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Bucketlist Bri

Bucketlist Bri

Adventurous Slomad Travel

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What It’s Like Living in Mexico: 1 Year Update

Last Updated: November 3, 2021 · Mexico

It’s official! We’ve been living for over 1 whole year in Mexico. And I just can’t get over how fast it’s gone – how fast it’s going! While I’ve been slow on blogging these past few months, I want to catch up and talk about our experience living in Mexico so far.

The truth is, I used to blog a whole lot more when I first lived in France (2013-2014) and when I moved to Nepal (2015-2016). But it makes sense. Those countries were my first “living abroad” countries, so naturally, I wanted to share my experiences. But after living in my 4th, 5th, 6th, now 7th country, I’ve realized I’ve gotten used to the “living abroad lifestyle” and I no longer see it as such of a novelty whenever I move somewhere new.

But hey – moving is a big deal. Whether to a new house, a different State, across the country, or to an entirely new continent.

There are lots of lessons and experiences I’ve learned that I’ve never voiced because for me moving and living abroad seemed quite normal. There’s also getting caught up in a routine. And being in school. Not having spare time.

But I’m simply d-o-n-e with all the excuses I’ve had for not taking my travel blogging seriously.

If I had started writing back in 2013, in detail, making travel guides for every place I went and every experience I did, and sharing everyday moments about my travels, it would be safe to say I would already have a much more substantial following that probably would’ve changed my direction in life. But I’m still traveling and blogging, just slower.

Nothing is ever too late and nothing is stopping me from starting to blog, at least the way I’ve felt like I should’ve been doing for so long (aka not dragging my feet or procrastinating).

Table of Contents show
Living abroad is not always sunshine and palm trees 😉
So, living in Mexico. What has it really been like?
Playas, mountains, jungle, deserts, Caribbean, islands…
Why do so many Americans/Canadians live in Mexico?
The cost of living in Mexico (1-year update)
What a couple spends living in Mexico per month (on average):
What it’s been like living in San Pancho, Mexico

Living abroad is not always sunshine and palm trees 😉

1 Year in Mexico: Paul getting ready for the marching tree clan for Entreamigo’s Environmental Fair. (San Pancho)

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may earn me a small commission should you decide to click through and make a valid purchase (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for your support!

So here I am, writing about what it’s been like living in Mexico one year later. I’m doing it!

To say it has been a paradise, a dream, would be to sugarcoat what my lifestyle of travel is really like for me. Yes, living by the beach in a country where the people are so welcoming and friendly, in a location where it feels like a tropical summer year-round, is indeed what dreams are made of (at least for me, I love living here), but that’s not all to be understood from this lifestyle.

Most people view the pros of living abroad and compliment on the adventurous side of it. Which is entirely fine. But hardly do I share the struggles of moving, again and again, into a new culture. Learning how to make new friends, how to settle, how to get from point A to point B. Learning a new language, assimilating into the community.

All of that takes extreme amounts of effort, flexibility, and an open-mindedness to learn everything (again) from scratch. For some people, that might sound literally exhausting and not worthwhile. But for me, personally, the pros of learning – and all the experiences and lessons that accompany it – over and over again, each time differently, greatly outweigh all the cons.

So, living in Mexico. What has it really been like?

I think Mexico is an extremely misunderstood and undervalued country. 

I haven’t been everywhere, hardly anywhere actually, but Mexico is one of the countries that has surprised me the most – in all the best ways. The country is incredibly rich in diversity, nature, people…

It just is breathtakingly beautiful and I feel that many people have a very sad misconception about it. Once they realize, though, how amazing Mexico really is, I feel it will quickly become one of the top travel destinations in the world. It’s already happening, slowly.

Playas, mountains, jungle, deserts, Caribbean, islands…

Mexico is so diverse! As I said, this country is gigantic and there are really incredible places to visit. Even after a whole year, Paul and I haven’t even scratched the surface, and we’ve been to 5 states!

We’ve got the Caribbean, amazing natural water holes (cenotes), magic towns (pueblos magicos), innovative cities, mountains, and not to mention a deeply-rooted, strong presence and influence of incredible indigenous groups (like the Mayans and Huichol). You wouldn’t be able to explore it all even in a lifetime.

Living in Mexico 1 Year Update | Bucketlist Bri
Exploring Sayulita with the sis!

Mexican women are some of the most diverse and simply gorgeous individuals I’ve ever met. 

