However, Mexico is especially attractive to retirees because some of these features and benefits can be especially helpful to people in retirement.

This article summarizes the key benefits Mexico offers to retirees and connects you to detailed information and local knowledge published here on Mexperience for further reading and research.

Agreeable climates

Climate affects us every day, and Mexico offers agreeable climates, often temperate or warm, and cold only at higher elevations in certain regions—and then only for limited times during the year.  Connect to a wide range of articles and guides on Mexperience for more details about climate, seasons and weather in Mexico.

Plenty of choices for location types

Mexico offers retirees choices in the types of places they can live in; from coastal locations that offer winter warmth, to mountain towns at elevation that offer year-round temperate climates.

Some places are more urbanized, others offer a countryside idyll surrounded by nature.  ‘Remote’ places popular with foreign residents tend to be within an hour’s drive of a large town or city that offer services and amenities retirees often seek, including healthcare services and major stores.

Our articles about discovering places to live in Mexico offer practical insights that can help you to consider the various locations on offer and discover potential places to live in Mexico so you can narrow your short-list according to your situation and considered lifestyle needs.

Fresh, locally produced food and drinks

Mexico’s shops and markets provide you with an abundant assortment of fresh food, especially visible at the vibrant, fragrant, local open-air markets here.

The year-round availability of delicious fresh fruits and vegetables, accompanied by a parade of colorful drinks and beverages made using them, makes Mexico one of the most attractive countries to be in if you enjoy good wholesome food that is also affordable.

Mexperience helps you to discover food and drink in Mexico as part of of your retirement research and planning.

Ample range of local products and amenities

Retirees coming to Mexico, especially those from the US and Canada, are likely to feel at home when it comes to obtaining many of the products, services, and amenities they have become accustomed to in their home country.

Mexico’s retail markets are extensive and well-developed; and there’s a large and growing selection of online shopping choices too.

Many products and brands foreign retirees are accustomed to seeing back home will be available in Mexico, either at one of the many supermarkets, through specialist retailers, or through online shopping options.

There are still some exceptions, for example, black tea, and alternatives for smokers are conspicuously absent; but Mexico today offers more choice and variety than it ever has before, and the range and selection of products and amenities continues to improve each year.

Local leisure amenities, including cafés, bistros, restaurants, gymnasiums, event centers, cinemas, theme parks, national parks and reserves, campsites, etc. are plentiful and readily accessible.

Affordable living costs

Retirees have different cost structures compared to people moving to Mexico who are of working age and perhaps with children to raise; for examples:

• they have no school fees to pay or children to ferry around and take on school trips;
• most have no mortgages and may also have no other substantial debts to service; and
• they might also be able to live in Mexico without a car, which can save costs.

However, retirees have costs to consider and budget for in other areas that younger people might not have, perhaps healthcare costs being the major expense, and other assistance services, including home help and specialist care services that might have to be considered and duly funded.

Accessible transportation and communications

Most retirees travel within in Mexico to explore the country, as well as take trips to travel back to their home country to see family and friends (or they might receive visits in Mexico).

Some people retiring to Mexico might do so part time, spending only part of the year in Mexico, perhaps to overwinter here.

It’s for these reasons that good transport links, including decent roads and access to international airports, becomes important.

Mexico offers a well-developed and reliable transportation infrastructure that enable you to travel and be near other people who are close in your life, as well as excellent communications networks that enable you to keep touch at a distance, affordably.

Ample choices in accommodations

Retirees coming to Mexico who want to rent will find an ample choice of property types to choose from; our article about the practicalities of renting a home is worth reading to get local insights about that. (See link below.)

A wider selection of property types is available to retirees seeking a home to buy; and engaging the services of local real estate agent is an effective way search and buy a home here.

The links to the articles below help you to consider your accommodation choices when you’re thinking about retirement in Mexico.

World-class health and wellbeing services

Healthcare services and the availability of medicines is often near the top of retirees’ needs and concerns when they plan a move to Mexico.

All of Mexico’s popular retirement destinations are well served by doctors, dentists, opticians as well as a range of clinical and hospital services, including emergency care and specialized medical professionals and services.

Thriving retirement communities

In addition to the ample variety of types of locations on offer, the more popular locations to live in Mexico offer thriving and well-established retirement communities that help newcomers and long-time residents to get involved in local groups, societies, and events.  This is especially helpful when you are endeavoring to settle properly into Mexico, long term.

Safety, and economic stability

Although media reports about security matters have put-off some people from visiting or retiring to Mexico, foreign residents of all life stages report that they feel safe in Mexico, and that the reality they live here every day is characterized by regular routines and being part of strong local communities where people look out for each other and work together to resolve issues if problems arise.

Retirees also enjoy stable lifestyles here, too—as the macroeconomics of the country are well-managed, markets work well, and there is a wide and regular availability of goods and services available, including increasing ranges of goods available through online companies that specialize in offering less common and imported products.

Warm, welcoming culture and language

Although English is widely spoken across Mexico, especially in the most popular retiree enclaves and tourist towns, learning or improving your Spanish language skills will help you enormously as you settle into your retirement in Mexico because it will give you deeper access to the local culture and enable you to integrate in ways that those who don’t speak Spanish cannot.

Mexico’s rich culture and its canny ability to assimilate foreign things without losing its own identity, offers retirees the opportunity of experiencing unusual celebrations and traditions which are nonetheless familiar.

Retirees get a front-row seat to all this culture and the events that surround it, and while others may dream of visiting Mexico in-season to experience these events, they are part of everyday life here for retirees in Mexico.  It’s an enormous, and often overlooked, benefit of living here.

Further research and resources

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.

• Articles about lifestyle planning in Mexico
• Latest articles about retirement in Mexico
• Discovering potential places to live in Mexico
• Cultivating your home life in Mexico
• A regular Mexico Newsletter you can subscribe to for free

Known in Spanish as Ley Nacional de Extinción de Dominio, the law enables a judge to immediately order the seizure of a property that is suspected to be part of a corrupt or illegal transfer chain (for example, if previous owners used illicit means to acquire it or build it) and/or if it’s suspected the property is being actively used for criminal purposes.

Legal quagmire if your property becomes entangled

Under this law, a property may be immediately seized without trial if the authorities present a petition to a judge and that judge deems that there are grounds to suspect the authorities have a genuine case.  The state may subsequently dispose of the property even before a trial has taken place. The law is causing some controversy especially in relation to a present owner’s risk of loss due to an illicit transaction history that the owner could not have known about.

If you buy a property in Mexico and, even years later, it’s discovered that the property was transacted illegally you could forfeit the asset and have no recourse to insurance coverages which would become null-and-void in this circumstance.

As the law is relatively new and untested there are no substantive case studies to reference regarding the appeal process.  In any event, legal costs to defend the asset would be substantial even if a subsequent trial ruled in the owner’s favor.

The law covers titled land, titled physical property (residential and commercial) and ejidos (communal land); as well as any assets situated on or linked to the property including valuables, goods, bank accounts, etc.

Definitions of ‘illicit uses’ of the property include —but are not limited to— organized crime, kidnapping or human trafficking, concealment, storage of stolen or illegal goods (e.g. cars, fuel, drugs), extortion, and money-laundering.

The wrong tenants could cause you to lose your Mexican home

This law also places the burden of responsibility of current use of the property directly on the owner.  If you rent your house out and the tenants use it for illegal purposes, then the state can seize the property from you with a writ from a judge.  In circumstances where your rented property is used by the tenants for illegal purposes it may prove impossible to get your home back or get compensated after the fact.

