# Where to live / What to Avoid...?



## Howler

Hi Gang!

It's been awhile since I posted a new thread, but I saw an article this morning & just had to submit it for your "perusal". To me it seems typical of most of these "sources" that they only hit the most superficial - and sometimes not entirely correct - reasons for choosing a place to live or avoid in Mexico. It also points up why I'm so glad I found a community of folks like y'all for a more realistic (and honest) opinion in these matters. Anyway, it just may lead to some new neighbors from among it's readers, so that might not be so bad, either...

Enjoy:

5 Places To Live In Mexico…And 3 To Avoid


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## TundraGreen

Howler said:


> Hi Gang!
> 
> It's been awhile since I posted a new thread, but I saw an article this morning & just had to submit it for your "perusal". To me it seems typical of most of these "sources" that they only hit the most superficial - and sometimes not entirely correct - reasons for choosing a place to live or avoid in Mexico. It also points up why I'm so glad I found a community of folks like y'all for a more realistic (and honest) opinion in these matters. Anyway, it just may lead to some new neighbors from among it's readers, so that might not be so bad, either...
> 
> Enjoy:
> 
> 5 Places To Live In Mexico…And 3 To Avoid


I agree it is pretty superficial. Even their second sentence, "More than a million expats are estimated to live in Mexico", is based on an erroneous interpretation of the census data I believe.


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## RVGRINGO

_International Living_ articles are always to be taken with a large grain of salt. Really large!


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## Howler

TundraGreen said:


> I agree it is pretty superficial. Even their second sentence, "More than a million expats are estimated to live in Mexico", is based on an erroneous interpretation of the census data I believe.





RVGRINGO said:


> _International Living_ articles are always to be taken with a large grain of salt. Really large!


Not too surprising considering their chosen way of earning a living... hype & sell!! :blah:


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## Howler

Oh "WHY NOT?"... let's resurrect this with YOUR preferred place(s) to live in Mexico. After all, your voices of experience should count the most in something like this! 

(will allow up to 3 choices; feel free to throw in your reasons & descriptions)

Mine: 

Taxco (Guerrero) - I love the small town feel of Taxco, with it's colonial architecture & cobblestone streets. It feels like a Mediterranean village dropped into the Mexican mountains. The year-round temperature is always mild; the rains move through & drain rapidly leaving everything clean & fresh; there's always something to see, do or watch at the zocalo; tourism is a big, but not constant part of life - usually seasonal or on tianguis day (Saturdays) and is usually treated as a side-trip activity on tourist agendas from elsewhere. Overall peaceful, secure & interesting. Oh, did I mention the silver...? 

Orizaba (Veracruz) - Recently conferred "Pueblo Magico" status and known as the safest place to live & do business in Mexico. There has been some trouble with criminal violence the past couple of years, but the locals are resilient and optimistic that it will pass. In the meantime, life goes on in this recently remodeled, historic oasis spread out on a high mountain floor... hence few hills, but mild weather - and plenty to see & do. I love the mixture of the old & historic with the new & modern here with neither overshadowing the other. Orizabeños are proud of their clean little city and more than happy to show it off to you. One other plus (for us) - being within a couple hours of the port of Veracruz, it benefits from the great hospitality of the Veracruzana people - and lots of great, low-cost seafood!

Cholula (Puebla) - I lived near here in the 70s, then my wife & I honeymooned there in '87. Back then there was a distinct separation between it & Puebla, but over the years the metro area has grown right up to Cholula without being able to swallow it up. To this day, Cholula continues to maintain its individual & historic character with clean streets & an active night-life that can be spent quietly walking in the park & among the sidewalk cafes - or in the more noisy & exciting clubs & restaurants filled with students (and faculty) from the Universidad de las Americas (one of the BEST universities in Mexico & Latin America - and for a long time only one of 2 accredited schools in the US). This is the place where there is rumored to be a church for every day of the year, with a cathedral built (unknowingly) on top of the largest pyramid in the world. This was Hernan Cortez's last stop on the way to the Aztec capital - the Montezuma's last attempt to stop him (with an ambush) before he got there. There's a lot to see, do & learn here - and the location is another one for cool, mild weather typical of the Mexican highlands.


