The things you need to live well, to live comfortably, and to live simply are here.  They probably aren’t in the shapes and forms that you’re used to seeing; and how they manifest themselves might be different and, at first, alien to your customs.  This journey of discovery is one that you’ll have to undertake consciously if you intend to create a new lifestyle for yourself in Mexico.

Full adoption of any foreign country requires compromise, acceptance, and understanding.  Moving to Mexico will oblige you to change habits, surrender certain whims, and accept life for what it is, not what you wish it or demand it to be.  In return, Mexico could gift new dimensions to your life, for example, by encouraging you to see beyond your current horizon, and connecting you to friends of the kind you never thought possible.

You will witness the kindnesses and wickedness of human nature as the well-documented contrasts present themselves regularly.  Situations here will at times frustrate you or annoy you; sometimes they will appear to tease you for no apparent reason.

Mexico can also fill you with an energy and joy that will remain in you always.  It’s this spontaneous tapestry that creates the almost mystical allure that has brought foreigners to live here, and live out their lives here, for better and for worse, for centuries.  And when —or more precisely, if— you can find peace with all that Mexico is and all that Mexico is not, you will begin to find your place in these lands. If you don’t or discover that you can’t tread that testing path and adapt, Mexico will surely break your endeavors and send you back whence you came.

You might choose a big city, a home in the mountains, or perhaps you’ll find a tranquil place to live beside the ocean, or in the Mexican countryside.  The topographical diversity here offers ample choice of locations.

Whatever location you choose, your true place, when you find it in Mexico, will be anchored in the spaces that you will come to adore but which you cannot easily define, and in the feelings you hold for them which cannot be easily expressed.

It has been said that Mexico deposits a certain dust on visitors’ shoes that will cause them to return for good, or never again.  The allegory fits well with the contrasts so often cited in lore, but it would be foolhardy to encapsulate that thing, that indefinable attendance which attracts and repels so many to these complex and absorbing lands, in such black-and-white terms.  To adapt, you’ll need to turn up with an open mind, with courage and tenacity, and be prepared to craft your own story here—on Mexico’s terms.

If what you’re seeing on the news keeps you away from Mexico, your perceptions have been hijacked before you allowed yourself an opportunity to better understand these lands, and see what others here see: a country in transition, a country which is, by and large, less violent than those places where stones are so readily thrown from glass houses.

Finding your place in Mexico requires due course.  There are no shortcuts, no tricks or cheats to download, no instant answers.  And as you embark on this journey you’ll never quite understand how irrelevant all your preconceptions are to become as Mexico simultaneously encourages and obliges you to find your peace amidst its contrasts and eccentricities.

If you come to truly embrace Mexico, as its closest friends who are foreign-born to these lands do, it will most likely be through a baptism of fire that will test your character, your mettle, and your heart; through a journey of discovery that brings you to being each day and a knowing within that here is where your life belongs.

Resources for Living & Lifestyle in Mexico

Mexperience offers you a comprehensive online resource of information and local knowledge to help you discover Mexico, explore choices, find opportunities and plan a new life in Mexico.  Our resources include:

• Helpful articles to help you plan your Mexico lifestyle
• Insights and tips for settling-in and cultivating a life here
• Detailed information about seeking residency in Mexico
• Detailed guides to cultivating your life and lifestyle in Mexico
• A regular Mexico Newsletter you can subscribe to for free

Lifestyle & Living insights for August

Insights and tips for better living, lifestyle, and leisure in Mexico.

High summer in Mexico — The brittle dry days of May and early June seem distant now as rain storms sweep across Mexico’s mainland—bringing welcome refreshment and dramatic skylines. Mexico offers plenty of daylight year-round and the quality of the light is extraordinary: this time of year, enjoy the spectacle of warm sunlight diffusing across scattering cloud formations after the passing of a strong rainstorm.

Enjoying your summer road trip: Summer is one of the busiest times of year on Mexico’s roads and interstate highways, and Mexico’s vast and scenic landscapes provide exhilarating backdrops for you to enjoy exceptional road travel experiences. Our articles and insights about driving in Mexico share key things you need to know before you hit the road; and our guide to auto insurance will help you to get the coverage you need for peace of mind when you’re driving, that can include coverage for vehicle breakdown assistance.

Location matters — The popularity to live in certain places in Mexico tends to ebb and flow over the years. Our guide to living places shares helpful knowledge about specific locations, but perhaps more important is our guide to matching your lifestyle needs with your location.  Taking a step back to identify your real lifestyle needs and giving due consideration to them —instead of becoming seduced by enthusiasm and opinions that oscillate with changing temperaments— will help you to choose a place that serves your intentions while protecting your resources and long-term property investment.

Residency through marriage in Mexico — Mexico’s immigration law recognizes legal marriage and common-law partnerships (including same-sex marriages and partnerships) for the purposes of seeking residency under the auspice of Family Unit applications.  How your case is treated depends on whether you begin your residency application at a consulate abroad or at an immigration office in Mexico, and whether you’re married to/partnered with a Mexican national or a foreign resident. Read our guide to obtaining residency in Mexico through marriage or common-law partnership for more details.

Residency support — If you’re planning to apply for residency in Mexico this detailed outline of the process helps you to map out the journey. Check your existing residency cards for their renewal date to avoid having to deal with expired cards. Our article about managing your residency in Mexico is filled with helpful advice for existing residents.

Managing your dwelling spaces in Mexico — Creating a comfortable, secure, and enjoyable home in Mexico requires more than just buying or renting a home here. Our extensive guides teach you about securing your home, and keeping it well maintained throughout the changing seasons.  Start with our guide to home maintenance and security, and for the latest updates connect our section about Home Stewardship in Mexico.

Document apostilles and translations — This is a reminder than any official foreign-issued documents you present to government offices in Mexico as part of an application for residency or other services must be apostilled and translated into Spanish by translator certified by the Mexican Judiciary. Our articles about getting documents apostilled and translating documents into Spanish for use in Mexico offer guidance and connections.

To flush, or not to flush the waste paper? — Homes in urban areas are usually connected to a mains sewer—but not always. Rural properties almost always use a septic tank situated on the property. This article describes how to manage waste water at your home in Mexico.

Peak rains, and hurricanes — August and September tend to bring the heaviest rains across Mexico’s mainland, and hurricanes can make landfall anytime until around late October.  Our guide about living well through Mexico’s rainy season offers practical advice, including how to deal with mosquitoes that are prevalent this time of year.

Property options: buy, build, or renovate? Most people seeking a home in Mexico buy a prebuilt house, but opportunities also exist for building a custom home, and renovating old properties which have fallen into decay. Learn about the options, and the advantages and drawbacks of each one, on our guide to buying, building or renovating property in Mexico.

Summer Leisure Tours in Mexico

Vibrant colors in the Copper Canyon: Summer is peak season in the canyons, as the rains bring growth, color, fragrance, and vibrancy to this most remarkable natural landscape. Take an extraordinary train journey through Mexico’s Copper Canyon to experience dramatic landscapes and absorb breath-taking natural scenery.

Plan ahead for the autumn: For those planning ahead to the fall season, consider arranging your tour to see the Monarch butterflies, that will begin to arrive in Mexico during November.

Mexico Living & Lifestyle Essentials

Guides and updates for everyday living & lifestyle in Mexico.

Roadcraft — Browse our extensive insights about driving & road trips in Mexico. Learn about being properly insured for the journey.