When you rent out your Mexican home you should be absolutely sure that detailed referencing and due diligence has been undertaken on potential tenants and that the people who apply and sign the rental contract are the same people who move in.  The contract should also contain carefully-worded legal clauses which specifically prohibit illicit use of the home.

Speak to your real estate agent or a lawyer or Notary Public to ensure your contract is current in respect of this new legal code.

The information contained in this article is published in good faith and not intended to constitute personal, professional, legal, financial or investment advice, nor replace the services of professional advisors.

Learn more about caring for and insuring your home in Mexico

Mexperience publishes extensive information to help you plan and care for your home life in Mexico through guides, articles and free eBooks:

• Latest articles about property rental in Mexico
• Free Guide: House maintenance and home security
• Latest articles about property insurance
• Articles about real estate in Mexico

It’s possible to lose a great deal money (and even a life’s savings) if you are not insured or discover following an unforeseen event or natural disaster that your policy was not adequate or that the insurer underwriting the policy was not financially sound.

This article highlights practical aspects related to property insurance in Mexico to help you understand home insurance policies and choose coverages which are suitable to your needs and that will be adequate in the event you need to make a claim.

Home insurance if you own or rent in Mexico

You can arrange property insurance whether you own or rent a home in Mexico.

If you own a home in Mexico, you can insure the physical structure of the property as well as arrange coverages for loss of personal property at the home, and third party liabilities.

If you are renting a home in Mexico, you cannot insure the physical structure but you can arrange coverages for loss of personal property situated at the home and third party liability in relation to people visiting or working in your rented home.

Uninsurable residential structures in Mexico

Note that certain physical structures, especially risky ones like wood-framed buildings and palapa (palm or straw) roofing structures are usually explicitly excluded from all policies; if you must insure these, be prepared to pay a high premium to have them included in your coverages (it’s usually uneconomic to do so).

“All Risks” —vs— “Named Perils” insurance coverages

Some policies will offer “All Risks” cover, a form of comprehensive coverage that will pay out in the event of most incidents involving your home.

The better policies offer the option to cover catastrophic incidents such as hurricanes, floods, wind, fire, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes; surprisingly, some Mexican insurers are unable to underwrite some of these events, although specialist US insurers will.

To lower the insurance premium, you can elect to limit certain “Named Perils” assigned to your policy instead of taking All Risks coverage.  When you do this, certain events will be covered while others will not.

Less expensive policies are often the “named perils” type—even though on the surface they might appear to be comprehensive. A good broker will make a clear distinction between these two during its sales offer and demonstrate the cover and price differences between options.

Property insurance —vs— property title insurance

Note that property insurance and property title insurance are different.

Property insurance coverages are paid annually and can underwrite the physical property on the land, your personal possessions at the property, and may also cover third party liabilities related to the property.

Property title insurance is a one-time insurance payment you can buy when you purchase a property that mitigates risks related to unforeseen issues or liens associated with the property’s title.  It must be purchased before you close the property transaction.

Obtaining coverage for all your dwelling spaces

Your policy should cover the main structures of your home space and provide sufficient compensation to rebuild those structures if necessary.

Optionally, you may also cover carports, guesthouses, and other outbuildings including garages, games rooms, cabañas, equipment rooms, bungalows, stand-alone studios, etc.

Some homes in Mexico are composed of several structures (for example, several buildings situated around a central courtyard) and in these circumstances, the insurance rule is usually: everything that is directly connected is treated as one building. Anything that stands alone is considered an additional building.

Insuring your personal possessions situated at the property

A good insurance policy will cover personal goods owned by you, your guests, or domestic employees when they are working at your residence. Coverage for theft of personal property varies, depending on whether it is “scheduled” (specifically listed) or not.

Some policies include coverage for certain valuable property, such as cash, securities, jewelry, fine arts, sporting equipment and property used for business purposes—up to certain limits.

If you need higher limits for specific items of property that you own, this option is available by listing them on a special section of the application and making them a type of ‘named risk.’

Third party liability protection in relation to your home in Mexico

Good home insurance policies provide coverage for personal liabilities to third parties to protect you and your family against any lawsuits or demands presented against you.

For example, if a wall collapses and injures someone who was near it at the time; or the neighbor’s property is damaged due to a falling tree from your garden, a good insurance policy will cover your liabilities in these circumstances.

Policies can also cover injuries to people visiting or working in your home, for example if your housekeeper or gardener injure themselves on the job.

Loss of home use, or rental income

If you rely on your property for work, or to bring in a rental income, you may also choose to include a “loss of use” risk coverage in your policy.

This cover provides for additional living expenses if your house is damaged and cannot be lived in for a time while it’s repaired or rebuilt.

If you rent out your home and rely on this for income, you could take the additional option to cover rental income loss, whereby you are compensated for lost income if your home becomes damaged and unavailable for rental to others (you will need to provide evidence that a rental contract exists).

Rent liability coverage

Some home insurance policies exclude coverage when your home is rented (even occasionally or part time) or add a hefty supplement to the policy’s premium to include renter’s liability as part of the coverage.

If you rent out your home in Mexico (or intend to at some point) and want your coverages to be valid when others are renting the property, check with the provider you get a quote from to see if renter’s liability coverage is included in the premium, or how much more you need to pay in premium to include it.

Insuring your condominium unit in Mexico

Condominium associations in Mexico are supposed to keep a blanket commercial policy in place to cover the entire property.

Typically, this provides insurance coverage for the building as well as communal elements of the property such as pools, garages, the interior walls, fixtures, fittings, and outbuildings associated with the development, or fraccionamiento.

The wording of these commercial insurance policies tends to be very limiting in what they will cover within the terms of a blanket condominium insurance policy and it’s prudent for individual condo owners to arrange separate insurance to mitigate expenses of paying for certain types of damage.

Exclusion of third party liability

Many Mexican-issued insurance policies exclude third party liability and renter’s liability from the standard policy and charge a substantial premium to include these as optional extras. This places an obligation on condominium owners to cover elements not included by the commercial policy on a unit-by-unit basis.

Liability to adjacent properties in the building

Don’t be lured into a false sense of security by condominium blanket coverages: in a situation where an event that happens in your condominium affects an adjacent condominium —for example, a water leak in your shower room that damages your neighbor’s room below— you will be made liable for repairs to yours and your neighbors’ damages.  Having a unit-based insurance policy in place will protect you from the expenses of these sorts of events.

Check the documentation

The key documents to check on your Condo contracts are the ‘Byelaws’ and ‘Covenants’ associated with your condominium property: these are the documents that contain the small print regarding what is and what is not covered by the condominium building’s ‘blanket’ insurance program.

Insurance for beachfront and waterside property in Mexico

It’s possible to insure property near oceans, rivers, and lakes—although premiums may be higher to reflect the additional risks which may arise from storms and flooding that can be more common in these areas.

The online insurance application form will ask you for the Mexican postal code (zip code) of the property, and this is mapped to detailed topographical and statistical data which enables insurers to assess the hydro and meteorological risks that are related to the property and quote accordingly.

Some companies may refuse to insure properties very close to the sea or other bodies of water if historical statistical data show that it’s unviable, although policies may be available from different brokers that will quote for coverage in certain acute circumstances—with higher premiums to reflect the increased risk.

