Mexico, Pros and Cons on life south of the border

This subject has been covered many times by others. I will attempt to give my thoughts on the subject. What is a pro for one person could easily be a con for someone else so you must decide for yourself if you are considering moving to Mexico what your priorities are and what you expect and hope life to be south of the border. This post will mostly be about life lakeside near Lake Chapala.

The north shore of Lake Chapala is home to one of the largest concentrations of ex-pats from the United States and Canada. Some have estimated some 20,000 gringos live here. Other names for this area are “Gringlandia” and “God’s waiting room”. Gringlandia of course refers to all the gringos that live here. God’s waiting room means that most of the ex-pats are retirees over the age of sixty and are waiting for Saint Peter to call their name.

The north shore of Lake Chapala has four main towns and a couple small communities. Chapala is the largest town. It was the first place that gringos started to come to here lakeside about 50 or 60 years ago. It is the nearest to Guadalajara. The main town for the gringos now is Ajijic. It is the artistic and cultural center and has many restaurants and businesses that cater to gringos. Some of the gringos that live here don’t even bother to try to learn Spanish because they don’t need to. San Juan Cosala has a few gringos that live there but I know of only one business, a coffee shop, that seems to cater to gringos. Jocotepec, the most western of the lakeside towns is also very Mexican with a few resident gringos. Jocotepec has the lowest prices on the north shore for fruits, vegetables and most groceries. There are plans for a Walmart in Jocotepec. This may make the area more attractive to some gringos so it might be a good investment to buy land near there now.

The main reason that most gringos move here is because of the climate and the lower cost of living that Mexico offers. The climate is excellent with not even a jacket needed the whole year long. Now it is summer, the rainy season. The rainy season is actually a little cooler than the winter season due to the cooling rains. It rains mostly at night sometimes with thunder and lightning that provides a spectacular light show. Some prefer the rainy season because it cleans the air, everything turns green and the dust becomes mud.

To live here happily, you must enjoy Mexicans and adjust to their culture. Please don’t come here and try to change things. If you can not adjust then please stay home. First, the Mexican government does not want you interfering in its affairs. You can be deported for being politically active here. That said, it is my opinion that Mexico has much more freedom than the USA. The police here are not out looking for people to bust and harass. They are much more laid back and seem to want to help the citizens. There are some bad cops but it seems that the best thing to do is be friendly and get to know your local police.

You can smoke in most places. You can ride your horse downtown. You can drive your 4 wheeler without a license plate in the towns. You can have livestock on your land. Of course you may not like it if your neighbor raises fighting roosters or goats or pigs. Your neighbors may play loud music late at night or early in the morning. The religious holidays are punctuated with fireworks explosions and sometimes bands marching through the colonias.

In the smaller towns, the streets may be cobblestone and narrow. You may loose your side rear view mirrors if you forget to move them in. The sidewalks are also narrow and hazardous with pot holes and obstructions. My advice is to try to walk only during the day and sober. The curbs may be high so you cannot exit the car on the curb side. The ideal car in these towns is sturdy, small with good road clearance. The topes (speed bumps) can tear your car apart if you hit one at 40 miles an hour.

For the most part the Mexicans here lakeside are friendly and tolerant of the gringos. They know that the gringo money helps to provide jobs and opportunity for their town. A smile with a friendly attitude and an attempt at Spanish is appreciated.

This area gets quite a few tourists on the weekends from Guadalajara who come to enjoy the mineral baths in San Juan Cosala and eat some little fish (Charales) from the lake. Most gringos don’t eat fish from the lake because it is contaminated. They also don’t go swimming in the lake for the same reason. This area is a great spot to live and to visit other parts of Mexico. Many go to the Pacific coast for a month or so during the winter. There are not a lot of activities here for gingos to enjoy. Chula Vista has a nice golf course but it is only nine holes. Chapala and Guadalajara have bigger golf courses. There are some different clubs you can join if you care to. The Lake Chapala Society helps gringos and has events and opportunities for service. It has beautiful grounds and gardens, a lending library of books, video tapes and DVDs. It offers a service to have your mail mailed in the United States.

There is not much night life lakeside. Most Mexicans can't afford to go out and the older gringos stay home. Guadalajara has a lot to do at night if you care to make the about 35 mile trip. Many gringos go to Guadalajara about once a week to go shopping. You can find about anything you need there. Many go to Costco or Walmart. Many find driving in Guadalajara intimidating but during the day you can take a bus for about $3.50.

Medical and dental care is usually very good and cheaper than in the USA. You can buy things like antibiotics over the counter in pharmacies. A minor infection in the States might cost you around $100 USD to get treated with a doctor’s visit where here you just go buy some antibiotics for $4 USD. I got a broken tooth rebuilt, a cavity filled and a cleaning for under $100 USD. Plus you can join the Mexican health care system, IMSS, for around $300 a year.

Some of the drawbacks to life here is the Mexican custom of “manana, manana” which means that when someone says they will do something it most likely will not be done then. It may take two or three days, a week or a month to get done. It is hard to get some items that you are used to getting easily. Many of your favorite foods can be found lakeside but they may cost more than they do in the States since they are imported. It would be more difficult to buy and sell things on eBay. Your favorite sport teams may not be on TV. Parts or some items must be ordered from the USA and then you will need to deal with Mexican Customs. Scorpions and spiders can be a problem and the roaches are big.

Real estate lakeside can be purchased by foreigners without getting a bank trust. But the prices here are much higher than in some smaller town that does not cater to gringos. Life in those small towns may be cheaper but then you must love Mexican food, speak Spanish and live like a Mexican. Here if you have the money you can buy a mansion with walls all around and think you are living in Beverly Hills. Many people living here in retirement can afford a maid and a gardener. Behind the walls there are many beautiful homes here. Construction is mainly brick and concrete because wood is scarce and expensive. If you are interested in real estate prices, use Google to search for sites. Of course if you live here, you can sometimes hear of incredible deals. I just missed out on a three bedroom house in Ajijic for rent for $1,500 pesos a month, less than $150 USD.

Well, I think this is enough on this subject for right now. Use an internet search engine to find more information if you are interested.