I moved to Mexico in 2018 with a suitcase and no real plan. Today I\u2019m a Mexican citizen, raising a son who was born here, married into this culture, and fully settled into a life I never could have predicted. If you\u2019re seriously considering moving to Mexico<\/strong>, this is the guide I wish I\u2019d had before I started.<\/p>\n Hi Joanna!<\/p>\n Thank you for writing to me, because I remember feeling the same overwhelm before I made the jump myself. The short answer is yes, it\u2019s absolutely doable, but it does take patience, planning, and a willingness to embrace some uncertainty along the way. <\/p>\n I moved to Mexico in 2018 knowing very little, and in the years since, I\u2019ve navigated the visa process, built a life here, given birth to my son, and eventually earned my Mexican citizenship. <\/p>\n Everything you\u2019re asking about: visas, cost of living, healthcare, finding housing, even the surprising fine print around things like buying a car, I\u2019ve laid out in detail below, based entirely on what I actually experienced rather than what I read online before moving. <\/p>\n Consider this article my full answer to your question. Good luck and let me know in the comments below or email me if you have any questions!<\/p>\n Xx, Trisha<\/p>\n \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfd Thinking about moving to Mexico and want personalized guidance?<\/strong> I offer one-on-one calls where we go through your specific situation. No generic advice, just a real conversation based on what actually worked for me and what I\u2019d do differently. \ud83d\udcde Book a call with me<\/a><\/strong> and let\u2019s figure out your path to moving to Mexico together!<\/p>\n Moving to Mexico wasn\u2019t about chasing a fantasy. One of the biggest reasons I made the move was that I wanted a second citizenship<\/strong>, and Mexico happens to be one of the easiest countries in the world to get one from.<\/p>\n Compared to a lot of other paths to dual citizenship, which can take a decade or more, or require enormous investment, Mexico\u2019s residency-to-citizenship timeline is genuinely accessible if you\u2019re willing to put in the time and follow the process. <\/p>\n That practical reason was what first got me looking seriously at Mexico over other countries.<\/p>\n But once I actually arrived, the reasons multiplied fast. I was ready for something different \u2014 a slower pace, a lower cost of living, and a culture that felt warmer and more connected than what I\u2019d left behind. <\/p>\n What I didn\u2019t expect was how deeply I\u2019d fall in love with the day-to-day rhythm of life here: the markets, the food, the way neighbors actually know each other.<\/p>\n Eight years later, my reasons for staying are completely different from my reasons for coming. I stayed because I built a life here. I stayed because my son took his first breath in this country<\/strong>. <\/p>\n I stayed because, somewhere along the way, Mexico stopped being \u201cabroad\u201d and started being home.<\/p>\n One of the biggest decisions you\u2019ll make is where to actually live, and honestly, it can make or break your experience. Mexico is enormous and varies wildly by region:<\/strong> coastal versus inland, big city versus small town, tourist hub versus off-the-radar gem.<\/p>\n I spent time exploring different areas before settling in, and I\u2019d strongly recommend you do the same rather than committing sight unseen. I have lived in 15 cities in Mexico. The three places I\u2019ve lived in the longest are Sayulita<\/a>, Puerto Vallarta<\/a>, and Cabo San Lucas<\/a>.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve written a full guide breaking down the best places to live in Mexico if you want a deeper dive into specific cities and what makes each one unique. It\u2019s one of the most detailed resources I\u2019ve put together, so I\u2019ll point you there instead of repeating it all here.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffc Read next: The best places to live in Mexico<\/a><\/p>\n This is where most people get stuck when moving to Mexico, and I get it. The visa process felt intimidating to me too before I actually went through it. Here\u2019s the simplified breakdown:<\/p>\n Below are two of my visa guides for Mexico:<\/p>\n \ud83d\udce3 My honest advice: <\/strong>If you don\u2019t speak Spanish, hire an attorney to help you process the papers. I am fluent in Spanish but I still had difficulties. I started the process on my own and in the middle of it, I decided to get a lawyer. This lawyer helped me with all my visas (from digital nomad visa, temporary, permanent, citizenship). She is great and she now helps me with all legal stuff I need for living in Mexico! \ud83d\udcfa Watch video: How to get a digital nomad visa for Mexico<\/a><\/p>\n People ask me this constantly, and the truth is it depends enormously on where you live and what kind of lifestyle you want. That said, I can tell you my cost of living dropped significantly compared to where I lived before.