Insurance for homes situated on Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula

If you own —or intend to own— a home situated on Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula, you’ll discover that getting your property insured is more difficult than if it’s situated in other regions of Mexico.

The Yucatán region’s geology, coupled with unique hurricane risks, has made it either difficult or prohibitively expensive to insure homes in this area. However, our insurance associate MexPro offers home insurance coverages in the Yucatán region.

Watercraft insurance in Mexico

A few people live on their boat moored in Mexico, while some people who own homes here near a body of water might also own a boat, a jet ski, or a yacht—and these ought to be properly insured while they are situated in Mexican waters.

The premium you pay for insurance of your watercraft is based on two factors:

• the number of days the craft will be in Mexico, and
• the value of the watercraft.

Personal injury and third-party liability cover should also be taken out in case you become involved in an accident on the water. The better policies also offer legal assistance and ‘bond’ cover in addition to the injury and liability cover.

In legal terms, accidents involving watercraft where people are injured or killed are treated in similar fashion to serious car accidents in Mexico.

If you own watercraft and and spend extended periods of time here, or live here, an annual policy may be a better investment than a short term policy covering specific dates.

Check with the broker providing your quote to find out what options they have for year-round coverage of your watercraft in Mexico.

Learn more about property insurance in Mexico

Mexperience offers detailed insights about property in Mexico for buyers, owners, renters, and sellers.

• Choosing a home insurance policy
• Insuring domestic help and workers in your home
• Third party damage cover
• Latest articles about property insurance in Mexico
• Get a no-obligation online quote for home insurance in Mexico

How you dispose of your household waste and separate materials for recycling will depend on where you live in Mexico. This article describes the various ways to manage your waste, materials recycling, food composting, and they ways in which waste collection is typically paid for.

General waste collection in Mexico

In most locations, your general waste will be collected in one of two ways, and some municipalities also run a separate recycling collection scheme.  All towns and cities across Mexico have a formal waste collection scheme in operation, with waste disposal trucks making their rounds at least once a week.

Waste collection by truck

General waste is collected by trucks, usually (but not always) the type with a compactor that crushes all the waste placed into the back of the truck by the operators accompanying the vehicle.  These trucks will:

• collect general household waste from garbage bins or bags left outside your home, or
• in some neighborhoods waste bags or bins are set out on the nearest street corner from where they are collected by the waste collection truck team during the course of the day; and
• some gated communities and condo developments have a dedicated waste and recycling collection area, and the waste collection truck will empty this on its round.

Collection frequency: Larger cities may have daily waste collection rounds, but in most places waste collection rounds tend to operate two or three days a week.  In small towns and villages waste collection rounds happen once a week.

Collection in your area: Schedules and frequency of collection rounds vary by location and neighborhood.  If you are new to the area, ask a neighbor about waste collection arrangements, or check to see what days others put out their waste bins or bags for collection.

Community waste bins and dumpsters

In some cities and neighborhoods, instead of putting out your waste in bags or bins outside your home (or on a street corner) you will see, dotted around, a series of community waste bins or dumpsters which are emptied regularly by the local waste collection trucks.

• These fixed bins/dumpsters are usually situated on street corners every couple of blocks in residential neighborhoods.
• Some gated communities and condos might operate a similar arrangement, with a dumpster near the entrance or just outside the complex.
• The type varies: they might be metal bins, barrels or larger ‘dumpster-like’ metal crates that have a hook which the waste collection truck uses to lift and empty them.
• If this type of waste collection is operating in your area, you can take your general household waste there at anytime, where it remains for a while until the waste delivery truck calls by—which might be daily, several times a week, and at least once a week.

Recyclable materials in your waste

Some municipalities in Mexico operate a dual-waste collection regime, with trucks that collect general household waste, and other trucks that collect materials that are recyclable.  In some areas, collection days alternative between the two types of waste collection.

Separating recyclable waste

You ought to separate cardboard and magazines and any items which are not general household waste, for example: metalwork, old pipes, old brickwork, electrical items, old computers, monitors, glass. etc. even if the municipality where you live doesn’t operate a recycling regime that’s separate to general waste collection.

Formal waste recycling schemes are becoming more widespread across towns and cities in Mexico. An increasing number of municipalities across the country now operate materials recycling collection trucks, in addition to the general waste collection truck rounds.

If the municipality where your home is situated runs a materials recycling collection scheme (check locally to find out what day, or days, it collects) you ought to always keep the items listed below separate from your general waste to be collected by the recycling truck:

• Glass bottles and jars, metal lids off, placed with the metals, and vessels cleaned.
• Plastic bottles and other plastic containers, rinsed out.
• Metal tins, cans, rinsed out; aluminum foil (cleaned); as well as any other metal materials for disposal (old pipes, etc.)
• Paper, magazines and cardboard, as well as clean packaging (boxes, etc.) broken down flat.
• Some (but not many) municipalities also take food scrap waste for composting, separate to recyclable waste—see the next section for more details about this.

Private streets and gated communities: These usually have a separate recycling collection area, that’s an integral part of their waste collection scheme, where residents can place their recyclables into separate bins.  If the local municipality runs a dedicated recycling truck round, that truck will collect from this area; if it doesn’t the Home Owners Association may arrange with a local materials recycling firm to collect recyclable materials periodically.

No recycling truck? In some areas where there is no separate recycling truck, you still ought to separate the recyclable items listed above from your general waste, as these materials might be kept separate by the waste collection team who will recycle them.  Otherwise inquire locally about waste recycling firms that might collect recyclable waste from your home, or from several homes if you organize this with your neighbors.

Composting biodegradable waste

In addition to separating your home’s general waste from recyclable materials, you may consider separating food scraps and waste to convert them into compost.

• If you have a home with a garden in Mexico, recycling your home’s food waste is an excellent way to create a rich compost for your soil and plant pots.
• It’s simple to do—simply keep a separate small bin (with or without a compostable bag inside) and place your food scraps into there instead of into your general waste.
• You can purchase food composters to keep in your garden, patio or yard that can help you create home compost using food scraps.

Food scraps collection: Some municipalities operate a food scraps collection service. If yours does, you can put out food scraps in compostable bags for collection on the designated day(s).  This is helpful if you live in a smaller home or apartment in an urban area and don’t have a garden or sufficient space to operate a home composter bin.

Collection of old appliances and homewares

If you have old appliances (e.g., a washing machine) or homewares (e.g., an old mattress) you want to dispose of, some waste collection trucks might take these for recycling by prior arrangement. (It’s appropriate to pay them a tip if they do this.)

More commonly, you will discover that your neighborhood is probably served by a mobile “iron monger” or as they were termed many years ago, a “rag and bone collector.”

These service providers drive around in small trucks and advertise their presence on your street using a loudspeaker declaring that they will buy metal, ironwork, appliances, and other homewares you don’t need—including mattresses. Some of these collectors also take old car batteries.

The sum of the money they offer is usually a token and you might simply gift the item(s) to them; the valuable service they offer is to take old items away from your home to strip them down and recycle every usable part without you having to make any other arrangements, or even pay for this to be undertaken for you.

