Alex: You're here because you want to know the best places to live in Mexico,
and I'm going to tell you. For the best advice about moving to Mexico,
subscribe to my channel and hit the bell to be notified when I upload
new episodes every Monday and Thursday. If you're new to my channel, welcome,
and if you've been here before, welcome back. My name is Alex,
and I moved to Mexico from the U.S. in 2017. I've called Querétaro home ever since.
In today's video, I'm sharing my opinion as to the best places to live in Mexico. To give you
another perspective, I reached out to some foreigners living in the various cities
that I've included in this rundown, and they graciously shared their perspectives, their
thoughts on why the place that they are living is one of the best places to live in Mexico.
This video isn't going to give you every single thing that you need to know about every single
city on the list, but it is a great starting point for your own research. If you are interested for
a deeper dive in one of the cities on this list, be sure to ask in the comments below,
and perhaps that's a video that we can accommodate in the future.
First up, Querétaro. Located in central Mexico, approximately three hours northwest of Mexico
City, Querétaro is home to over 1 million and a half inhabitants. It's the fastest growing city in
the country. When Taylor and I moved to Querétaro back in 2017, we had never visited. We moved here
sight unseen, and I have got to say, being so happy, feeling so at home in a city that we'd
only heard of a few months before actually moving here, it feels like winning the jackpot.
There is a lot to love about Querétaro, but a few things that really stand out to me,
a few reasons I think it is such a great place to live, one of the best places to live in Mexico
is the fact that it is centrally located, which makes it great for traveling around the country;
you're only three hours from Mexico City and the airport there, which is the biggest airport
in Latin America, and you can use that as a jumping-off point for a lot of adventures.
Querétaro is frequently recognized as one of the safest cities in Mexico. And along with safety,
I'm not sure if these things really go hand in hand, but it's also one of the cleanest cities
in Mexico. Here in Querétaro in the city center, in the Centro Histórico, we have trash pickup
six nights a week. Where we live in the Centro Histórico, it really does feel like a pueblo;
there's a lot of charm with the colonial architecture, the cobblestone streets,
but then if you need big city amenities, those are here too.
If you are interested in learning more about Querétaro, this video is a really,
really great place to start. I answer some frequently asked questions about the city,
and I'm also going to go ahead and put together a Querétaro playlist. Since I live here, I've made
lots of videos about the city, and you can check that out if Querétaro is a contender for you.
Number two, Puerto Escondido. Located on the Pacific coast in the Mexican state of Oaxaca,
Puerto Escondido has a population of around 60,000 inhabitants. Famous for its surf,
in English, its name translates to hidden port. For a long, long time, I said that I could never
live in Puerto Escondido, and a lot of that had to do with the infrastructure, specifically the
internet. Beach towns in Mexico are not known for having great internet; understandably. However,
my opinion on the livability of Puerto Escondido has changed a lot in the past year.
When I was there in December, Taylor and I stayed in an Airbnb with super, super fast internet.
And then my friend Louise, who spent a few weeks there in 2021, told me that she was finding
really, really quality internet connections at cafes all over town.
Here's what my friend, wedding photographer, and the co-founder of Puerto Food Tours,
Alex Krotkov, has to say about Puerto Escondido, where he's lived for the last six years.
Alex Krotkov: Puerto has its own magic. Puerto has its own vibe that it's incomparable. The
nature is gorgeous, beautiful, and it has waves. Puerto is relatively small;
it's not super small, but it's a small town, but really, that could offer you basically everything
from restaurants to airports. We're an hour away from Mexico City. It's a small town, but it has
all the possibilities that a bigger town, a bigger city would offer. It's very laid back. It's very
open. In many other places where I've lived, I was still feeling myself a foreigner most of the time,
and here I do feel home and special.
Alex: Number three, Morelia. The capital of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico,
Morelia is home to around 850,000 people. The Spanish originally named the city Valladolid,
but the victors renamed it following the Mexican War for Independence.
It says a lot about a city when you arrive at night, in the rain, and still instantly fall in
love. Morelia first popped up on my radar when one of our move-to-Mexico members
said he was planning on living there. I'll let Scott tell you what he loves about Morelia.
Scott: I knew that I didn't want an enormous large city, so I was looking
for slightly smaller cities in the central highland plains of Mexico. It is a city
filled with classical Spanish colonial architecture, beautiful people,
incredible food, a rich culture and history, and just an incredible place to set up home.
Alex: When I get to meet Scott for the first time back in September, the first time
in person, he told me that Morelia is home to a larger-than-expected community of foreigners,
and he also shared that the city's international airport makes travel
super convenient. In the short time that I was there, I found the prices of
food, drinks and accommodation to be lower than they are in Querétaro.
Regarding safety, the city of Morelia is excluded from the U.S. State Department's Mexico travel
advisories about the state of Michoacán. Number four, Guadalajara. The capital of the
state of Jalisco in western Mexico, Guadalajara has a population of around 5 million inhabitants.