Mexico is so incredibly diverse, the mixtures of people are sometimes truly astounding. I’ve met so many awesome, strikingly beautiful women here, inside and out.

There is no such thing as a “type” of Mexican look. And it’s funny because you often see people (usually Americans or Canadians) asking some Mexicans where they’re from (because they’re light-skinned or have blue or green eyes), and they reply “from Mexico…” I’m guilty of thinking the same thing when I first got here. But that just shows me I was holding on to pre-learned biases and stereotypes that aren’t at all accurate!

Mexicans are extremely welcoming and are happy to share their culture with you!

Friendly and welcoming, Mexicans make me feel right at home by sharing their culture and sense of community with me. They have a strong sense of responsibility to look out for their foreign friends. I have not lived in a bigger city in Mexico, but even so, the people I have met who are from the city are just as friendly as anywhere else.

Mexicans like to drive fast and are slow at pretty much everything else. 😉 (How’s that for a stereotype?)

Haha, while this one is somewhat of a stereotype, I can attest to the fact that Mexicans love to drive fast on their highways and are constantly trying to overtake one another, which is why there are thousands of speedbumps (topes) everywhere in the most annoying places. TOPES everywhere!

On the other hand, you can expect events to start much later and people showing up “late” for a meeting (which I’m used to after living in France, lol). They also love to take your finished plate away super fast and then bring the bill extremely slow. Of course, these are just fun cultural observations! :p

Why do so many Americans/Canadians live in Mexico?

Take a vacation in Mexico and you’ll quickly realize millions of Americans and Canadians live in Mexico as expats.

Mexico is just an amazing country to live in.

It’s much more affordable to live here than in a big city in the States (with some exceptions, of course..).

Food is delicious and mostly cheap, but you can splurge on international cuisine if you’d like.

The same with rent. Some towns are extremely affordable (like $200-400 a month), and then you have places like San Pancho, where development is rapidly increasing and landowners are closing in on the rent gap (we pay ~$650/month).

It’s especially common to meet both Americans and Canadians living here part-time for 6 months between November-April, which marks the high season in Mexico.

Everything is generally more expensive during high-season (travel, food, rent, activities..). But it’s nice when the low season starts and everyone leaves. We basically have a beach town all to ourselves, with the folks who live here year-round (expats + locals alike).

Beyond just the $ savings, Mexico offers so much for seekers of year-round sunshine! Tropical weather, cheap beer and tacos, Caribbean beaches, incredible cities, national parks… You name it!

The cost of living in Mexico (1-year update)

Living in Mexico 1 Year Update | Bucketlist Bri
A detailed altar for Day of The Dead festivities in Mexico. (Sayulita)

The cost of living in Mexico varies greatly depending on where you choose to live.

So I’m just going to report on our experience from living in a small yet popular beach town on the Pacific coast.


What a couple spends living in Mexico per month (on average):

Rent: $450-650 (low-high season)

Food: $200? Local markets/produce is super cheap but gets expensive as soon as you buy anything canned, foreign, or organic.

Activities: $150? We spend most of our “entertainment” on eating out, grabbing a beer, going to events in the town.

Transport: ?? Buses are pretty affordable, especially between towns ($2-5) with trips between bigger cities a little more pricy ($5-20).


We don’t have a car, nor do we usually do anything extravagant. Not to mention we walk or bike everywhere, or hitch a ride.

Now I’m realizing we’re not a good base model to give an accurate amount of how much it really costs to live in Mexico! Oops. Terrible.

Let’s just say we spend most of our available funds on travel itself. And food/drink.

What it’s been like living in San Pancho, Mexico

San Pancho is like it’s own bubble in Mexico. It is an extremely paradisiac-like town with a strong sense of community.

So many tourists compliment the down-to-earth vibes and community feeling when they visit. It’s just an amazing place to spend your time, whether you’re building a business, writing a book, volunteering, or just hanging out.

Everyone I’ve spoken to intimately came to San Pancho for a very unique reason. And most often, that reason coincides with healing from something. The town just draws you in, cradles you and inspires you, and then whisks you off onward to new adventures whenever it’s time to leave.

As ooey-gooey and romantic as that sounds, the town struggles with its own problems, of course.

But without negating its very real-life problems, San Pancho is just what my soul needed.

