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Mexico Named Best Place To Retire
Been to Mexico? I have a few times and I love it. It's not just the hot weather and the gorgeous beaches -- Mexico is a really friendly, vibrant place with a lot of energy and culture. At least what I've seen of it. Anyway, I digress. The point of this post is to write about how Mexico was named the best place to retire by an annual retirement index in International Living magazine. It used to be that Panama held this coveted title, but housing prices have since sky-rocketed -- I hope this doesn't happen to Mexico too!  Want to see what all the fuss is about? Check out our Travel Guide for Mexico. Not interested in Mexico? Learn more about Australia or South Africa. |
I couldn't find a copy of the whole list -- I wonder if my native Canada made the cut? There are definitely some retirement-worthy places here too. But given the choice between Mexico and the prairie winters, you know which one I'm going with.
(Of course, there are plenty of great places in the U.S. to retire. Check out Money & Finance's great retirement spots in the U.S. and decide if any of them are for you.)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
NORMA MAHER Oct 2nd 2007 6:27AM
RETIRE AND MOVE TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY PLACES WITHIN THE UNITED STATES TO RETIRE AND FEEL SAFE BECAUSE I'M AN AMERICAN. NEVER
mabel Jul 3rd 2008 9:47PM
I have a problem losing most of my Constitutional rights,thats why a person would want to retire in a peaceful country other the america!
Rick Oct 2nd 2007 6:36AM
I've done some research on this subject and I've recently visited Ajijic, which is just south of Guadalajara. In a search for " best climate, " Ajijic is second in the world next to Kenya. There is a large ex-pat community and the native Mexicans were very friendly. If you are looking at Mexico or any other area to retire, I'd suggest you the book, " Living Abroad in Mexico, " or whatever country you may be looking to become an ex-pat. On a grading level and the USA being graded as an A, Mexico came in at a B+ regarding health care, cost of living, transportation, education, etc. Mexico is long past the view of many who may still say you can't drink the water and it is nothing more than barren dessert. Ajijic is higher than Denver in altitude and is surrounded by beautiful mountains..... Rick
Bob Jun 20th 2008 1:30PM
Hey Rick,
I liked your post and I am moving down there next month, but I am not quite at the retirement age I am 45 and I am wondering I know it's retirement community, but are there any younger women there.
Regards, Bob
Aida Fajardo Oct 2nd 2007 7:48AM
Family keeps my husband and me where we are in Jersey. However, we have visited Cabos, Veracruz, and Cozumel and Cabos has our vote as the most beautiful place to retire. The people of Mexico are friendly, happy and very helpful. The music makes you want to sing and dance. If we could, Mexico would be where we would retire.
Aida Fajardo Oct 2nd 2007 7:59AM
Family keeps my husband and me where we are in Jersey. We love Mexico. We have visited Cozumel, Veracruz and more recently we had a family wedding in Cabos. The people of Mexico are very friendly, happy and helpful. If we could retire in Mexico, Cabos has our vote as the best place. Viva Mexico!
Curious Oct 2nd 2007 7:59AM
Hmmmm, if it's such a great place to retire why are so many illegals trying to leave it?
linda Mar 24th 2008 2:46PM
Live and let live, different strokes for different folks, walk a mile in my shoes. Those are all kinda hokey sayings but they really are true.
Glenn Oct 2nd 2007 8:08AM
I used to live in Mexico - in the capital as well as in the beautiful state of Michoacan. As is said in Mexico..."Como Mexico no hay dos," which means there isn't another place [in the world] like Mexico. I do agree. The people are very friendly and the country very diverse. But there is a down side as well. Crime is rampant (I was mugged) and the "manana" mentality to get things accomplished can be nervewrecking. When push came to shove, we decided to retire in the USA!
webguy Oct 2nd 2007 8:10AM
I heard they were building a wall to keep us out of Mexoco, so why would we want to go life there??
Harry Oct 2nd 2007 8:36AM
We American citizens know that Mexico is the best place to retire, the Mexicans come across the border to earn enough money (US Dollars) to go back and retire. So it must really be better than we think.....
Harry Oct 2nd 2007 8:47AM
I heard that many years ago some rich Americans built a community in Mexico, their oun little town with water, electricity, sewage diposable plants and every thing they would have in the USA, except the prices of every thing were so much cheaper. They even had servents...