Paying for waste collection in Mexico

Payment for household waste collection varies by municipality and locale.  You need check locally for details, although typically one of the following will apply:

• The scheme is paid for by the local municipality using public funds and there might or might not be a modest fee per collection or per bag/bin. (MXN$5 to MXN$10 pesos per bag/bin is common; or a fixed fee, for example $20 pesos per collection, with an extra payment for ‘excess’ waste on any particular round.)
• In the case of closed-off (private) streets and gated communities, a local arrangement might be in place whereby the waste collectors are paid a sum for each collection, using Home Owner Association funds.
• In the cases where an official fee per item/collection doesn’t exist and the waste collection truck travels down your street collecting bags and its team emptying bins, it’s appropriate to pay a tip.  The tip might be per collection, or you might pay them once a month, as you prefer.
• Regardless of what payment scheme may be in place at your locale, it’s appropriate to pay a Christmas bonus tip to the people who collect your waste throughout the year.

Taking care of your home in Mexico

Mexperience publishes guides and articles to help you maintain and secure your house, home, and dwelling spaces in Mexico.

• Latest insights about taking care of your home in Mexico
• Water supply for your Mexican home
• Electricity supply for your home
• Gas supply for your home
• Insurance for your home in Mexico

Policy wording for Mexican property insurance

Property insurance policies sold in Mexico differ from policies you are used to seeing in your home country. The policy wording is unique, and the types of coverage offered by insurance companies is different here, so some things that you would expect to be included as standard, might not be present if you purchase your insurance in Mexico directly from a Mexican insurer.

Familiar policies, fully underwritten in Mexico

To help foreign residents who own property in Mexico to purchase insurance products familiar to them, specialist companies based in the U.S. have developed property ownership insurance policies which reflect the wording, terms and covers included on US and Canadian policies.

The insurance policy is fully underwritten by a Mexican insurance company (by law, it has to be this way), but the U.S. companies work in partnership to create a product that is familiar to those purchasing insurance in the US and Canada, and which is legally sound under Mexican law.  The premiums are paid in US dollars and any pay-outs are also paid in US dollars.

Policies to suit your situation and needs

The home insurance policies available in the market offer a wide range of options, and you can choose what to include and what to exclude as part of your coverage plan.

Depending on where your home is situated in Mexico, the risks (and coverage) you need to insure against will vary. For example, homes near the coast should be insured against hurricane damage and earthquakes, whereas inland only cover for earthquakes (and perhaps flooding, if you home is situated near water) will be needed.

Home insurance policies cover a wide range of eventualities and the most common coverages include reimbursement of costs related to:

• Damage caused by hurricanes and earthquakes
• Damage caused by and wind storms and floods
• Injuries to housekeepers and other workers in your home
• Burglaries and vandalism
• Damages to third parties, e.g. falling trees
• Coverages for owner-specific liabilities, e.g. in condos

You can cover all risks or named perils

Policy options and choices include all risks versus named perils, whether to cover assets like outbuildings surrounding the main property, and the option to insure your personal goods.

• The better policies will include coverages for third party liability: this is  helpful in the event that someone who does not live at your home meets with an accident on your property, or where some damage is caused to a neighbor, e.g. by a falling tree.
• This article about third party liability in relation to your home shares more details.
• Other considerations to take into account when you’re assessing your insurance needs include purchasing cover for any watercraft you may own, as well as special arrangements for condos, where some liabilities are shared and some are owner-specific.

Regardless of the type of insurance you choose, the insurer underwriting the policy is far more important than the broker or agent selling you the product: in the event of a claim, the integrity of the underwriter will determine pay-outs, not the insurance broker.

Learn more about caring for and insuring your home in Mexico

Mexperience publishes extensive information to help you plan and care for your home life in Mexico through guides, articles and free eBooks:

• Free eBook: House maintenance and home security
• Latest articles about property insurance
• Articles about real estate in Mexico

Comprehensive and detailed guide to living and cultivating a lifestyle in Mexico, continually revised and updated. Free—no payment or subscription needed.

Complete and detailed guide to Living & Lifestyles in Mexico that’s continually updated

Our extensive guides and articles offer insights to anyone exploring prospects for living, working, retirement and cultivating your lifestyle in Mexico.

They provide practical insights, incisive local knowledge, and meaningful guidance that helps you to discover opportunities, consider your choices, and make informed decisions.

Discover what lifestyles Mexico offers, 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 you.

Guides to lifestyles in Mexico, for all life stages

Our continually-updated guides help you to begin weaving together the key components which create a workable and realistic lifestyle plan in Mexico, whatever planning stage and life stage you are in presently:

• To those considering a move to Mexico, whether you are single, with your partner, or a family with young children, Mexperience helps you to discover the country and evaluate living and lifestyle choices available here.  Our guides also offer thoughtful guidance about setting out your intentions and reshaping your situations.
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Mexico as a place for your retirement

We publish comprehensive information to help you plan a retirement here, whether you’re planning ahead or already retired and considering Mexico as a potential retirement haven.

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Getting your residency permit for Mexico

Mexico’s immigration laws are reasonable and allow non-Mexicans with the financial means or family roots, and/or skills, to live here legally. We publish extensive knowledge to help you, including:

Moving and settling-in to life in Mexico

When you’ve decided to move to Mexico and made key decisions about where and how you’ll live, there’s the move a period of adapting and settling-in.  We publish extensive guides and articles to help you settle.

Learn how to keep in touch when you’re in Mexico

Our guides include detailed information about how to keep in touch when you’re in Mexico: by phone, by internet, as well as using postal and courier services here.  Our local knowledge helps you to choose a mobile phone plan, explore choices for high speed internet in Mexico (even if you live in a remote area) and our cost of living guide includes a section about the cost of communications services.

Detailed insights into the practicalities of living in Mexico day-to-day

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Mexico’s living costs and managing your finances

Financial considerations are an important aspect of any move.  Mexperience helps you to calculate your cost of living in Mexico and offers practical tips for managing your money and finances here.

Mexico as a place for working-age professionals

Working-age professionals, especially those plying a trade in the knowledge economy, are also considering Mexico as a base to live and work.

And more… 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:

• A regular Mexico Newsletter you can subscribe to for free
• Regularly-updated articles about lifestyle planning  in Mexico
• Insights about day to day living with Mexico Home Life

It’s therefore sensible to take some time to review the composition of your habitat and living spaces to help mitigate the risk of damage and injury that may occur during an earthquake, making your situations easier to cope with in the aftermath of a strong seismic event.

Effects of earthquakes on your property

Weak earthquakes may not be felt, or cause a gentle sway with little or no discernible impact on objects or the structure of your home. Stronger earthquakes can cause a wide variety of hazards, including:

• hung objects falling from walls and ceilings;
• furniture and other household items can fall or fly across a room;
• food pantries, crockery storage and other cupboards may be affected as shelving or items stored on the shelves fall;
• mirrors and glass can break causing dangerous shards and splinters;
• tiles, fixtures, and fittings can become loose and/or fall;
• live electricity wires may become exposed;
• gas pipes can break, causing a fire or explosion;
• water pipes can burst, causing the house to flood;
• utilities like electricity, telephone (internet), water, and gas may be cut-off;
• swimming pools may crack open and leak;
• strong quakes can cause buildings to move-off their foundations and collapse.

Earthquake insurance

You can insure your Mexican property and its contents against natural disasters, including earthquake damage—and better policies also cover the costs of temporary alternative accommodation if your home becomes uninhabitable.

If you already have a home cover insurance policy, double-check the renewal date and that the policy specifically covers your home for earthquake damage, as not all policies are comprehensive.  You can learn about protecting your house and its contents on our detailed guide to insuring your home in Mexico.