Immigration & Residency — Mexperience publishes detailed and regularly updated information about residency in Mexico.  Learn about how to apply, and how to manage your residency card and status. Obtain tele-assistance or accompanied assistance to help with the procedures and filing.

House & Home — Our guide to Mexico real estate is the most comprehensive you’ll find. When you buy or rent a home here, learn about how to keep it well cared for with our articles about Home Stewardship.  Also learn how to keep your dwelling spaces adequately secured and properly insured.

Health & Wellbeing — Read tips & insights for health and wellness in Mexico.  Learn about health insurance options.  Get a quote for private health insurance.

Money & Banking — Our complete and regularly updated guide to money and banking in Mexico helps you to learn about Mexico’s peso, open and manage a local bank account, make money transfers, use bank cards, and deal with everyday financial matters in Mexico.

Discover More of Mexico

Mexperience accompanies you throughout your journey.

When you’re looking for a new lifestyle in Mexico, Mexperience is with you at every step—from those first key decisions about moving, to settling-in and cultivating a fruitful lifestyle everyday.  And when you need time away for leisure and recreation, we help you to discover & arrange meaningful leisure experiences.

Lifestyle & Living insights for July

Insights and tips for better living & lifestyle in Mexico.

Rains storms breaking the dry heat — As summer begins to unfold in earnest, the hot and brittle atmosphere of late spring is being rolled back as rain storms begin to sweep across Mexico’s mainland—bringing refreshment and transforming the color and scent of the landscape.  Our section about the rain season in Mexico offers local insights, including tips for living well through the rain season.

Summer road trips — As schools break for their summer recess and families venture out together, Mexico’s roads and interstate highways can become busy and congested in places.  Our articles and insights about driving in Mexico share key things you need to know before you take to the road, and our guide to auto insurance will help you to get the coverage you need for peace of mind when you’re driving.

Election weighs on Mexican peso — Mexico’s currency, that appreciated in value against the US dollar since the summer of 2023 —and held those gains— began to slip back after Mexico’s election in June. Our article about the history of Mexico’s currency shares some perspective on the changing fortunes of Mexico’s peso through the years.

Residency support — If you’re planning to apply for residency in Mexico this detailed outline of the process helps you to map out the journey. Check your existing residency cards for their renewal date to avoid having to deal with expired cards. Our article about managing your residency in Mexico is filled with helpful advice for existing residents.

Going where the weather suits your clothes — The weather and local climate affect us in many ways, everyday. If you’re thinking about living in Mexico, it’s worth considering how the climate varies by region and by season, and choosing a location in Mexico where you’ll feel comfortable all year round —not just on a vacation or during a seasonal visit— is a key decision to make as part of your lifestyle planning.

Insurance coverages for your lifestyle in Mexico — Learn about insurance coverages to support your lifestyle in Mexico and get quotes online for insurance services that can mitigate the economic effects of unforeseen events and provide practical and legal support through what can often be difficult situations.

Document apostilles and translations — This is a reminder than any official foreign-issued documents you present to government offices in Mexico as part of an application for residency or other services must be apostilled and translated into Spanish by translator certified by the Mexican Judiciary. Our articles about getting documents apostilled and translating documents into Spanish for use in Mexico offer guidance and connections.

Brewing-up some summer refreshment — Independent regional Mexican brewers are making a noticeable comeback and some refreshing and tasty craft Mexican beers may be available at your local restaurant.

Wind storms and electricity — The peak period of the rainy season can bring sudden wind storms which can appear from nowhere and they, coupled with torrential rainstorms, can cause local power cuts.  Our article about dealing with electrical power cuts in Mexico shares insights and practical advice.

Your own place to dwell in Mexico — When you’re planning to move to Mexico, or if you’re here and reconsidering your accommodation choices, you’ll need to find accommodations that align with your lifestyle needs and priorities. Our article about finding suitable accommodations explores the choices and practicalities involved in finding a home here.

Summer Leisure Tours in Mexico

Vibrant colors in the Copper Canyon: Summer is peak season in the canyons, as the rains bring growth, color, fragrance, and vibrancy to this most remarkable natural landscape. Take an extraordinary train journey through Mexico’s Copper Canyon to experience dramatic landscapes and absorb breath-taking natural scenery.

Plan ahead for the autumn: For those planning ahead to the fall season, consider arranging your tour to see the Monarch butterflies, that will begin to arrive in Mexico during November.

Mexico Living & Lifestyle Essentials

Guides and updates for everyday living & lifestyle in Mexico.

Roadcraft — Browse our extensive insights about driving & road trips in Mexico. Learn about being properly insured for the journey.

Immigration & Residency — Mexperience publishes detailed and regularly updated information about residency in Mexico.  Learn about how to apply, and how to manage your residency card and status. Obtain tele-assistance or accompanied assistance to help with the procedures and filing.

House & Home — Our guide to Mexico real estate is the most comprehensive you’ll find. When you buy or rent a home here, learn about how to keep it well cared for with our articles about Home Stewardship.  Also learn how to keep your dwelling spaces adequately secured and properly insured.

Health & Wellbeing — Read tips & insights for health and wellness in Mexico.  Learn about health insurance options.  Get a quote for private health insurance.

Money & Banking — Our complete and regularly updated guide to money and banking in Mexico helps you to learn about Mexico’s peso, open and manage a local bank account, make money transfers, use bank cards, and deal with everyday financial matters in Mexico.

Discover More of Mexico

Mexperience accompanies you throughout your journey.

When you’re looking for a new lifestyle in Mexico, Mexperience is with you at every step—from those first key decisions about moving, to settling-in and cultivating a fruitful lifestyle everyday.  And when you need time away for leisure and recreation, we help you to discover & arrange meaningful leisure experiences.

Lifestyle & Living insights for June

Insights and tips for better living & lifestyle in Mexico.

Summer light & rains — June 21st marks the start of summer in Mexico.  The unmistakable signature scent of the first heavy rains falling onto dry earth serve as a harbinger that the dry season is ending.  Summer brings refreshing rains across the mainland, propelling new life and spectacular colors accompanied by an indefinable range of fragrances as the flora bloom and flourish.  The extraordinary light extends into the evenings here, even without clock changes.  Summer is outstanding in Mexico… enjoy!

Mexico’s June elections — Mexicans go to the polls on June 2nd to elect 500 congressional seats, 128 senate seats, and governorships in nine of the country’s 32 states. However, the main interest in June’s elections is the presidential race—in which there are three candidates.

Mainland on the cusp of the rain season — The dry season across Mexico’s mainland, that peaks during April and May, is starting to break as rain storms begin to arrive in some regions. The earliest seasonal storms are rarely strong enough to puncture the dry crust across the landscapes, but they are a reminder that change is imminent.  Wind storms usually appear during the transition period, and we have tips for living well through the rain season in Mexico.

Health insurance choices — Some readers have been writing to ask about alternatives to private health insurance. Legal foreign residents can enroll in Mexico’s state-run healthcare system IMSS, and Americans living in Mexico with healthcare plans in the US may consider a Medical Evacuation plan that will get them to a hospital of their choice in the event of a major incident.  For more details, read this overview of the choices for health insurance in Mexico.

Residency support — If you’re planning to apply for residency in Mexico this detailed outline of the process helps you to map out the journey. Check your existing residency cards for their renewal date to avoid having to deal with expired cards. Our article about managing your residency in Mexico is filled with helpful advice for existing residents.

Dressing against the mosquitoes — Mosquitoes are most prevalent in Mexico between April and November. Their numbers swell during the rainy season (June to October) as the females are driven to fetch blood that contains the iron they need to produce their eggs.  We offer practical advice for dealing with mosquitoes in Mexico.