It's a major Latin American tech hub and financial center.
If you like the idea of living in a big city in Mexico, but aren't quite sold on Mexico City,
then Guadalajara could it be for you. Guadalajara is the second largest city in Mexico and
offers all those big city living amenities. Plus, it's only four hours from the coast.
My friend, Louise, and her partner, Mau, who you've seen in my vlogs and videos on
this channel, recently moved to Guadalajara. In fact, at the time of this recording, they
are moving into their new apartment, and Louise shared some of her thoughts about her new city.
Louise Buss: It's the only other city that I've been to in Mexico that has that Mexico City vibe
that isn't Mexico City. There's a lot of art here, a lot of rotating exhibits,
architecture. It's a very artsy city because I think it fosters that because it's pretty
cheap. So there is spaces for that here. People are super open minded. Nobody judges
anyone. It's not a snobby city at all. It's not like a Fresa city at all, at least the central.
It's well connected, it's close to the beach, so it's one of the few, I think,
big cities in Mexico that is so close to beach. It's three hours from the beach,
and I think it's going to be quicker soon. It's definitely a night city, almost too much
for me. Nightlife there is like dive bars, clubs, after-hours raves. The city comes alive at night.
Alex: If you're liking this video, if you are finding it helpful, be sure to give it a thumbs up
right now because that lets YouTube know that, "Got to spread this baby to more people."
Number five, La Paz. Located on the Baja California peninsula, La Paz has experienced
significant growth since the 2000s and reports a population of approximately 290,000 inhabitants.
For its weather, beaches and proximity to the U.S., Baja California has long been a popular
destination for U.S. residents looking to relocate to Mexico.
Now, I'll be honest with you: of all the cities on this list,
La Paz is the only place where I have not personally spent time,
but I have heard so many good things about it and I'm so eager to visit it myself that
I had to include it in this round up. I reached out to my good friend,
Laura Bronner, the author of a Guide to Baja California Sur, for her thoughts on La Paz.
Laura Bronner: La Paz and most of the cities around Baja California Sur are perfect for
outdoor lovers. If you love hiking, bike riding, sailing, surfing, swimming, and
living the majority of your days in the sunshine, then La Paz is an awesome place to call home.
It's a small but growing city with great medical care, a beautiful downtown with cool bars and
restaurants, and it's close to all of the more popular tourist places like Todos Santos and Los
Cabos, but it allows you to come back home to a much quieter and more laid back place.
Alex: In March, I am so excited to announce, Laura will be answering questions about her experience
living in La Paz and traveling around Baja California Sur as part of a virtual event
for the Move to Mexico membership. If you're interested in attending,
check out the link in the description below for more about the Move to Mexico membership.
Number six, Mérida. Located in the northwest part of the Yucatan Peninsula,
Mérida is home to just over 1 million people. Much of Mérida's architecture from the colonial
period through the 18th and 19th centuries is still visible in the Centro Histórico today.
Like Querétaro, Mérida is often recognized as one of the safest places to live in Mexico. Now,
while it is in the Yucatan peninsula, which a lot of people associate with beaches,
it's important to note that Mérida is not located directly on the coast; it's set back aways about
40 minutes, and the closest beach is Progreso. One of the things that I like about Mérida is
that is a big city but not too big. There is a community of foreigners there, but the city
itself is not quite as saturated as other places, other cities in the Yucatan Peninsula. It's still
a good place to learn and to use your Spanish. For a lot of people, a big selling point of Mérida
is the climate. Now, it is hot, hot, hot year round, and going hand in hand with that heat is
humidity. So just something to keep in mind about this particular city in Mexico.
If you can get down with the heat, if you can get down with the humidity, there is so much to see
and do in the Yucatan Peninsula, and Mérida is a great jumping off point for those adventures.
Number seven, Mexico City. Situated in the Valle de México, Ciudad de México is the sixth largest
metropolitan area in the world, with more than 21 million inhabitants. Founded by the Mexica,
it is the oldest capital city in the Americas. When we were first planning our move to Mexico,
I said, "Oh, I could never live in Mexico City. It's too big, too chaotic." But every
time I've visited... It's only three hours from Querétaro. Every time I've visited, my opinion has
changed a little bit more. And now, now I could definitely see myself calling Mexico City home.
Mexico City really has it all: world-class restaurants, fabulous shopping,
lively nightlife, over 150 museums, digital nomads feel right at home in Mexico City
with all the cafes and co-working spaces where they can set up office,
and the city is full of transplants from all over Mexico, from all over the world,
so it is really easy to make friends. One of those transplants, travel writer Jenny Hart
has called Mexico City home for the past year. And here's what she has to say about the city.
Jenny Hart: Even though it's this gigantic city, all of the neighborhoods, the colonias, have this
kind of small town community vibe. So it's really easy to find your favorite neighborhood places to
get to know the people that live near you and plant roots and establish a sense of community.