Preparing your habitat for earthquakes

Some forethought and planning around your home situations can make a material difference when a strong earthquake strikes.  Most earthquake-related injuries and casualties occur when people fall trying to run during the shaking; are hit by falling objects or debris; and/or when they are struck by collapsing walls or buildings.  Considering how your habitat is furnished and arranged, and what impact an earthquake would have on the objects inside of it, can help you to mitigate damage and injury.

Bedrooms

Earthquakes can happen at any time, and it’s possible that you’ll experience an earthquake overnight while you’re in bed.  Situate your bed away from glass and don’t hang heavy pictures/frames or mirrors above the bed; consider also what you may have attached to or hanging from the ceiling above the bed.

Children’s rooms

If you have children, carefully review their bedroom spaces for potentially hazardous fixtures, fittings, and toys that might fall and cause injury during an earthquake. If you have children’s play areas in your home, check that any heavy items that could tip or fall are securely fastened, and cross check outdoor play areas (like tree houses) to mitigate the risk of heavy objects falling onto the children in the event that they are playing there when an earthquake happens.  Be mindful that mirrors and other glassware can fall and/or crack and break; consider relocating any hazardous objects away from children’s bedrooms and other play areas.

Tall and/or heavy furniture

Book-cases, wardrobes, and other heavy furniture which appeared solid and stable when you placed it can fall effortlessly during a strong earthquake—and can pose a lethal risk if they fall on you or block vital exits.

Review the current placement of heavy furniture in your home, and screw large pieces to the wall using metal brackets designed for this; consider also how falling pieces could block your evacuation route and make changes as necessary. Packed boxes, stored baggage, and other stowed heavy items should ideally be kept in defined storage spaces, or low-down, so that they don’t cause a falling hazard.

Fixtures and fittings

Review your home’s fixtures and fittings and consider how they may behave in the event of an earthquake.

Picture frames and wall art: Picture frames (especially those framed using glass) and mirrors should be securely fastened to walls using double-hooks, and mirrors especially can benefit from additional fastening with putty (mastique).

Shelving, cupboards and storage units: If you have floor-based shelving or cupboards that store heavy items, for example, in food pantries, crockery storage, laundry areas, tool sheds, etc. it’s wise to ensure that the shelving, cupboard or other storage units are securely screwed to the walls.  When an earthquake comes, these types of units can become unstable and fall over.  Replacing the items could be costly, and if someone is nearby them when the quake comes, units laden with heavy objects could fall on top of people.  It’s prudent to avoid storing heavy objects on open shelves near frequently used work or transit areas.

Overhead hanging objects: Overhead lamps and chandeliers should be routinely checked to ensure that they remain securely anchored, especially in older properties where the wood or cement ceilings they are attached to may be in a state of decay.  If you have a heavy (e.g. iron) chandelier over/near a bed or other space where people rest or meet (e.g. a dining table or desk), ensure it’s very well secured, or consider relocating or removing it.

Bookshelves and other storage: If you have heavily laden bookshelves, don’t place these too near any beds or other resting places, nor along key exit routes, even if they are fastened to the wall.  Heavy cabinets ought to be fastened to the wall if they are in a space near where people work or sit, or near doors or exit routes.  Consider installing latches on high cupboard doors to prevent objects from falling out of them in the event of a quake.

Water heaters

Most water heaters in Mexico are gas-fired.  Your water heater should be securely strapped to a strong load-bearing wall using appropriate brackets.  Ensure you know how to switch-off the gas feed and water supplies.  If you are (re)installing your home’s water heater, consider using modern flexible gas piping instead of metal pipework.

Learn more about caring for and insuring your home in Mexico

Mexperience publishes extensive information to help you plan and care for your home life in Mexico through guides, articles and free eBooks:

• Further advice about how to plan and what to do during and after an earthquake is available online.
• Read our free guides about house maintenance and home security
• Latest articles about property insurance
• Articles about real estate in Mexico

Mexico enjoys long daylight throughout the year

Mexico’s geographical location gives the country a privileged mix of daylight and dark, regardless of the season.  This is in contrast to countries situated further away from the equator, where daylight hours can be substantially curtailed during the winter months.

One of the reasons why so many people enjoy overwintering in Mexico is because the country offers pleasantry warm or temperate climates, and also because the daylight here remains fairly constant —thus by living here during the winter you can avoid the ‘long nights’ —and enjoy plenty of sunshine, too.

How Mexico’s daylight hours vary during the year

Mexico’s privileged daylight hours can be well illustrated by way of an example.

The table below shows the hours for sunrise and sunset on the longest and shortest days of the year —and the total daylight hours on those days— for three locations in Mexico:

• Tijuana (one of Mexico’s northernmost cities, situated on the border with the US), and
• Mexico City (on a similar latitude to Mérida, in the Yucatán), and
• Tapachula (Mexico’s southernmost city on the border with Guatemala).

Times shown take into account Mexico’s abandonment of annual clock changes.

Enjoying long daylight on the shortest day of the year

The hours recorded in the table above for the ‘winter low’ are for December 21—the shortest day of the year in Mexico. These show that:

• In the northern-most areas of Mexico, even the shortest days of the year give more than 10 hours of daylight.
• In the southern-most areas (nearer to the equator) you can enjoy over eleven-and-a-quarter hours of daylight on the shortest day of the year.
• Mexico City (and Mérida) enjoy virtually eleven hours of daylight, even on the year’s shortest day.

A good balance on the longest days of the year

On June 21 —the longest day of the year in Mexico— you’ll enjoy between 13 and 14 hours of daylight in the peak of summer, regardless of where you’re situated in the country.

Mexico’s geographical location in relation to the equator offers an equitable  balance of night and day all year long, with each month and season offering plenty of daylight every day of the year—which can be supportive to one’s moods, general health, and well-being.

Mexico’s light is also extraordinary

As well as offering an equitable balance of daylight and dark, when you pause to consider the quality of the light here, you come to realize that Mexico’s light is truly extraordinary.

Its quality is especially noticeable in the mountain highlands, although it’s exceptional even at lower elevations, and along the coasts.

Mexico is said to be one of the most ‘colorful countries in the world’ and the quality of the light undoubtably contributes to the sparkling tapestry of colors that may be appreciate here.

Writers describing Mexico often remark, for example, on the sharp and crisp ‘azure blue’ skies, especially in the central highlands.  They’ve noticed how the subtleties and hues of the light in Mexico are quite special.

The exceptional light is complemented by sensational fragrances during the rainy season as the groundwater swells and the flora blossom and bloom.

When the ground becomes parched during the dry season, dust particles rise high up into the atmosphere and contribute to the composition of the most magnificent sunsets you’ll experience anywhere.

Mexico for living and leisure

Mexico is one of the most visited countries in the world, offering beautiful beach locations, picturesque colonial mountain towns, fascinating archaeology, and an abundance of wild, natural habitats to traverse and enjoy. It also offers opportunities for living and lifestyle, that you can also discover and explore here on Mexperience.

• Explore complete guides to aspects of living in Mexico
• Learn about leisure and travel opportunities in Mexico
• Read insightful articles about living and lifestyle in Mexico
• Sign-up to our free email Mexico Newsletter published monthly

Continually revised & updated guide to visas and residency permits for Mexico

Mexico Immigration Guide 2024

Our continuously updated guide to Mexico Visas and Immigration is an exhaustive resource that enables you to learn about Mexico’s visas and residency permits, and how to visit and/or apply for legal residency in Mexico.

This Quick Reference page helps you to navigate the rules, latest information, and processes —from applying for residency at a Mexican Consulate to managing your residency card— and connects to extensive knowledge and resources on Mexperience.