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## Howler

C'mon - nobody interested in making some input?


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## TundraGreen

Howler said:


> C'mon - nobody interested in making some input?


Preferred places to live are very much a function of personal taste. So with that caveat:

My first choice would have been Mexico City except for the weather. I like big cities. I don't own a car so traffic is no issue for me. I would like to live in DF with all of its cultural options. But the weather is too cold for my tastes. It is at 2200 m and winters are really too cold. Summers barely warm enough.

So my actual first choice is Guadalajara. Did I mention I like big cities. Guadalajara is really an overgrown pueblito. But the weather is great except for a couple of weeks in January or February. It has some of the accouterments of a big city. No opera company and not a very good selection of international restaurants. But then I really don't eat out often so that lack is more theoretical than actual. Guadalajara is a curious mix of conservative, traditional Mexico overlain with modern culture. It is the origin of Tequila and Mariachi so the most famous Mexican traditions originated here or near here. The Catholic church is strong and there are anti-abortion and anti gay-rights demonstrations. But there is also a huge LGBT community and occasional gay-rights demonstrations as well. The city center has not been taken over by high rises, the Cathedral is still about the tallest building in downtown Gdl. However, the suburbs and surrounding cities, particularly Zapopan, are being taken over by high rise condos and hotels and up-scale shopping malls. But I don't get out to those ever or rarely so they don't bother me much. There is a 500 m deep canyon on the East side of the city that is limiting growth in that direction and that provides a great place to hike that is convenient and quick to get to. What more could one ask for in a city.


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## Gatos

When our neighbor has a tent erected on a Thursday for a planned Friday/Saturday fiesta we book a stay away. One such trip was to Taxco. A nice enough place I suppose. We stayed at the Monte de Taxco (?). Nice room/decent food. Took a taxi into town and walked around - quaint - walked back to the hotel. Not sure we would revisit.

Now Puebla - that is an interesting place. A neighbor brought us there after we bought here. Puebla might have worked for us - but no regrets. I think an average US citizen might be able to find decent work in Puebla without having to endure the traffic of DF.


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## Howler

*Taxco, Puebla... and Tlaxcala*



Gatos said:


> When our neighbor has a tent erected on a Thursday for a planned Friday/Saturday fiesta we book a stay away. One such trip was to Taxco. A nice enough place I suppose. We stayed at the Monte de Taxco (?). Nice room/decent food. Took a taxi into town and walked around - quaint - walked back to the hotel. Not sure we would revisit.
> 
> Now Puebla - that is an interesting place. A neighbor brought us there after we bought here. Puebla might have worked for us - but no regrets. I think an average US citizen might be able to find decent work in Puebla without having to endure the traffic of DF.


Sorry your stay in Taxco was not so impressive for you. Monte Taxco is somewhat removed from the main center and more pricey - but you gotta love the skycar ride that's available to get up & down from in town. We've loved our times there, but my walking issues are a concern for setting up shop there... at least for now.

I loved my time living in Puebla back in '78. I'm amazed at how much it has continued to grow & develop since then! This was probably the first city founded new in the new world, rather than on top of a pre-existing native settlement. It definitely has something for everyone where about anyone can find their own niche there.

Close by is Tlaxcala with it's fascinating mercados and museum(s). What was of great interest to me was how the area's history, texts & infrastructure was mostly preserved instead of destroyed as a part of the conquest. This was because of their collaboration with the Spaniards in defeating Montezuma and bringing down the Aztec Empire. Therefore, their history is well-preserved & exhibited in the public museum there. Being at a higher altitude, it can get even colder there than in Puebla; but nonetheless it's a beautiful place & a worthwhile visit.


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## Gatos

Actually we passed on the cable car in Taxco although the taxis were interesting. I think every one was an old stick shift VW with the passenger seat removed. At one point after returning home I was watching a Spanish language movie and I said to my wife - gosh that looks like that place we stayed at in Taxco. Sure enough - the credits confirmed my suspicion.