Caring for the spaces where you dwell — With the rain season arriving it’s a good time to make last-minute cross checks around your house and home for any maintenance and repairs that might need attendance ahead of the storms—that can also include hurricanes.  Our section about Home Stewardship in Mexico offers in-depth local knowledge and advice to keep your house and home safe and in good shape.  Consider insuring your Mexican home to mitigate the financial costs of unforeseen events caused by burglary, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.

Document translations — Any documents that need to be translated into Spanish for an official procedure in Mexico (usually for residency purposes, but there are others) must be translated by a “perito” translator, certified by the Mexican Judiciary. Our article about translating documents into Spanish for use in Mexico offers guidance and connections.

Approaches to lifestyle choices… and changes — How you approach a potential move to Mexico, or approach changes to your lifestyle if you’re already here, will usually depend on your personality and the evolving priorities of your life situation.  Our articles on the subject offer meaningful insights and guidance.

Summer driving in Mexico — Whether you bring your foreign-plated car to Mexico, or drive a Mexican-plated car, the extensive guides and articles we publish about driving and road trips in Mexico can help you to plan your journey and prepare for the road ahead.  Read our guide to properly insuring your vehicle if you’re driving it across the border from the US or Canada.

Property transactions in Mexico — In our guide to working with realty agents, you’ll discover that a good local agent can do more than just help you find and close on a new home.  They can also provide local knowledge to buyers and sellers, act as project managers and interpreters during the transaction, and they might also provide longer-term support after you move in. Find a realty agent in Mexico.

Summer Leisure Tours in Mexico

Popular this time of year:Visits to Mexico’s Copper Canyon are popular during the summer, as the rains cause the rivers to swell and the natural landscapes to burst with color and fragrance.

Plan ahead for the autumn: For those planning ahead to the fall season, consider arranging your tour to see the Monarch butterflies, that will begin to arrive in Mexico during November.

Mexico Living & Lifestyle Essentials

Guides and updates for everyday living & lifestyle in Mexico.

Roadcraft — Browse our extensive insights about driving & road trips in Mexico. Learn about being properly insured for the journey.

Immigration & Residency — Mexperience publishes detailed and regularly updated information about residency in Mexico.  Learn about how to apply, and how to manage your residency card and status. Obtain tele-assistance or accompanied assistance to help with the procedures and filing.

House & Home — Our guide to Mexico real estate is the most comprehensive you’ll find. When you buy or rent a home here, learn about how to keep it well cared for with our articles about Home Stewardship.  Also learn how to keep your dwelling spaces adequately secured and properly insured.

Health & Wellbeing — Read tips & insights for health and wellness in Mexico.  Learn about health insurance options.  Get a quote for private health insurance.

Money & Banking — Our complete and regularly updated guide to money and banking in Mexico helps you to learn about Mexico’s peso, open and manage a local bank account, make money transfers, use bank cards, and deal with everyday financial matters in Mexico.

Discover More of Mexico

Mexperience accompanies you throughout your journey.

When you’re looking for a new lifestyle in Mexico, Mexperience is with you at every step—from those first key decisions about moving, to settling-in and cultivating a fruitful lifestyle everyday.  And when you need time away for leisure and recreation, we help you to discover & arrange meaningful leisure experiences.

Lifestyle & Living insights for May

Insights and tips for better living & lifestyle in Mexico.

Bridge between seasons — May often serves as a bridge between the dry season and the rainy season across Mexico’s mainland.  The month tends to be hot and mostly dry, although regional rainstorms typically begin during May, tempering the heat and refreshing the parched landscape.

May’s calendar highlights — Labor Day on May 1st is a national holiday and falls midweek this year—on a Wednesday. Cinco de Mayo on the fifth is not a national holiday, but Mother’s Day on May 10th is an unofficial day-off for working mothers.

Seasonal changes — May and June are transition months that can typically be accompanied by wind storms which may appear suddenly. As we move into late spring, nightfall happens later on the clock, and June 21st is the longest daylight hours date of the year.  The Jacaranda trees are in full bloom, and will soon shed their distinctive purple flowers and redress their branches in green, ready for the summer.  Although the rainy season is on the horizon, water supplies can continue to be scarce, so careful consumption is recommended.

Residency support — If you’re planning to apply for residency in Mexico, this detailed outline of the process helps you to map out the journey. Check your existing residency cards for their renewal date to avoid having to deal with expired cards. Our article about managing your residency in Mexico is filled with helpful advice for existing residents.

Realty agents — As we have remarked in our guide to realty agents, a good local realty agent can do more than just help you find and close on a new home.  They also provide local knowledge to buyers and sellers, act as project managers and interpreters during the transaction, and they might also provide longer-term support after you move in.  Far Homes can connect you to real estate agents at popular locations, and our section about finding a realty agent shares additional connections.

Money matters — Our comprehensive guide to Money in Mexico includes helpful chapters on using ATMs in Mexico as well safety tips when using cash or bank cards here.

Measure twice, cut once — When you’re thinking about relocating to Mexico, or changing your life situation if you’re already living here, taking time to consider these key factors will help you to step back and define your intentions, identify opportunities of interest to you, weight up the compromises, consider your options, and plot a course based on the things that are important to your circumstances.

Driving places this spring — Whether you bring your foreign-plated car to Mexico, or drive a Mexican-plated car, the extensive guides and articles we publish about driving and road trips in Mexico can help you to plan your journey and prepare for the road ahead.  Read our guide to properly insuring your vehicle if you’re driving it across the border from the US or Canada.

Managing your dwelling spaces — When you have a home in Mexico, our section about Home Stewardship in Mexico is filled with articles and guides sharing practical advice and local knowledge to keep your house and home in good order.

To flush, or not to flush? — Should you flush toilet paper or throw it in the waste paper bin?  Learn how sewerage and waste water is typically managed at residential homes in Mexico, either via a mains sewer or a natural sewer (septic tank) system.

Far from the madding crowd — Is the Mexican countryside right for your lifestyle? Explore the practical aspects, attractions, and drawbacks of living amidst a rural idyll in Mexico.

Leisure Tours in Mexico

Walking Tours: Spring is the perfect time of year to take a walking tour. Our associates in Mexico City and Ajijic/Chapala offer tours to help you discover these places on foot.

Other tours: Our associates can provide a no-obligation quote for custom tours to experience Mexico’s Copper Canyon on what is one of the world’s most extraordinary train journeys, and to see the Whales up-close near Baja California.  Also, plan ahead to experience the Monarch Butterflies next season: they arrive in November and peak viewing season is between mid-January and late February.

Mexico Living Essentials

Guides and updates for everyday living & lifestyle in Mexico.

Roadcraft — Browse our extensive insights about driving & road trips in Mexico. Learn about being properly insured for the journey.

Immigration & Residency — Mexperience publishes detailed and regularly updated information about residency in Mexico.  Learn about how to apply, and how to manage your residency card and status. Obtain tele-assistance or accompanied assistance to help with the procedures and filing.

House & Home — Our guide to Mexico real estate is the most comprehensive you’ll find. When you buy or rent a home here, learn about how to keep it well cared for with our articles about Home Stewardship.  Also learn how to keep your dwelling spaces adequately secured and properly insured.

Health & Wellbeing — Read tips & insights for health and wellness in Mexico.  Learn about health insurance options.  Get a quote for private health insurance.