Planning your visit and arrival in Mexico

Whether you plan to visit Mexico as a tourist, for business, to volunteer, or you want to apply to obtain legal residency in Mexico, this section helps you to plan for your visit and arrival in Mexico.

Applying for legal residency in Mexico

If you intend to stay in Mexico for longer, spend defined periods of time here, or intend to live in Mexico part-time or full-time, this section helps you to consider your choices, learn about qualification criteria, and make your application.

Mexico legal residency essentials

When you have obtained legal residency in Mexico, this section shares practical insights and advice about exchanging your visa for a residency card and managing your legal residency card and status in Mexico.

This article introduces you to property insurance choices and guides you through important considerations as you search for and choose a home insurance policy for your needs and lifestyle situation.

Principal coverages offered by insurance policies for your home in Mexico

Depending on your needs, circumstances, and budget, you can insure your property entirely or partially.

The insurance premium will depend on key variables related to the risks you want underwritten, including: the location and type of your property, its age and replacement cost, and what events you want coverage for.

You can insure your home in Mexico for:

• Structural damage caused by natural phenomena like wind, floods, earthquakes and hurricanes, as well as damage caused by acts of vandalism and burglary (owners only).
• Loss or damage of personal possessions in the event of flooding or theft (whether you own or rent).
• Third party liabilities related to owning or renting property, for examples if a tree falls on your neighbor’s house or your housekeeper is injured while working in your home (whether you own or rent).

Property insurance policies in Mexico

Property insurance policies in Mexico are different to policies sold in the U.S. and Canada. The policy wording is different, and the types of coverages offered are different, so some things that you might think are included as standard, might not be if you purchase your insurance in Mexico directly from a Mexican insurer.

To bridge this gap, specialist companies based in the U.S. have developed property ownership insurance coverages which reflect the wording, terms, and coverages typically included on US and Canadian policies.

The insurance itself is underwritten by Mexican insurance companies (by law, it must be this way), but the U.S. companies work in partnership with Mexican underwriters to create an insurance coverage that is familiar to those purchasing insurance in the US and Canada (or those who want a US-style policy), and which is legally valid under Mexican law.

Some homeowners in Mexico purchase property insurance from a Mexican insurer direct that charges premiums in Mexican pesos and pays out in Mexican pesos; others purchase from a specialist US-based company that offers US style insurance with premiums in US dollars and pay outs in US dollars.

Buying insurance for your home in Mexico

Should you buy your insurance from a local Mexican broker or a specialized US firm?  Here are some key points to consider about each route:

Buying from an insurance broker in Mexico

When you buy home insurance from a Mexican broker you will typically:

• obtain coverages sold with Mexican-style terms and characteristics, often different to those offered in the US and Canada and which may offer less coverages or have limitations you are not accustomed to;
• have policy wording presented in Spanish, so you will need to be able to read Spanish fluently or have someone translate and/or explain the policy terms to you;
• need to file insurance claims in Spanish and any discussions or disputes about claims will need to be argued in Spanish; you will need to get an interpreter to deal with claims if your Spanish is not that good;
• pay your insurance premiums in Mexican pesos and any claims will be paid out in Mexican pesos.

Buying insurance from a specialist US firm

When you buy home insurance from a specialist US firm you will typically:

• obtain coverages sold with US-style terms with the same kinds of characteristics you see on insurance policies offered in the US and Canada;
• have a policy sold and worded in English;
• be able to file claims and undertake discussions about claims in English;
• pay your premiums in US dollars with any claims paid out to you in US dollars.

Should you choose a Mexico or US based home insurance policy?

If your Spanish is good, you have a decent local insurance broker contact, and you’re satisfied with the coverages offered by a Mexican-style insurance policy, then a local insurance policy will suffice, although there’s no harm in obtaining a quote offered by US-based policies to compare coverages and rates.

We recommend that you consider the services of US-based specialists set-up specifically to service foreign-home ownership in Mexico if your Spanish is not fluent and if you don’t have much experience of buying insurance in Mexico.

It’s also important to consider that, in the event you need to claim, you will find yourself in a stressful situation, and having an insurer that has issued a policy in English, in terms you are familiar with, and covering events which you are used to seeing covered in an insurance policy will be worth any additional premium on the day you may need to make that telephone call to file a claim.

Further, US-led policies can include coverages (for example, third-party liability cover) as standard, whereas many Mexican policies do not cover these without them being specifically scheduled—and with significant additional premiums.

Learn more about property insurance in Mexico

Mexperience offers detailed insights about property in Mexico for buyers, owners, renters, and sellers.

• Practical checklist for home insurance coverages
• Earthquakes in Mexico
• Hurricane season
• Windstorms in Mexico
• Latest articles about property insurance in Mexico
• Get a no-obligation online quote for home insurance in Mexico

This article describes what you to do, based on the type of residency you have in Mexico, to keep your card current and your legal residency status updated.

Managing your Temporary Residency card

If you are resident in Mexico under the auspice of temporary residency —Residente Temporal— you’ll need to file for renewals and file other notifications.

• Temporary residency cards are valid for between one year and four years, maximum.  The expiry date is printed on the card.
• To maintain your residency status, your card must be renewed within the 30-day window before the expiry date printed on the card.
• Renewals must be filed at a local immigration office in Mexico by the card holder.
• After four consecutive years* of holding temporary residency, you may apply to exchange it for permanent residency.
• If you allow your temporary card to expire, you might be able to renew it within a 60-day grace period.  See this article for details.
• If your temporary residency card is more than 60 days expired, you’ll need to restart the residency application process.
• We recommend that you set a reminder for yourself to renew your card if you intend to remain legally resident in Mexico.
• See also: entering and leaving Mexico, keeping your personal details updated, and replacing lost or damaged cards, in the sections below.

*Two years if you are married to a Mexican national.

Assistance: If you need assistance with residency card renewals, our associate can help.

Managing your Permanent Residency card

If you are resident in Mexico under the auspice of temporary residency —Residente Permanente— you won’t need to file for renewals if you are over 18, but you do need to file change notifications.

• Permanent residency cards issued to adults aged 18 and older do not expire.
• Permanent residency cards issued to minors (aged under 18 years) need to be renewed periodically and must be to be renewed within the 30-day window before the expiry date printed on the card.
• Renewals must be filed at a local immigration office in Mexico by the card holder’s parent or guardian, and the minor must also be present.
• See also: entering and leaving Mexico, keeping your personal details updated, and replacing lost or damaged cards, in the sections below.

Assistance: If you need assistance with permanent residency card renewals for minors, our associate can help.

Entering and leaving Mexico with a residency card

You must present your residency card when you enter Mexico, and each time you leave the country. If you are a legal resident here and enter Mexico as a visitor, your residency status will become jeopardized.

Keeping the immigration office informed

When you are a foreigner with temporary or permanent legal residency status in Mexico, you must attend your local immigration office to inform them about:

• Change of your home address in Mexico.
• Change to your marital status.
  (marriage, divorce, death of spouse)
• Change to your nationality.
• If you’re working in Mexico and you change jobs/company.

Filing notifications: All notifications must be started using an electronic form filled-out online, which you must also download, print out, and sign. However, your procedure does not get officially registered until you go in person to your local immigration office and file the documents.

Time scales: Notification of changes must be filed in person at the local immigration office within 90 days of the change date to avoid penalty charges.