History Montetaxco - Hotel Montetaxco - Taxco - Mexico

We didn't get to Tlaxcala on our visit to Puebla but we did get to Tochimilco and Cholula. The churches in both were really impressive. And the volcanoes added a nice back-drop. We saw so many churches on that trip that at the end I was saying - no more churches...


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## Gatos

Here is a piece of trivia ....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholula,_Puebla

"It is said that the city of Cholula has 365 churches, either one for each day of the year or one for each pre-Hispanic temple that used to be here.[15] In reality, there are only thirty seven churches; 159, if all the small chapels including those on local haciendas and ranches are counted."


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## lagoloo

*Considerations*

Where to live considerations:
Language: If you already speak Spanish or are a fast learner, the world of Mexico has more options. It would be tough to arrive in some places where you couldn't communicate.

Health: if you're young and lively, it's good to look for places that offer hiking to interesting places in the area. If old age is catching up to you with aches, squirelly knees and such, a place with easy walking is best. Cobblestones are the major cause of fallen women in Mexico.

Personality: if you want peace and quiet and don't want to get out and about much, I can't help you there. Somebody else might chime in on that.

Attitude: if you're one of those who don't want to live around those other Gringos from the U.S. and Canada, don't move to a place like San Miguel de Allende or the Lake Chapala area. It's crawling with them. BTW, I do live in that kind of place and am thoroughly enjoying it, although I'm picky about who I hang out with and what kind of activities I get involved with.

Finances: If you're coming here on a paltry pension, don't head for the pricey beach towns. Plenty of other places to have a good life on less. If you're pockets are full, as always, the choices are endless.

Pay no attention to those travel mags. They lie. A lot.

Welcome to Mexico. Have a good one!


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## Gatos

I would add Safety to that list. If you do go hiking in some remote area - consider leaving your gold Rolex at home. If you are going mountain biking - don't go by yourself. Those bikes can be valuable prizes. 

It hasn't been often - but there have been a couple times I've headed down a small street on foot and the hairs on the back of my neck have stood up. I've gone back. Other than that the worst thing to happen to us when I had a (verbal) confrontation with another opposing driver as to who was going to back up to let the other go through.


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## lagoloo

Safety and Using Common Sense belong on any list.......anywhere.

Hiking alone.....anywhere........has produced some tragic news stories. Stuff happens. People have accidents, pass out, get off the trail. It's best to be with a buddy. 

Wearing steal-able bling is not a good idea, either, especially in a country with so many poor people.


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## Howler

Gatos said:


> Here is a piece of trivia ....
> In reality, there are only thirty seven churches; 159, if all the small chapels including those on local haciendas and ranches are counted."


I always heard it phrased that it "was rumored" or "seemed like" 365 churches. Still, what you can see & count is more than enough for everybody to be on time on Sundays (if you're Catholic)!!


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## Gatos

Howler said:


> I always heard it phrased that it "was rumored" or "seemed like" 365 churches. Still, what you can see & count is more than enough for everybody to be on time on Sundays (if you're Catholic)!!


If all the gold you see in those churches is real - Wow !


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## Howler

*a couple of places to avoid...*

Great info & considerations, Loogaloo & Gatos! I think the most negative consideration for living somewhere was in a post I read by "Ojosazules" (or "Citlali"?) about a couple of small pueblos up in the Chiapas highlands. It sounds too easy to get on the people's bad side in that area. Also, the past couple of years I've been highly discouraged by the locals from exploring the rural areas surrounding Orizaba, especially after dark. 

My wife spoke of having to make a couple of side trips to a place called Vicente Camalote in Oaxaca last year. It was a long dirty trip on a poorly maintained road. The road is hardly wide enough for two-way traffic, framed in between high sugarcane growing on both sides. When she asked about the alarming number of crosses along the roadsides, she thought it had to do with traffic accidents. "No," was the reply... there were lots of killings & revenge violence that take place there - and why they never traveled there too early in the morning, and left well before dark! I think I'll strike that one off my list and take her word for it!


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## lagoloo

Oh......almost forgot this one:

Wherever you go, RENT, DON'T BUY..........let the initial enchantment wear off. Have at least a 6 month "engagement" before you plunk your money down. You'd be amazed at how many good reasons people can give you for doing so.
I'll give you just one: No requirement in Mexico to reveal defects during the escrow period. No recourse.