Money & Banking — Our complete and regularly updated guide to money and banking in Mexico helps you to learn about Mexico’s peso, open and manage a local bank account, make money transfers, use bank cards, and deal with everyday financial matters in Mexico.

Discover More of Mexico

Mexperience accompanies you throughout your journey.

When you’re looking for a new lifestyle in Mexico, Mexperience is with you at every step—from those first key decisions about moving, to settling-in and cultivating a fruitful lifestyle everyday.  And when you need time away for leisure and recreation, we help you to discover & arrange meaningful leisure experiences.

Lifestyle & Living insights for April

Insights and tips for better living & lifestyle in Mexico.

Solar eclipse in Mexico — Some places in Mexico will experience total darkness during this year’s solar eclipse —on April 8th— and almost all of Mexico will experience the eclipse to some degree.

Easter Holidays — Easter, in Mexico termed as Semana Santa, or Holy Week, is one of Mexico’s ‘big three’ holidays, alongside Christmas and Día de los Muertos. We have tips for traveling during this busy holiday period, and learn why it’s a good time to visit the capital.  Read our articles and guides about Easter in Mexico.

Hot & dry days of spring — The ‘long dry’ spell has taken hold across Mexico’s mainland—April and May tend to become hot, dusty and brittle before the rains return to refresh and replenish the landscape and all who dwell upon it.  Water use at home ought to be conserved. We have tips for living well through the dry season in Mexico.

Home insurance — In hotter years, the rains have a tendency to return with vigor—and fierce thunderstorms that dump colossal amounts of rain in a short span can cause localized flash-flooding.  Whether you own your house in Mexico, or rent a home here, a home insurance policy can mitigate the costs of dealing with flood damage, earthquakes, hurricanes, as well as burglary, vandalism, and third party liabilities.

Residency matters — If you’re planning to apply for residency in Mexico this spring, this detailed outline of the process helps you to map out the journey. Check your existing residency cards for their renewal date to avoid having to deal with expired cards. Our article about managing your residency in Mexico is filled with helpful advice for existing residents.

Easter Closing: Immigration Offices in Mexico will be closed on Good Friday (March 29), and might also be closed on Maundy (Holy) Thursday (March 28).

Mexico’s tipping culture — Tipping is woven into the fabric of Mexican trading culture and appropriate in many everyday situations—even some you might not be accustomed to.  Learn about how tip appropriately in Mexico.

Apostille & Translation — When you’re filing official documents in Mexico that were originally issued outside of Mexico —for example, Birth and Marriage Certificates— you will need to get these Apostilled and Translated into Spanish by an authorized translator.

Mosquito defense — Mosquitoes are most prevalent in Mexico between April and November, and their numbers swell during the rainy season (June to October). We share practical advice and tips for dealing effectively with mosquitoes when you’re visiting or living in Mexico.

Selling your Mexican house — If you’re a home owner in Mexico, one day you might decide to sell the property and move on.  We have extensive guides about selling your home, including valuations, marketing, working with agents, and costs and taxes.

Financial planning — There are two calculations you will need to make to determine the financial means you will need to have at your disposal to live in Mexico.  The first calculation is related to the financial requirements to qualify for a residency permit in Mexico, and the second calculation is related to your real living costs in Mexico.  This article describes how the numbers stack up.

Driving places this spring — Whether you bring your foreign-plated car to Mexico, or drive a Mexican-plated car, the extensive guides and articles we publish about driving and road trips in Mexico can help you to plan your journey and prepare for the road ahead.

Springtime Leisure Tours in Mexico

Walking Tours: It’s the perfect time of year to take a walking tour. Our associates in Mexico City and Ajijic/Chapala offer tours to help you discover these places on foot.

Other tours: Our associates can also help with custom tours to experience Mexico’s Copper Canyon on what is one of the world’s most extraordinary train journeys.

Mexico Living Essentials

Guides and updates for everyday living & lifestyle in Mexico.

Roadcraft — Browse our extensive insights about driving & road trips in Mexico. Learn about being properly insured for the journey.

Immigration & Residency — Mexperience publishes detailed and regularly updated information about residency in Mexico.  Learn about how to apply, and how to manage your residency card and status. Obtain tele-assistance or accompanied assistance to help with the procedures and filing.

House & Home — Our guide to Mexico real estate is the most comprehensive you’ll find. When you buy or rent a home here, learn about how to keep it well cared for with our articles about Home Stewardship.  Also learn how to keep your dwelling spaces adequately secured and properly insured.

Health & Wellbeing — Read tips & insights for health and wellness in Mexico.  Learn about health insurance options.  Get a quote for private health insurance.

Money & Banking — Our complete and regularly updated guide to money and banking in Mexico helps you to learn about Mexico’s peso, open and manage a local bank account, make money transfers, use bank cards, and deal with everyday financial matters in Mexico.

Discover More of Mexico

Mexperience accompanies you throughout your journey.

When you’re looking for a new lifestyle in Mexico, Mexperience is with you at every step—from those first key decisions about moving, to settling-in and cultivating a fruitful lifestyle everyday.  And when you need time away for leisure and recreation, we help you to discover & arrange meaningful leisure experiences.

Lifestyle & Living insights for March

Insights and tips for better living & lifestyle in Mexico.

Spring marches in — The month of March heralds the beginning of Springtime in Mexico, and March through May bring the hottest and driest days of the year. Gardeners will be busy keeping their plants refreshed in the absence of significant rains, and water supplies at home may need to be conserved as the dry season takes hold in earnest.

Benito Juárez weekend — March is host to another long weekend holiday, commemorating the birth of Benito Juárez—one of the most revered of Mexico’s former political leaders.  The March 21st holiday was moved to the third Monday in March—which this year falls on March 18th.

(No) clock changes — A reminder that, with the exception of some municipalities that border the USA, Mexico will not be moving its clocks forward this spring, but clock changes elsewhere will create time differences to note when you plan travels and meetings.

Residency matters — If you’re planning to apply for residency in Mexico this spring, this detailed outline of the process helps you to map out the journey. Check your existing residency cards for their renewal date to avoid having to deal with expired cards. Our article about managing your residency in Mexico is filled with helpful advice for existing residents.

Dry season sunsets: Sunsets in Mexico are spectacular this time of year, as the dry landscapes lend dust to rise high into the atmosphere that blends with setting sun rays to create compositions of extraordinary late evening light.

Solar eclipse in Mexico — Some places in Mexico will experience total darkness during this year’s solar eclipse —on April 8th— and almost all of Mexico will experience the eclipse to some degree.

Going local with your morning brew — There’s plenty of choice when it comes to coffee brands in Mexico, including a range of well-known pricey imports. It’s reasonable to argue that, other than satisfying a yen for variety, there’s no need to pay a premium for the imported grains as Mexico’s home-grown coffees are remarkable, whether you drink them at home, or at one of the many local coffee shops you’ll find in every town and city.

Wind and electricity — Febrero loco y marzo otro poco is a popular Mexican adage that expresses the unpredictability of weather this time of year.  And this is particularly noticeable with Mexico’s winds, which can suddenly transform a perfectly still afternoon or night into a dramatic outdoor dance—and this might also be a cause for some disturbances to your home’s electricity supply.

The right house in the right place —  There are various choices and important practicalities to consider as you search for and find a home for your lifestyle situation in Mexico. You might rent, or buy, or should you build or fix-up a property?  Explore the choices and practicalities involved in finding a home.

