As technology keeps making the world more connected, more companies hire foreigners and transportation to other places in the world continues to advance, more and more people find themselves tempted to move to another country being it for economic reasons or just to get a new start. Mexico has risen to become one of the top destinations for expats and in this article we will take a look at just a few of the destinations that Mexico offers as the big and diverse country it is, and also give you a couple of tips on what to consider before choosing a destination to move too. With over 16 years of experience in being an expat in Mexico and having talked to many expats from all over the world, here are some things to consider and some of my favorite locations in Mexico for settling down.

First of all you need to consider if you will be traveling a lot either to do business or just to visit home. If so you should consider narrowing down your choise to a place with either a direct flight or as close too as possible. Take it from someone who is looking at a 24 hour trip to visit home.

Second, you should think about what lifestyle you are looking for. I will go into more detail below, but think about if you are looking to settling down with your family or a place to have fun.

The destinations below are not in any particular order and chosen based on my own and friends experiences in Mexico. There are plenty of other hidden gems throughout Mexico that is worth looking into that we will look at in a future article.

Top Expat Destinations In Mexico

Acapulco

Is a coastal city in the pacific ocean in the southern part of Mexico. It used to be the top destination for movie stars in the 60’s and also a hotspot for spring breakers, but places like Cancun and Los Cabos has overtaken Acapulco in these areas as those cities are very americanized and more accessible. It’s main fault is that reaching it can be a long trip from many places, but new direct flights from the US has been opening up and an increase in international tourism is occurring.

Acapulco is a very traditional Mexican city with it’s main income being national tourism with millions of people in Mexico City who can reach this beach paradise with just a 5 hour bus ride. It is a 24 hour vacation city and you will always find something to do. If you are looking for a good time and going out a lot this is a great place, and very cheap as well when it comes to pretty much anything but electronics. You can find any kind of cuisine and the beaches are very nice although nothing like the beaches on the Caribbean side of Mexico.

San Miguel Del Allende

Is a nice quiet town in the middle of Mexico with a lot of European architecture because of it being a colonial city. There is a thriving expat community there and it is a very safe place to live. There is not so much to do when it comes to nightlife, but there are many great restaurants to be found. Shopping is limited but a few hours drive away is Mexico City where you can find big shopping malls and markets.

San Miguel Del Allende is ideal for retirees who want’s to enjoy a quiet and relaxed life and great dining. The closest big airport is in Mexico City, around a 4 hour drive away on good roads. Because of the limited shopping in San Miguel a weekend trip to Mexico City is a good option.

Mexico City

Once the biggest city in the world, has great national as well as international flights and you can find anything you can think of. It is a great city to live in if you need to travel a lot and/or for doing business. It is a very busy city with lots of things to do such as catching a concert, shopping, dining, sports, cultural sites and a lot more. The drawbacks of Mexico city to consider is that it is very crowded, polluted so it might not be an ideal place for a family or retirees.

Cancun & Playa Del Carmen

Although these are two different cities there is only a 45 minute drive between the two. Cancun is a very americanized beach vacation paradise in the caribbean sea with many expats working mainly in tourism. You will find foreigners from all over the world running scuba centers, yacht rentals, restaurants and smaller hotels. The weather is great and there are plenty of activities mostly related to the beautiful caribbean sea. Cancun is pretty nice but also more expensive than cities in the south such as Acapulco. Just a drive away you will find Playa Del Carmen which is also a tourist spot but you will find a more traditional Mexico there in not only its architecture, restaurants but also it’s people. Playa Del Carmen is more relaxed than Cancun but both destinations are definitely for people who likes to live an active lifestyle. There are good flight connections to Cancun from especially the US.