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## Gatos

lagoloo said:


> Oh......almost forgot this one:
> 
> Wherever you go, RENT, DON'T BUY..........let the initial enchantment wear off. Have at least a 6 month "engagement" before you plunk your money down. You'd be amazed at how many good reasons people can give you for doing so.
> I'll give you just one: No requirement in Mexico to reveal defects during the escrow period. No recourse.


We made several house-hunting trips and on the final one we made an offer on our first choice. In the end our offer was refused and we signed a year's lease on our second choice. We are real glad we never bought that first house. During that year we looked at at least 100 houses. It was only after we increased the amount we were willing to spend that we found the house we ultimately bought.

We have always had any property we have purchased inspected before buying. We used a guy who was highly regarded in the expat community (a fellow expat). That just didn't work out well. For example - he didn't detect that the hot water heater didn't work. After closing we probably spent 2-3 months fixing things to make the house livable.


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## lagoloo

Horror Story:
We bought an old, old house that was pretty sorry looking, but in an excellent location and we DID get it inspected by a reputable party. He missed a few things: Our pressurized water was being shared by 5 or 6 neighbors. Went through unbelievable amounts per 24 hours. In addition, our huge gas tank (used to be a family restaurant) had a pipe connected to the restaurant next door.
9 years and unmentionable amounts of pesos later, it's a pleasant place to live. 

Most of the other stuff that needed fixing was in places an inspector wouldn't be able to access. Those sellers are really picky about letting your inspector tear up flooring or walls.
Reprise back to statement about "disclosures" and "recourse".

Glad yours worked out all right in the end.


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## Gatos

But - for example - if the gas tank is - say - 18 years old and should have been replaced in the 10-15 year time frame - now that is something an inspector should pick up on.

I guess my message to someone following in our footsteps - find a local (Mexican) person you can rely on and take THEIR advice. If you have a realtor you can trust - start there.

We are SO fortunate that within 1 mile of our house we have many excellent, honest tradesmen. We are at the point where tradesmen recommend tradesmen to us (and vice-versa).


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## TwoBlackfoot

Gatos said:


> I would add Safety to that list. If you do go hiking in some remote area - consider leaving your gold Rolex at home. If you are going mountain biking - don't go by yourself. Those bikes can be valuable prizes.
> 
> It hasn't been often - but there have been a couple times I've headed down a small street on foot and the hairs on the back of my neck have stood up. I've gone back. Other than that the worst thing to happen to us when I had a (verbal) confrontation with another opposing driver as to who was going to back up to let the other go through.


Here's a photo taken during my solo hike yesterday afternoon, in the mountains above Escanelilla, Queretaro. 










Note: Yes, there are places in Mexico more dangerous than others, fortunately, I don't live there.


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## Howler

*Here Are Several More Possibilities & Sources of Information...*

This just popped up in my morning news. It's recommendations are pretty predictable, emphasizing the coasts & beaches, San Miguel de Allende & Guanajuato:

The 9 Top Spots For Americans Who Want To Live In Mexico | Huffington Post

I found this article about Alamos (in Sonora) from a link off of the above article. It highly recommends the place for single women - but if it's good enough for them, then the same reasons should also apply to everyone else interested. Anyone got more input?

Why Álamos Is The #1 Place For Single Women Overseas

This one (below) looked like a good general source of information for those considering the move or looking for suggestions. It also had other sections about life, finances, real estate, etc. in Mexico. Your input on how their info stacks up against your experiences (and other resources) is more than welcome:

Living In Mexico | Live In Mexico | Life In Mexico


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## alfaetrin

For me Querétaro has to be about the best place to live in Mexico. 
Climate: just about perfect, not too hot, not too cold, not too much or too little rain. No hurricanes or freezing weather.
Clean, safe by Mexican standards and prosperous. 
Just the right size: not too big like Mexico City, or too small like a pueblito. Everything is available, good entertainment options and a great selection of restaurants.
Large and vibrant expat community (which I hope to join one day), plenty of English speaking expats and meet-ups.
Plenty of culture and history to savour and explore. Interesting places to visit nearby.
Not too far (four hours) from Mexico City and therefore access to international flights and major events.
The only down side for me is the altitude. So far in my visits I have never yet stayed there long enough to acclimatise. 
Other than the altitude, Querétaro pretty much ticks all the boxes for me.


