Moving to Mexico Advice Please

Angelica,

I assume you are a Mexican citizen? If so, this isn't quite the forum to use I think. But, here is a website you can use to learn about getting a visa for Canada and possibly finding work.

canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-career-zone.html

Hi All,
My husband and I are also looking to move to Mexico hopefully within the next 5-7 years ( I would love it to be sooner, but financially that is probably when it will happen)
I have a question for Guy. How long have you lived in Mexico, and what made you choose it?
We are doing a lot of research right now, wanting to choose the best possible location, and there is soooo much information out there it makes it hard to know what is best.
One thing that is really important to us is safety (I know, everyone wants to be safe). Is it really safe to live there? I'm sure where you live depends on how that question is answered.Here in Canada there are also places that aren't safe. I don't mean to sound ignorant, but I've only ever lived in Canada, and want to make the right decision.
There is an area close to Cancun that interests me as it focuses on eco living. Have you heard anything about it?
Also, continuing to earn an income will probably be necessary. How do we figure that one out?!

Thanks for the info.

Hi...I picked Mexico simply because a friend suggested it. I've been here over 8 years now and call Mexico and Mexico City home after falling in love with the country and the city. Just bought my first apartment and my Canadian girlfriend is pregnant with our first baby...that definitely makes this place home!

For safety, the media is making a lot these days out of the drug war happening up along the US border. Don't let that scare you at all. There haven't been any problems elsewhere in the country and all the troubles we read about are happening between the police, army, and drug traffickers and not the general population. Other than that, I find Mexico and Mexico City safer than my own Ottawa. I've never had any problems at all and other foreigners I know here have suffered no more than a pick pocket.

I don't know of the eco-living place you mention. You can try googling a few places in the region, starting with Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, Xcaret, and Tulum. Maybe one will pull up the place you're looking for.

For work, I'm in the English education business and all the foreigners I meet here are as well. There must be a way to find work outside of education but I'm not sure where to look. If teaching is your thing, there are lots of opportunities around the country - though less chances of good employment in beach or resort areas.

If you'd like to know more about teaching, email me or message me here through my profile.

Hi everyone,
My name is Vivian Song and I'm a national reporter for Sun Media in Toronto. I'm following up on the swine flu outbreak and am hoping to speak to some Canadian expats living in Mexico City and surrounding area who can tell us what's going on down there.
Is it overblown, like the SARS outbreak in Toronto, or is panic widespread etc.?
If you call me at 416-947-2341, I'll call you back on my dime. I'm working to deadline so am hoping to speak to someone ASAP.
Email is vivian.song@sunmedia.ca.
Look forward,
Vivian

Are there any medical plans available to Canadians living in Mexico and if so what do they cost roughly. Also would one be able to get their Fm3 within the six month period?

-- Thu May 07, 2009 1:37 pm --

Glad to have someone like you down there to be able to give us advice and also answer a lot of questions for us Guy. I should have explained in my previous blog that my wife and I would like to retire down there also. A question I have for you is, do you still file canadian taxes and if you do, do you have to come back to canada to do this. One other thing I see on the internet is apartments for rent for 3000 pesos furnished. Is this relatively common, or are these places in more non desirable locations. Do you need a certificate to teach english there?

There are medical plans available in Mexico to be sure. I don't have one so I can't provide a cost but I'm sure you'll find something here at a good price. It takes a minimum of 4 weeks to get the FM3, from within Mexico, and sometimes up to 2 or 3 months.

If you're planning to retire down to Mexico full time, then you'll have to file taxes here. If you plan to stay only 6 months at a time, then you're still a Canadian resident and can file in Canada. Best check with revenue Canada on this one.

3000 pesos furnished apartment - that depends a lot on where. Unlikely to be a nice spot in any of the larger cities or the beach resorts, but it could be a nice, modest apartment in rural areas or smaller towns. Where in Mexico are you looking to stay?

Generally, yes, one needs some kind of teaching credential and/or experience in ESL to get a decent teaching job. This could be a starter credential such as TESOL or TEFL or a provincial teaching credential from Canada.

Thanks for the information Guy. Can you tell me what the average cost of an apartment would be and what it would cost to live (rough estimate). I am looking at 26 to 27 thousand yearly to retire. Thanks Rick

It's really hard to give an accurate estimate as prices vary quite a bit around the country and a lot depends on the lifestyle you want to keep.

On the coasts, rents for a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment in a good area will be between 4000 and 40000 pesos a month (it can vary that much!). In smaller inland cities, between 4000 and 15000, and in large cities, about the same.

For cost-of-living, maybe it's simplest to say that whatever you are spending now, count on paying 50% of that to keep the same lifestyle, with some things more expensive (electronics, perfumes, some toiletries) and many things considerably cheaper (maid services, medications, food, transportation).

I hope that's helpful...

I used MexicoMovingCompany . com for my move from California to Mexico City and everything went smoothly. They have an online quote form you can fill out at www . MexicoMovingCompany . com

Kyle, you can ask your clients to pay you via Paypal (they use their credit cards - you get money in your canadian bank account).

The info Guy gave you is accurate: when you stay outside Canada for more than 6 months in a row, you don't lose your CITIZENSHIP but you might lose your RESIDENCY STATUS (which can affect your provincial health care coverage).

Have you considered driving your car down to Mexico? That's what my boyfriend and I did. It took us 4 days getting there but the drive was quite nice and we were able to bring a lot of useful stuff with us (computers, cooking gear, bedding, and A LOT OF SHOES for the lady). Cars are as expensive here as they are in Canada so if you had planned to buy one in Mexico, you might reconsider your options. You will need to get a permit to enter your car but it's easy to get (ask for it at the border - it's around 20$ - valid for 6 months and the renewal is free).