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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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Tips from a long-time nomad ⬇️✨ 💻 WORKIN Tips from a long-time nomad ⬇️✨

💻 WORKING ONLINE
While not all nomads/remote workers have online-specific jobs, it’s the easiest way to sustain an income for full-time or long-term travel. Here are some jobs you can do as a digital nomad!

• Blogging (This is what I do full-time!)
• Content Creation / Brand Sponsorship
• Virtual Assisting
• Social Media Management
• YouTube or Podcasting
• Graphic / Web Design
• Coding / Development
• Photography / Videography
• Freelance Writing (How I started)
• Marketing / Amazon FBA / Ecommerce

📍PICKING YOUR DIGITAL NOMAD DESTINATION
There are many countries out there offering digital nomad visas, but you don’t even need one to just travel as a tourist and stay in-country for 30, 60, 90, or 180 days. Nomads go everywhere as long as there’s a Wi-Fi connection, some countries you may consider are Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica, Thailand, Vietnam, Croatia, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Brazil, and beyond! Even lesser-known places such as Namibia are starting to offer nomad visas to entice long-term travelers to visit.

🏡 FINDING HOUSING ABROAD
Read my blog post for the full guide on this, but basically, check local Facebook groups for renting local housing for extended stays and then use Airbnbs for shorter stays or to negotiate longer contracts with the owner. There are even more “nomad rental websites” these days to make finding accommodation even easier. Don’t overlook co-living/working spaces too like Selina where the digital nomad community tends to congregate.

💛 EXPLORING LOCALLY/RESPONSIBLY
As always, be mindful and respectful when you visit these communities. Many small towns are struggling with rapid growth and overdevelopment so be mindful of your choices of where you stay, how you spend your money, and who you support.

My best advice + detailed guides are all on the blog, free for you to use! Let me know if you have any questions about digital nomad life! 

Lastly, don’t overthink it. Moving countries isn’t as intimidating as you may think! It’s become second nature for us now after several years! 🐈‍⬛💃🌎✨
I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to discover t I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to discover this incredible country beyond the resorts and beaches, having lived temporarily in 5 out of the 32 Mexican states (Nayarit, Quintana Roo, Chiapas, Oaxaca, and now Baja California Sur) as a digital nomad who’s been slow traveling/living in and out of Mexico since 2018. 

There is so, so much cultural and natural beauty in Mexico — I wish more people could experience this country for themselves and not through the eyes of the media.

***Please visit Mexico as a digital nomad (or tourist in general) responsibly and mindfully. Stay local, eat local, drink local, shop local, support local. Leave No Trace and be conscious of your choices and impact!*** 

Here are the cities/towns we’ve slow traveled/lived in for extended stays.

• Oaxaca City — a colorful, historic open museum rich in indigenous culture and gastronomy 
• San Cristóbal de las Casas — an endearing pueblo mágico in the Chiapas Highlands
• La Paz — the capital city of BCS teeming with marine life, diving, fish tacos, and desert vibes
• San Pancho — an eco-conscious town in Nayarit famous for its sunsets and community
• Tulum — no introduction needed (and I wouldn’t go back here as a nomad due to overdevelopment)

Other great cities/towns/destinations for digital nomads are:

• Guadalajara (state of Jalisco)
• Santiago de Querétaro (state of Querétaro)
• San Miguel de Allende or Guanajuato City (state of Guanajuato)
• Playa del Carmen (state of Quintana Roo)
• Valladolid or Mérida (state of Yucatán)
• México City/CDMX (state of México)
• Sayulita (state of Nayarit)
• Puerto Vallarta (state of Jalisco)
• Puerto Escondido (state of Oaxaca)

I’d love to know what you think about Mexico and where you’ve been in the comments! 🇲🇽💛

And for the detailed guide of 13 places to live/visit, read my blog @bucketlistbri .com (just type in “places to live mexico” in the quick search bar if you can’t find the post under my “Mexico” category).