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## Howler

*Queretaro - great choice!!*



alfaetrin said:


> For me Querétaro has to be about the best place to live in Mexico.
> Climate: just about perfect, not too hot, not too cold, not too much or too little rain. No hurricanes or freezing weather.
> Clean, safe by Mexican standards and prosperous.
> Just the right size: not too big like Mexico City, or too small like a pueblito. Everything is available, good entertainment options and a great selection of restaurants.
> Large and vibrant expat community (which I hope to join one day), plenty of English speaking expats and meet-ups.
> Plenty of culture and history to savour and explore. Interesting places to visit nearby.
> Not too far (four hours) from Mexico City and therefore access to international flights and major events.
> The only down side for me is the altitude. So far in my visits I have never yet stayed there long enough to acclimatise.
> Other than the altitude, Querétaro pretty much ticks all the boxes for me.


Good choice and for all the right reasons - especially for your likes. My wife liked the zocolo area where there seemed to be something going on for the community almost every night. The one that really caught her heart was seeing all the "older" people dancing to free music being performed live. I can take a hint - Once I get to walking well, I better brush up on my dance steps in order to enjoy our retirement more!

As you can tell, there is a "someplace special" for everyone on here according to their likes and what attracts them to Mexico. I'm sure for some - as it has been for us - it has been difficult to decide on just ONE place to settle into. We've spent a lot of time in Veracruz, Taxco & Orizaba... this coming February we want to check out Tequisquiapan (near Queretaro) and later on give another look at Cuernavaca. And, yes, there are still other places to see. 

I think we'll have a lot of fun exploring all the areas of interest before finally "settling down". Good luck to you in the meantime - maybe our paths will cross there in Queretaro when we're in town to visit mis cuñados again... :tea:


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## citlali

I think you need to take a step back and pick a place not for its tourist attractions which are fun and nice to visit but having lived in many places that attract tourists I can tell you you never go there after you have seen the places once or twice. 
I was raised and lived in Paris for 25 years and went up the Eiffel tower twice..once with a Mexican kid 3 years ago-

The number of churches or the zocalo are pretty irrelevent once you live in a place..
I would not live in Puebla because the traffic is god awful and it is cold , the center is beautiful, there are many cultural events that can make up for the traffic or cold weather but not for me.

I would not live in Taxco but I do not want up and down hills to go anywhere, I did that for many years when I lived in Calidfornia and my firs wish was no hill and a house with no stairs when I retired. It is a pretty town stricking but no thanks long term especially in old age.

I think most people posting here voted for the place they live in otherwise they would move..

I think you need to determine what is important to you and your wife and then look for it. Since you both speak Spanish you have more choices than most expats.

Some cities have the reputation of being more difficult to fit in. San Cristobal de las Casas and Puebla are two I was often told about. I have many friends in San Cristobal but none of them are from San Cristobal and I have heard many people say the same thing aboy Puebla..Same in Puebla..It may not matter because there are lots of people from other towns in those towns but some towns are friendlier than others. and on and on..


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## citlali

Unless you have a specific problem with the altiude and some people do 1800 m is not that high and most people can adjust to it in a few days. Of course if you have any kind of respiratory problem then it is a problem.

I was traveling on a bus in Peru recently and the woman behind me would start throwing up everytime we reached 4000 meters, it was like clockwork, ..I would hear her getting sick and happened to see a few times the altitude of the pass on a sign but then 4000 meters is pretty high.


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## gncassie

*Aguascalientes*

I'm new to this site and my first post. Any thoughts on living in Augacalientes. Thanks, Jerry


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## TundraGreen

gncassie said:


> I'm new to this site and my first post. Any thoughts on living in Augacalientes. Thanks, Jerry


I spent Christmas there last year. It seems like a nice place. The central plaza area was large and open. My impression is that it is more modern than some of the old colonial cities. There were lots of wide streets and sidewalks. It is in a level area, no hills to walk up or down. I don't know what it would be like to live there, but it was a nice place to visit.


