Tandem and start practicing your skills. Both websites have an integrated app that you can get from iTunes or Google Play as well. iTalki makes a book companion to learn Spanish as well which if you like hard copy will be a great start for you.
  2. Finally when you get into the country you can do a local language course and not feel completely befuddled and out of place.

Safety

Honestly, Mexico has a high crime and delinquency rate. Most of them come from states or cities with a high presence of cartels and / or from the poorest parts of the country. If you are thinking of retiring in Mexico this is a real concern that you should take into account and choose where to live. 

Don’t let that stop you from visiting but just pick towns like we did for you above with a high police presence and be mindful of personal safety like you do anywhere in the world.  Don’t go walking down dark alleys in the middle of the night in the bad part of town wearing diamonds and rolexes.

Pro Tip: If you are pulling your phone out of your pocket keep it close to your chest or better yet step into a doorway.  It is not common but the occasional motorbike phone thefts do get around looking for unwitting tourists with expensive phones held up in the air.  I never travel with an expensive phone anyway and always have my old phone as backup.

What places to avoid in Mexico?

As well as telling you the safest places to visit like what we showed you above we thought we would show you some you should avoid.  Mexico is getting better day by day but better to be safe than sorry.

Here are some places to avoid:

  • Ciudad Juárez
  • Michoacan
  • Veracruz
  • Tijuana
  • Ciudad Neza
  • Towns or cities near the border of the states Jalisco and Michoacán
  • Temixco
  • Acapulco
  • Culiacan

Health Care

The private healthcare in Mexico is very similar to that of the United States with only a small gap between their rankings globally as per the World Health Organization rankings. You can see this list below. The major difference is it will cost you a lot less for the similar health care in Mexico and you can check those prices out on the actual health care providers below.

LINK: World Health Care Rankings

Here are some of the biggest national Private Health Care Providers in Mexico:

TIP: If the website does not have an English version open in Microsoft Edge or Chrome Browser and it will translate it for you.

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