The dining is excellent. I tell people all the time that it's not common that you
can go somewhere and have truly excellent street food, truly excellent fine dining,
all of which is much more affordable than I'm used to; certainly in New York,
but even most places in the States. The weather doesn't really change by,
I don't know, more than 20 degrees Fahrenheit really any time of the
year. It's mild year round. I like that a lot. There's so much to see, and look at, and learn,
and do that you're really not going to run out of things.
Alex: Number eight, Puebla. Located in east-central Mexico,
Puebla has a population of more than 3 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area. It's home
to many prestigious universities and the world's largest Volkswagen factory outside of Germany.
Can't talk about Puebla without talking about volcanoes. Two giant ones
separate the city from Mexico City, and one of those bad boys is still active.
Hiking is a popular activity in Puebla, including hiking up volcanoes, and that makes this city
a great spot for outdoors lovers. After your hike, you can fuel up with some mole. There's
a big debate in Mexico whether mole originates in Puebla or Oaxaca, and I've got to say, the mole
that I had when I was in Puebla, wow, delicious. Puebla is the fourth largest city in Mexico,
and because of its size, you can find quality medical care and English-speaking doctors.
Number nine, San Miguel de Allende. A top tourist destination, San Miguel is a city in
the central Mexican state of Guanajuato. Its population numbers around 174,000
inhabitants. The city was greatly important during Mexico's fight for independence from Spain.
Both Mexicans and foreigners alike are obsessed with the San Miguel,
and for good reason. This colonial city is one of the most picturesque towns in all of Mexico.
The climate, if you like a high desert climate, has warm days and cool nights for the majority of
the year. I'm talking cool, cool nights. In fact, when I was there in January, I had to use a space
heater and slept in flannel sheets. That cold. San Miguel is very, very, very popular with
foreigners. In fact, some estimates put the foreigner community at between 20,000 and 25,000.
Because it's so popular with foreigners living there
and international tourists, that can definitely drive up prices, so something to keep in mind.
Number 10, Oaxaca City. Situated in southwestern Mexico, the municipality
of Oaxaca de Juárez is home to around 715,000 people. A short bus ride from the city center,
the archeological site of Monte Albán is a prehistoric city open to visitors.
I spent a couple of weeks backpacking around Oaxaca back in 2018, and today, it was one of the
best experiences I've had in Mexico. I was actually in Oaxaca City for Dia de Muertos,
which was just, wow, an incredible experience. Something for your Mexico bucket list.
Oaxaca City is located in the Sierra de Madre Mountain Range, which means a cooler climate,
by Mexican standards of course. This is a great city for nature lovers who only need to
leave the city limits for hiking trails, waterfalls, and if you're in the market for
a real off-the-beaten-path adventure, you've got to check out the Pueblos Mancomunados.
I ask Katherine Schrimpf, a spiritual guide who's called Oaxaca home for more than three years,
to share her thoughts, share her perspective on the city. Here's what she had to say.
Katrin Schrimpf...: Here in Oaxaca, everything is about community,
everything is about sharing and laughing together. It's a completely different vibe. Oaxaca is like a
country by itself. All this influence from the Zapotec traditions, Mazatec tradition.
We have a lot of traditional medicine. Now it's full of curanderos or healers,
shamans and plant medicine. And if you are into food, then Oaxaca is definitely
the best place to live because there is such a big variety of traditional food. It's incredible.
And everyone is putting so much heart and passion into the food that they are preparing.
The cost of living there compared to other regions of Mexico are still relatively low.
Alex: Number 11, Puerto Vallarta. A Mexican beach resort city in the state of Jalisco,
Puerto Vallarta's population is estimated to be around 300,000.
It burst onto the international tourism scene in the 1960s and '70s.
There's a lot to love about Vallarta, including an international airport with direct flights
to and from the U.S., and top of the line medical care. Some of the best
hospitals in Mexico are in Puerto Vallarta. Here's what longtime Puerto Vallarta resident,
Stephanie Kempker, she only recently relocated to Mexico City for her job
with Guardian Health Insurance. She specializes in expat health insurance.
Here's what Steph had to say about the three and a half years that she lived in Puerto Vallarta.
Stephanie Kempker...: I want to acknowledge that P.V. is one of
the more expensive places to live in Mexico, but compared to other places around the world,
it's quite inexpensive for oceanside living. I also think it's a great place for couples.
It's a great place to start a family because there's really good schools and a lot of other
young families from all around the world. It's great for weekend exploration. People
who like to do long weekend trips, there's San Sebastian, San Pancho, Sayulita. Guadalajara
is just a couple hours away. There's so many things to do, there's so many places to explore.
It has a relatively large population of people who are interested in things like
yoga, doing retreats, biohacking, mental health. It's a really good community for
people who are interested in wellness, and really easy to network in that area of fix.
Alex: I would love to hear your thoughts about the cities included in this round up, and I'd
love to know what cities you'd include on your own list of the best places to live in Mexico.
Let me know in the comments below. I'm Alex from backpackingbrunette.com. Thanks for watching.