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## gncassie

TundraGreen said:


> I spent Christmas there last year. It seems like a nice place. The central plaza area was large and open. My impression is that it is more modern than some of the old colonial cities. There were lots of wide streets and sidewalks. It is in a level area, no hills to walk up or down. I don't know what it would be like to live there, but it was a nice place to visit.


Thanks


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## nomad1952

I visited Alamos last year when living in Sonora (I'm a single female) and was perplexed when I read that HP post about Alamos. I think I spent about 1 hour in Alamos and then left; it was a little too boring for me; I would choose Hermosillo instead as it is much more interesting. And everything is overpriced in my opinion including rentals. It seems many of these "best places" to live Mexico for women are geared towards the higher income levels as they certainly don't apply to us who are living on Social Security.


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## Howler

*Alamos - safe, but too boring?*



nomad1952 said:


> "I visited Alamos last year... I think I spent about 1 hour in Alamos and then left; it was a little too boring for me..."


I've seen a lot of advise to "not buy" right away in a new place - to rent for awhile before deciding to settle in. However, I don't see how you could really get a full assessment of a place you were seriously considering after just a one hour visit.



nomad1952 said:


> It seems many of these "best places" to live Mexico for women are geared towards the higher income levels as they certainly don't apply to us who are living on Social Security.


You might have a point there... but it could also be that "boring factor" you mentioned that has appeal for single women - where the locals are "unintrusive" or uninterested in "strangers" enough to make it a safe & ideal place for not being hassled, harassed or assaulted - for men and women. Some people seek just that kind of place to retire & relax for the rest of their lives... :wink:


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## angelica_00

I, too, find that a lot of the places touted as excellent for retirees are for those who have higher incomes. I live on $1200-1500 a month, so I would like to know about smaller, less expensive places to live for those of us who are looking for a quiet life away from the hubbub and tourists.


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## lmontgom

*Helpful tour*



Howler said:


> Oh "WHY NOT?"... let's resurrect this with YOUR preferred place(s) to live in Mexico. After all, your voices of experience should count the most in something like this!
> 
> (will allow up to 3 choices; feel free to throw in your reasons & descriptions)
> 
> Mine:
> 
> Taxco (Guerrero) - I love the small town feel of Taxco, with it's colonial architecture & cobblestone streets. It feels like a Mediterranean village dropped into the Mexican mountains. The year-round temperature is always mild; the rains move through & drain rapidly leaving everything clean & fresh; there's always something to see, do or watch at the zocalo; tourism is a big, but not constant part of life - usually seasonal or on tianguis day (Saturdays) and is usually treated as a side-trip activity on tourist agendas from elsewhere. Overall peaceful, secure & interesting. Oh, did I mention the silver...?
> 
> Orizaba (Veracruz) - Recently conferred "Pueblo Magico" status and known as the safest place to live & do business in Mexico. There has been some trouble with criminal violence the past couple of years, but the locals are resilient and optimistic that it will pass. In the meantime, life goes on in this recently remodeled, historic oasis spread out on a high mountain floor... hence few hills, but mild weather - and plenty to see & do. I love the mixture of the old & historic with the new & modern here with neither overshadowing the other. Orizabeños are proud of their clean little city and more than happy to show it off to you. One other plus (for us) - being within a couple hours of the port of Veracruz, it benefits from the great hospitality of the Veracruzana people - and lots of great, low-cost seafood!
> 
> Cholula (Puebla) - I lived near here in the 70s, then my wife & I honeymooned there in '87. Back then there was a distinct separation between it & Puebla, but over the years the metro area has grown right up to Cholula without being able to swallow it up. To this day, Cholula continues to maintain its individual & historic character with clean streets & an active night-life that can be spent quietly walking in the park & among the sidewalk cafes - or in the more noisy & exciting clubs & restaurants filled with students (and faculty) from the Universidad de las Americas (one of the BEST universities in Mexico & Latin America - and for a long time only one of 2 accredited schools in the US). This is the place where there is rumored to be a church for every day of the year, with a cathedral built (unknowingly) on top of the largest pyramid in the world. This was Hernan Cortez's last stop on the way to the Aztec capital - the Montezuma's last attempt to stop him (with an ambush) before he got there. There's a lot to see, do & learn here - and the location is another one for cool, mild weather typical of the Mexican highlands.


