# Where to live, School? Work is in Santa Fe D.F.



## ReyMiguel (Mar 21, 2013)

ASF has no room for our kids (grades 3 and 8). Is Greengates a good alternative? (we are an american family). And if work is in Santa Fe where is a good place to live considering where the school is? (would like to live in a safe expat area rent USD8,000). 

What kind of time traffic should we expect with this puzzle?

Thanks.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

ReyMiguel said:


> ASF has no room for our kids (grades 3 and 8). Is Greengates a good alternative? (we are an american family). And if work is in Santa Fe where is a good place to live considering where the school is? (would like to live in a safe expat area rent USD8,000).
> 
> What kind of time traffic should we expect with this puzzle?
> 
> Thanks.


Reading this forum I have doubts you will find a mainly or even many at all Expats in those privadas in Mexico City in the exclusive areas you want. That being the case we live in a very upscale privada and after being here almost 1 1/2 years I doubt the residents will want to socialize anyway. Upper middle class here seem to want privacy and do not want their neighbors nosing around. 

Privadas that are upscale these days are very security oriented.

You might meet people from going to your children´s schools though who have a similar interest in socializing, through work, joining a club, or volunteering etc. 


If you are talking about a house outside a privada I would think also not many Expats would congregate in a specific area except in the tourist, beach, destinations and Lake Chapala, San Miguel de Allende etc.. 

Guadalajara, decades ago, had an area with many Expats living in large houses but I imagine mostly upper middle class Mexicans live there now. 

If someone knows of an area in MC I would enjoy reading about it.

There is a suburb of Queretaro that has many Expats retired or working foreigners that is quite exclusive and secure. Alan


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## susanita (Nov 20, 2011)

I teach at Colegio Winpenny in Cuajimalpa (next to Santa Fe). Small school but great bilingual education. Welcome and good luck with the move!


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

ReyMiguel said:


> ASF has no room for our kids (grades 3 and 8). Is Greengates a good alternative? (we are an american family). And if work is in Santa Fe where is a good place to live considering where the school is? (would like to live in a safe expat area rent USD8,000).
> 
> What kind of time traffic should we expect with this puzzle?
> 
> Thanks.


There have been several lengthy discussions regarding relocation to the D.F., newcomers organizations, private schools for children, rental rates, colonias, etc. Maybe if you do a search using "Mexico City" or "D.F." you can find them. Much helpful, pertinent information is included in those discussions. Unfortunately, those folks who came here asking for, and receiving suggestions disappeared after they got what they wanted. That's a sad commentary about web forums.

What I know about Greengates is that it's considered an excellent school. A program based on the British educational system.

What I know about Santa Fe is that it's a community consisting mostly of corporate headquarters, and then some expensive condominiums/townhomes ... developed over the last 15/20 years. 

Whether a likely residence is well-situated, for transportation purposes, in relationship to a school is something you'll have to determine after locating the residence and the school on a map ... but my sense/familiarity with the Santa Fe is that you may want to locate yourself closer to whatever school you select because traffic can be horrendous/inconvenient much of the time. IMO, Greengates is not convenient for people living in Sante Fe.

A US$8,000 budget for monthly rental payments is a substantial number and you should find a nice home for that amount of money --- anywhere you look in the D.F. and adjoining Edo. de Mexico.

Just some quick thoughts.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

I have lived in Mexico City for over 5 years, in a pleasant (and safe) middle-class area, though not one that could be called exclusive, by any means! While I occasionally see someone in the neighborhood who likely is an immigrant like me, most of my neighbors are Mexican. For $8000US you could probably rent two or three houses a month around here! I've never thought of any neighborhood in the city as a place where expats tend to live, no expat bubbles here, which is how I like it.


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