California Versus Mexico

For ocean lovers, it’s hard to beat the crash of the Pacific. Fortunately, those same great wide beaches and surf that California is famous for don’t stop at the U.S. border. For years, expats have been finding great values farther south on the Pacific shores of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Mexico.

Among the options, Mexico comes out tops. Not surprisingly, this country is home to more expat retirees than any other in the world. If you’re not ready to retire, you could buy now while the dollar is strong and rent out your property short or long term. One city that offers a strong rental market is PLAYA DEL CARMEN, where the beaches are reminiscent of Venice Beach in L.A. And, beyond the sand, you have a beautiful city that attracts visitors apart from the usual beach-goers.

Cost To Own In Venice Beach, California: The average price in Venice is in excess of US$12,300 per square meter. You’ll spend about US$1 million for a two-bedroom condo just off the beach.

Cost To Own In Playa del Carmen, Mexico: Mazatlán is one of world’s best buys for beachfront property with prices that average less than half those of better-known Puerto Vallarta. The average square-meter price in town is US$ 2,900; the average cost for beachfront is US$ 5,500 per square meter. You could buy a two-bedroom condo in a luxury building for US$ 390,000, one-fourth the cost in Venice Beach.

8 Reasons Mexico Is North America’s Favorite Place To Retire “Overseas”

Over the past four decades, Americans have voted Mexico the world’s #1 place to live or retire in the way that really counts: They’ve packed up and moved there. This country is home to more American expats and retirees than any other, at least 1 million and as many as 2 million, depending on the survey.

This shouldn’t surprise anyone. It’s easier for an American to get to Mexico than to any other country other than Canada.

Why do Americans choose to go south of the Rio Grande rather than to the Great White North?

The weather!

Americans looking to start a new life in a new country primarily seek three things: warm weather, beautiful beaches, and a low cost of living. Mexico competes handily in all three categories.

7 More Reasons To Choose Mexico

§  1- The country is familiar, from its administrative set-up (the Mexican government is a stable democracy, with executive, legislative, and judicial branches functioning in a similar way to those in the United States) to its big-footprint shopping. If you’re itching for an adventure in a foreign land that’s not too foreign, Mexico could be the experience you seek.

§  2- It’s easy to go back and forth, making it a top choice for part-time living. Drive down as often as you like without worrying about plane fare.

§  3- All the North American attention from both expats and tourists means that many Mexicans, especially in the service industry, speak English. This can make things like navigating the residency process at the immigration office and managing the real estate purchase process with your attorney much easier.

§  4- Property markets in many areas of Mexico are depressed. The Great Recession took its toll in this country, making for a nice buyer’s advantage.

§  5-Automatic six-month tourist stay and easy and fast immigration make it possible to come and go and spend as much time in the country as you’d like. You can maintain a second home here (a place you rent out when you’re not using it yourself, say) without having to bother with the expense of obtaining formal resident status.

§  6-Moving to Mexico can be as hassle-free as an international move gets. Nothing’s as easy as loading up a truck and driving south. Your entire moving budget could be gas and tolls.

§  7- You can return easily to the United States to use Medicare. If you’re considering this move as a retiree, nearing or over the age of 65, this can be Mexico’s most compelling advantage. Mexico offers excellent healthcare, but Medicare won’t pay for it—with limited exceptions, Medicare doesn’t cross any border. However, if you retire in Mexico, you’d be only a drive or quick flight away from accessing your benefits.

This means keeping and continuing to pay for Medicare coverage in addition to any other health insurance you might opt for. This can be a good strategy for a Medicare-eligible retiree moving to any foreign country, a safety net.

Of course, Mexico is an interesting and appealing option for reinventing your life at any age. It’s also a big, diverse place, offering many attractive lifestyle choices, including…

The Riviera Maya: If you seek quintessential Caribbean… on a shoestring or a luxury budget… Mexico’s Riviera Maya coast is calling your name…