To sit out and watch mesmerizing sunsets while inhaling in the ocean spray, to share with strangers, friends, and discuss all topics, to be supported and cared for…

It’s truly somewhere special.

Thanks for reading about my reflections living in Mexico! I’d be so happy for you to follow along as I share my travel guides and stories about Mexico (and beyond!)

If you have any questions about living in Mexico, like visa-related questions, weather, affordability, or any question at all, just let me know in the comments below or feel free to send me an email.

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By: Bri · In: Mexico

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Comments

  1. Amy says

    February 3, 2022 at 5:07 pm

    Thank you for the great article. My husband and I are looking into moving from our farm on Vancouver Island and heading to San Pancho. Are you able to tell me what it’s like living there on the off-season? Is it too hot to stay there, do all the stores shut down?
    What would you say are the biggest “problem” issues San Pancho is dealing with. I know that it is probably struggling to stay “quaint” and keep out big developement, but are there other issues?
    Thank you so much!
    Amy

    Reply
    • Bri says

      February 7, 2022 at 9:15 am

      Hey Amy! How wonderful your plans sound. 🙂 San Pancho in the off-season is hot, muggy, uncrowded, and wet, but also quiet and beautiful. Entreamigos closes down from August to November, if I remember well. Local stores and some restaurants remain open but the bigger touristy ones may not. That may have changed, now, though, as more tourists are coming to San Pancho year-round. Yes, some development is encroaching on the town and not in the best way. The town is wonderful, but it does have its little underbelly, like anywhere. Rent, for example, is sky-high and it’s due to locals kicking out other locals to accommodate high-paying foreigners.

      Reply
  2. Christina says

    May 22, 2019 at 12:36 am

    Love all your stories.

    Reply
    • Bri says

      May 22, 2019 at 4:06 pm

      Awww, thank you!!

      Reply
  3. Steve says

    May 21, 2019 at 1:34 am

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences. I’m so glad that we were able to cross paths for some brief time.
    Wishing you, Paul & Yoda continuing adventures!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      May 21, 2019 at 8:40 pm

      Thanks so much, Steve! You made our San Pancho experience even more special. Hoping our paths cross again for some time in the future. Lots of love! xo

      Reply

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I’m Bri, an adventurous digital nomad living abroad full-time since 2015. It is my hope to inspire you to live a life of adventure, seek out meaningful experiences, and travel slowly and mindfully!

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Traveling solo in Nepal has awakened in me a confi Traveling solo in Nepal has awakened in me a confidence & sense of self (at the risk of sounding cliché), of “my essence” and inner Knowing, and where my compassion and passions mingle and thrive. I was reading some of your comments on my recent Reel about solo travel and how I put myself at great risk/in danger. But as I was telling my Tibetan friend, Sonam, tonight (yes, the new one I made last week!), I inform my decisions mostly by 1. Asking myself, “Would this make a good story?” and 2. Listening to my body and emotions. Yes, it’s risky to travel solo, to be a female in a male-dominated culture, to go out after hours with people you just met, etc. But doing that — and all the magic that followed by “allowing” — reminded me exactly of who I am at my core: Curious and open to the world, willing to get uncomfortable for the sake of finding magic and serendipity. Some of you said, “I’m too scared to do this, how do you overcome that fear of personal safety?” And to this I say, I don’t! Fear accompanies me along the journey. Living life is one big risk. It’s uncomfortable to be open, vulnerable, and unsure. But once you accept that and once you begin to let compassion and curiosity guide you rather than your fear, the real magic starts to happen in all areas of life, not just travel. I find these moments most in travel though, when I’m confronted with contrast and am left vulnerable to the world and the kindness of my fellow humans. My Reels are not meant to romanticize or gloss over very real risks/threats in life, but rather to share a real account of what’s possible (adventure, connections, love, etc) when you worry less about societal norms and what’s “safe not safe” “right not right” and allow your over-active fears to take a backseat. 
This is your reminder to trust your inner compass to guide you in writing your epic life story. ✨✨

To sum it up: 

1. Choose a life of adventure 
2. Stay curious
3. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable (otherwise said, seek discomfort)
4. Let love and light flow in and out 
5. Change is the only constant 

#solotravel #nepaltravel #solofemaletraveler #soloadventure #localtravel #trekkingnepal #adventurethatislife
The strength of women 💛 These ladies were lau The strength of women 💛 

These ladies were laughing so sweetly while filling up their water jugs at the Manga Hiti fountain in Patan. I watched them for a while and then plucked up the courage to ask if I could take their photos, which only made them giggle more. 