Thank you for the details of these fine towns. I have been exploring (online) Xalapa but was somewhat daunted by its winter chipi chipi. Can you comment on it? On the road to Orizaba is Cordova; is it good? Worldweatheronline makes the temps in both sound ideal. 
I am also considering Tuxtla Gutierrez paired with Puerto Arista because I have friends there. I'd prefer San Cristobal-PA but it seems gentrified rather than natural. I'd like to hear comments from folks familiar with those areas.
My original choice of a place to retire was between Cancun and Chetumal, but I would like to be in mountains when the coast gets hot. 
I have a lot of research yet to do but I hope to settle early in 2017 with access to the coast and the mountains.


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## Howler

*A Call-Out for Help! (pick your place in red that you can describe)*



lmontgom said:


> Thank you for the details of these fine towns. I have been exploring (online) Xalapa but was somewhat daunted by its winter chipi chipi. Can you comment on it? On the road to Orizaba is Cordova; is it good? Worldweatheronline makes the temps in both sound ideal.
> I am also considering Tuxtla Gutierrez paired with Puerto Arista because I have friends there. I'd prefer San Cristobal-PA but it seems gentrified rather than natural. I'd like to hear comments from folks familiar with those areas.
> My original choice of a place to retire was between Cancun and Chetumal, but I would like to be in mountains when the coast gets hot.
> I have a lot of research yet to do but I hope to settle early in 2017 with access to the coast and the mountains.


You're Welcome, and - WELCOME to the forum!! I hope you'll find all sorts of help & personal experience from the many knowledgeable & helpful members on here.

Let's see, Xalapa - yes, beautiful place with a lot of history & culture. However it does have a distinct & cool "winter" season characterized by the "chipi-chipi" you mentioned. But the rest of the year seems to make up for it with beautiful weather, good air and lots to see & do. My best advice, to go with that of others on here would be to take some time & rent awhile in places you want to consider, before deciding to buy or build & settle anywhere.

Further on, and an hour or two from Xalapa are Orizaba & Cordoba. I've had a major crush on Orizaba (lately) where we've stayed for the past 3 years while my wife worked on a humanitarian project in the mountains near there. There are a lot of pluses to Orizaba & Cordoba. Both are located at a higher altitude, but Orizaba's being higher into the mountains makes for a very distinct difference in the temperatures, Orizaba being cooler & more pleasant. For being located in or near the mountains, both places are laid out on pretty level ground, with Orizaba being situated in a nice flat valley. Both places seem modern enough to me, along with a lot of history represented between them, too. Off the "beaten path" a little, between Cordoba & Orizaba is Fortín de las Flores. It's smaller, seems quieter but ideal for your consideration, too.

However, be aware of when the rainy season hits - it can become a daily dump, like being under a bucket sometimes. However, it's almost predictable, usually lasts only a couple of hours and clears up very quickly leaving everything clean & renewed. As far as "chipi-chipi" like in Xalapa, I can't speak for that... I'm sure there are times of sprinkles there, but I don't know for how long or how cold. We will be going back to Orizaba for 3 or 4 weeks in January & February - maybe I can give you a better perspective, then.

I and others have written on this area before; you can find more information by doing a search of the threads for information about these and any other places you may be considering... plus suggestions for lots of other possibilities you hadn't heard of or considered, yet! That could also give you names to contact who may actually be living in or near any of these places. Certainly you've made a good start by putting out a call for a particular place or for what kind of place you are looking for. Feel free to email me if I can be of any further help... :ranger:

PS - Here's where I and several others wrote about this area before:

Veracruz (city) for living?


