# Oaxaca or San Cristobal de las Casas?



## vermeer

I am considering retiring soon to either Oaxaca or San Cristobal de las Casas. I've been to both for a week, in addition to many other places in Mexico. I would be studying Spanish (I'm at intermediate level now) and possibly volunteering or teaching English. Could you please give me your opinions about the relative merits of each city? I have a few concerns about both:

Oaxaca: ongoing protests which ended in violence and deaths when I was there in 2006. Otherwise, I loved the historic center, Monte Alban, and the craft villages. 

San Cristobal de las Casas: cold weather and very little heat in buildings? It's also not easy to get to, so would be harder to travel home when needed.

Is a car necessary in either city? 

Last question: would there be any difficulties bringing my (little) dog? I would be renting. Thanks for any help you can give!


----------



## citlali

The weather in Oaxaca is better than in San Cristobal

Both states have craft villages, lots of indigenous and lots of protests.

It is actually cheaper to fly out of Chiapas via Tuxtla than out of Oaxaca.

We have Volaris, Vivaaerobus, Interjet and Aero Mexico with direct flights to Mexico or to Guadalajara and many other cities. The airport in Oaxaca is easier to access than the middle of nowhere airport in or near Tuxtla..

The no- heat in the houses is no big deal, buy a gas heater. I have 4 in the house and I am warmer in the house in Chiapas because of the wooden shutters and ceilings than in Jalisco where my house is built for the heat with high ceiling and where we have to us the heaters in Dec, Jan and early february.

Both cities are pretty ugly when you get out of the colonial center bt it gets cheaper. There is a lack of green areas in both cities and the traffic is bad in both but the driving in Oaxaca is much worst.

A little dog should not be a major problem. 

There is more going on in the city of Oaxaca culturally. The mere center is very expensive in Oaxaca , not that cheap in San Cristobal.

San Cristobal is a smaller city and you do not need a car. I rarely use the car when in San Cristobal.

Both cities have good public transportation.

There are more Americans (my guess) in Oaxaca , there are quite a few expats in San Cristobal but the crowd has more Europeans and they tend to be younger and work.

Both cities have lots of tourists.

I do not know about doctors and hospitals in Oaxaca not great in San Cristobal.

I would guess there are more retireees i Oaxaca, many expats in San Cristobal have businesses The people tend to stay in Oaxaca more than in Chiapas. 

You can drive to Puebla from Oaxaca in a few hours , cannot do that in San Cristobal.

The coast in Oaxaca is nicer than in Chiapas 

I am working with indigenous comunities in Chiapas so I enjoy the State but if that was not my interest I probably would be going to Oaxaca or another city , maybe Merida if I could stand the weather.

The weather is CHiapas is on the harsh side. Hot and humid in some areas to cold and wet with weatehr changing every few hoursat higher altitude.

Remember that when you live in a town the plaza or zocalo are mostly where the tourists hang out. You may want to go back to those 2 towns and look at them the way you would if you lived there rather than looking at it as a tourist.

Buses and public transportation usually do not accept dogs unless you can sneak them in a little bag.


----------



## vermeer

Thanks, that all helps! I stayed with a family while in San Cristobal, so I have more of a feel for everyday life, and I'll probably do the same thing in Oaxaca. I appreciate your advice about looking at the two places that way.


----------



## citlali

It is easy to fall in love with both of them but the zocalo in Oaxaca is not where you end up if you live there and the city is quite ugly outside of the center..
San Cristobal is the same wy except that the city is smaller and all the banks are in the center so you do end up in the center and the andadores more often,
I have lives 6 to 8 months of the year in San Cristobal for 9 years and I still end up in the center a lot.. I visit Oaxaca a lot but stay with friends in Teotitlan del Valle, I love the mountains and the climate there and sometimes regret not moving in a village in Oaxaca but I have no regret about not being in the city there.
Meanwhile I would not want to live out of the center in San Cristobal ..


----------



## SierraMadreMe

citlali said:


> It is easy to fall in love with both of them but the zocalo in Oaxaca is not where you end up if you live there and the city is quite ugly outside of the center..
> San Cristobal is the same wy except that the city is smaller and all the banks are in the center so you do end up in the center and the andadores more often,
> I have lives 6 to 8 months of the year in San Cristobal for 9 years and I still end up in the center a lot.. I visit Oaxaca a lot but stay with friends in Teotitlan del Valle, I love the mountains and the climate there and sometimes regret not moving in a village in Oaxaca but I have no regret about not being in the city there.
> Meanwhile I would not want to live out of the center in San Cristobal ..


I am entertaining the notion of having a look at Mexico.I have been thinking about Ecuador as well,but not too sure of the Political situation there.I need to be in a location that is not so hot and humid,but still pleasant at night.I thought that I had read that Oaxaca was nice,but you say it is ugly after you leave the center of town, so maybe there is a better place that would be not too hot and humid,but still green and clean?

Can you advise?

SMM


----------



## citlali

Oaxaca is not unique.. San Cristobal is ugly outside of the center and so are many other colonial towns..it seems that after the beautiful colonial area people lost interest in architecture in most cities.. 
Lookig for rentals can really be depressing in the cities I looked at..Oaxaca is in a desert so it is not green and San Cristobal could be beautiful and green but it lacks beautiful green parks in the city. You have the Rancho Nuevo green area and the Arcotete and a few others but it really lacks places to go for hiking. 
I like the park by the freeway in Orizaba but the city is no great shakes either..


----------