#mexicomagico #digitalnomad #visitmexico #livingabroad #fulltimetravel #mexicotravel #mexicodestinations #nomadadigital #nomada #mexicomaravilloso #slowtravelling #mindfultravel
PSA: Your anxiety, problems or (bad) habits will f PSA: Your anxiety, problems or (bad) habits will follow you around the world until you face them no matter how much you travel or move countries 🙃 

I know I’m not the only one that feels restless at times and idolizes moving to a new region/country/continent to shake my feelings of anxiety or self-doubt or fear! (Also, I tend to think about moving to another country even when I just moved to a new one 😅)

I know because I have lived abroad for 8+ years. I used to try to drown out my icky feelings and past traumas with lots of alcohol but now I carry them with me like I do my mismatched socks — they add to the quirkiness and remind me I don’t have to be, and am not, perfect. 

And that life is more interesting that way, anyway. 

Anddd that most importantly, whenever I get lost, I can and will be found again — I just may look and think differently after new adventures but I am still loved and never lost forever 🧦 ✨💛 

In sum, whether you travel full-time or not, take care of yourself ✨💛

#nomadness #nomadlife #lifeofadventure #livingabroad #fulltimetravel #offbeattravel #remoteworklife #homeawayfromhome #slowtravelstories #mentalhealthawarness
The 4 core ingredients to a recharged Bri: 💛 P The 4 core ingredients to a recharged Bri:

💛 Paul
😻 Yoda
🌍 Traveling & adventuring
👩🏼‍💻 Blogging & writing

Among other things like nature, photography, reading, animals, journaling, art, playing Zelda/games, dancing/music, culture/languages, enjoying rly good food and drinks! 😋 

What about you? What recharges you?? 

#rechargemysoul #blogging #adventures #writing #soulfulliving #mindfulliving #mindfultravel #nomadcouple #creativeliving
1 WEEK COSTA RICA ITINERARY👇🦋✨ 🌋 ARENA 1 WEEK COSTA RICA ITINERARY👇🦋✨

🌋 ARENAL // LA FORTUNA (2 days)
- Hike in the Arenal Volcano National Park
- Indulge in a local chocolate/coffee tour (s/o to @northfieldscafe)
- Go on a wildlife safari float (s/o to Raúl for pura vida vibes!)
- Lounge in natural hot springs (highly recommend the budget-friendly Relax Termalitas in Fortuna)
- Visit La Fortuna waterfall
- Check out the Butterfly Conservatory

🦥 QUEPOS // MANUEL ANTONIO (2-3 days)
- Take a guided or DIY tour of Manuel Antonio National Park
- Chill out on the Espadilla beach
- Explore the cute towns
- Watch for wildlife in the trees!

🌿 MONTEVERDE // SANTA ELENA (2 days)
- Visit/hike in the Monteverde Cloud Forest
- Go ziplining
- Birdwatching on a canopy tour
- Monteverde coffee tour
- Do a nature night walk

My sister and I surprised our mom with this bucket list trip on her birthday, and we had a blast! 🥹

Send this itinerary to someone you know who has always wanted to go to Costa Rica 🦋💛✨🌿🦜🐒

#costarica #bucketlisttrip #puravida #costaricaitinerary #lafortuna #manuelantonio #monteverde #ecotourism
Swimming with the biggest fish in the world is a q Swimming with the biggest fish in the world is a quite a humbling experience, and one that’s been at the top of my bucket list for ages! 🥺

Right now is prime whale shark season in La Paz in Baja California Sur, Mexico, so Paul and I made sure to go before we jetted off to see family for the holidays! I’m still in awe of these gentle giants and the fact that we got to swim alongside them!

Read all about the best whale shake tours in La Paz + ethical whale shark tourism in my latest blog post! Link in bio 💛

Send this to a friend who loves whale sharks! 🐳🦈

#whalesharks #lapaz #bajacaliforniasur #ethicaltravel #responsibletravel #ecotourism #golapaz #mexicotravel #bucketlist #seaofcortez
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