<\/p>\n Rent varies hugely. A modest apartment in a smaller city or a less touristy neighborhood costs a fraction of what you\u2019d pay in a popular expat hotspot. <\/p>\n Groceries, especially if you shop at local markets instead of imported-goods supermarkets, are noticeably cheaper. Eating out, transportation, and household help (many families here have cleaning or childcare help at a price point that would be unthinkable elsewhere) all tend to stretch further too.<\/p>\n Healthcare costs, which I\u2019ll get into below, were one of the biggest and most pleasant surprises for me financially.<\/p>\n Again, the cost of living in Mexico varies by destination. Here are some of my personal costs that I\u2019ve written:<\/p>\n When I first arrived, I rented short-term while I got a feel for different neighborhoods and I\u2019d recommend the same to you. Don\u2019t sign a year-long lease before you\u2019ve actually lived somewhere for a few weeks.<\/p>\n Facebook groups for expats and locals in your target city are genuinely one of the best resources for finding listings, far more useful than the big international rental sites. <\/p>\n Having a local contact or a bilingual friend look over any lease before you sign is also worth its weight in gold. I learned this after nearly missing a clause in my first contract that would have cost me a full month\u2019s deposit.<\/p>\n Every city has a housing group that you can join on Facebook. Just search for the city and use keywords like, \u201cPuerto Vallarta Housing,\u201d \u201cLos Cabos Houses for Rent\u201d,<\/em> and so on.<\/p>\n This is a topic close to my heart, quite literally, since I gave birth to my son here. My experience with Mexican healthcare, both private and public, was better than I expected walking in.<\/p>\n Private healthcare in Mexico is high quality and remarkably affordable compared to what many of us are used to. I had access to good doctors, modern facilities, and short wait times, all while paying a fraction of what the equivalent care would have cost back home. <\/p>\n Once I became a resident, and eventually a citizen, I also gained access to the public healthcare system, which added another layer of security.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re planning a family here, or already are, know that Mexican hospitals are well-equipped for maternity care. My son\u2019s birth was handled with more warmth and personal attention than I ever expected, and it\u2019s part of why this country feels permanently tied to my own story now.<\/p>\n Opening a Mexican bank account took some patience. You\u2019ll typically need your visa, proof of address, and sometimes a minimum deposit but it made daily life significantly easier once it was done. <\/p>\n I\u2019d recommend doing this as soon as your residency status allows it, rather than relying on foreign cards for everything, which often come with fees that add up fast.<\/p>\n I also kept an account back home for a while, which gave me flexibility during the transition period. If you\u2019re planning to work remotely or receive income from abroad, it\u2019s worth researching how transfers and exchange rates will affect you before you commit to a banking setup.<\/p>\n Also please note that if you don\u2019t have a permanent residency visa, you cannot open a bank account in big financial institutions like BBVA, Santander, Citibanamex, etc.<\/p>\n During my 4-year temporary visa stint, I opened a bank account with Intercam since their rules are more flexible for non-permanent visa holders.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcfa Watch video: How to open a bank account in Mexico with a temporary visa<\/a><\/p>\n I bought a car after settling in, and this is one area where I really wish someone had warned me about the fine print ahead of time.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re on a temporary resident visa, you can\u2019t put a car in your own name, and you can\u2019t get a car loan from a Mexican bank or dealership financing program. <\/p>\n It\u2019s a restriction tied specifically to that visa status. The logic is that temporary residency is, by definition, temporary, so lenders and the registration system treat you differently than they would a permanent resident or citizen. This tripped me up because I assumed buying a car would work more or less like renting an apartment. It doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n When I bough my first car, I needed to ask a friend to co-sign, which was a bit risky since a lot of things can happen. However, that friend was trustworthy so nothing happened bad. <\/p>\n The second time I bought a car, I was already a permanent citizen, so that was way easier. They even offered me a car loan but I didn\u2019t take it because car loans in Mexico have high interest rates.