After many years the Mexican government took every thing they had, homes, furniture, land and ran them back to the USA. Seems like that was 40 or 50 years ago. True or not true ??????????
Peter Oct 2nd 2007 8:56AM
This is AMERICA ONLINE, so I will assume this blog largely elicits responses from Americans. What a bunch of garbage this story is! This piece was written with vacation goggles on! Okay, so what do you do when you want to buy supplies for your hobby? Food shopping in a bright, clean supermarket with food from all over the world like we have at Whole Foods or even Publix? Air conditioned malls with ample parking and great stores? Movie cinemas, hospitals, dentists, doctors,etc.? After you visit the beach 100 times or so, play golf at the courses you can afford on your retirement, and start treating your skin cancer, there's little else to do. Spain (where all the Brits and others have been buying and building throughout Andalusia) is beautiful, so is France, but again, very expensive with the Euro @ 1.42 vs. the $, so your retirement funds will run out more quickly, and again, even though we are technically talking FIRST world countries as opposed to Mexico, we are still NOT talking US level conveniences that we Americans take for granted far too easily thanks to our idealistic Lefty media outlets knocking the US all the time -- like AOL. Bottom Line, retire in Florida, Arizona, Calif, Nevada, etc., volunteer with kids schools and day cares or anyplace else, retain the access you take for granted to so many plentiful and vital services and travel to Mexico, Spain etc., have a blast but see the forest through the trees.
dagnabit Oct 2nd 2007 9:03AM
Fortunately, I've children and grandchildren to keep me where I'm at. Had a terrible example from my parents, who had eight children, and left for Florida, only coming home for 4-6 weeks during the summer. They missed graduations, weddings, youngsters sporting events, EVERYTHING. My wife and I love to travel, but home is home. Being selfish can be very extreme, and cold. So visit to your hearts, and wallets, content. But you can't pretend to be there - home is where the heart is.
LOU Oct 2nd 2007 9:38AM
i have dated mexican girls the past ii years. not one wants to return, police ars corrupt ,catholic priest are gay,
Legalcld Oct 2nd 2007 9:39AM
I wasn't impressed with mexico. The high dollar room on the beach smelt like mold. The food wasn't that great and you can't drink the water. The sand on the beach was nice. Guess if you wanted to drink all night at Senor Frog, you may of had fun, but other than that, I was not impressed at all. Now if you want a real vacation check out Hawaii! Now that's the place to be! Best thing American ever did was to buy those islands!
Milagros Oct 2nd 2007 9:47AM
I visit Mexico every year. Is true US dollars when exchange to pesos can buy more.But as a US citizen you can not buy land in Mexico so if you build the government can come and take it. There is a community is Chapala near Guadalajara only retired americans lives there, I think is still there.To Build construction is expensive specially when they know you are from the US..So to be safe I will retire here
J C May 17th 2008 4:30PM
You don't know what you are talking about.
donald winter Oct 2nd 2007 9:54AM
Mexico has a vital and complex culture, worth learning about. Beach resorts and golf courses, like Cabo, are fun on vacation, but living in Mexico should involve cities and towns more authentic. I live half the year in a city in the mountains of central Mexico with a vital ex-pat community. No Burger Kings and MacDonald, but movies, plays and lectures in English and Spanish abound. I find dental and primary medical care on a par with the US and much less expensive. Want to volunteer? We can choose from over 30 charitable and civic groups doing very good work. We have supermarkets and big box stores in neighboring cities, but much prefer adapting to the shopping habits and lifestyles of the locals. True, it can be frustrating not to be able to obtain certain commonplace supplies, but we adjust (or have friends bring them from the States) and are better for it. The weather, the views, the people are wonderful. The pace is slower, yes, but get used to it. Remember manana means later as well as tomorrow.
Roxanne Oct 2nd 2007 10:02AM
Mexico is a beautiful place to live and visit....but i still notice many ignorant people in the US that always have something negative to say about another country....whether someone crosses the border to make a better living for themselves give them credit because there are many americans here that do nothing for themselves and i give credit for anyone who crosses the border whether they are mexican or not to shut some people up and progress....if we keep critizing this country for the poverty and stuff we really shouldn't because all we have to do is look outside our houses and see the poverty and the trash we have here in the US.....besides how many americans can not afford to travel or has never been to a major city in the US.....so lets learn how to respect eachother because our lives are so short you may not be here tomorrow to keep reading these comments..........God bless you all!