Spring into Spanish this season — If you plan to live in Mexico —or are living here already— we recommend you make time to learn or improve your Spanish language skills.  Being able to converse with others in Spanish will enhance every encounter and enrich your experience of being here.  Reasons for learning Spanish are numerous; our PinPoint Spanish series helps you delve into the nuances of Mexican Spanish, and our associates offer courses, online and in-classroom.

Changing times, changing lifestyles — How people approach a potential move to Mexico usually depends on a combination of their personality, their situation, and their lifestyle priorities.

Care for your dwelling spaces — Mexperience accompanies you throughout your journey: at the planning stage, the moving stage, and as you settle-in to your new life in Mexico.  The extensive guides and articles presented in our Mexico Home Life section help you cultivate a local lifestyle, and our section about Home Stewardship helps you learn about keeping your home and dwelling spaces in good order.

Driving places this spring — Whether you bring your foreign-plated car to Mexico, or drive a Mexican-plated car, the extensive guides and articles we publish about driving and road trips in Mexico can help you to plan your journey and prepare for the road ahead.

Springtime Leisure Tours in Mexico

The Monarch butterflies leave in March, but there are other attractions and opportunities to get outdoors in Mexico this spring.

Walking tour of Mexico City: It’s the perfect time of year to take a walking tour of Mexico City, and our associate David Lida can create a customized tour for you or your small group.

Other tours: Our associates can also help with custom tours to experience Mexico’s Copper Canyon on what is one of the world’s most extraordinary train journeys; if you like wine, consider a custom tour of the Baja wine region.

Mexico Living Essentials

Guides and updates for everyday living & lifestyle in Mexico.

Roadcraft — Browse our extensive insights about driving & road trips in Mexico. Learn about being properly insured for the journey.

Immigration & Residency — Mexperience publishes detailed and regularly updated information about residency in Mexico.  Learn about how to apply, and how to manage your residency card and status. Obtain tele-assistance or accompanied assistance to help with the procedures and filing.

House & Home — Our guide to Mexico real estate is the most comprehensive you’ll find. When you buy or rent a home here, learn about how to keep it well cared for with our articles about Home Stewardship.  Also learn how to keep your dwelling spaces adequately secured and properly insured.

Health & Wellbeing — Read tips & insights for health and wellness in Mexico.  Learn about health insurance options.  Get a quote for private health insurance.

Money & Banking — Our complete and regularly updated guide to money and banking in Mexico helps you to learn about Mexico’s peso, open and manage a local bank account, make money transfers, use bank cards, and deal with everyday financial matters in Mexico.

Discover More of Mexico

Mexperience accompanies you throughout your journey.

When you’re looking for a new lifestyle in Mexico, Mexperience is with you at every step—from those first key decisions about moving, to settling-in and cultivating a fruitful lifestyle everyday.  And when you need time away for leisure and recreation, we help you to discover & arrange meaningful leisure experiences.

Lifestyle & Living insights for February

Insights and tips for better living & lifestyle in Mexico.

Solar eclipse in Mexico — Some places in Mexico will experience total darkness during this year’s solar eclipse —on April 8th— and almost all of Mexico will experience the eclipse to some degree.

Constitution Day, February 5th — The first long-weekend holiday of the year happens in February. The first Monday of the month marks Día de la Constitución that this year happens to fall on the precise date of the original holiday.

Residency qualification — As anticipated, Mexican Consulates have not adopted UMA for 2024 and so qualifying for residency using your income or savings has become more difficult.  This article describes why and outlines potential alternatives if your income or pension no longer meets the requirements to qualify for residency in Mexico.

Voting in and from Mexico — Some readers have been emailing us to ask about how to vote this year: from Mexico in the US November elections, and in Mexico for the presidential election this summer. Naturalized Mexican citizens may vote in Mexican elections; legal residents cannot. US citizens living in Mexico who want to cast votes in US elections should visit this page on the US embassy website for guidance.

Guides updated — Mexperience is continually updated throughout the year, and we make additional important updates during January and February when new pricing and other official data emerge. Enjoy our extensive and continuously-updated guides to Living & Lifestyles in Mexico.

Winter’s dry days — Mexico offers agreeable climates in winter, and this time of year the dry season begins to take hold and make itself readily apparent. The dust & dander can be challenging, so too keeping garden plants properly hydrated. We have tips and local knowledge for living well in the absence of rain and managing your home’s water supply.

House prices — Discover what drives the price of residential property in Mexico, and learn about how property sellers typically value their homes for sale. (Smart buyers will read that one, too.)  If you’re planning to buy, rent, or sell property, our continuously-updated guide to real estate in Mexico is the most comprehensive you’ll find anywhere online.

Language is an important key — If you plan to live in Mexico —or are living here already— we recommend you make time to learn or improve your Spanish language skills.  Being able to converse with others in Spanish will enhance every encounter and enrich your experience of being here.  Reasons for learning Spanish are numerous; our PinPoint Spanish series helps you delve into the nuances of Mexican Spanish, and our associates offer courses, online and in-classroom.

Moving parts — What’s motivating your move to Mexico, and what types of things influence how long foreign residents stay here?

Dwelling spaces — Discover some tips for keeping your home secure, protect your property from burglars, and for helpful articles about keeping your house & home in good shape, visit our section about Home Stewardship.

Hitting the road — Learn about the typical costs of running a car in Mexico, and consider whether you can you live without a car here.

Winter Leisure Time in Mexico

The winter months offer an ideal opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy Mexico’s outstanding natural habitats.

Whale Watching Season — Many dream of meeting a whale and feeling its majestic presence nearby, and this tour opens an opportunity for you and your family and friends to realize that encounter in a way that respects nature and the whales themselves as they frolic in the natural habitat where they arrived to give birth to their progeny.  The Whale Watching season is short, January to March each year and advance planning is essential.

Experience the Monarch Butterflies — The Monarch Butterflies have returned to the Oyamel fir tree forests situated in the mountains west of Mexico City, and if you’ve been intending to witness this extraordinary natural phenomenon (or return to see it again!) our travel associate can help you plan your visit.

Mexico Living Essentials

Guides and updates for everyday living & lifestyle in Mexico.

Roadcraft — Browse our extensive insights about driving & road trips in Mexico. Learn about being properly insured for the journey.

Immigration & Residency — Mexperience publishes detailed and regularly updated information about residency in Mexico.  Learn about how to apply, and how to manage your residency card and status. Obtain tele-assistance or accompanied assistance to help with the procedures and filing.

House & Home — Our guide to Mexico real estate is the most comprehensive you’ll find. When you buy or rent a home here, learn about how to keep it well cared for with our articles about Home Stewardship.  Also learn how to keep your dwelling spaces adequately secured and properly insured.

Health & Wellbeing — Read tips & insights for health and wellness in Mexico.  Learn about health insurance options.  Get a quote for private health insurance.

Money & Banking — Our complete and regularly updated guide to money and banking in Mexico helps you to learn about Mexico’s peso, open and manage a local bank account, make money transfers, use bank cards, and deal with everyday financial matters in Mexico.

Discover More of Mexico

Mexperience accompanies you throughout your journey.

When you’re looking for a new lifestyle in Mexico, Mexperience is with you at every step—from those first key decisions about moving, to settling-in and cultivating a fruitful lifestyle everyday.  And when you need time away for leisure and recreation, we help you to discover & arrange meaningful leisure experiences.

Lifestyle & Living insights for January

Insights and tips for better living & lifestyle in Mexico.