I've always felt that not being able to communicate in the same language makes for even more interesting encounters. Without words, we have to touch each other's humanity with eyes and gestures, and most of the time it leads to unspoken mutual understanding, acceptance, and love. We three walked away with the biggest smiles on our faces. I yelled out "Dhayabad!" (Thank you!) as they hoisted their jugs up the stairs, laughing all the way. I won't forget this shared moment between us 🙏 

Check stories for the landscape orientation for some of these photos ✨ 

#nepal #nepalnow #nepalphotography #nepaliculture #nepalisbeautiful #natgeoyourshot #patan #kathmanduvalley #lifetimeexperiences #photonepal #nepaltravel
Did you feel it? Nepal’s ancient wisdom, its swi Did you feel it? Nepal’s ancient wisdom, its swirling spirituality, its raw humanity? ✨🇳🇵❤️

#nepal #visitnepal #nepalnow #travelstories #localtravel #mindfultravel #slowtravel #natgeotravel
When you say “yes” as a solo traveler and stay When you say “yes” as a solo traveler and stay open to the randomness of life and the kindness of strangers, really wonderful memories can be made. Thank you Lama family and my new Tibetan friends for such a fun and insightful sequence of experiences 🙏 💛

#solotravel #localtravel #nepaltravel #nepaldiaries #nepali #solofemaletravel #kathmandunepal #thamel #tibetanfood #solotraveldiaries
My first week back in the chaos of Kathmandu, 💛 My first week back in the chaos of Kathmandu, 💛 

Being back after 7 long years away has jolted my body, brain, and spirit. At first, I felt overwhelmed with the recurring thought of, "I don't know what to do with myself." It was only when acceptance knocked on my door, and I finally decided to let it in, that things began to shift and flow.
 
In Nepal, particularly Kathmandu, everything around me swarms like a hive. I have nowhere else to go but inside myself. I've discovered through years of slow traveling (and solo travel) that peace awaits me there -- a sense of independence, power, and knowing that is still, comforting, and safe. And I can tap into it whenever I need to.

Chaos and peace reside in all of us, and Nepal has a cosmic, ancient way of reminding you of just that. 

📍 Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur

#nepaltravel #patan #durbarsquare #nepalphotography #slowtravel #nepal #solotravel #lalitpur
They ask, “Why?” I was 29 when I embarked on They ask, “Why?” 

I was 29 when I embarked on the plane on the 21st, and 30 when I disembarked on the 23rd. How fitting. I spent all of my 20s abroad (except for my two final semesters in undergrad), and moved to Nepal when I was 21. 

What better way to say goodbye to my twenties than by returning to the start? I felt the desperate urge to start my 30s this way—alone on a one-way ticket with no concrete plans. I have both feared and longed to come back all these years. You see, I had made a promise to one of my closest Nepali friends that I’d see her again, but the reality is that I no longer can. 

She, along with another dear friend, passed away from cancer a couple of years back. The thought of returning to my old life here without my friends made me, well, incredibly sad. I had thought that, upon landing in Kathmandu—or taking a bite of my first momo—after so long, I’d find myself bursting into tears of both grief and gratitude. But I didn’t. Instead, I found familiarity in the chaos and chaos in the strangeness. 

Just being here—and the decisions and actions it took to get here—has reminded me of the preciousness of this one very short life. And that, by choosing to celebrate mine—at the exciting turn of a decade no less—by coming back to Nepal on a solo trip that would force me into daring discomfort when I could instead retreat to the comforts of family or my partner, is how I want to live it.

Truth is, a couple of months ago the thought of Nepal felt out of reach. It felt risky, unattainable. But the idea itself pushed open, just a crack at first, a door that had been otherwise closed. I could have more easily ignored my “what if?” daydreams—calling them off as too hard, too uncomfortable, or too far-fetched to actually pursue—and kept it shut.
But sometime in mid-July, I decided to look at flights. And I found one (truly, just one) option that could work. And it just so happened that it would fall on my birthday, or rather bridge my birthday. The idea of getting on a plane at 29 and getting off it at 30—back in Nepal—sold me. I fell in love with the story, the adventure, the unknowingness of it all. 

So, yeah. That’s why. Or as I prefer, “Why not?”
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