<\/p>\n In practice, this means most people on a temporary visa end up either paying cash and titling the car under a trusted local\u2019s name, going through a Mexican co-signer or family member who is a citizen or permanent resident, or waiting until their status changes before buying. <\/p>\n I know people who\u2019ve done all three, and each comes with its own trade-offs and trust issues, so think carefully before you commit to a workaround.<\/p>\n If owning a car matters to you early on, factor this into how you plan your visa timeline, because it\u2019s genuinely one of those details that doesn\u2019t show up in the general \u201cmoving to Mexico\u201d advice until you hit it yourself.<\/p>\n If you want to buy a car in Mexico, I can recommend\u00a0my dealer to you, who will help you with everything, including name transfers for second-hand cars. He charges a very small fee, and he is my trusted person when it comes to cars!\u00a0<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s note:<\/strong> This kind of financing hurdle isn\u2019t unique to Mexico. It shows up anywhere lenders view you as higher-risk, whether that\u2019s because of residency status or your credit history. In Australia, for example, buyers with less-than-perfect credit can run into similar roadblocks with mainstream banks and instead turn to specialist options like bad credit car finance from lenders<\/a>. It\u2019s a good reminder that \u201ccan\u2019t get approved through the usual channel\u201d often has a workaround, no matter which country you\u2019re in.<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t bring much with me initially, and looking back, I think that was the right call. Shipping furniture and larger items internationally is expensive and often more hassle than it\u2019s worth, especially with customs regulations that can change. I<\/p>\n bought most of my furniture locally once I found a place to live, which also helped me feel more settled and connected to my new home from day one.<\/p>\n If you do decide to ship belongings, get quotes from multiple international movers, ask specifically about customs fees, and build in extra time. International shipments here rarely arrive exactly on schedule.<\/p>\n But this is also what I remind everyone: whatever you have at home, you will also find it in Mexico. Mexico has a modern retail landscape with international chains like Costco, Walmart, Home Depot, and Sam\u2019s Club, so most of what you\u2019d want to bring from home, you can actually just buy once you\u2019re here.<\/p>\n Short answer: you don\u2019t need to speak Spanish to move to Mexico, but you\u2019ll need it to truly live here.<\/p>\n Since I already traveled South America for 4 years, and went to University in Madrid, I was already fluent in Spanish. The challenge for me was that the Spanish I know does not really fit in Mexico.<\/p>\n What I needed to learn was the Mexican slang, and to be honest, that was challenging for me because I already know a lot of words from other Spanish-speaking countries that mean totally different in Mexican Spanish.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re serious about moving, start learning before you arrive, and don\u2019t be afraid to make mistakes once you\u2019re here. In my experience, compared to Spain, Mexicans are incredibly patient and encouraging with anyone genuinely trying.<\/p>\n My friend Chelsea moved from the United States to Nicaragua, became fluent in Spanish, and eventually built her own company teaching it. Her classes are refreshingly different from traditional lessons. If you\u2019ve struggled with the usual textbook approach, her method is worth checking out. If you\u2019re planning to work while living here, your options depend heavily on your visa status. Many expats, myself included at first, work remotely for companies or clients outside Mexico, which sidesteps a lot of the local work-permit complexity. <\/p>\n If you want to work directly for a Mexican employer, you\u2019ll need your visa to specifically authorize that, and your employer typically needs to sponsor the process. My husband has this visa since he was contracted to work for a big Mexican resort chain.<\/p>\n Once I became a permanent resident, and later a citizen, my ability to work here opened up considerably \u2014 no permissions needed, no restrictions. That freedom was one of the quieter but more significant benefits of going through the full residency-to-citizenship process.<\/p>\n I try not to sugarcoat this for people considering the move, because I think you deserve the full picture.<\/p>\n What\u2019s been genuinely wonderful:<\/strong> the cost of living, the warmth of the culture, the food, the way family and community are prioritized here, and the quality and affordability of healthcare, especially through pregnancy and early parenthood.