New Year Celebrations — The festive period known as Guadalupe-Reyes, that began on December 12th, draws to a close early in the New Year.  January 6th, Dia de Los Reyes Magos —Kings’ Day, or Epiphany— marks the close of the festivities, on an evening traditionally accompanied with family, delicious Rosca de Reyes and a mug of hot chocolate.

Residency Qualification — Mexico’s minimum daily wage increased by 20% for 2024 and with it, the income or savings/investments required to qualify for residency in Mexico. Our associates doubt that Mexican Consulates will adopt UMA; if they do, the financial criteria required to qualify for residency would fall sharply.  We’ll update the financial qualification criteria as soon as more information becomes available during January 2024.

Accompanied Assistance — For many years, our associates have provided tele-assistance to readers who need help with immigration procedures. We now also refer you to associates who can provide accompanied immigration assistance at selected locations including Mexico City, Guadalajara and Chapala, Puerto & Nuevo Vallarta, and Mérida.

Seasonal Changes — The rain season extended well into November this year, and even December was wetter than usual in many parts. As the year unfolds, the dry season is making itself apparent—and we have tips for living well in the absence of rain.

Agreeable Winters — The winter months offer generally agreeable climates in Mexico but cold fronts can bring snaps of cooler or chilled weather especially in the highlands. Learn about places that can get cold in Mexico during the fall & winter, and how to keep your home warm in these months of the year.

Living costs in and out of retirement — If you’re thinking about retirement, Mexperience offers detailed insights about how to retire in Mexico. People often ask about how much money retirees need in Mexico. As well as covering that, we offer guides and insights to help you calculate the cost of living here, whether you’re retired or not.

Winter Leisure Time in Mexico

The winter months offer an ideal opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy Mexico’s outstanding natural habitats.

Whale Watching Season — Many dream of meeting a whale and feeling its majestic presence nearby, and this tour opens an opportunity for you and your family and friends to realize that encounter in a way that respects nature and the whales themselves as they frolic in the natural habitat where they arrived to give birth to their progeny.  The Whale Watching season is short, January to March each year and advance planning is essential.

Experience the Monarch Butterflies — The Monarch Butterflies have returned to the Oyamel fir tree forests situated in the mountains west of Mexico City, and if you’ve been intending to witness this extraordinary natural phenomenon (or return to see it again!) our travel associate can help you plan your visit.

Mexico Living Essentials

Guides and updates for everyday living & lifestyle in Mexico.

Roadcraft — Browse our extensive insights about driving & road trips in Mexico. Learn about being properly insured for the journey.

Immigration & Residency — Mexperience publishes detailed and regularly updated information about residency in Mexico.  Learn about how to apply, and how to manage your residency card and status. Obtain tele-assistance or accompanied assistance to help with the procedures and filing.

House & Home — Our guide to Mexico real estate is the most comprehensive you’ll find. When you buy or rent a home here, learn about how to keep it well cared for with our articles about Home Stewardship.  Also learn how to keep your dwelling spaces adequately secured and properly insured.

Health & Wellbeing — Read tips & insights for health and wellness in Mexico.  Learn about health insurance options.  Get a quote for private health insurance.

Money & Banking — Our complete and regularly updated guide to money and banking in Mexico helps you to learn about Mexico’s peso, open and manage a local bank account, make money transfers, use bank cards, and deal with everyday financial matters in Mexico.

Discover More of Mexico

Mexperience accompanies you throughout your journey.

When you’re looking for a new lifestyle in Mexico, Mexperience is with you at every step—from those first key decisions about moving, to settling-in and cultivating a fruitful lifestyle everyday.  And when you need time away for leisure and recreation, we help you to discover & arrange meaningful leisure experiences.

The Guadalupe-Reyes holiday season

December is a busy month on Mexico’s cultural calendar as the year draws to a close and people begin to prepare for the winter season holidays.

December festivities begin on on December 12th, Día de Guadalupe, and end on January 6th, Dia de Los Reyes Magos—that concludes the festive period colloquially referred to as Guadalupe-Reyes.

Posadas Navideñas are the heart of Mexico’s Christmas traditions, which include the breaking of a colorful Piñata.  Christmas dinner is traditionally taken on the evening of December 24th. The 25th tends to be a quiet day of rest and repair, and is also a public holiday.

End-of-year housekeeping

As this year draws to a close, here are a few practical housekeeping notes for you to keep in mind as your lifestyle and leisure plans unfold this holiday season.

Christmas travel plans.  As you prepare for Christmas in Mexico, note that airports, bus stations, roads, interstate highways, and popular resorts become very busy during the Christmas holiday period, starting from around mid-December.  Build-in additional time (and patience) for your road journeys, airport transfers, and bus trips.

Paying Christmas bonuses  & tips: When you’re living in Mexico, Christmas is a time to express appreciation to the people who help you throughout the year, and for paying Aguinaldos to your domestic helpers. Also consider paying a Christmas tip to key suppliers this month, for example: the people who deliver gas to your home; the helpers who deliver drinking water bottles if you use those; the people who collect your garbage each week; the door keepers if you live in a gated community—as well as to anyone else who supports you with a regular service throughout the year.

Insurance coverages. The end of year is a good month to review the insurance policies that support your lifestyle in Mexico and make arrangements for coverage renewals.  Auto insurance, home insurance, health insurance, and medical evacuation insurance are the most common.

Residency cards. If you hold temporary residency, or have minor children with permanent residency cards, check the expiry dates.  Expired cards can be renewed within a short period after their expiry date, but the paperwork is considerable and if you intend to eventually exchange your Temporal for Permanente, allowing your card to expire will reset your accrued years to zero.  Our associate can help with renewals.

Immigration offices and consulates. Friday December 15th is the last working day that immigration offices in Mexico will receive filings; they reopen on Wednesday, January 3rd.  Mexican Consulates abroad will be closed December 25th, 26th, and January 1st.  Consulate offices in some countries might also be closed on January 2nd.

Seasonal changes

This year’s winter Solstice, when Fall yields to Winter, is on Friday, December 21st. The rain season in Mexico extended this year well into late November, and will soon yield to the dry season.

Winter in Mexico is characterized by mostly dry and bright days with agreeable daytime temperatures. It’s typically warm and comfortable along the coasts and coastal plains.  Warm sun-drenched daytimes are typical in locations situated inland at higher elevations,  although early mornings and the hours after sundown can be crisp or cold.

The agreeable climate is one of they key reasons many people choose to overwinter in Mexico each year.

December 21st is the ‘shortest’ day of the year, although as our article about Mexico’s long daylight hours describes, you’ll enjoy plenty of daylight throughout the winter (early risers especially benefit in Winter) and the quality of the light here is extraordinary.

Mexico Lifestyles notebook

Living & lifestyle highlights as the year ends.

• If you’re intending to apply for residency in Mexico, note that the financial qualification criteria increase in January each year.  Also read this helpful article about managing your residency card.
• The Monarch Butterflies return to the Oyamel fir tree forests situated in the mountains west of Mexico City, and if you’ve been intending to witness this extraordinary natural phenomenon (or return to see it again!) our travel associate can help you plan your visit.
• The refreshing rains extended into November this year, although the dry season will take hold soon enough. Here are some tips for living well when the rains leave.
• As winter begins, it’s worth remembering that some places in Mexico get cool or cold this time of year, especially in locations situated at elevations above 3,000 feet.
• It’s the ideal season to enjoy some Mexican hot chocolate, and we also share some insights about keeping your home warm.