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## citlali

There are a few nice areas in Tuxtla but the town is very hot noisy with bad traffic. Chiapa de Corzo next door is more humid. Puerto Arista is a hot and humid dump by the sea. Fun to visit if you are in the mood to slum it but not an area I would chose to live in. I like the visit the coast there and I guess if you get a piece of land that is attractive the town does not make much difference but I would go up the wall if I lived there.The coast has attractive and interesting places to visit but living there would nt be what I would chose.
San Cristobal is somewhat gentrified in the few blocks around the center. The north part of town is indigenous , Maria Auxiliadora colonia is where a lot of the middle class lives, keep in mind that the middle class ther is pretty poor. There are a few areas around the exit to Comitan and the Huitepec where people who have more money live in properties that have larger lots.
The town is basically very poor ,, poorer than Tuxtla or Comitan with a few rich families in the center and outer areas. as it lives off tourism. The center is expensive and then it is the same old stories as many other poorer Mexican towns.
There are some nice lots in the cloud forrest on the way to town from Tuxtla but all in all you have to like cool and wet climate. 
The barrios have some very mixed houses and you will find nice houses in the middle of pretty dismal areas.
The town has a lot of young people living there and you have everything from very conservative people to anarchists which I guess is the charm of the town and you have lots of tourists so lots of stores you do not need like tshirts and anber jewelry places also lots of restaurants, , most of them overprices and not that great and lots of coffee shops where people like to gather and hang out.

Public transportation is great and you do not need a car there. Hospitals ther I would not recommend and I am not crazy about the doctors either. There are some decent ones but they can be very crowded. Your choices of about anything is limited except for the great fruit and veggies. I waaas there 8 month this year and I enjoy livng there but it is not for everybody..

The fastest way to the coast is Tuxtla and then you have the choice of Puerto Arista or the small town on the Oaxaca side which to me have nicer beaches.


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## Altima

Great informative input.


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## RainbowBright

Wow, this is great information on all these places! I don't see Puerta Vallarta discussed here, maybe because it is somewhat touristy (?). The main reason I am considering PV is because the American School there looks good (have not visited it yet) and my son and I both really want to be near the beach. The only beach areas that have American Schools for high school appear to be PV and Cancun/Cozumel, and I'm guessing the latter might be a lot more expensive generally. One thing that is really important to me is having other Americans around...is there a decent number of other expats in PV? Can anyone tell me what parts of town they tend to live in? I read about Conchas Chinas on another website, but it looks like it might be out of my price range!


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## citlali

Most beach towns are touristy. I like Puerto Vallarta, I like its architecture and the feel of the town. I love the Concha Chinas area as well. 
Yeas there is a decent number of wxpat in PV as well as in Concha Chinas. Expats live all over the place...


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## RainbowBright

Ok great thanks! I'll check out different neighborhoods with a rental agent when I'm there in March. I like Puerto Vallarta a lot too! It feels more charming and authentic than some other touristy towns.


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## citlali

I was just asking someone who lives there what to look for and I was told breeze... THis person lives back on a hill and he told me that he was getting abreeze from the ocean during the day and from the land at night , He also told me that after the first year he only used the fans, as the breezes cool off his place.. If i moved there I sure would look for a breezy area, as the summers are rough.

There is a place called ****** gulch so it sounds like there would be lots of expats there..


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## RainbowBright

Ok thanks for the great advice! Haha, "****** Gulch" sounds like it might be what I'm looking for!


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## citlali

They have very nice houses there .


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## Gatos

If I were an American and I wanted to hang out with American expats near the beach - I would consider Puerto Escondido. Particularly if I were 'active'. Google says they have good private schools (I've no idea). 

If I were Canadian and I wanted to hang out with Canadian expats near the beach - I would consider Manzanillo.

Just my impressions from years of searching out a place to settle in Mexico.


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## RainbowBright

Ok thanks! Yes that is exactly what I want...a community with a lot of expat Americans. I'll check out Puerto Escondido and see if there is a school there that might work!


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## citlali

One is a big village and the other a city big difference also I would find Puerto Escondido a little too isolated and out of the way for full time living. There is a new toad to Oaxaca being build so It will help but still shopping in Acapulco would notbe my idea of fun and it is what my friends who live down there do..


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