<\/p>\n What\u2019s been genuinely hard:<\/strong> the bureaucracy, which can test your patience in ways you don\u2019t expect; being far from family back home during major moments; and the slower pace of certain official processes that can feel frustrating when you\u2019re used to things moving faster.<\/p>\n None of the hard parts have made me regret the move. But I\u2019d rather you go in with clear eyes than a rose-colored version of what this looks like.<\/p>\n Based on my own experience moving to Mexico, here\u2019s the order I\u2019d actually recommend:<\/p>\n \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfd If everything you just read has you seriously considering the move, let\u2019s take the next step together. I offer 1-on-1 calls to go through your exact situation \u2014 no cookie-cutter advice. \ud83d\udcde Book your call here<\/a> and let\u2019s get you moving!<\/p>\n\ud83d\udce7 Hi Trisha! I'm Joanna and I'm from the U.S. I've been dreaming about moving to Mexico for a couple of years now, but every time I start researching, I get overwhelmed. I don't know which visa I'd even qualify for, how much it actually costs to live there day-to-day, or whether I'd be able to build a real life there as a single woman in my 30s. Is it actually doable, or am I romanticizing something that's way harder in practice? I'd love to hear from someone who's actually done it.<\/em><\/pre>\n
Why moving to Mexico made sense for me<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"moving](\"https:\/\/b2846093.assetcdn.net\/2.0\/2846093\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Moving-to-Mexico-from-USA-1024x700.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nChoosing a city when moving to Mexico<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"moving](\"https:\/\/b2846093.assetcdn.net\/2.0\/2846093\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Can-you-just-move-to-Mexico.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nVisa options for moving to Mexico<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/b2846093.assetcdn.net\/2.0\/2846093\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/How-to-apply-for-a-Mexico-digital-nomad-visa.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\")
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[BOOK A CALL WITH A LAWYER]<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nThe real cost of living in Mexico<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/b2846093.assetcdn.net\/2.0\/2846093\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/The-real-cost-of-living-in-Mexico.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\")
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Finding housing when moving to Mexico<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/b2846093.assetcdn.net\/2.0\/2846093\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Finding-housing-when-moving-to-Mexico.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nHealthcare after moving to Mexico<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/b2846093.assetcdn.net\/2.0\/2846093\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Healthcare-after-moving-to-Mexico.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nBanking and managing money after moving to Mexico<\/span><\/h2>\n
Buying a car after moving to Mexico<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/b2846093.assetcdn.net\/2.0\/2846093\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Buying-a-car-after-moving-to-Mexico.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nShipping belongings when moving to Mexico<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/b2846093.assetcdn.net\/2.0\/2846093\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Shipping-belongings-when-moving-to-Mexico.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nDo you need Spanish before moving to Mexico?<\/span><\/h2>\n
[ENROLL NOW]<\/a><\/p>\nWorking after moving to Mexico<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/b2846093.assetcdn.net\/2.0\/2846093\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Working-after-moving-to-Mexico.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nThe honest pros and cons of moving to Mexico<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/b2846093.assetcdn.net\/2.0\/2846093\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/The-honest-pros-and-cons-of-moving-to-Mexico.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nMy step-by-step checklist for moving to Mexico<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/b2846093.assetcdn.net\/2.0\/2846093\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/My-step-by-step-checklist-for-moving-to-Mexico.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\")
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FAQ: Moving to Mexico<\/span><\/h2>\n
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