Assistance: If you need assistance with the filing, our associate can help.

Lost or damaged residency cards

If you lose your residency card, or it becomes damaged beyond use, you’ll need to apply for a replacement.

The process for requesting a replacement of your Mexican residency card varies depending on whether you are in Mexico or abroad when you discover the loss.

• If you are in Mexico, you’ll need to file a police report if the card is lost and begin a card replacement process via your local immigration office.
• If you are abroad, you need to file a police report if the card is lost, and request an appointment at your nearest Mexican consulate.  The consulate will issue you with a residency visa sticker that you must exchange for a card when you return to Mexico.
• If the card is damaged beyond use, but not lost, you don’t need to file a police report, but you will need to hand-in your damaged card.

Filing for card replacement in Mexico: If you are in Mexico, notifications about lost and damaged cards and requests for a replacement must be started using an electronic form filled-out online, which you must also download, print out, and sign. However, your card replacement procedure does not get officially registered and processed until you go in person to your local immigration office and file the documents.

Filing for card replacement abroad: If you are abroad, you need to make an appointment at your nearest Mexican consulate first.  They will issue a residency visa replacement sticker in your passport that you need to exchange for a replacement residency card when you arrive back in Mexico.

Card replacement process: Learn about the process for replacing a lost or damaged residency card.

Assistance: If you need assistance with the filing, our associate can help.

Learn more about residency in Mexico

Mexperience publishes information and resources to help you learn about how to apply for and obtain legal residency in Mexico:

• Rights and obligations when you’re legally resident in Mexico
• The difference between temporary and permanent residency permits
• Time limits on Mexico’s visitor and residency permits
• Renewing your current residency permit
• Renewing an expired residency permit
• See also: How to apply for residency in Mexico

This article shares practical tips and insights about how to live well and enjoy the rain season in Mexico, helping you to make the most of what is an extraordinary season that brings dramatic rainstorms and renewed life and vibrancy to the entire natural environment that surrounds you here.

Eagerly awaiting the return of Tlāloc

Tlāloc, the Aztec god of the rain, water, and fertility (from the Náhuatl, ‘He who makes things sprout’) was worshipped as guardian of the divine gift of rainfall that refreshes and brings life and continuity to the land and all depending on it.

Most people who live in Mexico eagerly await Tlāloc’s return after the long dry season that begins around October and can be seen and felt in earnest by January. By late April or early May, when the dearth of moisture makes the air feel brittle, and the occasional storms that roll in —albethey welcome— fail to bring substantial relief, the anticipation levels heighten, especially in the years when the rains may arrive ‘later’ than expected.

The seasonal tipping point

You might notice subtle shifts in the atmosphere in weeks and days leading-up the return of the rains: an elusive smell of moisture, a slight dip in temperatures, a sweeter fragrance in the early morning air before the sun’s heat takes hold.

The reappearance of the rains may also be preceded by a series of ad-hoc windstorms. And then a day arrives when the rains return in earnest. When they do, another transition period begins from dry to wet, although the flora respond much more quickly to the return of the rains than they do to their departure.

Typically, seasonal rainstorms are introduced by claps of loud thunder rolling-in over the mountain tops as heavily laden storm clouds gather overhead.  The wind picks up and drops abruptly, yielding to dramatic torrential downpours that gift immediate respite to the land.  In the early part of the rainy season, these storms help to return corn-yellow grass to emerald green and saturate the air with moisture that comprehensively settles the dust and dander, causing the flora to flourish with a joyful energy in a way that all the gardeners’ hoses, watering cans, and sprinklers can never accomplish.

For those who have lived in Mexico for a while, experiencing this tipping point between the dry season and the return of the drenching rains helps to bring into focus the natural cycles which greatly influence these lands far beyond the dust and flora, and serves as a reminder to all that we must pass through the challenges and irritations of a long dry spell to better appreciate the divine gift of refreshing rain.

The feel of a remarkable change in the air

The dust and dander, which are virtually unavoidable during the dry season, become almost immediately settled after the first two or three major rainstorms of the season.

The landscape changes color from yellow and brown to varying bright hues of green, orange, red, blue, violet, pink and white as trees redress their branches, shrubs blossom, and their flowers burst open to reveal the full splendor of their being.

The unmistakable scent of moistened soil is a sure sign that the dry season is passing; the early morning air —that felt mostly dry for months— now smells refreshed and carries sweet and subtle scents of the flora in its light breeze, especially after the drenching night rains, which tend to arrive midseason, sometime in July in most places, and pass leaving most mornings to break bright, sun-filled and distinctively refreshed.

When an afternoon rainstorm passes, the evening or night air is typically left fresh and cooled. It’s unusual for a heavy daytime rainstorm to last more than two or three hours —prolonged rains are usually caused by a tropical depression temporarily passing through the region— and most evenings unfold feeling fresh and accompanied by lingering subtle fragrances of flora in the air.

An ideal season to enjoy the great outdoors

Mexico offers visitors and residents a unique opportunity to enjoy different perspectives during the rainy season, especially when you’re visiting areas of outstanding natural beauty, for example, the Copper Canyon. the southern state of Chiapas, and the Yucatán region.

The rains bring color and vibrance to landscape, cause the flora bloom, and the to rivers to swell abundantly with rainwater that also feed some spectacular waterfalls.

Learn more about nature and adventure experiences in Mexico.

Gardeners rejoice in the rain season

As we mentioned in the article about living well in the dry season, gardeners spend a lot of time between January and May watering their plants in an effort to keep them from wilting and dying; some also attempt to keep their grass from turning corn-yellow, perhaps by means of a sprinkler system.

When the rains return, you’ll notice that the flora respond quickly.  Corn-yellow grass, thinned and made sparse by months without water, turns emerald green within a couple of weeks; and by summer the grass recuperates its full form and volume.

For those who have homes in Mexico situated on larger properties with tended gardens, or condo units with extensive landscaped areas surrounding them, the rains alleviate the constant call for manual watering, and replenish water cisterns that for months were being constantly drained, and requiring replenishment with additional water delivered by truck using local ‘pipas.’

Within a month of the first major rainstorm of the season, gardens become transformed in ways that hosepipes, watering cans, and even the most sophisticated sprinkler systems can never match. Gardeners’ attentions then turn to pruning, cutting, and trimming what appears to be unbridled growth; accompanied with a regular mowing schedule for those with grass lawns.

Water supply in the rain season

The ways in which water is supplied to your home in Mexico will depend on where the property is situated.  Many regions across Mexico experience some form of water scarcity during the dry season, although the scarcity is relieved almost entirely when the rains return.

Water deliveries

The dry season is the high trading period for the “Pipas”—tank trucks selling potable water.  When the rain season returns, these trucks are usually parked-up and left largely unused between June and September.

Properties that are not supplied by some type of mains water system and rely heavily on water delivery from the pipas, are especially grateful for the return of the rainy season, that dispenses with their need to buy copious amounts of water brought by trucks, and the rains also quickly refill water storage cisterns situated on the property.

Refilling water cisterns

Regardless of whether your Mexican property is served by a mains water system, a local communal water network, or by a combination of water truck deliveries and rain collection, it’s likely to have a cistern onsite that stores water on the property.  This water is either pumped up to a roof tank (to create a ‘gravity pressure’ system) or properties might have a hydro-pneumatic pump installed that pressurizes the water in the pipes without the need for it to be pumped to the rooftop.