Closing 2023, looking ahead to 2024

As we bid farewell to 2023, I’d like to thank you for making Mexperience part of your Mexico lifestyle & leisure plans, and thank you for supporting our associates with your valued patronage.  The knowledge we share here is offered freely to all. Thank you for your support and for your personal recommendation to others.

We’re laying foundations for our planned service improvements to you in 2024, and I will highlight those in the January 2024 newsletter.

May you and those close to you enjoy peace and mirthful gatherings together this Christmas holiday season, and may joy and abundance accompany you in the New Year.

Matthew Harrup
Founder/Editor

Discover More of Mexico

Mexperience accompanies you throughout your journey. When you’re looking for a new lifestyle in Mexico, Mexperience is with you at every step—from those first key decisions about moving, to settling-in and cultivating a fruitful lifestyle everyday.  And when you need time away for leisure and recreation, we help you to discover and arrange meaningful leisure experiences.

November highlights

November highlights for lifestyle and leisure in Mexico.

Day of the Dead —that is a celebration of the continuity of life— is one of Mexico’s most important religious holidays on November 1st and 2nd. November 2nd is a public holiday.  Traditions include ofrendas, artistic Catrina skulls, delicious pan de muerto, cemeteries dressed in Cempaxochitl flowers, and a Mexican version of Trick or Treat.

Clock Changes: Europe moves its clocks back again by one hour on Sunday, October 29, and the US & Canada move its clocks back by one hour on Sunday November 5, 2023. Mexico abandoned clock changes in 2022, except along the US border. Mexico offers long daylight hours all year, and outstanding light.

Revolution Day holiday: Mexico’s three long-weekend holidays —introduced over a decade ago— are well-received. The one that falls in November marks Mexico’s revolution and also forms part of “El Buen Fin,” Mexico’s equivalent of ‘Black Friday’ in the US.

Rainy season closes: Mexico’s rain season, that affects much of the mainland (but not the Baja peninsula) typically begins in May/June and ends in Oct/Nov. Discover Mexico’s rainy season and dry season, and how to live well with and without the rains.

The butterflies arrive in November: The Monarch Butterflies return to the Oyamel fir tree forests situated in the mountains west of Mexico City, and if you’ve been intending to witness this extraordinary natural phenomenon (or return to see it again!) our travel associate can help you plan your visit.

Living & Lifestyle highlights

Our continually updated guides and articles accompany you at every stage of your lifestyle journey: from planning, making the move, settling-in and adapting, and living here day-to-day.

Overwintering in Mexico: Most of the people who live in Mexico for part of the year arrive between mid-October and mid-December.  Our guide about preparing to overwinter in Mexico shares local insights and practical tips.

Cool and cold places: Most of Mexico enjoys agreeable climates year-round, but some areas can get cool or cold, particularly after sundown, during the fall and winter months.  We also have advice about keeping your home warm.

Express yourself in Spanish: Discover why Spanish is important, connect to Spanish language courses online, and in Mexico.  Our PinPoint Spanish series shares insights and nuances into everyday Spanish usage in Mexico.

Home sweet home: Our Home Stewardship section shares practical advice to help to manage your house, home, and dwelling spaces in Mexico.  It includes an entire series of guides about home maintenance.

Residency and immigration

Keeping you briefed on matters related to residency and immigration. If you want to apply for residency, see: how to apply for residency in Mexico.

Consulate appointments: Some Mexican consulates are experiencing a very high demand for residency application appointments so we recommend you plan ahead. Our associate can assist you with appointment scheduling in accordance with the policy and process in place at the consulate you apply at.

Immigration office appointments: There are no online appointments at immigration offices in Mexico.  Instead, you show up in person and are given a service token for that day, or an appointment date to return another day.  Our associate can help with visa-to-residency-card exchanges in Mexico.

Managing your residency card: Learn about the renewal rules and process for temporary residency cards (and permanent residency cards for minors).  If your residency card has expired, read this. If your card is lost or damaged, read this.

Autumn leisure time in Mexico

Autumn is the ideal season to step outdoors and enjoy the outstanding experiences Mexico offers for your leisure and cultural enjoyment.

The butterflies arrive in November: The Monarch Butterflies return to the Oyamel fir tree forests situated in the mountains west of Mexico City, and if you’ve been intending to witness this extraordinary natural phenomenon (or return to see it again!) our travel associate can help you plan your visit.

Walking tour of Mexico City: It’s the perfect time of year to take a walking tour of Mexico City, and our associate David Lida can create a customized tour for you or your small group.

Other tours: Our associates can also help with custom tours to experience Mexico’s Copper Canyon on what is one of the world’s most extraordinary train journeys; if you like wine, consider a custom tour of the Baja wine region.

Driving in Mexico: helpful updates

Whether you bring your foreign-plated car to Mexico, or drive a Mexican-plated car, the extensive guides and articles we publish can help you to plan your journey and prepare for the road ahead.

Cultivate a fruitful lifestyle in Mexico

Mexperience accompanies you throughout your journey.  When you’re looking for a new lifestyle in Mexico, Mexperience is with you at every step—from those first key decisions about moving, to settling-in and cultivating a fruitful lifestyle everyday.

Planning or redefining your lifestyle: As you begin to consider whether Mexico is right for you, our guides to living & lifestyles in Mexico offer valuable insights that begin by helping you (and your partner and family if relevant) to consider important aspects about a potential move to Mexico.

Practical insights, local knowledge: Our guides and articles cover every key practical matter you need to consider including living costs, obtaining residency permits, keeping in touch, managing your money & finances, importing and living with pets in Mexico—and much more.

Discovering choices: Our detailed articles help you to Discover Mexico and share insights that help you consider your lifestyle choices.

Locations and accommodations: We publish detailed information that helps you to choose a location to live in Mexico, along with comprehensive guides to buying a home and renting property.

Making the move: Our guides also help you to: move your belongings, settle-in and adapt to Mexico, learn about the local customs & culture, and learn or improve your Spanish.  You’ll also find detailed information about cultivating your lifestyle, finding purpose and balance, and developing key skills that expats need to adapt to a new country.

Cultivating your lifestyle everyday: When you’re living in Mexico, Mexperience continues to support you with local knowledge and guides that help you cultivate a fruitful home life, and we also share practical insights to managing your home and dwelling spaces.

September: celebration and seasonal transition

In late August the ambulant vendors are already out on busy street corners selling flags and other patriotic paraphernalia—a sure sign that Mexico’s Independence Day, one of the country’s most important historical dates, is on the horizon.  Event centers, hotels and restaurants have begun inviting patrons to La Noche Mexicana on September 15th for an evening of food, music and celebration. September 16th is a Public Holiday.

September tends to be one of the wettest months of the year across the country’s mainland as the rain season peaks, and late summer is also a period when strong tropical storms can land along Mexico’s coasts—including along the Baja California peninsula that is typically quite dry during the summer.

The autumn equinox this month heralds the seasonal turning point as the halcyon days of summer yield to fall’s changeable climate. Sweltering summer temperatures along the coastal plains begin to moderate, and some living in the mountain highlands may begin to swap summer shorts for warmer attire, at least during early mornings and late evenings that become noticeably cooler from October.

Schools are returning from their summer recess, families have returned from their summer holiday, and Mexico’s “snowbirds” —part-time residents who live here in the months between the fall and early spring— make plans to for their overwintering stay in Mexico.

The Monarch Butterflies also return to the Oyamel fir tree forests situated in the mountains west of Mexico City, and if you’ve been intending to witness this extraordinary natural phenomenon (or return to see it again!) our travel associate can help you plan your visit.