Properties that are fed by mains or communal water systems don’t tend to collect rainwater (some might); however, all properties that rely on water from truck deliveries ought also to have a rain collection system in place.  When the rains return, they are so are so abundant that two or three heavy storms will easily refill 100,000-liter (c.26,000 US gallon) cistern with the help of a suitable rain collection scheme installed on the property.

Practical issues related to the rain season

Some tourists choose to avoid Mexico during the rain season, and ‘snowbirds’ —part-time residents who overwinter in Mexico— tend to miss the rainy season, which is lamentable in our view as the rain season brings life and abundance to the local environment that you’ll never experience in the dry months.

The rains also bring with them some challenges, especially for residents.  These are readily mitigated and, while they can cause some inconvenience, the challenges are easily outweighed by the benefits the rain season brings.

Proliferation of mosquitoes

Although mosquitoes don’t vanish entirely during the dry season, they do proliferate, and noticeably so, during the rainy season—as the females need a combination of moisture and iron from animal blood to breed.

A key matter to be mindful of during the rainy season is to ensure that you don’t allow stagnant pools of water to accumulate on your property, as these provide perfect breeding places for mosquitoes. Our article about dealing with mosquitoes in Mexico offers additional detailed and practical advice.

Managing your swimming pool

If your property (or condo complex) has a swimming pool, the rain season and summer high-temperatures can be the cause of additional algae and other living organisms to form and grow inside the pool.

Well-tended natural pools (those that use salts and flora instead of chlorine and other chemicals) ought not to be affected when they are properly managed.  Most people however use chlorine and other chemicals to regulate the pool’s water and keep it clean, clear, and free of algae—and algae spores which filtering alone cannot eradicate.

The period between the dry and wet seasons (April and May) can be especially challenging to maintain swimming pools. Pool owners tend to see the proliferation of algae build-up at this time and usually need to use a combination of chemicals and vacuuming to keep the pool crystalline clear.

If you hire someone to tend your pool, they may have the knowledge and experience to manage this; if you are maintaining your own pool, you may refer to resources online for advice if the algae build-up overtakes your pool—or hire someone locally to assist you.

Our article about enjoying and managing your swimming pool in Mexico contains further detailed insights and advice.

Electricity power cuts

The onset of a rainstorm is often preceded (or accompanied) by wind, and some of these windstorms, which might also be accompanied by lightning storms, can cause issues at local electricity sub-stations, or hit transformers and cables—which are most usually strapped to poles, not buried underground.  Thus the rainy season can bring an increase in the frequency of power cuts, which can also affect communications, especially internet services.  Our article about dealing with electricity power cuts in Mexico offers additional insights, and practical tips.

Drying laundry in the rainy season

Although some people use a tumble dryer (that requires a combination of electricity and natural gas to operate) Mexico’s exceptionally good weather makes it ideal for air-drying clothes and laundry.  During the dry season, it’s easy to become complacent with laundry routines as most days are warm and bright, and clothes dry in a short time, especially if there’s a light breeze, anytime of day you hang them.

When the rainy season returns, you’ll need to alter your laundry routines and hang laundry to dry early in the day as afternoon rain storms can be heavy enough to drench your clothes.

There’s more moisture in the air during the rainy season too, so clothes will take longer to dry, and if a tropical storm passes through your region, you might have to hang clothes under shelter, or indoors. Some people keep a tumble dryer for use during the rainy season, although with a little bit of forward planning (wash and hang your clothes to dry early in the day), air drying clothes is perfectly feasible even during the rainy season.

Beware of flooding and structural damage

Some rainstorms during the rainy season can be very intense—enough to cause flash-floods in localized areas.  This can cause flooding in your home, or on roads and local lanes, making driving conditions difficult or treacherous. In exceptional cases, colossal volumes of rainwater falling in a brief period can drench a locality and cause landslides.

An adequate home insurance policy will help you to mitigate the financial costs of dealing with storm damage during the rainy season, including any damage that might be caused to third parties—for example, if a flood undermines a wall on your property, causing it collapse.

Driving conditions in the rainy season

Heavy rainstorms can give rise to a range of risks and difficulties for drivers in Mexico, whether you’re driving through your local village, a city, or on an open highway.

Check your vehicle’s tires

A most common risk for drivers during the rainy season is bald (or balding tires) on vehicles.  During the dry season, when the road surface can remain completely dry for weeks or months on end, a slightly balding tire might not be a big risk; but as soon as the rains start, the absence of tread on a tire can create a potentially lethal risk —for you and others— as the surface water that cannot be displaced in the absence of tire tread creates a skid risk, and prevents you from braking effectively.  Always check your tire tread, especially before the rain season starts.

Flooding risks for drivers

In Mexico’s rural areas, rivers that swell during heavy rainstorms can cause local roads and lanes near those rivers to flood; if you’re caught out driving in a flash flood, your car may be become flooded and stranded or, in extremis, taken by the surge of a temporary river current.

In cities, flooding can be common when a rainstorm overwhelms the drainage systems available locally; power cuts can cause traffic light systems to fail and contribute to traffic jams; powerlines can fall and create blocks on roadways for a time until the emergency services can attend to repair them.

When you’re driving on open highways, in the wilderness, and other remote areas, heavy rainstorms (and hailstorms) can leave you especially exposed; on remote mountainous highways, mudslides and landslides can bring down trees, rocks and soil that cause the road running through a ravine to become completely blocked until road crews can attend and clear it: on tolled highways, this clearing work can happen quite quickly; on less-traveled remote highways it may take days or weeks.

Detailed advice about driving in Mexico

Our free eBook guide to driving in Mexico offers practical advice for driving safely, and we recommend that your vehicle is properly insured when you’re driving in Mexico.

Hurricane season

Some regions of Mexico are prone to hurricanes, a season that more or less coincides with the rainy season—although the most powerful hurricanes that make landfall tend to happen during the hottest weeks of the year: between July and September.

Although hurricanes mostly affect coastal areas, the storms can cause tropical depressions inland, too—in the form of an extended period of rain or unusually overcast conditions.  You can learn more about Mexico’s hurricane season here on Mexperience.

The end of the rainy season in Mexico

Sometime between late September and early November, depending on the region and how the rains manifest in any given year, the rainstorms that began in late spring begin to thin out, and one day, cease altogether—akin to someone switching off a faucet. Tlāloc, having discharged his natural duty to make things sprout, departs, and yields to the onset of the dry season.

The end of the rain season brings a marked change to the landscapes as well as life patterns across Mexico, although the effects of an ending rainy season are far more graduated than those which happen when the rains return.

During October through December, the bountiful amount of moisture that has accumulated in the ground keeps the flora active and the air feeling still fresh for a while.  However, by mid-December, the onset of winter heralds a change that can be sensed and felt; and by mid-January, the landscape and all who dwell upon it begin to enter, once again, into the ‘long dry’ season of the winter and early spring.

The change of season between the rains and the dry, and back again, is all part of a wonderful and divine cycle that contributes to making Mexico one of the most fascinating and enjoyable environments to enjoy being in.

Discover Mexico’s seasons

Mexperience helps you to discover Mexico’s diverse topography and climates as you make your lifestyle and leisure plans:

• The rain season begins in May or June.
• The dry season begins around October or November.
• Browse the latest articles about climate and weather in Mexico
• Discover Mexico’s climate through the seasons
• Learn about how Mexico is a land of three lands
• Check individual location guides here on Mexperience for climate by location.
• You can get full details about the weather by region and season on our guide to climate in Mexico.