The autumn season is a remarkable period to experience Mexico, defined by changing natural cycles across the country’s vast landscapes, and important cultural festivals and events including Independence Day and Day of the Dead which lead almost seamlessly into the Christmas holiday season that begins on December 12th.

This month’s Lifestyle & Leisure notebook shares tips and insights to help you welcome the start of autumn in Mexico. As the season turns again and summer yields to fall, we wish you wellness and abundance in your plans and activities.

Matthew Harrup is founder and editor of Mexperience.

Mexico Lifestyle & Leisure Notebook
September 2023

Enjoy highlights of hand-picked articles that have been recently added or updated, and gems from our archives.

Independence Day in Mexico

Mexico celebrates its Independence in September—a month when streets, buildings and establishments get dressed in the country’s national colors of green, white and red, and vendors of flags and other patriotic paraphernalia can be seen in every town and city across the country.

• Brief historical perspective: Independence and Revolution
• El Grito: Celebrating sovereignty in Mexico
• Articles about Independence Day

Residency cards renewals and exchanges

If you’re living in Mexico under the auspice of a Temporary Residency card, autumn is a good time to double check your card’s expiry date.  Temporary residency can be held for up to four years. When the card is due for renewal:

• After your first year of temporary residency, you can renew for a further 1, 2 or 3 years, although the card can never be valid for more than 4 years. (e.g. If you renew for a further 2 years after year 1, you can only renew for 1 year at the end of year 3.)
• At the end of the fourth year you can apply to exchange temporary residency for permanent residency, or you can allow the card to expire and then re-apply for 1 year of temporary residency (i.e. start again with the process).
• Permanent residency cards issued to people 18 years and over never expire.  Permanent residency cards issued to minors need to be renewed periodically until they reach 18 years of age.

Managing your residency card: Learn more about the differences between Temporary and Permanent residency, and learn about the renewal rules and process for temporary residency cards.  If your residency card has expired, read this. If your card is lost or damaged, read this.

Imported goods and food goodies

Mexico’s cuisine is varied, colorful, and bursting with flavor, although when living abroad most people at least occasionally enjoy a ‘taste of home.’  As we’ve mentioned before in these pages, when you’re looking for imported food items, you’ll usually have to attend one of the specialist retail supermarkets that stock fancy goods.

We noticed recently that City Market has been expanding its range of imported foods, notably for Brits, with Coleman’s mustard and ‘brown’ sauce; it has stocked Marmite for a while now. A wide assortment of popular US foods are available, and European and Asian food and ingredients can also be sought from specialist stores, and online.  Imported foods (and wine) trade at a premium here so it’s best not to cavil about the prices.

Monarch butterflies overwinter in Mexico, too

Mexico is host to the extraordinary Monarch Butterflies that migrate each year from the northern reaches of the continent to overwinter in the Oyamel fir tree forests situated in the mountains west of Mexico City.

A visit to the butterfly sanctuaries is a highlight of any visit to Mexico during the late autumn and winter months.  The butterflies begin arriving in November, and leave in March. Peak viewing season is between mid-January and late February.  Our travel associate can help you to make the most of your visit to see the butterflies this season.

Getting documents Apostilled for use in Mexico

For certain procedures, usually related to immigration, residency applications, investment, or marriage (or a combination of these) it may be necessary to present Mexican authorities (or Mexican consulates abroad) with foreign legal documents as part of an application procedure.

Key documents that were not issued in Mexico must be notarized and/or apostilled before you can submit them for processing in Mexico.

• US documents can be readily apostilled by contacting the competent authority in the State where they were issued or using an online service to manage the entire process and ship the documents to you.
• Canada just signed the Apostille Convention in May 2023, and it comes into effect in January 2024.  Until then, a separate ‘authentication’ procedure exists for Canadian-issued documents.
• Learn more about how to Notarize/Apostille documents for use in Mexico.

Bringing your car to Mexico this fall

The busy summer driving season draws to a close in September, although foreign-plated vehicles continue to stream in to Mexico for fall vacations, and also vehicles brought by part-time residents overwintering here.  Traffic volumes between the US and Mexico pick up sharply again at the start of the Christmas holiday season. Mexperience helps you to prepare for your visit to Mexico when you bring your own car.

• Our articles and insights about driving in Mexico share key things you need to know before you hit the road; and
• our guide to auto insurance will help you to get the coverage you need for peace of mind when you’re driving, that can include coverage for vehicle breakdown assistance.

Timeshare vs property ownership

Mexico has for decades been one of the top destinations for Timeshare sales, in large part due to its popular coastal resort locations where most Timeshare is sold. Timeshare is not in any way a form of property ownership and our article about key things to consider before you buy or sell a Timeshare in Mexico helps to clarify this and other things.

Fractional property ownership can offer a real share of a physical property provided the arrangement is properly structured through a Notary Public—there are considerations to take into account with this type of investment and the main ones are discussed in our article about Fractional property ownership in Mexico.

Mexperience offers extensive articles to help as you prepare to buy, rent, manage, or sell your home in Mexico:

• Key things about buying and owning a home in Mexico
• Putting your Mexican house up for sale
• Homes for sale in Mexico
• Latest articles about real estate

Mexico retirement choices, and costs

Mexico has a lot to offer people relocating here and it’s especially attractive to retirees as some of the features and benefits are especially helpful to them.

Many people planning or considering a retirement in Mexico ask how much money they need to retire here, and there are two calculations you will need to make to determine this: the first is related to the income or savings you need to qualify for residency and the second is calculating what your actual living costs will be.

• Learn about the key benefits Mexico offers retirees
• Is Mexico right for your retirement?
• How much money you need to retire in Mexico
• Latest articles about retiring in Mexico

Learning or improving your Spanish this autumn

Our PinPoint Spanish series is extensive and offers practical insights into the usage and nuances of Mexican Spanish in everyday situations and conversations.

For example: you can learn about the two verbs in Spanish ‘to be’ and the two words in Spanish to express the term ‘for.’

To accelerate your learning, connect with one of our associates that offer Spanish language learning and join a course to help you become more agile in your everyday Spanish conversations.

Getting well and staying well in Mexico

Health care and medical insurance is one of the most common concerns people have when thinking about moving to Mexico.  There are choices for those seeking health and medical coverages for long term stays in Mexico, including a state-run program, private health insurance, and medical evacuation insurance.

Discover and experience more of Mexico

Mexperience helps you discover Mexico and experience the wide range of opportunities available here for lifestyle and leisure.

Mexico Lifestyle

Whether you’re considering a move to Mexico, in the throes of moving here, and even if you’re already here and considering ways to reformulate your current situations, our Mexico lifestyle planning articles and eBooks provide invaluable help and local knowledge:

• Lifestyle Planning articles and updates
• Mexico Home Life updates—practical insights for daily living
• Discover places to live in Mexico
• Latest updates and real estate and property in Mexico
• Browse the latest updates about Spanish language study

Mexico Leisure

Whether you’re visiting Mexico or living here, there’s an abundance of travel and leisure options for you to explore and experience.

• Browse the latest Travel & Leisure updates
• Guides: Colonial Cities, Beaches, Pyramids, Big Cities, Nature
• Discover custom travel tours of Mexico

Mexico Essentials

Articles and insights about essential things you need to know as you make your Mexico lifestyle and leisure plans

• Latest Mexico Essentials insights
• Guides to transport and getting around in Mexico
• Insurance coverages for your Mexico lifestyle